CHAPTER VI.
_POLISHING MAC._
"Please could I say one word?" was the question three times repeatedbefore a rough head bobbed out from the grotto of books in which Macusually sat when he studied.
"Did any one speak?" he asked, blinking in the flood of sunshine thatentered with Rose.
"Only three times, thank you. Don't disturb yourself, I beg; for Imerely want to say a word," answered Rose, as she prevented him fromoffering the easy-chair in which he sat.
"I was rather deep in a compound fracture, and didn't hear. What can Ido for you, cousin?" and Mac shoved a stack of pamphlets off the chairnear him, with a hospitable wave of the hand that sent his papersflying in all directions.
Rose sat down, but did not seem to find her "word" an easy one toutter; for she twisted her handkerchief about her fingers inembarrassed silence, till Mac put on his glasses, and, after a keenlook, asked soberly,--
"Is it a splinter, a cut, or a whitlow, ma'am?"
"It is neither; do forget your tiresome surgery for a minute, and bethe kindest cousin that ever was," answered Rose, beginning rathersharply and ending with her most engaging smile.
"Can't promise in the dark," said the wary youth.
"It is a favor, a great favor, and one I don't choose to ask any ofthe other boys," answered the artful damsel.
Mac looked pleased, and leaned forward, saying more affably,--
"Name it, and be sure I'll grant it if I can."
"Go with me to Mrs. Hope's party to-morrow night."
"What!" and Mac recoiled as if she had put a pistol to his head.
"I've left you in peace a long time: but it is your turn now; so doyour duty like a man and a cousin."
"But I never go to parties!" cried the unhappy victim in great dismay.
"High time you began, sir."
"But I don't dance fit to be seen."
"I'll teach you."
"My dress-coat isn't decent, I know."
"Archie will lend you one: he isn't going."
"I'm afraid there's a lecture that I ought not to cut."
"No, there isn't: I asked uncle."
"I'm always so tired and dull in the evening."
"This sort of thing is just what you want to rest and freshen up yourspirits."
Mac gave a groan and fell back vanquished; for it was evident thatescape was impossible.
"What put such a perfectly wild idea into your head?" he demanded,rather roughly; for hitherto he _had_ been "left in peace," and thissudden attack decidedly amazed him.
"Sheer necessity; but don't do it if it is so very dreadful to you. Imust go to several more parties, because they are made for me; butafter that I'll refuse, and then no one need be troubled with me."
Something in Rose's voice made Mac answer penitently, even while heknit his brows in perplexity,--
"I didn't mean to be rude; and of course I'll go anywhere if I'mreally needed. But I don't understand where the sudden necessity is,with three other fellows at command, all better dancers and beaux thanI am."
"I don't want them, and I do want you; for I haven't the heart to draguncle out any more, and you know I never go with any gentleman butthose of my own family."
"Now look here, Rose: if Steve has been doing any thing to tease youjust mention it, and I'll attend to him," cried Mac, plainly seeingthat something was amiss, and fancying that Dandy was at the bottom ofit, as he had done escort duty several times lately.
"No, Steve has been very good: but I know he had rather be with KittyVan; so of course I feel like a marplot, though he is too polite tohint it."
"What a noodle that boy is! But there's Archie: he's as steady as achurch, and has no sweetheart to interfere," continued Mac, bound toget at the truth, and half suspecting what it was.
"He is on his feet all day, and Aunt Jessie wants him in the evening.He does not care for dancing as he used, and I suppose he really doesprefer to rest and read." Rose might have added, "and hear Phebesing;" for Phebe did not go out as much as Rose did, and Aunt Jessieoften came in to sit with the old lady when the young folks were away;and, of course, dutiful Archie came with her; so willingly of late!
"What's amiss with Charlie? I thought _he_ was the prince ofcavaliers. Annabel says he dances 'like an angel,' and I know a dozenmothers couldn't keep him at home of an evening. Have you had a tiffwith Adonis, and so fall back on poor me?" asked Mac, coming last tothe person of whom he thought first, but did not mention, feeling shyabout alluding to a subject often discussed behind her back.
"Yes, we have; and I don't intend to go with him any more for sometime. His ways do not suit me, and mine do not suit him; so I want tobe quite independent, and you can help me if you will," said Rose,rather nervously spinning the big globe close by.
