Chapter 3 - Uncles

by Louisa May Alcott

　　When Rose woke next morning, she was not sure whether she had dreamed whatoccurred the night before, or it had actually happened. So she hopped upand dressed, although it was an hour earlier than she usually rose, for shecould not sleep any more, being possessed with a strong desire to slip downand see if the big portmanteau and packing cases were really in the hall.She seemed to remember tumbling over them when she went to bed, for theaunts had sent her off very punctually, because they wanted their petnephew all to themselves.The sun was shining, and Rose opened her window to let in the soft May airfresh from the sea. As she leaned over her little balcony, watching anearly bird get the worm, and wondering how she should like Uncle Alec, shesaw a man leap the garden wall and come whistling up the path. At first shethought it was some trespasser, but a second look showed her that it washer uncle returning from an early dip into the sea. She had hardly dared tolook at him the night before, because whenever she tried to do so shealways found a pair of keen blue eyes looking at her. Now she could take agood stare at him as he lingered along, looking about him as if glad to seethe old place again.A brown, breezy man, in a blue jacket, with no hat on the curly head, whichhe shook now and then like a water dog; broad-shouldered, alert in hismotions, and with a general air of strength and stability about him whichpleased Rose, though she could not explain the feeling of comfort it gaveher. She had just said to herself, with a sense of relief, "I guess I shalllike him, though he looks as if he made people mind," when he lifted hiseyes to examine the budding horse-chestnut overhead, and saw the eager facepeering down at him. He waved his hand to her, nodded, and called out in abluff, cheery voice"You are on deck early, little niece.""I got up to see if you had really come, uncle.""Did you? Well, come down here and make sure of it.""I'm not allowed to go out before breakfast, sir.""Oh, indeed!" with a shrug. "Then I'll come aboard and salute," he added;and, to Rose's great amazement, Uncle Alec went up one of the pillars ofthe back piazza hand over hand, stepped across the roof, and swung himselfinto her balcony, saying, as he landed on the wide balustrade: "Have youany doubts about me now, ma'am?"Rose was so taken aback, she could only answer with a smile as she went tomeet him."How does my girl do this morning?" he asked, taking the little cold handshe gave him in both his big warm ones."Pretty well, thank you, sir.""Ah, but it should be very well. Why isn't it?""I always wake up with a headache, and feel tired.""Don't you sleep well?""I lie awake a long time, and then I dream, and my sleep does not seem torest me much.""What do you do all day?""Oh, I read, and sew a little, and take naps, and sit with auntie.""No running about out of doors, or house-work, or riding, hey?""Aunt Plenty says I'm not strong enough for much exercise. I drive out withher sometimes, but I don't care for it.""I'm not surprised at that," said Uncle Alec, half to himself, adding, inhis quick way: "Who have you had to play with?""No one but Ariadne Blish, and she was such a goose I couldn't bear her.The boys came yesterday, and seemed rather nice; but, of course, I couldn'tplay with them.""Why not?""I'm too old to play with boys.""Not a bit of it; that's just what you need, for you've been molly-coddledtoo much. They are good lads, and you'll be mixed up with them more or lessfor years to come, so you may as well be friends and playmates at once. Iwill look you up some girls also, if I can find a sensible one who is notspoilt by her nonsensical education.""Phebe is sensible, I'm sure, and I like her, though I only saw heryesterday," cried Rose, waking up suddenly."And who is Phebe, if you please?"Rose eagerly told all she knew, and Uncle Alec listened, with an odd smilelurking about his mouth, though his eyes were quite sober as he watched theface before him."I'm glad to see that you are not aristocratic in your tastes, but I don'tquite make out why you like this young lady from the poor-house.""You may laugh at me, but I do. I can't tell why, only she seems so happyand busy, and sings so beautifully, and is strong enough to scrub andsweep, and hasn't any troubles to plague her," said Rose, making a funnyjumble of reasons in her efforts to explain."How do you know that?""Oh, I was telling her about mine, and asked if she had any, and she said,'No, only I'd like to go to school, and I mean to some day.""So she doesn't call desertion, poverty, and hard work, troubles? She's abrave little girl, and I shall be