THE LITTLE ATTIC ROOM (Pollyanna)

01Chapter 4 The Little Attic Room Miss Polly Harrington did not rise to meet her niece.

02She looked up from her book, it is true, as Nancy and the little girl appeared in the sitting-room doorway, and she held out a hand with duty written large on every coldly extended finger.

03How do you do, Pollyanna?

04I—she had no chance to say more.

05Pollyanna had fairly flown across the room and flung herself into her aunt's scandalized, unyielding lap.

06Oh, Aunt Polly, Aunt Polly, I don't know how to be glad enough that you let me come to live with you.

07She was sobbing.

08You don't know how perfectly lovely it is to have you and Nancy and all this after you've just had the lady's aid.

09Very likely, though I've not had the pleasure of the lady's aid acquaintance, rejoined Miss Polly stiffly, trying to unclasp the small clinging fingers and turning frowning eyes on Nancy in the doorway.

10Nancy, that will do.

11You may go.

12Pollyanna, be good enough, please, to stand erect in a proper manner.

13I don't know yet what you look like.

14Pollyanna drew back at once, laughing a little hysterically.

15No, I suppose you don't.

16But you see, I'm not very much to look at, anyway, on account of the freckles.

17Oh, and I ought to explain about the red gingham and the black velvet basque and the white spots on the elbows.

18I told Nancy how father said— Yes, well, never mind now what your father said, interrupted Miss Polly crisply.

19You had a trunk, I presume?

20Oh, yes, indeed, Aunt Polly.

21I've got a beautiful trunk that the lady's aid gave me.

22I haven't got so very much in it—of my own, I mean.

23The barrels haven't had many clothes for little girls in them lately, but they are all father's books, and Mrs.

24White said she thought I ought to have those.

25You see, Father— Pollyanna— Pollyanna— interrupted her aunt again sharply.

26There is one thing that might just as well be understood right away at once, and that is, I do not care to have you keep talking of your father to me.

27The little girl drew in her breath tremulously.

28Why, Aunt Polly, you—you mean— She hesitated, and her aunt filled the pause.

29We will go upstairs to your room.

30Your trunk is already there, I presume.

31I told Timothy to take it up, if you had one.

32You may follow me, Pollyanna.

33Without speaking, Pollyanna turned and followed her aunt from the room.

34Her eyes were brimming with tears, but her chin was bravely high.

35After all, I—I reckon I'm glad she doesn't want me to talk about father, Pollyanna was thinking.

36It'll be easier, maybe, if I don't talk about him.

37Probably.

38Probably.

39Anyhow, that is why she told me not to talk about him.

40And Pollyanna, convinced anew of her aunt's kindness, blinked off the tears and looked eagerly about her.

41She was on the stairway now.

42Just ahead, her aunt's black silk skirt rustled luxuriously.

43Behind her, an open door allowed a glimpse of soft-tinted rugs and satin-covered chairs.

44Beneath her feet, a marvelous carpet was like green moss to the tread.

45On every side, the gilt of picture frames or the glint of sunlight through the filmy mesh of lace curtains flashed in her eyes.

46Oh, Aunt Polly!

47Aunt Polly!

48breathed the little girl rapturously.

49What a perfectly lovely, lovely house!

50How awfully glad you must be you're so rich!

51Pollyanna!

52ejaculated her aunt, turning sharply about as she reached the head of the stairs.

53I'm surprised at you making a speech like that to me!

54Why, Aunt Polly, aren't you?

55queried Pollyanna, in frank wonder.

56Certainly not, Pollyanna.

57I hope I could not so far forget myself as to be sinfully proud of any gift the Lord has seen fit to bestow upon me, declared the lady.

58Certainly not of riches!

59Miss Pollyanna.

60Miss Polly turned and walked down the hall toward the attic stairway door.

61She was glad now that she had put the child in the attic room.

62Her idea at first had been to get her niece as far away as possible from herself, and at the same time placed her where her childish heedlessness would not destroy valuable furnishings.

63Now, with this evident strain of vanity showing thus early, it was all the more fortunate that the room planned for her was plain and sensible, thought Miss Polly.

64Eagerly, Pollyanna's little feet pattered behind her aunt.

65Still more eagerly, her big blue eyes tried to look in all directions at once, that no thing of beauty or interest in this wonderful house might be passed unseen.

