Поллианна / Pollyanna

“Perhaps; now I know the best prism of them is you, Pollyanna.”

“Oh, but I don’t show beautiful red and green and purple when the sun shines through me, Mr. Pendleton!”

“Don’t you?” smiled the man. And Pollyanna, looking into his face, wondered why there were tears in his eyes.[105]

“No,” she said. “I’m afraid, Mr. Pendleton, the sun make just freckles on my face!”

Pollyanna looked at him. His laugh had sounded almost like a sob.

Chapter XIX. Which Is Somewhat Surprising

Pollyanna entered school in September. School, in some ways, was a surprise to Pollyanna; and Pollyanna, certainly, in many ways, was very much of a surprise to school. They were soon on the best of terms, however, and to her aunt Pollyanna confessed that going to school WAS living.[106]

In spite of her delight in her new work, Pollyanna did not forget her old friends. She could not give them quite so much time now, of course; but she gave them what time she could. Perhaps John Pendleton, however, was the most dissatisfied.

One Saturday afternoon he spoke to her about it.

“See here, Pollyanna, how would you like to come and live with me?” he asked, a little impatiently.

Pollyanna laughed – Mr. Pendleton was such a funny man!

“I thought you didn’t like to have any people around,” she said.

“Oh, but that was before you taught me to play that wonderful game of yours. Now I’m glad to be waited on![107]”

“Oh, but you aren’t really glad; you just SAY you are,” pouted Pollyanna. “You know you don’t play the game right, Mr. Pendleton – you know you don’t!”

The man’s face grew suddenly very grave.

“That’s why I want you, little girl – to help me play it. Will you come?”

“Mr. Pendleton, I can’t – you know I can’t. I’m – Aunt Polly’s! You know she has been so – good to me,[108]” she began slowly; “and she took me when I didn’t have anybody left but the Ladies’ Aid, and – ”

A spasm of something crossed the man’s face.

“Pollyanna, long years ago I loved somebody very much. I hoped to bring her to this house. But I didn’t bring her here. Never mind why. And my house is not a home. It takes a woman’s hand and heart, or a child’s presence, to make a home, Pollyanna; and I have not had either.[109] Now will you come, my dear?”

“Then it’s all right,” sighed the little girl. “Now you can take us both, and everything will be lovely.”

“Take – you – both?” repeated the man.

A faint doubt crossed Pollyanna’s countenance.

“Pollyanna, what ARE you talking about?” asked the man. He raised his hand and began to speak; but the next moment the maid appeared.

“The doctor, sir,” she said.

Pollyanna rose at once.

John Pendleton turned to her feverishly.

“Pollyanna, for Heaven’s sake, say nothing of what I asked you to your aunt,” he said in a low voice. Pollyanna smiled.

“Of course not! I know you must tell her everything yourself!” she called back.

John Pendleton fell limply back in his chair.

Chapter XX. Which Is More Surprising

One day on the way home from Sunday school Dr. Chilton met Pollyanna.

“Mr. Pendleton sent a special request for you to go to see him this afternoon. He says it’s very important.”

Pollyanna nodded happily.

“Yes, it is, I know. I’ll go.”

The doctor looked at her with some surprise.

“Yesterday you seemed more upsetting than soothing to him, young lady.”

Pollyanna laughed.

“Oh, it wasn’t me, it was Aunt Polly.”

The doctor turned with a quick start.[110]

“Your – aunt!” he ejaculated.

“Yes,” nodded Pollyanna, happily. “That’s the story-part, you see. I didn’t know it till Nancy told me. She said Aunt Polly had a lover years ago, and they quarrelled. She didn’t know who it was at first. But now we know, it’s Mr. Pendleton!”

“Oh! No; I – didn’t know it,” the doctor said quietly.

“Yes; and I’m so glad now. It’s come out lovely. Mr. Pendleton asked me to come and live with him, but of course I wouldn’t leave Aunt Polly like that – after she’d been so good to me. Then he told me all about the woman he loved and I understood he still needed her heart and hand; and I was so glad! For of course if he wants to make up the quarrel, everything will be all right now, and Aunt Polly and I will both go to live there, or he’ll come to live with us. Of course, Aunt Polly doesn’t know yet, and we haven’t got everything settled;[111] so I suppose that is why he wanted to see me this afternoon, sure.”

The doctor sat suddenly erect. There was an odd smile on his lips.

“Yes; now I understand why Mr. John Pendleton wants to see you today, Pollyanna,” he nodded.

When Pollyanna later saw Mr. Pendleton he was very nervous.

“Pollyanna,” he began at once. “I’ve been trying all night to puzzle out what you meant by all that, yesterday – about my wanting your Aunt Polly’s hand and heart here all those years. What did you mean?”

“Why, because you were lovers, you know once; and I was so glad you still felt that way now.”