proud to know her." And Uncle Alec gavean approving nod, that made Rose wish she had been the one to earn it."But what are these troubles of yours, child?" he asked, after a minute ofsilence."Please don't ask me, uncle.""Can't you tell them to me as well as to Phebe?"Something in his tone made Rose feel that it would be better to speak outand be done with it, so she answered, with sudden colour and averted eyes"The greatest one was losing dear papa."As she said that, Uncle Alec's arm came gently round her, and he drew herto him, saying, in the voice so like papa's"That is a trouble which I cannot cure, my child; but I shall try to makeyou feel it less. What else, dear?""I am so tired and poorly all the time, I can't do anything I want to, andit makes me cross," sighed Rose, rubbing the aching head like a fretfulchild."That we can cure and we will," said her uncle, with a decided nod thatmade the curls bob on his head, to that Rose saw the gray ones underneaththe brown."Aunt Myra says I have no constitution, and never shall be strong,"observed Rose, in a pensive tone, as if it was rather a nice thing to be aninvalid."Aunt Myra is a ahem! an excellent woman, but it is her hobby to believethat everyone is tottering on the brink of the grave; and, upon my life, Ibelieve she is offended if people don't fall into it! We will show her howto make constitutions and turn pale-faced little ghosts into rosy, heartygirls. That's my business, you know," he added, more quietly, for hissudden outburst had rather startled Rose."I had forgotten you were a doctor. I'm glad of it, for I do want to bewell, only I hope you won't give me much medicine, for I've taken quartsalready, and it does me no good."As she spoke, Rose pointed to a little table just inside the window, onwhich appeared a regiment of bottles."Ah, ha! Now we'll see what mischief these blessed women have been at."And, making a long arm, Dr. Alec set the bottles on the wide railing beforehim, examined each carefully, smiled over some, frowned over others, andsaid, as he put down the last: "Now I'll show you the best way to takethese messes." And, as quick as a flash, he sent one after another smashingdown into the posy-beds below."But Aunt Plenty won't like it; and Aunt Myra will be angry, for she sentmost of them!" cried Rose, half frightened and half pleased at suchenergetic measures."You are my patient now, and I'll take the responsibility. My way of givingphysic is evidently the best, for you look better already," he said,laughing so infectiously that Rose followed suit, saying saucily"If I don't like your medicines any better than those, I shall throw theminto the garden, and then what will you do?""When I prescribe such rubbish, I'll give you leave to pitch it overboardas soon as you like. Now what is the next trouble?""I hoped you would forget to ask.""But how can I help you if I don't know them? Come, let us have No. 3.""It is very wrong, I suppose, but I do sometimes wish I had not quite somany aunts. They are all very good to me, and I want to please them; butthey are so different, I feel sort of pulled to pieces among them," saidRose, trying to express the emotions of a stray chicken with six hens allclucking over it at once.Uncle Alec threw back his head and laughed like a boy, for he couldentirely understand how the good ladies had each put in her oar and triedto paddle her own way, to the great disturbance of the waters and theentire bewilderment of poor Rose."I intend to try a course of uncles now, and see how that suits yourconstitution. I'm going to have you all to myself, and no one is to give aword of advice unless I ask it. There is no other way to keep order aboard,and I am captain of this little craft, for a time at least. What comesnext?"But Rose stuck there, and grew so red, her uncle guessed what that troublewas."I don't think I can tell this one. It wouldn't be polite, and I feelpretty sure that it isn't going to be a trouble any more."As she blushed and stammered over these words, Dr. Alec turned his eyesaway to the distant sea, and said so seriously, so tenderly, that she feltevery word and long remembered them"My child, I don't expect you to love and trust me all at once, but I dowant you to believe that I shall give my whole heart to this new duty; andif I make mistakes, as I probably shall, no one will grieve over them morebitterly than I. It is my fault that I am a stranger to you, when I want tobe your best friend. That is one of my mistakes, and I never repented itmore deeply than I do now. Your father and I had a trouble once, and Ithought I could never forgive him; so I kept away for years. Thank God, wemade it all up the last time I