Terry | Page 8

to the kennel, and stood dancing round
him in the pouring rain. Nurse Nancy stood at the door exhorting them
to come back to her.
"You bad childher, you dreadful childher! Miss Terry, I command you
to come in out o' the pours of rain."
"It doesn't hurt, Nursey dear; indeed it doesn't," said Terry, as soon as
her excitement allowed her to hear the voice; and she came running
obediently across the yard.
"Hurt!" cried Nurse angrily, and seized a hand of each of the dripping
children, marching them up the stairs in silence and into the nursery,
where she deposited them on two chairs and stood looking at them in
speechless indignation.
Turly looked defiant; Terry gazed at Nurse with dismay and
bewilderment.
"You wicked little girl! I know it was you that did it. Turly would never
have dared to."
"Yes, I would!" said Turly.
"No, indeed, he wouldn't, Nurse. It was all me. But you don't mean that
I've been really wicked. Nurse, do you?"
"Don't I indeed? And my good gown in rags, and my cap in
smithereens!"
"I'm very sorry about that, Nursey dear, indeed I am. I couldn't have
believed Vulcan could be so stupid as to end it all that way. He just got

in a fright when he saw you coming in. And I thought you would have
been so delighted with the fun. And Gran'ma will get you a new gown
and a new cap when I tell her all about it."
Nurse took no notice of her protests.
"Both of you drenched to the skin! Let me feel your things! Every
stitch on you sopping with wet! I'll have to get a warm bath ready for
you, and put you in bed. And it's well if I can let you up to see your
gran'mama at tea-time."
"Oh, Nurse, and I did so want to show her the things I worked for her!
She wouldn't be angry; not if I told her myself. I know it would make
her laugh--"
"'Deed, and you sha'n't tell her a word of it, Miss Terry. If she was
asleep and didn't hear the scrimmage, we'll just leave her in peace about
it."
"Oh, is it as bad as that?" said Terry. "So bad that I am not to tell
Gran'ma?"
"It is as bad as bad--as that it couldn't be badder!" cried Nurse Nancy.
"My gown and cap ruinated, my nursery spattered with mud, the back
stairs like a street with clay an' rain, yourselves drenched an' drownded,
an' your clothes spoiled. And into the bargain," added Nancy, with a
quaver in her voice, "my spectacles broken into smash, an' I without
e'er another pair to see my way about the house with!"
[Illustration]
"Your spectacles!" cried Terry, now at last stricken with remorse. "Oh,
Nursey, do you really mean that your spectacles are broken?"
Nurse Nancy answered by holding up an empty rim from which all
trace of glasses had departed.
Then Terry said no more, but crept meekly into her little bed, burrowed

into the pillows, and wept.
CHAPTER IV
DREADFULLY GOOD
The destruction of Nurse Nancy's spectacles was a real tragedy.
Between the hills and the sea spectacles are not found growing like
limpets on the rocks, or shaking on the wind like the bog-flowers. The
rule in Trimleston House with regard to these necessary articles was
that Granny's cast-off spectacles fell to Nancy, who was younger than
her mistress, and who was nicely suited by glasses that had ceased to be
powerful enough for Madam.
"Has Granny none to give you, Nursey?" asked Terry, with repentant
eyes fixed on Nancy's small brown orbs so deeply set in wrinkles.
"No, child, no. She got her new ones from Dublin only a week ago.
And myself got the ould ones. Suited me nicely, they did. And now I
may sit down and wait till Madam's eyes require another new pair."
"But can't we write for some for you, Nursey, as Granny did?"
"Well, now! Just as if they had my name and my number in Dublin,
same as your gran'mama's, an' her a great lady! Sure, poor people do
have to walk into a shop, and just try and try till they get a pair to fit
them."
Terry sat on the old woman's knee, and threw her arms round her neck.
"I'll darn the stockings, and sew on the strings and buttons, and read
your prayer-book to you, and read the newspaper to you after Grandma
has done with it. Is there anything else I can do for you, Nursey
darling?"
"Nothing in the world, except try to be good an' keep out of mischief,
Miss Terry."

"But I do so want to be good always, Nancy. And I never would be