[276]CHAPTER XXVIMORE LETTERSOneweek’s mail brought seven separate letters from the “German Sausage Land.” It had evidently been a safety-valve for the excited lad to actually seal and post a letter every day, although he was aware the mail service between his longed-for native land and the “wretched foreign hole” where he sojourned would not put itself out of the way to deliver them in any hurry.Mrs. Wise opened the budget and placed them in serial form, for Alf had at last after earnest entreaty fallen into the habit of putting the date and the name of his abiding city at the head of his letters.“Wiesbaden,“May 7th(ran the first).“Are you listening, all of you? Well, if you can’t understand take the letter up to an asylum and they’ll explain it. I’m just as mad as mad, and so would you be. I’m nearly dead sure we’re coming. Grandfather said first she could go across[277]the river to Homburg and she could drink some water there and that would cure her, but she fainted again this morning and she looked jolly bad, I can tell you, and he said he’d see.“My scrimmy, haven’t I just had a day of it! First of all I cut down to the shops to get you all a present each, I’d got a sovereign to spend.“I got heaps of things with it,—pincushions and thimbles and books for the girls and a big drum for Freddie and a collidescope affair, and some jolly good marbles for Weenie and some chocolate for her and a pipe for the Pater and a knife for Weenie. Well, it took me nearly all day plugging down to the shops and lugging home the parcels. Then there was supper but you bet I didn’t want any. I just cut up-stairs and packed up everything. It took me nearly all night; it was jolly hard to make everything go in and the drum takes up a lot of room. It’s one o’clock now and I’ve just finished. I won’t be able to have a bath in the morning, I’ve packed my shirts and things in the bath-tub thing that’s like a portmanto, and they haven’t got a bath-room in this house.“Do you remember I said I’d never bathe in a scrimmagy mean little bath like that when you bought it? but you’re jolly glad to; whips of the places where we stop they haven’t got any bath-room. Won’t I have a fine old splash when I get home! I’ve got my travelling suit on and I’m not going to get undressed at all, so I’ll be ready to start in the[278]morning,—you never know when you’ll have to start. As soon as I wake—only I shall never go to sleep—I’m going up to the doctor’s to ask him to read in the shipping what day a ship goes from Hamburg. They have such lunatic papers here you can’t read for yourself and there are only women here, and they don’t understand ships.“Alf the Mad.”“Same old place.“Next day.“Hurresh, hurresh, hurresh! Ach! Gott! Himmel! (it’s not wicked to say those words here, even the ladies do). Himmel! Gott! Ach! Ach! There’s a boat goes on Thursday. The doctor wasn’t up when I got there, it was only half-past five, but I woke the coachman and he told me. It’s theFriederich der Grosse. Ach! ach! Gott! I’m nearly off my head. I’m going to pack up again to-day, it’ll make the time go, and I squashed things up a bit when I was hurrying last night. Then to-morrow we’ll be in the train, and next day off. Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, Hurresh!!“Alf the Madder.”“Wednesday.“Dear Mother,“Everything’s up. I don’t care what happens now. I’d just as soon die as anything. Grandfather said we’d go to the concert, and I couldn’t help going[279]in my brown suit,—it would have taken an awful time to unpack another, and he said why, and I said I’d packed the others up, and he was beastly horrid and snapped me up like anything and said he had no intention of going at all; he says we’ll go to that miserable Italy instead. I’m going up to the doctor’s to-night to try to set him on to him but I know it’ll be no go,—I’ll just have to go on stopping here always. I can’t believe it was only yesterday I was packing up that drum and things and now none of you’ll get them. It was such a stunning pipe too. Oh mother I’llhaveto come home,—oh I can’t go on stopping here,—oh won’t you please write by next mail to Grandfather and say you can’t spare me any longer. Please don’t write,—cabel, I can’t wait mother dear.“Alf.”“Thursday.“Dear old Phillipena,“Thank goodness Aunt’s getting worse so we may come after all. Of course I don’t mean I’m glad she’s worse but I know she won’t be any good till she’s had the voyage.