Percival Keene | Page 7

corner, a sure sign that I was in mischief, and so indeed I was (for I was putting a little gunpowder into my grandmother's snuff-box, which I had purloined, just that she might "smell powder," as they say at sea, without danger of life or limb), when the old woman addressed my mother--
"Bella, is that boy never going to school? it will be the ruin of him."
"What will be the ruin of him, mother?" rejoined my aunt Milly; "going to school?"
"Hold your nonsense, child: you are as bad as the boy himself," replied granny. "Boys are never ruined by education; girls sometimes are."
Whether my mother thought that this was an innuendo reflecting upon any portion of her own life, I cannot tell; but she replied very tartly.
"You're none the worse for my education, mother, or you would not be sitting here."
"Very true, child," replied granny; "but recollect, neither would you have married a marine--a private marine, Bella, while your sister looks up to the officers. Ay," continued the old woman, leaving off her knitting and looking at her daughter, "and is likely to get one, too, if she plays her cards well--that Lieutenant Flat can't keep out of the shop." (My granny having at this moment given me an opportunity to replace her snuff-box, I did not fail to profit by it; and as I perceived her knitting-pin had dropped on the floor, I stuck it into the skirt of her gown behind, so that whenever she looked for it, it was certain ever to be behind her.)
"Mr Flat is of a very respectable family, I hear say," continued my grandmother.
"And a great fool," interrupted my mother. "I hope Milly won't listen to him."
"He's an officer," replied my granny, "not a private."
"Well, mother, I prefer my private marine, for I can make him do as I please; if he's a private, I'm commanding officer, and intend so to be as long as I live."
"Well, well, Bella, let us say no more on the old score; but that boy must go to school. Deary me, I have dropped my needle."
My grandmother rose, and turned round and round, looking for her needle, which, strange to say, she could not find; she opened her snuff-box, and took a pinch to clear her optics. "Deary me, why, what's the matter with my snuff? and where can that needle be? Child, come and look for the needle; don't be sticking there in that corner."
I thought proper to obey the order and pretended to be very diligent in my search. Catching aunt Milly's eye, I pointed to the knitting-needle sticking in the hind skirts of my grandmother's gown, and then was down on my knees again, while my aunt held her handkerchief to her mouth to check her laughter.
A minute afterwards, Ben the marine first tapped gently, and then opened the door and came in; for at that late hour the officers were all at dinner, and the shop empty.
"There are three parcels of books for you to take," said my mother; "but you've plenty of time, so take down the tea-things, and get your tea in the kitchen before you go."
"You haven't got a shilling, Bella, about you? I want some 'baccy," said Ben, in his quiet way.
"Yes, here's a shilling, Ben; but don't drink too much beer," replied my mother.
"Deary me, what can have become of my needle?" exclaimed my grandmother, turning round.
"Here it is, ma'am," said Ben, who perceived it sticking in her skirt. "That's Percival's work, I'll answer for it."
My granny received the needle from Ben, and then turned to me: "You good-for-nothing boy; so you put the needle there, did you? pretending to look for it all the while; you shall go to school, sir, that you shall."
"You said a needle, granny; I was looking for a needle: you didn't say your knitting-pin; I could have told you where that was."
"Yes, yes, those who hide can find; to school you go, or I'll not stay in the house."
Ben took the tea-tray out of the room. He had been well drilled in and out of barracks.
"I'll go down in the kitchen to father," cried I, for I was tired of sitting still.
"No, you won't, sir," said my mother, "you naughty boy; the kitchen is not the place for you, and if ever I hear of you smoking a pipe again--"
"Captain Bridgeman smokes," replied I.
"Yes, sir, he smokes cigars; but a child like you must not smoke a pipe."
"And now come here, sir," said my granny, who had the lid of her snuff-box off, and held it open in her hand; "what have you been doing with my snuff?"
"Why, granny, have I had your snuff-box the whole day?"
"How should I know?--a boy like you, with every finger a fish-hook; I do believe you