“Lovers! – your Aunt Polly and I?”

At the obvious surprise in the man’s voice, Pollyanna opened wide her eyes.

“Why, Mr. Pendleton, Nancy said you were!”

The man gave a short little laugh.

“Well, I’m afraid I shall have to say that Nancy – didn’t know.[112]”

“Then you – weren’t lovers?” Pollyanna’s voice was tragic with dismay.

“Never!”

“I’d have been so glad to come – with Aunt Polly,” almost sobbed Pollyanna.

“And you won’t – now?” The man asked the question without turning his head.

“Of course not! I’m Aunt Polly’s.”

The man turned now, almost fiercely.

“Before you were hers, Pollyanna, you were – your mother’s. And – it was your mother’s hand and heart that I wanted long years ago.”

“My mother’s!”

“Yes. I loved your mother; but she – didn’t love me. And after a time she went away with – your father. The whole world suddenly turned black to me. For long years I have been a cross, unlovable, unloved old man[113] – though I’m not nearly sixty, yet, Pollyanna. Then, one day, like one of the prisms that you love so well, little girl, you danced into my life, and changed the colours around me. I found out, after a time, who you were, and – and I thought then I never wanted to see you again. I didn’t want to be reminded of – your mother. But – you know how that came out. And now I want you always. Pollyanna, won’t you come NOW?”

“But, Mr. Pendleton, there’s Aunt Polly!” Pollyanna’s eyes were filled with tears.

The man made an impatient gesture.

“What about me? How do you suppose I’m going to be ‘glad’ about anything – without you? If I had you for my own little girl, I’d be glad for – anything; and I’d try to make you glad, too, my dear.[114]

“But Aunt Polly, she’s glad, I know, to have – ”

“Glad!” interrupted the man. “I’m sure Miss Polly doesn’t know how to be glad – for anything! Oh, she only does her duty, I know. Everyone knows her – and she isn’t the ‘glad’ kind, Pollyanna. She doesn’t know how to be. As for your coming to me – you just ask her and see if she won’t let you come. And, oh, little girl, little girl, I want you so!” he finished brokenly.

Pollyanna rose to her feet with a long sigh.

“All right. I’ll ask her,” she said wistfully. “Well, I’m glad I didn’t tell her anything yesterday.”

John Pendleton smiled grimly.

“Well, yes, Pollyanna; I guess it is just as well you didn’t mention it – yesterday.”

“I told only to the doctor; and of course, he doesn’t count.[115]”

“The doctor!” cried John Pendleton, turning quickly. “Dr. Chilton?”

“Yes; when he came to tell me you wanted to see me today, you know.”

“And what did Dr. Chilton say?” he asked.

Pollyanna frowned thoughtfully.

“I don’t remember. Not much, I reckon. Oh, he did say he could well imagine you did want to see me.”

Chapter XXI. A Question Answered

The sky was darkening when Pollyanna hurried down the hill from John Pendleton’s house. Half-way home she met Nancy with an umbrella.

“Oh, Miss Pollyanna, Miss Polly wanted me to come with this. She was worried about you!”

“Was she?” murmured Pollyanna. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare her.”

“Well, I’m glad,” retorted Nancy, unexpectedly.

“Why, Nancy,” demurred Pollyanna, “Aunt Polly always does her duty.” Unconsciously Pollyanna repeated John Pendleton’s words.

“You’re right she is – and she always was! But she’s something more, now, since you came.[116]”

Pollyanna’s face changed.

“Do you think Aunt Polly likes to have me here? Would she mind – if I wasn’t here any more?”

“Likes to have you here? I’m sure she needs you!

“Oh, Nancy, I’m so glad – glad – glad! You don’t know how glad I am that Aunt Polly – wants me!

The task of telling John Pendleton of her decision would not be an easy one, Pollyanna knew, and she dreaded it.[117] She was very sorry for him.

In due time she found herself in the great dim library of John Pendleton’s house.

“Well, Pollyanna, will you play the ‘glad game’ with me, all the rest of my life?” asked the man, gently.

“Oh, yes,” cried Pollyanna. “I’ve thought of the very gladdest kind of a thing for you to do, and – ”

“With – YOU?” asked John Pendleton.

“N-no; but – ”

“Pollyanna, you aren’t going to say no!” he interrupted.

“I–I’ve got to, Mr. Pendleton; truly I have. Aunt Polly – ”

“Did she REFUSE to let you come?”

“I didn’t ask her,” stammered the little girl.

“Pollyanna! So you didn’t even ask her!”

“I couldn’t, sir – truly,” faltered Pollyanna. “You see, I found out – without asking. Aunt Polly WANTS me with her, and – and I want to stay, too,” she confessed. “Sometimes she’s beginning to be glad about things. Oh, Mr. Pendleton, I can’t leave Aunt Polly – now!”