第16章

Onelistenerhehadwhonevertired，andtowhomhewasmorethanamereschoolmate。PoorBilly’schiefdelightwastoliebesidethebrook，watchingleavesandbitsoffoamdanceby，listeningdreamilytothemusicinthewillow-tree。HeseemedtothinkNatasortofangelwhosataloftandsang，forafewbabymemoriesstilllingeredinhismindandseemedtogrowbrighteratthesetimes。SeeingtheinteresthetookinNat，Mr。

Bhaerbeggedhimtohelpthemliftthecloudfromthefeeblebrainbythisgentlespell。Gladtodoanythingtoshowhisgratitude，NatalwayssmiledonBillywhenhefollowedhimabout，andlethimlistenundisturbedtothemusicwhichseemedtospeakalanguagehecouldunderstand。“Helponeanother，“wasafavoritePlumfieldmotto，andNatlearnedhowmuchsweetnessisaddedtolifebytryingtoliveuptoit。

JackFord’speculiarpastimewasbuyingandselling；andhebidfairtofollowinthefootstepsofhisuncle，acountrymerchant，whosoldalittleofeverythingandmademoneyfast。Jackhadseenthesugarsanded，themolasseswatered，thebuttermixedwithlard，andthingsofthatkind，andlaboredunderthedelusionthatitwasallaproperpartofthebusiness。

Hisstockintradewasofadifferentsort，buthemadeasmuchashecouldoutofeverywormhesold，andalwaysgotthebestofthebargainwhenhetradedwiththeboysforstring，knives，fish-hooks，orwhateverthearticlemightbe。Theboyswhoallhadnicknames，calledhim“Skinflint，“

butJackdidnotcareaslongastheoldtobacco-pouchinwhichhekepthismoneygrewheavierandheavier。

Heestablishedasortofauction-room，andnowandthensoldoffalltheoddsandendshehadcollected，orhelpedtheladsexchangethingswithoneanother。Hegotbats，balls，hockey-sticks，etc。，cheap，fromonesetofmates，furbishedthemup，andletthemforafewcentsatimetoanotherset，oftenextendinghisbusinessbeyondthegatesofPlumfieldinspiteoftherules。Mr。Bhaerputastoptosomeofhisspeculations，andtriedtogivehimabetterideaofbusinesstalentthanmeresharpnessinoverreachinghisneighbors。NowandthenJackmadeabadbargain，andfeltworseaboutitthanaboutanyfailureinlessonsorconduct，andtookhisrevengeonthenextinnocentcustomerwhocamealong。Hisaccount-bookwasacuriosity；andhisquicknessatfiguresquiteremarkable。Mr。Bhaerpraisedhimforthis，andtriedtomakehissenseofhonestyandhonorasquick；and，byandby，whenJackfoundthathecouldnotgetonwithoutthesevirtues，heownedthathisteacherwasright。

Cricketandfootballtheboyshadofcourse；but，afterthestirringaccountsofthesegamesintheimmortal“TomBrownatRugby，“nofeeblefemalepenmayventuretodomorethanrespectfullyalludetothem。

Emilspenthisholidaysontheriverorthepond，anddrilledtheelderladsforaracewithcertaintownboys，whonowandtheninvadedtheirterritory。Theracedulycameoff，butasitendedinageneralshipwreck，itwasnotmentionedinpublic；andtheCommodorehadseriousthoughtsofretiringtoadesertisland，sodisgustedwashewithhiskindforatime。Nodesertislandbeingconvenient，hewasforcedtoremainamonghisfriends，andfoundconsolationinbuildingaboat-house。

Thelittlegirlsindulgedintheusualplaysoftheirage，improvinguponthemsomewhatastheirlivelyfanciessuggested。Thechiefandmostabsorbingplaywascalled“Mrs。ShakespeareSmith；“thenamewasprovidedbyAuntJo，butthetrialsofthepoorladywerequiteoriginal。DaisywasMrs。S。S。，andNanbyturnsherdaughteroraneighbor，Mrs。Giddygaddy。

Nopencandescribetheadventuresoftheseladies，forinoneshortafternoontheirfamilywasthesceneofbirths，marriages，deaths，floods，earthquakes，tea-parties，andballoonascensions。Millionsofmilesdidtheseenergeticwomentravel，dressedinhatsandhabitsneverseenbeforebymortaleye，perchedonthebed，drivingthepostslikemettlesomesteeds，andbouncingupanddowntilltheirheadsspun。Fitsandfireswerethepetafflictions，withageneralmassacrenowandthenbywayofchange。