Mac gave a low whistle, looking wide awake all in a minute, as hesaid with a gesture, as if he brushed a cobweb off his face,--
"Now, see here, cousin: I'm not good at mysteries, and shall onlyblunder if you put me blindfold into any nice manoeuvre. Just tell mestraight out what you want, and I'll do it if I can. Play I'm uncle,and free your mind; come now."
He spoke so kindly, and the honest eyes were so full of merrygood-will, that Rose felt she might confide in him, and answered asfrankly as he could desire,--
"You are right, Mac; and I don't mind talking to you almost as freelyas to uncle, because you are such a reliable fellow, and won't thinkme silly for trying to do what I believe to be right. Charlie does,and so makes it hard for me to hold to my resolutions. I want to keepearly hours, dress simply, and behave properly; no matter whatfashionable people do. You will agree to that, I'm sure; and stand byme through thick and thin for principle's sake."
"I will; and begin by showing you that I understand the case. I don'twonder you are not pleased; for Charlie is too presuming, and you doneed some one to help you head him off a bit. Hey, cousin?"
"What a way to put it!" and Rose laughed in spite of herself, addingwith an air of relief, "That _is_ it; and I do want some one to helpme make him understand that I don't choose to be taken possession ofin that lordly way, as if I belonged to him more than to the rest ofthe family. I don't like it; for people begin to talk, and Charliewon't see how disagreeable it is to me."
"Tell him so," was Mac's blunt advice.
"I have; but he only laughs and promises to behave, and then he doesit again, when I am so placed that I can't say any thing. You willnever understand, and I cannot explain; for it is only a look, or aword, or some little thing: but I won't have it, and the best way tocure him is to put it out of his power to annoy me so."
"He is a great flirt, and wants to teach you how, I suppose. I'llspeak to him if you like, and tell him you don't want to learn. ShallI?" asked Mac, finding the case rather an interesting one.
"No, thank you: that would only make trouble. If you will kindly playescort a few times, it will show Charlie that I am in earnest withoutmore words, and put a stop to the gossip," said Rose, coloring like apoppy at the recollection of what she heard one young man whisper toanother, as Charlie led her through a crowded supper-room with hismost devoted air, "Lucky dog! he is sure to get the heiress, and weare nowhere."
"There's no danger of people's gossiping about us, is there?" and Maclooked up, with the oddest of all his odd expressions.
"Of course not: you're only a boy."
"I'm twenty-one, thank you; and Prince is but a couple of yearsolder," said Mac, promptly resenting the slight put upon his manhood.
"Yes; but he is like other young men, while you are a dear oldbookworm. No one would ever mind what _you_ did; so you may go toparties with me every night, and not a word would be said; or, ifthere was, I shouldn't mind since it is 'only Mac,'" answered Rose,smiling as she quoted a household word often used to excuse hisvagaries.
"Then _I_ am nobody?" lifting his brows, as if the discovery surprisedand rather nettled him.
"Nobody in society as yet; but my very best cousin in private, andI've just p
roved my regard by making you my confidant, and choosingyou for my knight," said Rose, hastening to soothe the feelings hercareless words seemed to have ruffled slightly.
"Much good _that_ is likely to do me," grumbled Mac.
"You ungrateful boy, not to appreciate the honor I've conferred uponyou! I know a dozen who would be proud of the place: but you only carefor compound fractures; so I won't detain you any longer, except toask if I may consider myself provided with an escort for to-morrownight?" said Rose, a trifle hurt at his indifference; for she was notused to refusals.
"If I may hope for the honor," and, rising, he made her a bow whichwas such a capital imitation of Charlie's grand manner that sheforgave him at once, exclaiming with amused surprise,--
"Why, Mac! I didn't know you _could_ be so elegant!"
"A fellow can be almost any thing he likes, if he tries hard enough,"he answered, standing very straight, and looking so tall and dignifiedthat Rose was quite impressed, and with a stately courtesy sheretired, saying graciously,--
"I accept with thanks. Good-morning, Doctor Alexander MackenzieCampbell."
When Friday evening came, and word was sent up that her escort hadarrived, Rose ran down, devoutly hoping that he had not come in avelveteen jacket, top-boots, black gloves, or made any triflingmistake of that sort. A young gentleman was standing before the longmirror, apparently intent on the arrangement of his hair; and Rosepaused suddenly as her eye went from the glossy broadcloth to thewhite-gloved hands, busy with an unruly lock that would not stay inplace.
