"Your shoes won't hurt an atom; come right along," Mrs. Noah replied,
now in the best of moods, for, except her cup of green tea with
raspberry jam and cream, she enjoyed nothing more than showing their
handsome house.
Conducting him through the wide, marbled hall, she ushered him into
the drawing-room, where for a time he stood perfectly bewildered. It
was his first introduction to rosewood, velvet, and brocatelle, and it
seemed to him as if he had suddenly been transported to fairy-land.
"Maddy would like this--it's her nature," he whispered, advancing a
step or two, and setting down his feet as softly as if stepping on
eggs.
Happening to lift his eyes before one of the long mirrors, he spied
himself, wondering much what that "queer-looking chap" was doing there
in the midst of so much elegance, and why Mrs. Noah did not turn him
out! Then mentally asking forgiveness for this flash of pride, and
determined to make amends, he bowed low to the figure in the glass,
which bowed as low in return, but did not reply to the very good-natured
remark: "How d'ye do--pretty well, to-day?"
There was a familiar look about the round cape of the camlet cloak,
and Grandpa Markham's face turned crimson as the truth burst upon him.
"How 'shamed of me Maddy would be," he thought, glancing sidewise at
Mrs. Noah, who had witnessed the blunder, and was now looking from the
window to hide her laughter.
Grandpa believed she did not see him, and comforted with that assurance,
he began to remark upon the mirror, saying "it made it appear as if
there was two of you," a remark which Mrs. Noah fully appreciated. He
saw the silk chairs, slyly touching one to see if it did feel like the
gored, peach-blossom dress worn by his wife forty-two years ago that
very spring. Then he tried one of them, examined the rare ornaments, and
came near bowing again to the portrait of the first Mrs. Remington, so
natural and lifelike it looked standing out from the canvas.
"This will last Maddy a week. I thank you, ma'am. You have added some
considerable to the happiness of a young girl, who wouldn't disgrace
even such a room as this," he said, as he passed into the hall.
Mrs. Noah received his thanks graciously, and led him to the yard,
where Sorrel stood waiting for him.
"Odd, but clever as the day is long," was Mrs. Noah's comment, as,
after seeing him safe out of her yard, she went back to her vegetable
oysters boiling on the stove.