Nanwasnevertiredofinventingfreshcombinations，andDaisyfollowedherleaderwithblindadmiration。PoorTeddywasafrequentvictim，andwasoftenrescuedfromrealdanger，fortheexcitedladieswereapttoforgetthathewasnotofthesamestufftheirlongsufferingdolls。Oncehewasshutintotheclosetforadungeon，andforgottenbythegirls，whoranofftosomeout-of-doorgame。Anothertimehewashalfdrownedinthebath-tub，playingbea“cunninglittlewhale。“And，worstofall，hewascutdownjustintimeafterbeinghungupforarobber。

ButtheinstitutionmostpatronizedbyallwastheClub。Ithadnoothername，anditneedednone，beingtheonlyoneintheneighborhood。Theelderladsgotitup，andtheyoungerwereoccasionallyadmittediftheybehavedwell。TommyandDemiwerehonorarymembers，butwerealwaysobligedtoretireunpleasantlyearly，owingtocircumstancesoverwhichtheyhadnocontrol。Theproceedingsofthisclubweresomewhatpeculiar，foritmetatallsortsofplacesandhours，hadallmannerofqueerceremoniesandamusements，andnowandthenwasbrokenuptempestuously，onlytobere-established，however，onafirmerbasis。

Rainyeveningsthemembersmetintheschoolroom，andpassedthetimeingames：chess，morris，backgammon，fencingmatches，recitations，debates，ordramaticperformancesofadarklytragicalnature。Insummerthebarnwastherendezvous，andwhatwentontherenouninitiatedmortalknows。

OnsultryeveningstheClubadjournedtothebrookforaquaticexercises，andthememberssataboutinairyattire，frog-likeandcool。Onsuchoccasionsthespeecheswereunusuallyeloquent，quiteflowing，asonemightsay；

andifanyorator’sremarksdispleasedtheaudience，coldwaterwasthrownuponhimtillhisardorwaseffectuallyquenched。Franzwaspresident，andmaintainedorderadmirably，consideringtheunrulynatureofthemembers。

Mr。Bhaerneverinterferedwiththeiraffairs，andwasrewardedforthiswiseforbearancebybeinginvitednowandthentobeholdthemysteriesunveiled，whichheappearedtoenjoymuch。

WhenNancameshewishedtojointheClub，andcausedgreatexcitementanddivisionamongthegentlemenbypresentingendlesspetitions，bothwrittenandspoken，disturbingtheirsolemnitiesbyinsultingthemthroughthekey-hole，performingvigoroussolosonthedoor，andwritingupderisiveremarksonwallsandfences，forshebelongedtothe“Irrepressibles。“

Findingtheseappealsinvain，thegirls，bytheadviceofMrs。Jo，gotupaninstitutionoftheirown，whichtheycalledtheCosyClub。Tothistheymagnanimouslyinvitedthegentlemenwhoseyouthexcludedthemfromtheotherone，andentertainedthesefavoredbeingssowellwithlittlesuppers，newgamesdevisedbyNan，andotherpleasingfestivities，that，onebyone，theelderboysconfessedadesiretopartakeofthesemoreelegantenjoyments，and，aftermuchconsultation，finallydecidedtoproposeaninterchangeofcivilities。

ThemembersoftheCosyClubwereinvitedtoadorntherivalestablishmentoncertainevenings，andtothesurpriseofthegentlementheirpresencewasnotfoundtobearestraintupontheconversationoramusementoftheregularfrequenters；whichcouldnotbesaidofallClubs，Ifancy。Theladiesrespondedhandsomelyandhospitablytotheseoverturesofpeace，andbothinstitutionsflourishedlongandhappily。CHAPTERIXDAISY’SBALL

“Mrs。ShakespeareSmithwouldliketohaveMr。JohnBrooke，Mr。ThomasBangs，andMr。NathanielBlaketocometoherballatthreeo’clocktoday。

“P。S。­；Natmustbringhisfiddle，sowecandance，andalltheboysmustbegood，ortheycannothaveanyofthenicethingswehavecooked。“

Thiselegantinvitationwould，Ifear，havebeendeclined，butforthehintgiveninthelastlineofthepostscript。

“Theyhavebeencookinglotsofgoodies，Ismelt’em。Let’sgo，“

saidTommy。

“Weneedn’tstayafterthefeast，youknow，“addedDemi。

“Ineverwenttoaball。Whatdoyouhavetodo？“askedNat。

“Oh，wejustplaybemen，andsitroundstiffandstupidlikegrown-upfolks，anddancetopleasethegirls。Thenweeatupeverything，andcomeawayassoonaswecan。“

“IthinkIcoulddothat，“saidNat，afterconsideringTommy’sdescriptionforaminute。

“I’llwriteandsaywe’llcome；“andDemidespatchedthefollowinggentlemanlyreply，­；

“Wewillallcome。Pleasehavelotstoeat。­；J。B。Esquire。“

Greatwastheanxietyoftheladiesabouttheirfirstball，becauseifeverythingwentwelltheyintendedtogiveadinner-partytothechosenfew。