"Why, Charlie, I thought--" she began with an accent of surprise inher voice, but got no further; for the gentleman turned and she beheldMac in immaculate evening costume, with his hair parted sweetly on hisbrow, a superior posy at his button-hole, and the expression of amartyr upon his face.
"Ah, don't you wish it was? No one but yourself to thank that it isn'the. Am I right? Dandy got me up, and he ought to know what is what,"demanded Mac, folding his hands and standing as stiff as a ramrod.
"You are so regularly splendid that I don't know you."
"Neither do I."
"I really had no idea you could look so like a gentleman," added Rose,surveying him with great approval.
"Nor I that I could feel so like a fool."
"Poor boy! he does look rather miserable. What can I do to cheer himup, in return for the sacrifice he is making?"
"Stop calling me a boy. It will soothe my agony immensely, and give mecourage to appear in a low-necked coat and a curl on my forehead; forI'm not used to such elegancies, and find them no end of a trial."
Mac spoke in such a pathetic tone, and gave such a gloomy glare at theaforesaid curl, that Rose laughed in his face, and added to his woe byhanding him her cloak. He surveyed it gravely for a minute, thencarefully put it on wrong side out, and gave the swan's-down hood agood pull over her head, to the utter destruction of all smoothness tothe curls inside.
Rose uttered a cry and cast off the cloak, bidding him learn to do itproperly, which he meekly did, and then led her down the hall withoutwalking on her skirts more than three times by the way. But at thedoor she discovered that she had forgotten her furred overshoes, andbade Mac get them.
"Never mind: it's not wet," he said, pulling his cap over his eyes andplunging into his coat, regardless of the "elegancies" that afflictedhim.
"But I can't walk on cold stones with thin slippers, can I?" beganRose, showing a little white foot.
"You needn't, for--there you are, my lady;" and, unceremoniouslypicking her up, Mac landed her in the carriage before she could say aword.
"What an escort!" she exclaimed in comic dismay, as she rescued herdelicate dress from the rug in which he was about to tuck her up likea mummy.
"It's 'only Mac,' so don't mind," and he cast himself into an oppositecorner, with the air of a man who had nerved himself to theaccomplishment of many painful duties, and was bound to do them ordie.
"But gentlemen don't catch up ladies like bags of meal, and poke theminto carriages in this way. It is evident that you need looking after,and it is high time I undertook your society manners. Now, do mindwhat you are about, and don't get yourself or me into a scrape if youcan help it," besought Rose, feeling that on many accounts she hadgone farther and fared worse.
"I'll behave like a Turveydrop: see if I don't."
Mac's idea of the immortal Turveydrop's behavior seemed to be apeculiar one; for, after dancing once with his cousin, he left her toher own devices, and soon forgot all about her in a long conversationwith Professor Stumph, the learned geologist. Rose did not care; forone dance proved to her that that branch of Mac's education _had_ beensadly neglected, and she was glad to glide smoothly about with Steve,though he was only an inch or two taller than herself. She had plentyof partners, however, and plenty of chaperons; for all the young menwere her most devoted, and all the matrons beamed upon her withmaternal benignity.
Charlie was not there; for when he found that Rose stood firm, and hadmoreover engaged Mac as a permanency, he would not go at all, andretired in high dudgeon to console himself with more dangerouspastimes. Rose feared it would be so; and, even in the midst of thegayety about her, an anxious mood came over her now and then, and madeher thoughtful for a moment. She felt her power, and wanted to use itwisely; but did not know how to be kind to Charlie without beinguntrue to herself and giving him false hopes.
"I wish we were all children again, with no hearts to perplex us andno great temptations to try us," she said to herself, as she rested amoment in a quiet nook while her partner went to get a glass of water.Right in the midst of this half-sad, half-sentimental reverie, sheheard a familiar voice behind her say earnestly,--
"And allophite is the new hydrous silicate of alumina and magnesia,much resembling pseudophite, which Websky found in Silesia."
"What _is_ Mac talking about!" she thought: and, peeping behind agreat azalea in full bloom, she saw her cousin in deep converse withthe professor, evidently having a capital time; for his face had lostits melancholy expression and was all alive with interest, while theelder man was listening as if his remarks were both intelligent andagreeable.
"What is it?" asked Steve, coming up with the water, and seeing asmile on Rose's face.