“I told you she was in love with Volly; well I never thought about it and yesterday when we were out I told her that young Clinch’s governess and him were going to be married next month—young Clinch told me so it’s quite true. Anyroads he wouldn’t have thought of marrying any one like Aunt; young[280]Clinch’s governess is an A oner, I’m in love with her myself. Well I’d a nice time of it. Aunt began to faint and cry and go in hysterics all over the place. The buggy had taken us up the river and the man had taken the horse out for a drink so there was only me, and I had to fan her and throw water on her and everything. She got alright pretty soon and going home she gave me ten shillings and told me not to tell young Clinch she’d been crying, she said she was crying because the little gray castle and the river were so beautiful. But I know better. I told her the best thing would be for her to come straight to Australia and she’d soon forget him and praps get married to someone else; there are whips of men on board ship and they all flirt with somebody. She got in an awful wax with me and wouldn’t say anything else all the way home.“Alf.”“Same old dirty place,“Friday.“Dear Mother,“I went and bought a new toothbrush and a collar and a hairbrush to day, I justcan’tunpack those bags again, I know if I do we’ll never come. I’m wearing my brown suit all the time but no one has noticed. I don’t think after all Aunt Helene could have been gone on Volly; when I was having my lesson she came in dressed fit to kill you, and[281]she’d made her cheeks all red with dye or something,—my goodness she did look a fright. And she shook hands and congratulated him like anything and he told her all about Miss Allison, he’s quite mad about her. He kept walking up and down and running his hand through his hair while he talked. He said they were going to live in a little brown house near the river and that as the gods of music and love and youth would be under the roof it wouldn’t matter if they had nothing to eat, and a lot more rot. I don’t think he has any money scarcely, ’cause young Clinch says his mother keeps begging Miss Allison not to get married till he’s got more pupils, but a girl like that doesn’t care about a man’s money and they’re going to be turned off on the second. Aunt was jolly nice to him I can tell you and he talked to her as if she was his mother. Then after my lesson I went out with her and she bought awfully gummy little chairs and tables and pictures and books and even a piano and sent them round to the house they’re going to live in. And she met Miss Allison and said she’d sent a little thing or two, ‘An old maid’s privilege,’ she said. My jimminy, she is getting changed; she’d have had a fit if any one had called her an old maid a bit ago. But I must have been no end of an ass to think she was sweet on Volly; she’d be scratching Miss Allison’s eyes out instead of sending her wedding presents.“Alf.”[282]“Saturday.“Dear Mother,“The awfullest thing has happened. Aunt’s quite dead. She got her palpitations again last night, but she went to bed as usual, and when we got up she was dead. I keep thinking I’m dreaming it all, only I know I’m not because I’ve got her canary in here and she liked it better than anything and always had it in her room. She brought it in to me last night when I was in bed and she said she’d give it to me if I’d promise and swear never to forget to feed it. She said it woke her up too early in a morning so she had to give it away. And she brought her sewing things in, and she’d written ‘Little Dick’ on about six bits of calico and she made me let her sew them into all my coats so when I put one on in a morning I couldn’t help seeing it on the lining and remembering to give it its water and food. I had to unpack my things to get the coats out, but I’m glad now I did. I wish I’d done more things for her, and oh I do wish young Clinch and me hadn’t laughed at her when she talked German. I’d talk it now tohertill my tongue fell out if it would do any good. The doctor was here an awful time and people keep coming all the time now. Grandfather doesn’t seem to care very much; he’s just sitting in his usual chair in the salon, and he’s just looking straight out the window all the time, and he’s drank an awful lot of brandy. The[283]doctor says he’s going to get him to go to Egypt, he says someone must look after him and at Alexandrea there’s Aunt Helene’s cousin and she’s married to a clergyman there, only he’s dead and she could look after him.