“AuntJolikestohavetheboysplaywithus，iftheyarenotrough；

sowemustmakethemlikeourballs，thentheywilldothemgood，“saidDaisy，withhermaternalair，asshesetthetableandsurveyedthestoreofrefreshmentswithananxiouseye。

“DemiandNatwillbegood，butTommywilldosomethingbad，Iknowhewill，“repliedNan，shakingherheadoverthelittlecake-basketwhichshewasarranging。

“ThenIshallsendhimrighthome，“saidDaisy，withdecision。

“Peopledon’tdosoatparties，itisn’tproper。“

“Ishallneveraskhimanymore。“

“Thatwoulddo。He’dbesorrynottocometothedinner-ball，wouldn’the？“

“Iguesshewould!we’llhavethesplendidestthingseverseen，won’twe？Realsoupwithaladleandatureem[shemeanttureen]andalittlebirdforturkey，andgravy，andallkindsofnicevegytubbles。“

Daisynevercouldsayvegetablesproperly，andhadgivenuptrying。

“Itis’mostthree，andweoughttodress，“saidNan，whohadarrangedafinecostumefortheoccasion，andwasanxioustowearit。

“Iamthemother，soIshan’tdressupmuch，“saidDaisy，puttingonanight-capornamentedwitharedbow，oneofheraunt’slongskirts，andashawl；apairofspectaclesandlargepockethandkerchiefcompletedhertoilette，makingaplump，rosylittlematronofher。

Nanhadawreathofartificialflowers，apairofoldpinkslippers，ayellowscarf，agreenmuslinskirt，andafanmadeoffeathersfromtheduster；also，asalasttouchofelegance，asmelling-bottlewithoutanysmellinit。

“Iamthedaughter，soIrigupagooddeal，andImustsinganddance，andtalkmorethanyoudo。Themothersonlygettheteaandbeproper，youknow。“

AsuddenveryloudknockcausedMissSmithtoflyintoachair，andfanherselfviolently，whilehermammasatboltuprightonthesofa，andtriedtolookquitecalmand“proper。“LittleBess，whowasonavisit，actedthepartofmaid，andopenedthedoor，sayingwithasmile，“Wartin，gemplemun；it’sallweady。“

Inhonoroftheoccasion，theboysworehighpapercollars，tallblackhats，andglovesofeverycolorandmaterial，fortheywereanafterthought，andnotaboyamongthemhadaperfectpair。

“Goodday，mum，“saidDemi，inadeepvoice，whichwassohardtokeepupthathisremarkshadtobeextremelybrief。

Everyoneshookhandsandthensatdown，lookingsofunny，yetsosober，thatthegentlemenforgottheirmanners，androlledintheirchairswithlaughter。

“Oh，don’t!“criedMrs。Smith，muchdistressed。

“Youcan’tevercomeagainifyouactso，“addedMissSmith，rappingMr。Bangswithherbottlebecausehelaughedloudest。

“Ican’thelpit，youlooksolikefury，“gaspedMr。Bangs，withmostuncourteouscandor。

“Sodoyou，butIshouldn’tbesorudeastosayso。Heshan’tcometothedinner-ball，shallhe，Daisy？“criedNan，indignantly。

“Ithinkwehadbetterdancenow。Didyoubringyourfiddle，sir？“askedMrs。Smith，tryingtopreserveherpolitecomposure。

“Itisoutsidethedoor，“andNatwenttogetit。

“Betterhaveteafirst，“proposedtheunabashedTommy，winkingopenlyatDemitoremindhimthatthesoonertherefreshmentsweresecured，thesoonertheycouldescape。

“No，weneverhavesupperfirst；andifyoudon’tdancewellyouwon’thaveanysupperatall，notonebit，sir，“saidMrs。Smith，sosternlythatherwildguestssawshewasnottobetrifledwith，andgrewoverwhelminglycivilallatonce。

“IwilltakeMr。Bangsandteachhimthepolka，forhedoesnotknowitfittobeseen，“addedthehostess，withareproachfullookthatsoberedTommyatonce。

Natstruckup，andtheballopenedwithtwocouples，whowentconscientiouslythroughasomewhatvarieddance。Theladiesdidwell，becausetheylikedit，butthegentlemenexertedthemselvesfrommoreselfishmotives，foreachfeltthathemustearnhissupper，andlaboredmanfullytowardthatend。Wheneveryonewasoutofbreaththeywereallowedtorest；and，indeed，poorMrs。Smithneededit，forherlongdresshadtrippedherupmanytimes。