saw him, and he told me then, that if he wasforced to leave her he should bequeath his little girl to me as a token ofhis love. I can't fill his place, but I shall try to be a father to her;and if she learns to love me half as well as she did the good one she haslost, I shall be a proud and happy man. Will she believe this and try?"Something in Uncle Alec's face touched Rose to the heart, and when he heldout his hand with that anxious troubled look in his eyes, she was moved toput up her innocent lips and seal the contract with a confiding kiss. Thestrong arm held her close a minute, and she felt the broad chest heave onceas if with a great sigh of relief; but not a word was spoken till a tap atthe door made both start.Rose popped her head through the window to say "come in," while Dr. Alechastily rubbed the sleeve of his jacket across his eyes and began towhistle again.Phebe appeared with a cup of coffee."Debby told me to bring this and help you get up," she said, opening herblack eyes wide, as if she wondered how on earth "the sailor man" gotthere."I'm all dressed, so I don't need any help. I hope that is good andstrong," added Rose, eyeing the steaming cup with an eager look.But she did not get it, for a brown hand took possession of it as her unclesaid quickly"Hold hard, my lass, and let me overhaul that dose before you take it. Doyou drink all this strong coffee every morning, Rose?""Yes, sir, and I like it. Auntie says it 'tones' me up, and I always feelbetter after it.""This accounts for the sleepless nights, the flutter your heart gets intoat the least start, and this is why that cheek of yours is pale yellowinstead of rosy red. No more coffee for you, my dear, and by and by you'llsee that I am right. Any new milk downstairs, Phebe?""Yes, sir, plenty right in from the barn.""That's the drink for my patient. Go bring me a pitcherful, and anothercup; I want a draught myself. This won't hurt the honeysuckles, for theyhave no nerves to speak of." And, to Rose's great discomfort, the coffeewent after the medicine.Dr. Alec saw the injured look she put on, but took no notice, and presentlybanished it by saying pleasantly"I've got a capital little cup among my traps, and I'll give it to you todrink your milk in, as it is made of wood that is supposed to improvewhatever is put into it something like a quassia cup. That reminds me; oneof the boxes Phebe wanted to lug upstairs last night is for you. Knowingthat I was coming home to find a ready-made daughter, I picked up all sortsof odd and pretty trifles along the way, hoping she would be able to findsomething she liked among them all. Early to-morrow we'll have a grandrummage. Here's our milk! I propose the health of Miss Rose Campbell anddrink it with all my heart."It was impossible for Rose to pout with the prospect of a delightful boxfulof gifts dancing before her eyes; so, in spite of herself, she smiled asshe drank her own health, and found that fresh milk was not a hard dose totake."Now I must be off, before I am caught again with my wig in a toss," saidDr. Alec, preparing to descend the way he came."Do you always go in and out like a cat, uncle?" asked Rose, much amused athis odd ways."I used to sneak out of my window when I was a boy, so I need not disturbthe aunts, and now I rather like it, for it's the shortest road, and itkeeps me limber when I have no rigging to climb. Good-bye till breakfast."And away he went down the water-spout, over the roof, and vanished amongthe budding honey-suckles below."Ain't he a funny guardeen?" exclaimed Phebe, as she went off with thecups."He is a very kind one, I think," answered Rose, following, to prowl roundthe big boxes and try to guess which was hers.When her uncle appeared at sound of the bell, he found her surveying withan anxious face a new dish that smoked upon the table."Got a fresh trouble, Rosy?" he asked, stroking her smooth head."Uncle, are you going to make me eat oatmeal?" asked Rose, in a tragictone."Don't you like it?""I de-test it!" answered Rose, with all the emphasis which a turned-upnose, a shudder, and a groan could give to the three words."You are not a true Scotchwoman, if you don't like the 'parritch.' It's apity, for I made it myself, and thought we'd have such a good time with allthat cream to float it in. Well, never mind." And he sat down with adisappointed air.Rose had made up her mind to be obstinate about it, because she didheartily "detest" the dish; but as Uncle Alec did not attempt to make herobey, she suddenly changed her mind and thought she would."I'll try to eat it to please you, uncle; but people are always saying howwholesome it is, and that makes me hate it," she said, half-ashamed