“It’s pretty awful mother to think you’ve been horrid when she’s dead. I used to hide often when she wanted to go out, and it was lonely for her plugging down to the river alone. And she used to want me to practise my things for Vollmar and I wouldn’t and she’d give me shillings and half-crowns if I would. And I used to be always laughing over her German,—it makes me feel pretty sick to night to think how beastly I’ve been. Fraulein Schliessman made me go in and look at her, and she looks the littlest whitest thing, and her hair isn’t curled, it’s only just lying quiet and straight on the pillow and she only looks as if she was very fast asleep, only they’ve put so many flowers all over her you can’t help knowing she’s dead. I took little Dick in and let him touch her hand, I knew she’d like it and the little chap wasn’t a bit afraid and picked a violet out of her hand. Oh mother I wish some of you were here; it’s awful to go to bed and think of her being left in her room and no one with her just because she’s dead. It’s the next room to mine and I feel all the time I can see how quietly she’s lying and I can smell the flowers.“Alf.”[284]That was the last of the packet of letters, and then mail after mail came in and no envelopes with the black round writing on it came to that quiet Australian suburb after long tossing on the great deep. Week after week Phyl and Dolly, Weenie or the boys went up the long hill to the Post-office, one after another sometimes to make quite sure a letter had not been overlooked, to worry the postmistress, to “just see if there was one sticking to the back of the pigeon-hole,” or “to please look if there wasn’t a German letter mixed up with the newspapers.”Silence, silence, week after week, and all their hearts aching miserably for the poor little homesick lad. Silence, silence. He was in Alexandria now, they told themselves, and pictured him happier, for the cousin had a family of boys. The girls read up all they knew about the Nile and about that particular town, but they could not comfort themselves by imagining him interested in the stupendous age of the place; they knew he would compare the Nile with the Hawkesbury, greatly to the detriment of the former. Phyl almost always went to sleep with wet eyes induced by a mental picture of Alf’s solid, lonely little figure standing solitary against the great Pyramid. Silence, silence!
Oneweek’s mail brought seven separate letters from the “German Sausage Land.” It had evidently been a safety-valve for the excited lad to actually seal and post a letter every day, although he was aware the mail service between his longed-for native land and the “wretched foreign hole” where he sojourned would not put itself out of the way to deliver them in any hurry.
Mrs. Wise opened the budget and placed them in serial form, for Alf had at last after earnest entreaty fallen into the habit of putting the date and the name of his abiding city at the head of his letters.
“Wiesbaden,“May 7th(ran the first).“Are you listening, all of you? Well, if you can’t understand take the letter up to an asylum and they’ll explain it. I’m just as mad as mad, and so would you be. I’m nearly dead sure we’re coming. Grandfather said first she could go across[277]the river to Homburg and she could drink some water there and that would cure her, but she fainted again this morning and she looked jolly bad, I can tell you, and he said he’d see.“My scrimmy, haven’t I just had a day of it! First of all I cut down to the shops to get you all a present each, I’d got a sovereign to spend.“I got heaps of things with it,—pincushions and thimbles and books for the girls and a big drum for Freddie and a collidescope affair, and some jolly good marbles for Weenie and some chocolate for her and a pipe for the Pater and a knife for Weenie. Well, it took me nearly all day plugging down to the shops and lugging home the parcels. Then there was supper but you bet I didn’t want any. I just cut up-stairs and packed up everything. It took me nearly all night; it was jolly hard to make everything go in and the drum takes up a lot of room. It’s one o’clock now and I’ve just finished. I won’t be able to have a bath in the morning, I’ve packed my shirts and things in the bath-tub thing that’s like a portmanto, and they haven’t got a bath-room in this house.“Do you remember I said I’d never bathe in a scrimmagy mean little bath like that when you bought it? but you’re jolly glad to; whips of the places where we stop they haven’t got any bath-room. Won’t I have a fine old splash when I get home! I’ve got my travelling suit on and I’m not going to get undressed at all, so I’ll be ready to start in the[278]morning,—you never know when you’ll have to start. As soon as I wake—only I shall never go to sleep—I’m going up to the doctor’s to ask him to read in the shipping what day a ship goes from Hamburg. They have such lunatic papers here you can’t read for yourself and there are only women here, and they don’t understand ships.“Alf the Mad.”
