OLD TOM AND NANCY (Pollyanna)

01Chapter Two.

02Old Tom and Nancy.

03In the little attic room, Nancy swept and scrubbed vigorously, paying particular attention to the corners.

04There were times, indeed, when the vigor she put into her work was more of a relief to her feelings than it was an order to efface dirt.

05Nancy, in spite of her frightened submission to her mistress, was no saint.

06I just wish I could dig out the corners of her soul, she muttered jerkily, punctuating her words with murderous jabs of her pointed cleaning-stick.

07There's plenty of needs cleaning out all right, all right.

08The idea of sticking that blessed child way off up here in this hot little room, with no fire in the winter, too, and all this big house to pick from and choose from.

09Unnecessary children, indeed!

10Hmph!

11snapped Nancy, wringing her rag so hard her fingers ached from the strain.

12I guess it ain't children what is most unnecessary just now, just now.

13For some time she worked in silence.

14Then, her task finished, she looked about the bare little room in plain disgust.

15Well, it's done my part anyhow, she sighed.

16There ain't no dirt here, and there's mighty little else.

17Poor little soul!

18Pretty place this is, to put a homesick, lonesome child into!

19She finished, going out and closing the door with a bang.

20Oh!

21she ejaculated, biting her lip, then doggedly.

22Well, I don't care.

23I hope she did hear the bang.

24I do, I do.

25In the garden that afternoon, Nancy found a few minutes in which to interview old Tom, who had pulled the weeds and shoveled the paths about the place for uncounted years.

26Mr.

27Tom, began Nancy, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure she was unobserved, did you know a little girl was coming here to live with Miss Polly?

28A what?

29demanded the old man, straightening his bent back with difficulty.

30A little girl.

31To live with Miss Polly.

32Go on with your joking, scoffed unbelieving Tom.

33Why don't you tell me the sun isn't going to set in the east tomorrow?

34But it's true.

35She told me so herself, maintained Nancy.

36It's her niece, and she's eleven years old.

37The man's jaw fell.

38Show!

39I wonder now, he muttered.

40Then a tender light came into his faded eyes.

41It ain't.

42But it must be.

43Miss Jenny's little gal.

44There wasn't none of the rest of them married.

45Why, Nancy, it must be Miss Jenny's little gal.

46Glory be to praise to think of my old eyes as seeing this.

47Who is Miss Jenny?

48She was an angel straight out of heaven, breathed the man fervently.

49But the old master and missus knew her as their oldest daughter.

50She was twenty when she married and went away from here long years ago.

51Her babies all died, I hear, except the last one.

52And that must be the one wants a-coming.

53She's eleven years old.

54Yes, she might be, nodded the old man.

55And she's going to sleep in the attic.

56More shame to her, scolded Nancy, with another glance over her shoulder toward the house behind her.

57Old Tom frowned.

58The next moment a curious smile curved his lips.

59I'm a-wondering what Miss Polly will do with a child in the house, he said.

60Well, I'm a-wondering what a child will do with Miss Polly in the house, snapped Nancy.

61The old man laughed.

62I'm afraid you ain't fond of Miss Polly, he grinned.

63As if anybody could be fond of her, scorned Nancy.

64Old Tom smiled oddly.

65He stooped and began to work again.

66I guess maybe you didn't know about Miss Polly's love affair, he said slowly.

67Love affair?

68Her?

69No.

70And I guess nobody else didn't neither.

71Oh, yes, they did, nodded the old man.

72And the fellow's living today right in this town, too.

73Who is he?

74I ain't a-tellin' that.

75It ain't fit that I should.

76The old man drew himself erect.

77In his dim blue eyes, as he faced the house, there was the loyal servant's honest pride in the family he had served and loved for long years.

78But it don't seem possible.

79Her and a lover?

80Still maintained Nancy.

81Old Tom shook his head.

82You didn't know Miss Polly as I did, he argued.

83She used to be real handsome.

84And she would be now, if she'd let herself be.

85Handsome?

86Miss Polly?

87Yes.

88If she'd just let that tight hair of hern all loose and careless-like, as it used to be, and wear the sort of bonnets with posies in them, and the kind of dresses all lace and white things, you'd see she'd be handsome.

89Miss Polly ain't old, Nancy.

90Ain't she, though?

91Well, then, she's got an awful good imitation of it.

92She has.

93She has.

94Sniffed Nancy.

95Yes, I know.

96It begun, then, at the time of the trouble with her lover, nodded old Tom.

97And it seems as if she's been feedin' on wormwood and thistles ever since.

98She's that bitter and prickly to deal with.

99I should say she was, declared Nancy indignantly.

100There's no pleasing her no-how, no matter how you try.

101I wouldn't stay if twasn't for the wages and the folks at home what's needin' em.

102But some day, some day I shall just bile over, and when I do, of course, it'll be good-bye, Nancy, for me.

103It will.

104It will.

105Old Tom shook his head.

106I know.

107I felt it.

108It's natural.

109But tain't best, child.

110Tain't best.

111Take my word for it.

112Tain't best.

113And again he bent his old head to the work before him.

114Nancy!

115called a sharp voice.

116Yes, ma'am, stammered Nancy, and hurried toward the house.

117End of Chapter 2