"And so you walked all the way back again to Baymouth, tired and hungry
as you were; and you sold your precious book, much as you loved it, all
to get tea for me! Oh, my boy, my boy, how unjust I have been to you!
But I am so glad Mr. Middleton bought it back and gave it to you again!
And the pocketbook was his! and you gave it to him and would not take
any reward for finding it! That was right, Ishmael; that was right! And
it seems to me that every good thing you have ever got in this world has
come through your own right doing," was the comment of Hannah upon all
this.
"Well, aunt, now the tea is drawn and the toast is ready, let me fix it
on the stand for you," said Ishmael, hurrying off to perform this duty.
That evening Hannah enjoyed her tea and dry toast only as a woman long
debarred from these feminine necessaries could enjoy them.
When Ishmael also had had his supper and had cleared away the tea
service, he took down his book, lighted his little bit of candle,
and--as his aunt was in a benignant humor, he went to her for sympathy
in his studies--saying: "Now, aunt, don't mope and pine any more! George Washington didn't, even
when the army was at Valley Forge and the snow was so deep and the
soldiers were barefooted! Let me read you something out of my book to
amuse you! Come, now, I'll read to you what General Marion did when--"
"No, don't, that's a good boy," exclaimed Hannah, interrupting him in
alarm, for she had a perfect horror of books. "You know it would tire me
to death, dear! But just you sit down by me and tell me about Mrs.
Middleton and Miss Merlin and how they were dressed. For you know, dear,
as I haven't been able to go to church these three months, I don't even
know what sort of bonnets ladies wear."
This requirement was for a moment a perfect "poser" to Ishmael. He
wasn't interested in bonnets! But, however, as he had the faculty of
seeing, understanding, and remembering everything that fell under his
observation in his own limited sphere, he blew out his candle, sat down
and complied with his aunt's request, narrating and describing until she
went to sleep. Then he relighted his little bit of candle and sat down
to enjoy his book in comfort.
That night the wind shifted to the south and brought in a mild spell of
weather.
The next day the snow began to melt. In a week it was entirely gone. In
a fortnight the ground had dried. All the roads became passable. With
the improved weather, Hannah grew better. She was able to leave her bed
in the morning and sit in her old arm-chair in the chimney-corner all
day.