“Wiesbaden,“May 7th(ran the first).
“Wiesbaden,“May 7th(ran the first).
“Wiesbaden,
“May 7th(ran the first).
“Are you listening, all of you? Well, if you can’t understand take the letter up to an asylum and they’ll explain it. I’m just as mad as mad, and so would you be. I’m nearly dead sure we’re coming. Grandfather said first she could go across[277]the river to Homburg and she could drink some water there and that would cure her, but she fainted again this morning and she looked jolly bad, I can tell you, and he said he’d see.
“My scrimmy, haven’t I just had a day of it! First of all I cut down to the shops to get you all a present each, I’d got a sovereign to spend.
“I got heaps of things with it,—pincushions and thimbles and books for the girls and a big drum for Freddie and a collidescope affair, and some jolly good marbles for Weenie and some chocolate for her and a pipe for the Pater and a knife for Weenie. Well, it took me nearly all day plugging down to the shops and lugging home the parcels. Then there was supper but you bet I didn’t want any. I just cut up-stairs and packed up everything. It took me nearly all night; it was jolly hard to make everything go in and the drum takes up a lot of room. It’s one o’clock now and I’ve just finished. I won’t be able to have a bath in the morning, I’ve packed my shirts and things in the bath-tub thing that’s like a portmanto, and they haven’t got a bath-room in this house.
“Do you remember I said I’d never bathe in a scrimmagy mean little bath like that when you bought it? but you’re jolly glad to; whips of the places where we stop they haven’t got any bath-room. Won’t I have a fine old splash when I get home! I’ve got my travelling suit on and I’m not going to get undressed at all, so I’ll be ready to start in the[278]morning,—you never know when you’ll have to start. As soon as I wake—only I shall never go to sleep—I’m going up to the doctor’s to ask him to read in the shipping what day a ship goes from Hamburg. They have such lunatic papers here you can’t read for yourself and there are only women here, and they don’t understand ships.
“Alf the Mad.”
“Same old place.“Next day.“Hurresh, hurresh, hurresh! Ach! Gott! Himmel! (it’s not wicked to say those words here, even the ladies do). Himmel! Gott! Ach! Ach! There’s a boat goes on Thursday. The doctor wasn’t up when I got there, it was only half-past five, but I woke the coachman and he told me. It’s theFriederich der Grosse. Ach! ach! Gott! I’m nearly off my head. I’m going to pack up again to-day, it’ll make the time go, and I squashed things up a bit when I was hurrying last night. Then to-morrow we’ll be in the train, and next day off. Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, Hurresh!!“Alf the Madder.”
“Same old place.“Next day.
“Same old place.“Next day.
“Same old place.
“Next day.
“Hurresh, hurresh, hurresh! Ach! Gott! Himmel! (it’s not wicked to say those words here, even the ladies do). Himmel! Gott! Ach! Ach! There’s a boat goes on Thursday. The doctor wasn’t up when I got there, it was only half-past five, but I woke the coachman and he told me. It’s theFriederich der Grosse. Ach! ach! Gott! I’m nearly off my head. I’m going to pack up again to-day, it’ll make the time go, and I squashed things up a bit when I was hurrying last night. Then to-morrow we’ll be in the train, and next day off. Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, Hurresh!!
“Alf the Madder.”
“Wednesday.“Dear Mother,“Everything’s up. I don’t care what happens now. I’d just as soon die as anything. Grandfather said we’d go to the concert, and I couldn’t help going[279]in my brown suit,—it would have taken an awful time to unpack another, and he said why, and I said I’d packed the others up, and he was beastly horrid and snapped me up like anything and said he had no intention of going at all; he says we’ll go to that miserable Italy instead. I’m going up to the doctor’s to-night to try to set him on to him but I know it’ll be no go,—I’ll just have to go on stopping here always. I can’t believe it was only yesterday I was packing up that drum and things and now none of you’ll get them. It was such a stunning pipe too. Oh mother I’llhaveto come home,—oh I can’t go on stopping here,—oh won’t you please write by next mail to Grandfather and say you can’t spare me any longer. Please don’t write,—cabel, I can’t wait mother dear.“Alf.”