at hersilly excuse."I do want you to like it, because I wish my girl to be as well and strongas Jessie's boys, who are brought up on this in the good old fashion. Nohot bread and fried stuff for them, and they are the biggest and bonniestlads of the lot. Bless you, auntie, and good morning!"Dr. Alec turned to greet the old lady, and, with a firm resolve to eat ordie in the attempt, Rose sat down.In five minutes she forgot what she was eating, so interested was she inthe chat that went on. It amused her very much to hear Aunt Plenty call herforty-year-old nephew "my dear boy"; and Uncle Alec was so full of livelygossip about all creation in general, and the Aunt-hill in particular, thatthe detested porridge vanished without a murmur."You will go to church with us, I hope, Alec, if you are not too tired,"said the old lady, when breakfast was over."I came all the way from Calcutta for that express purpose, ma'am. Only Imust send the sisters word of my arrival, for they don't expect me tillto-morrow, you know, and there will be a row in church if those boys see mewithout warning.""I'll send Ben up the hill, and you can step over to Myra's yourself; itwill please her, and you will have plenty of time."Dr. Alec was off at once, and they saw no more of him till the old barouchewas at the door, and Aunt Plenty just rustling downstairs in her Sundaybest, with Rose like a little black shadow behind her.Away they drove in state, and all the way Uncle Alec's hat was more off hishead than on, for everyone they met smiled and bowed, and gave him asblithe a greeting as the day permitted.It was evident that the warning had been a wise one, for, in spite of timeand place, the lads were in such a ferment that their elders sat inmomentary dread of an unseemly outbreak somewhere. It was simply impossibleto keep those fourteen eyes off Uncle Alec, and the dreadful things thatwere done during sermon-time will hardly be believed.Rose dared not look up after a while, for these bad boys vented theiremotions upon her till she was ready to laugh and cry with mingledamusement and vexation. Charlie winked rapturously at her behind hismother's fan; Mac openly pointed to the tall figure beside her; Jamiestared fixedly over the back of his pew, till Rose thought his round eyeswould drop out of his head; George fell over a stool and dropped threebooks in his excitement; Will drew sailors and Chinamen on his clean cuffs,and displayed them, to Rose's great tribulation; Steve nearly upset thewhole party by burning his nose with salts, as he pretended to be overcomeby his joy; even dignified Archie disgraced himself by writing in his hymnbook, "Isn't he blue and brown?" and passing it politely to Rose.Her only salvation was trying to fix her attention upon Uncle Mac a portly,placid gentleman, who seemed entirely unconscious of the iniquities of theClan, and dozed peacefully in his pew corner. This was the only uncle Rosehad met for years, for Uncle Jem and Uncle Steve, the husbands of AuntJessie and Aunt Clara, were at sea, and Aunt Myra was a widow. Uncle Macwas a merchant, very rich and busy, and as quiet as a mouse at home, for hewas in such a minority among the women folk he dared not open his lips, andlet his wife rule undisturbed.Rose liked the big, kindly, silent man who came to her when papa died, wasalways sending her splendid boxes of goodies at school, and often invitedher into his great warehouse, full of teas and spices, wines and all sortsof foreign fruits, there to eat and carry away whatever she liked. She hadsecretly regretted that he was not to be her guardian; but since she hadseen Uncle Alec she felt better about it, for she did not particularlyadmire Aunt Jane.When church was over, Dr. Alec got into the porch as quickly as possible,and there the young bears had a hug all round, while the sisters shookhands and welcomed him with bright faces and glad hearts. Rose was nearlycrushed flat behind a door in that dangerous passage from pew to porch; butUncle Mac rescued her, and put her into the carriage for safe keeping."Now, girls, I want you to come and dine with Alec; Mac also, of course.But I cannot ask the boys, for we did not expect this dear fellow tilltomorrow, you know, so I made no preparations. Send the lads home, and letthem wait till Monday, for really I was shocked at their behaviour inchurch," said Aunt Plenty, as she followed Rose.In any other place the defrauded boys would have set up a howl; as it was,they growled and protested till Dr. Alec settled the matter by saying"Never mind, old chaps, I'll make it up to you to-morrow, if you sheer offquietly; if you don't, not a blessed thing shall you have out of my bigboxes."