66Most eagerly of all, her mind turned to the wondrously exciting problem about to be solved, behind which of all these fascinating doors was waiting now her room, the dear beautiful room full of curtains, rugs, and pictures that was to be her very own.

67Then, abruptly, her aunt opened a door and ascended another stairway.

68There was little to be seen here.

69A bare wall rose on either side.

70At the top of the stairs, wide reaches of shadowy space led to far corners, where the roof came almost down to the floor, and where were stacked innumerable trunks and boxes.

71It was hot and stifling, too.

72Unconsciously, Pollyanna lifted her head higher.

73It seemed so hard to breathe.

74Then she saw that her aunt had thrown open a door at the right.

75There, Pollyanna.

76Here is your room, and your trunk is here, I see.

77Have you your key?

78Pollyanna nodded dumbly.

79Her eyes were a little wide and frightened.

80Her aunt frowned.

81When I ask a question, Pollyanna, I prefer that you should answer aloud, not merely with your head.

82Yes, Aunt Polly.

83Thank you.

84That is better.

85I believe you have everything you need here.

86She added, glancing at the well-filled towel-rack and water pitcher, I will send Nancy up to help you unpack.

87Supper is at six o'clock, she finished, as she left the room and swept downstairs.

88For a moment after she had gone, Pollyanna stood quite still, looking after her.

89Then she turned her wide eyes to the bare wall, the bare floor, the bare windows.

90She turned them last to the little trunk that had stood not so long before, in her own little room in the faraway western home.

91The next moment she stumbled blindly toward it and fell on her knees at its side, covering her face with her hands.

92Nancy found her there when she came up a few minutes later.

93There, there, you poor lamb, she crooned, dropping to the floor, drawing the little girl into her arms.

94I was just to fear and I'd find you like this, like this.

95Pollyanna shook her head.

96But I'm bad and wicked, Nancy.

97Awful wicked, she sobbed.

98I just can't make myself understand that God and the Angels needed my father more than I did.

99No more they did neither, declared Nancy stoutly.

100Oh, Nancy!

101The burning horror in Pollyanna's eyes dried the tears.

102Nancy gave a shamefaced smile and rubbed her own eyes vigorously.

103There, there, child, I didn't mean it, of course, she cried briskly.

104Come, let's have your key and we'll get inside this trunk and take out your dresses in no time, no time.

105Somewhat tearfully Pollyanna produced the key.

106There aren't very many there, anyway, she faltered.

107Then they're all the sooner unpacked, declared Nancy.

108Pollyanna gave a sudden, radiant smile.

109That's so.

110I can be glad of that, can't I?

111She cried.

112Nancy stared.

113Why, of course, she answered a little uncertainly.

114Nancy's capable hands made short work of unpacking the books, the patched undergarments, and the few pitifully unattractive dresses.

115Pollyanna, smiling bravely now, flew about, hanging the dresses in the closet, stacking the books on the table, and putting away the undergarments in the bureau drawers.

116I'm sure it's going to be a very nice room, don't you think so?

117She stammered after a while.

118There was no answer.

119Nancy was very busy, apparently, with her head in the trunk.

120Pollyanna, standing at the bureau, gazed a little wistfully at the bare wall above.

121And I can be glad there isn't any looking-glass here, too, cause where there isn't any glass I can't see my freckles.

122Nancy made a sudden, queer little sound with her mouth, but when Pollyanna turned, her head was in the trunk again.

123At one of the windows a few minutes later, Pollyanna gave a glad cry and clapped her hands joyously.

124Oh, Nancy, I hadn't seen this before, she breathed.

125Look, way off there, with those trees and the houses and that lovely church spire.

126And the river shining just like silver.

127Why, Nancy, there doesn't anybody need any pictures with that to look at.

128Oh, I'm so glad now she let me have this room.

129To Pollyanna's surprise and dismay, Nancy burst into tears.

130Pollyanna hurriedly crossed to her side.

131Why, Nancy, Nancy, what is it?

132She cried, then fearfully.

133This wasn't your room, was it?

134My room, stormed Nancy hotly, choking back the tears.

135If you ain't a little angel straight from heaven, and if some folks don't eat dirt before, oh, land, there's her bill.