“Wednesday.
“Dear Mother,
“Everything’s up. I don’t care what happens now. I’d just as soon die as anything. Grandfather said we’d go to the concert, and I couldn’t help going[279]in my brown suit,—it would have taken an awful time to unpack another, and he said why, and I said I’d packed the others up, and he was beastly horrid and snapped me up like anything and said he had no intention of going at all; he says we’ll go to that miserable Italy instead. I’m going up to the doctor’s to-night to try to set him on to him but I know it’ll be no go,—I’ll just have to go on stopping here always. I can’t believe it was only yesterday I was packing up that drum and things and now none of you’ll get them. It was such a stunning pipe too. Oh mother I’llhaveto come home,—oh I can’t go on stopping here,—oh won’t you please write by next mail to Grandfather and say you can’t spare me any longer. Please don’t write,—cabel, I can’t wait mother dear.
“Alf.”
“Thursday.“Dear old Phillipena,“Thank goodness Aunt’s getting worse so we may come after all. Of course I don’t mean I’m glad she’s worse but I know she won’t be any good till she’s had the voyage.“I told you she was in love with Volly; well I never thought about it and yesterday when we were out I told her that young Clinch’s governess and him were going to be married next month—young Clinch told me so it’s quite true. Anyroads he wouldn’t have thought of marrying any one like Aunt; young[280]Clinch’s governess is an A oner, I’m in love with her myself. Well I’d a nice time of it. Aunt began to faint and cry and go in hysterics all over the place. The buggy had taken us up the river and the man had taken the horse out for a drink so there was only me, and I had to fan her and throw water on her and everything. She got alright pretty soon and going home she gave me ten shillings and told me not to tell young Clinch she’d been crying, she said she was crying because the little gray castle and the river were so beautiful. But I know better. I told her the best thing would be for her to come straight to Australia and she’d soon forget him and praps get married to someone else; there are whips of men on board ship and they all flirt with somebody. She got in an awful wax with me and wouldn’t say anything else all the way home.“Alf.”
“Thursday.
“Dear old Phillipena,
“Thank goodness Aunt’s getting worse so we may come after all. Of course I don’t mean I’m glad she’s worse but I know she won’t be any good till she’s had the voyage.
“I told you she was in love with Volly; well I never thought about it and yesterday when we were out I told her that young Clinch’s governess and him were going to be married next month—young Clinch told me so it’s quite true. Anyroads he wouldn’t have thought of marrying any one like Aunt; young[280]Clinch’s governess is an A oner, I’m in love with her myself. Well I’d a nice time of it. Aunt began to faint and cry and go in hysterics all over the place. The buggy had taken us up the river and the man had taken the horse out for a drink so there was only me, and I had to fan her and throw water on her and everything. She got alright pretty soon and going home she gave me ten shillings and told me not to tell young Clinch she’d been crying, she said she was crying because the little gray castle and the river were so beautiful. But I know better. I told her the best thing would be for her to come straight to Australia and she’d soon forget him and praps get married to someone else; there are whips of men on board ship and they all flirt with somebody. She got in an awful wax with me and wouldn’t say anything else all the way home.
“Alf.”
“Same old dirty place,“Friday.“Dear Mother,“I went and bought a new toothbrush and a collar and a hairbrush to day, I justcan’tunpack those bags again, I know if I do we’ll never come. I’m wearing my brown suit all the time but no one has noticed. I don’t think after all Aunt Helene could have been gone on Volly; when I was having my lesson she came in dressed fit to kill you, and[281]she’d made her cheeks all red with dye or something,—my goodness she did look a fright. And she shook hands and congratulated him like anything and he told her all about Miss Allison, he’s quite mad about her. He kept walking up and down and running his hand through his hair while he talked. He said they were going to live in a little brown house near the river and that as the gods of music and love and youth would be under the roof it wouldn’t matter if they had nothing to eat, and a lot more rot. I don’t think he has any money scarcely, ’cause young Clinch says his mother keeps begging Miss Allison not to get married till he’s got more pupils, but a girl like that doesn’t care about a man’s money and they’re going to be turned off on the second. Aunt was jolly nice to him I can tell you and he talked to her as if she was his mother. Then after my lesson I went out with her and she bought awfully gummy little chairs and tables and pictures and books and even a piano and sent them round to the house they’re going to live in. And she met Miss Allison and said she’d sent a little thing or two, ‘An old maid’s privilege,’ she said. My jimminy, she is getting changed; she’d have had a fit if any one had called her an old maid a bit ago. But I must have been no end of an ass to think she was sweet on Volly; she’d be scratching Miss Allison’s eyes out instead of sending her wedding presents.“Alf.”
