IT was quite an event in the Murray family to have such people as the Fairfaxes come to supper, and perhaps it was not strange that great preparations were being made; but you might have thought that Mrs. Murray expected Mrs. Fairfax to go straight through her cottage on a tour of critical inspection1. The whole house was put in apple-pie order—whatever that may mean—from the cool, clean-smelling cellar, to the little triangular2 attic3, redolent of thyme and sage4 and other dried things hanging from the rafters. Not that there was ever much disorder5 in that neat little household; but the fact that the Fairfaxes were coming seemed to lend an extra touch of thoroughness to everything that Mrs. Murray did.
Soon after the children's arrival Sister Julia knocked at the door, and was warmly welcomed. She busied herself right away with unpacking6 the trunks, which had been sent down that morning, while Regie sat at the pretty curtained window of the room that was to be his, telling Sister Julia where to put his own particular treasures. Already he was fond of that little window, from which he could look straight out to sea.
Nan was busy in the kitchen, cutting out the thinnest of little round cookies from dough7 that her mother had mixed. Some of them were already in the oven, and sending such a delicious savoury smell up into Regie's room!
It was a very happy afternoon all round, though withal a trifle sad too; for there is always something in the atmosphere more or less depressing on the eve of any decided9 change, no matter how satisfactorily everything may have been arranged for everybody. At six o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax came down the beach, and at half-past six supper was on the table. Such an inviting10 little supper-table, with its snowy cloth, polished plated service, and shining glass lamp in the centre, to say nothing of innumerable good things to eat, including a dish heaped high with a delicious “floating island,” such as few besides Mrs. Murray know how to make. The canary, in his cage over the plants, was singing away for dear life, as if he wanted to make the occasion just as merry as possible; and Hereward and Ned, who must have sniffed11 the buttered toast and broiled12 mackerel from outside, scratched away at the door trying to gain admission. Then they bounded to the window, and planting their paws upon the sill, peered in with a most beseeching13 look on their intelligent faces.
I wonder what they thought of what they saw?
The family were standing14 at their places at the table with their heads bowed, and Captain Murray was asking a blessing15, a long blessing with a little prayer midway, for the dear friends going on so “distant a journey.”
Ah! Ned and Hereward, there lies the difference; true and loving and grateful as you are, you cannot comprehend that there is a Father in heaven willing to hear and answer the prayer of, every soul He has created.
“Let the good fellows in to-night,” said Captain Murray, when the blessing was over, and he discovered the dogs at the window. Harry unlatched the door only too gladly, and they came leaping in; but acting16 under orders from their lord and master, soon dropped quietly down in one corner to wait as patiently as possible for their own supper time. Regie sat next to Mamma Fairfax, holding his fork in the wrong hand now and then, that he might give her left hand a squeeze under the table. Regie was happy and contented17, and yet there was a real little ache in his heart. She was going a long way from home, that dear Mamma Fairfax of his, and how could he help feeling somewhat sad about it?
Mr. Fairfax was apparently18 very full of fun that night, and amused the children, telling of certain strange pranks19 of his own when he was a boy.
Mrs. Murray laughed whenever the others did, but she really did not hear much that was going on, she was so thoroughly20 preoccupied21 in seeing if Mrs. Fairfax would not have another biscuit, or if Mr. Fairfax's cup was empty, and in caring that everyone had plenty to eat. When supper was finished, Sister Julia in her quiet, helpful way insisted upon aiding Mrs. Murray to clear the table. Little Nan attended to her regular share of the work, and as a result, soon paraded a wonderfully bright row of tumblers on the lowest shelf of the dresser. When the red cloth had been laid on the table, Captain Murray brought out a great map, and they all gathered about while Mr. Fairfax showed them the plan of their journey.
“You'll get it out often and keep track of us, won't you?” he said to Regie, taking the crutches22 from his hand and lifting him to his knee.
“Every night,” Regie promised, solemnly.
“Not every night, Rex,” said Mr. Fairfax. “That will not be necessary, because you see we shall spend a week in London, and another whole week in Berlin, and two weeks perhaps in Paris.”
“Shall you?” asked Regie, ruefully.
“Why, to be sure; have you any objections, Rex?”
“Oh, I thought you'd keep going and going until you got back again. I shall not like to think of you as stopping so long anywhere.”
“We shall come home just as soon,” laughed Mr. Fairfax, giving that little adopted boy of his the most genuine sort of a fatherly hug.
All too soon it was nine o'clock, and time for the children to go to bed.
Mrs. Fairfax went up herself with Regie. Sister Julia had been up before her and lighted the candle, and laid Regie's night-dress out on the bed.
“You will try not to give Mrs. Murray any trouble, won't you, dear?” said Mrs. Fairfax, helping23 Regie to undress.
“Yes, I will, Mamma Fairfax,” Regie answered, with a little quiver in his voice.
“And you will write to me once a week?”
“Yes, mamma,” with two little quivers.
“And you will do just as Sister Julia tells you?”
“Why, Rex darling, do you really care so much?” said Mrs. Fairfax, with tears in her own eyes. “Well, I am proud that you do, and you will be all the more glad to have us home again. In the meantime, you will be very happy in this dear little home with Harry and Nan.”
“Yes, I know I will,” said Regie, with a shadow of a smile.
“And your little crutches will be hanging on the wall long before that time, because you will have no further need of them.”
“Yes, I know,” said Regie, with a face almost wreathed in smiles at the thought, as he scrambled25 into bed.
Then Mr. Fairfax ran up the little flight, two steps at a time, to bid him good-bye.
There was considerable whispering and hugging between the little fellow inside the bed and the big fellow outside, and then in another moment Papa Fairfax was gone.
And then it was Mamma Fairfax's turn. “I will send Sister Julia right up,” she said, for Regie should not be left alone that night. “And now two of your best hugs and five of your best kisses—and now, my own dear little Rex, good-night and goodbye.”
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1
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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2
triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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3
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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4
sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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5
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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6
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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7
dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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8
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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11
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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12
broiled
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| a.烤过的 | |
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beseeching
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| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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14
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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15
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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16
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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17
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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18
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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21
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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22
crutches
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| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
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23
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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24
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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25
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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