136After which amazing speech, Nancy sprang to her feet, dashed out of the room, and went clattering down the stairs.

137Left alone, Pollyanna went back to her picture, as she mentally designated the beautiful view from the window.

138After a time she touched the sash tentatively.

139It seemed as if no longer could she endure the stifling heat.

140To her joy the sash moved under her fingers.

141The next moment the window was wide open, and Pollyanna was leaning far out, drinking in the fresh, sweet air.

142She ran then to the other window.

143That, too, soon flew up under her eager hands.

144A big fly swept past her nose, and buzzed noisily about the room.

145Then another came, and another.

146But Pollyanna paid no heed.

147Pollyanna had made a wonderful discovery.

148Against this window a huge tree flung great branches.

149To Pollyanna they looked like arms outstretched inviting her.

150Suddenly she laughed aloud.

151I believe I can do it, she chuckled.

152The next moment she had climbed nimbly to the window ledge.

153From there it was an easy matter to step to the nearest tree branch.

154Then, clinging like a monkey, she swung herself from limb to limb until the lowest branch was reached.

155The drop to the ground was, even for Pollyanna, who was used to climbing trees, a little fearsome.

156She took it, however, with bated breath, swinging from her strong little arms and landing on all fours in the soft grass.

157Then she picked herself up and looked eagerly about her.

158She was at the back of the house.

159Before her lay a garden in which a bent old man was working.

160Beyond the garden a little path through an open field led up a steep hill, at the top of which a lone pine tree stood on guard beside the huge rock.

161To Pollyanna, at the moment, there seemed to be just one place in the world worth being in.

162The top of that big rock.

163With a run and a skillful turn, Pollyanna, skipped by the bent old man, threaded her way between the orderly rows of green growing things, and, a little out of breath, reached the path that ran through the open field.

164Then, determinedly, she began to climb.

165Already, however, she was thinking what a long, long way off that rock must be, when back at the window it had looked so near.

166Fifteen minutes later, the great clock in the hallway of the Harrington homestead struck six.

167At precisely the last stroke, Nancy sounded the bell for supper.

168One, two, three minutes passed.

169Miss Polly frowned and tapped the floor with her slipper.

170A little jerkily, she rose to her feet, went into the hall, and looked upstairs, plainly impatient.

171For a minute she listened intently.

172Then she turned and swept into the dining-room.

173Nancy, she said with decision, as soon as the little serving-maid appeared, my niece is late.

174No, you need not call her, she added severely, as Nancy made a move toward the hall door.

175I told her what time supper was, and now she will have to suffer the consequences.

176She may as well begin at once to learn to be punctual.

177When she comes down, she may have bread and milk in the kitchen.

178Yes, ma'am.

179It was well, perhaps, that Miss Polly did not happen to be looking at Nancy's face just then.

180At the earliest possible moment after supper, Nancy crept up the back stairs and thence to the attic room.

181Bread and milk, indeed!

182And when the poor lamb hadn't only just cried herself to sleep, she was muttering fiercely as she softly pushed open the door.

183The next moment she gave a frightened cry.

184Where are you?

185Where have you gone?

186Where have you gone?

187She panted, looking in the closet, under the bed, and even in the trunk and down the water pitcher.

188Then she flew downstairs and out to old Tom in the garden.

189Mr.

190Tom, Mr.

191Tom, that blessed child's gone, she wailed.

192She's vanished right up into Heaven when she come from.

193Poor lamb and me told to give her bread and milk in the kitchen.

194Her what's eating angel food this minute, I warrant, I warrant.

195The old man straightened up.

196Gone?

197Heaven?

198He repeated stupidly, unconsciously sweeping the brilliant sunset sky with his gaze.

199He stopped, stared a moment intently, then turned with a slow grin.

200Well, Nancy, it do look like as if she tried to get as nigh Heaven as she could, and that's a fact, he agreed, pointing with a crooked finger to where, sharply outlined against the reddening sky, a slender wind-blown figure was poised on top of the huge rock.

201Well, she ain't goin' to Heaven that way tonight, not if I has my say, declared Nancy doggedly.

202If the mistress asks, tell her I ain't forgettin' the dishes, but I gone on a stroll.

203She flung back over her shoulder as she sped toward the path that led through the open field.

204End of chapter 4 End of chapter 4 End of chapter 5