“Same old dirty place,“Friday.
“Same old dirty place,“Friday.
“Same old dirty place,
“Friday.
“Dear Mother,
“I went and bought a new toothbrush and a collar and a hairbrush to day, I justcan’tunpack those bags again, I know if I do we’ll never come. I’m wearing my brown suit all the time but no one has noticed. I don’t think after all Aunt Helene could have been gone on Volly; when I was having my lesson she came in dressed fit to kill you, and[281]she’d made her cheeks all red with dye or something,—my goodness she did look a fright. And she shook hands and congratulated him like anything and he told her all about Miss Allison, he’s quite mad about her. He kept walking up and down and running his hand through his hair while he talked. He said they were going to live in a little brown house near the river and that as the gods of music and love and youth would be under the roof it wouldn’t matter if they had nothing to eat, and a lot more rot. I don’t think he has any money scarcely, ’cause young Clinch says his mother keeps begging Miss Allison not to get married till he’s got more pupils, but a girl like that doesn’t care about a man’s money and they’re going to be turned off on the second. Aunt was jolly nice to him I can tell you and he talked to her as if she was his mother. Then after my lesson I went out with her and she bought awfully gummy little chairs and tables and pictures and books and even a piano and sent them round to the house they’re going to live in. And she met Miss Allison and said she’d sent a little thing or two, ‘An old maid’s privilege,’ she said. My jimminy, she is getting changed; she’d have had a fit if any one had called her an old maid a bit ago. But I must have been no end of an ass to think she was sweet on Volly; she’d be scratching Miss Allison’s eyes out instead of sending her wedding presents.
“Alf.”
[282]“Saturday.“Dear Mother,“The awfullest thing has happened. Aunt’s quite dead. She got her palpitations again last night, but she went to bed as usual, and when we got up she was dead. I keep thinking I’m dreaming it all, only I know I’m not because I’ve got her canary in here and she liked it better than anything and always had it in her room. She brought it in to me last night when I was in bed and she said she’d give it to me if I’d promise and swear never to forget to feed it. She said it woke her up too early in a morning so she had to give it away. And she brought her sewing things in, and she’d written ‘Little Dick’ on about six bits of calico and she made me let her sew them into all my coats so when I put one on in a morning I couldn’t help seeing it on the lining and remembering to give it its water and food. I had to unpack my things to get the coats out, but I’m glad now I did. I wish I’d done more things for her, and oh I do wish young Clinch and me hadn’t laughed at her when she talked German. I’d talk it now tohertill my tongue fell out if it would do any good. The doctor was here an awful time and people keep coming all the time now. Grandfather doesn’t seem to care very much; he’s just sitting in his usual chair in the salon, and he’s just looking straight out the window all the time, and he’s drank an awful lot of brandy. The[283]doctor says he’s going to get him to go to Egypt, he says someone must look after him and at Alexandrea there’s Aunt Helene’s cousin and she’s married to a clergyman there, only he’s dead and she could look after him.“It’s pretty awful mother to think you’ve been horrid when she’s dead. I used to hide often when she wanted to go out, and it was lonely for her plugging down to the river alone. And she used to want me to practise my things for Vollmar and I wouldn’t and she’d give me shillings and half-crowns if I would. And I used to be always laughing over her German,—it makes me feel pretty sick to night to think how beastly I’ve been. Fraulein Schliessman made me go in and look at her, and she looks the littlest whitest thing, and her hair isn’t curled, it’s only just lying quiet and straight on the pillow and she only looks as if she was very fast asleep, only they’ve put so many flowers all over her you can’t help knowing she’s dead. I took little Dick in and let him touch her hand, I knew she’d like it and the little chap wasn’t a bit afraid and picked a violet out of her hand. Oh mother I wish some of you were here; it’s awful to go to bed and think of her being left in her room and no one with her just because she’s dead. It’s the next room to mine and I feel all the time I can see how quietly she’s lying and I can smell the flowers.“Alf.”
