She was very indignant and very wistful about the pale little girl. “I wish they’d let me kept her,” she said. “I kind of advised it, and her eyes was so wishful in that pinched face when she heard me, so that I could see what was the matter with her, but they said she wa’n’t prepared. Prepared!” And Mrs. Todd snuffed like an offended war-horse, and departed; but I could hear her still grumbling and talking to herself in high dudgeon an hour afterward.
At the end of that time her arch enemy, Mari’ Harris, appeared at the side door with a gingham handkerchief over her head. She was always on hand for the news, and made some formal excuse for her presence,—she wished to borrow the weekly paper. Captain Littlepage, whose housekeeper she was, had taken it from the post-office in the morning, but had forgotten, being of failing memory, what he had done with it.
“How is the poor old gentleman?” asked Mrs. Todd with solicitude, ignoring the present errand of Maria and all her concerns.
I had spoken the evening before of intended visits to Captain Littlepage and Elijah Tilley, and I now heard Mrs. Todd repeating my inquiries and intentions, and fending off with unusual volubility of her own the curious questions that were sure to come. But at last Maria Harris secured an opportunity and boldly inquired if she had not seen William ashore early that morning.
“I don’t say he wasn’t,” replied Mrs. Todd; “Thu’sday’s a very usual day with him to come ashore.”
“He was all dressed up,” insisted Maria—she really had no sense of propriety. “I didn’t know but they was going to be married?”
Mrs. Todd did not reply. I recognized from the sounds that reached me that she had retired to the fastnesses of the kitchen closet and was clattering the tins.
“I expect they’ll marry soon anyway,” continued the visitor.
“I expect they will if they want to,” answered Mrs. Todd. “I don’t know nothin’ ’tall about it; that’s what folks say.” And presently the gingham handkerchief retreated past my window.
“I routed her, horse and foot,” said Mrs. Todd proudly, coming at once to stand at my door. “Who’s comin’ now?” as two figures passed inward bound to the kitchen.