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"Oh! it's too dreadful awful," she exclaimed, "I don't know the meaning of the words, but I tell him he's a drunken sot." I believe the old woman in reality rather likes it. "But surely, Mrs Jupp," said I, "Tom's wife used not to be Topsy. You used to speak of her as Pheeb." "Ah! yes," she answered, "but Pheeb behaved bad, and it's Topsy now."
Falcon will never forgive me." "She will have to quarrel with me else," said Dick steadily. "Sit you down, doctor. Honest folk like you and me and Phoebe wasn't made to quarrel for want of looking a thing all round. My sister she hasn't looked it all round, and I have. Come, Pheeb, 'tis no use your blinding yourself. How was the poor doctor to know your husband is a blackguard?"
"God bless you now and always." "Forever and ever, amen," whispered Olly back, with an impression that Phebe was saying her prayers over him. "And oh, I say, Pheeb, can't you let us have some of that jelly cake with raisins in it, to take with us for luncheon to-morrow?" And Phebe promised she would, and laughed and went away feeling, somehow, a little comforted.
"I'll have the cookie anyhow," said Olly, starting on a run. "Pheeb said I could, and this is Pheeb's house, and I will." "And you won't," said the voice, sharply. There was a scuffle, a rush, the sound of a smart box on the ear, a sudden childish howl, and Olly fled back to Phebe and buried his face in her dress.
You do look pale, but that's all. Glad to see your pretty face isn't harmed. Why, I heard one whole side of it was about burned off. I've brought you some wine-jelly, my dear." "She had a lot yesterday, Pheeb did," said Olly, who was curled up with a geography in a corner of the room and furtively cutting Europe out of the maps. "She doesn't need any more." "Oh, but this is some of my own make.
"We will pepper their fur," said Christopher, repeating what to him was a lesson in the ancient and venerable English tongue. So they walked on expectant; and by and by the four-footed shadows with large lime-light eyes came stealing on; and Phoebe shrieked, and they vanished before the men could draw a bead on them. "Thou's no use at this work, Pheeb," said Dick.
An ugly little boy, with a pale, pinched face and impish eyes, was pulling smartly at her dress. "I say, Pheeb, can I have a cookie?" "Does Gerald let you have cookies between meals, Olly?" "Yes," answered Olly, unhesitatingly. "Always." "What's that?" broke in an unexpected voice behind, a clear, ringing, decided voice. "I will not have you tell such lies, Olly! Why will you do it!"
Dick took a good look, and said, "I'm blest if I don't, though; it is the doctor that cut my throat." This strange statement drew forth quite a shout of ejaculations. "Oh, better breathe through a slit than not at all," said Dick. "Saved my life with that cut, he did, didn't he, Pheeb?" "That he did, Dick. Dear heart, I hardly know whether I am in my senses or not, seeing him a-looking so blank.
An indignant murmur ran through the room. Mrs. Upjohn drew herself up to her severest height. "What shameless impertinence! How dare he intrude!" A shout of unholy laughter downstairs followed Dick's sally. "Mr. Halloway isn't there at all," cried Olly, his fine, clear-voice pitched high above the rest, "He only asked about Pheeb at the door, and went right off."
Upjohn he said so, not to the longest day I lived. The longest day won't come now till next year, the twenty-first of June. That's the longest day, ain't it? Mr. Halloway taught me that. My, don't he know a lot! I'm going to be like him when I'm a man. That's who I'm going to be like. And I'm going to love you always. He loves you too, doesn't he, Pheeb?"
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