[282]“Saturday.
“Dear Mother,
“The awfullest thing has happened. Aunt’s quite dead. She got her palpitations again last night, but she went to bed as usual, and when we got up she was dead. I keep thinking I’m dreaming it all, only I know I’m not because I’ve got her canary in here and she liked it better than anything and always had it in her room. She brought it in to me last night when I was in bed and she said she’d give it to me if I’d promise and swear never to forget to feed it. She said it woke her up too early in a morning so she had to give it away. And she brought her sewing things in, and she’d written ‘Little Dick’ on about six bits of calico and she made me let her sew them into all my coats so when I put one on in a morning I couldn’t help seeing it on the lining and remembering to give it its water and food. I had to unpack my things to get the coats out, but I’m glad now I did. I wish I’d done more things for her, and oh I do wish young Clinch and me hadn’t laughed at her when she talked German. I’d talk it now tohertill my tongue fell out if it would do any good. The doctor was here an awful time and people keep coming all the time now. Grandfather doesn’t seem to care very much; he’s just sitting in his usual chair in the salon, and he’s just looking straight out the window all the time, and he’s drank an awful lot of brandy. The[283]doctor says he’s going to get him to go to Egypt, he says someone must look after him and at Alexandrea there’s Aunt Helene’s cousin and she’s married to a clergyman there, only he’s dead and she could look after him.
“It’s pretty awful mother to think you’ve been horrid when she’s dead. I used to hide often when she wanted to go out, and it was lonely for her plugging down to the river alone. And she used to want me to practise my things for Vollmar and I wouldn’t and she’d give me shillings and half-crowns if I would. And I used to be always laughing over her German,—it makes me feel pretty sick to night to think how beastly I’ve been. Fraulein Schliessman made me go in and look at her, and she looks the littlest whitest thing, and her hair isn’t curled, it’s only just lying quiet and straight on the pillow and she only looks as if she was very fast asleep, only they’ve put so many flowers all over her you can’t help knowing she’s dead. I took little Dick in and let him touch her hand, I knew she’d like it and the little chap wasn’t a bit afraid and picked a violet out of her hand. Oh mother I wish some of you were here; it’s awful to go to bed and think of her being left in her room and no one with her just because she’s dead. It’s the next room to mine and I feel all the time I can see how quietly she’s lying and I can smell the flowers.
“Alf.”
[284]That was the last of the packet of letters, and then mail after mail came in and no envelopes with the black round writing on it came to that quiet Australian suburb after long tossing on the great deep. Week after week Phyl and Dolly, Weenie or the boys went up the long hill to the Post-office, one after another sometimes to make quite sure a letter had not been overlooked, to worry the postmistress, to “just see if there was one sticking to the back of the pigeon-hole,” or “to please look if there wasn’t a German letter mixed up with the newspapers.”
Silence, silence, week after week, and all their hearts aching miserably for the poor little homesick lad. Silence, silence. He was in Alexandria now, they told themselves, and pictured him happier, for the cousin had a family of boys. The girls read up all they knew about the Nile and about that particular town, but they could not comfort themselves by imagining him interested in the stupendous age of the place; they knew he would compare the Nile with the Hawkesbury, greatly to the detriment of the former. Phyl almost always went to sleep with wet eyes induced by a mental picture of Alf’s solid, lonely little figure standing solitary against the great Pyramid. Silence, silence!