The Pillars of the House, vol 1 | Page 9

Charlotte Mary Yonge

'He certainly ought not to go to church after it,' said Mr. Audley; 'but I
can settle that by riding home in good time. What's the day?'
'The day after the girls' break-up, if you please,' said Felix, still not
perfectly happy, but unable to help himself; and manifesting quite
enough reluctance to make his father ask, as soon as they had parted,
what made him so ungracious.
'Only, Papa,' said Felix frankly, 'that we know that you and he will get
into some Church talk, and then you'll be of no use; and we wanted to
have it all to ourselves.'
'Take care, Felix,' said Mr. Underwood; 'large families are apt to get
into a state of savage exclusiveness.'
Felix had to bear the drawback, and the groans it caused from Wilmet,
Edgar, and Fulbert: the rest decidedly rejoiced. And Mr. Underwood
privately confided the objection to his friend, observing merrily that
they would bind themselves by a promise not to talk shop throughout
the expedition.
It was a brilliantly, happy week. Pretty hats, bound with dark blue
velvet, and fresh black silk jackets, were squeezed out of the four
pounds, with the help of a few shillings out of the intended hire of the
van, and were the glory of the whole family, both of those who were to
wear them and those who were not.
On Saturday evening, just as the four elder young people were about to

sally forth to do the marketing for their picnic, a great hamper made its
appearance in the passage, addressed to F. C. Underwood, Esq., and
with nothing to pay. Only there was a note fastened to the side, saying,
'Dear Felix, pray let the spicy van find room for my contribution to
your picnic. I told my mother to send me what was proper from
home.--C. S. A.'
Mrs. Underwood was dragged out to superintend the unpacking, which
she greatly advised should be merely a surface investigation. That was
quite enough, however, to assure her that for Felix to lay in any
provision, except the tea and the bread she had already promised,
would be entirely superfluous. The girls were disappointed of their
cookery; but derived consolation from the long walk with the brothers,
in which a cake of good carmine and a lump of gamboge were
purchased for Cherry, and two penny dolls for Robina and Angela.
What would become of the rest of the pound?
On Sunday, the offertory was, as usual on ordinary occasions, rather
scanty; but there was one half-sovereign; and Mr. Underwood was
convinced that it had come from under the one white surplice that had
still remained on the choir boys' bench.
He stayed in the vestry after the others to count and take care of the
offerings, and as he took up the gold, he could not but look at his son,
who was waiting for him, and who flushed all over as he met his eye.
'Yes, Papa, I wanted to tell you--I did grudge it at first,' he said hoarsely.
'I knew it was the tithe; but it seemed so much away from them all. I
settled that two shillings was the tenth of my own share, and I would
give that to-day; and then came Mr. Harper's kindness about the van;
and next, when I was thinking how I could save the tenth part without
stinting everybody, came all Mr. Audley's hamper. It is very strange
and happy, Papa, and I have still something left.'
'I believe,' said Mr. Underwood, 'that you will find the considering the
tithe as not your own, is the safest way of keeping poverty from
grinding you, or wealth from spoiling you.'
And very affectionately he leant on his son's shoulder all the way home;
while Mr. Audley was at luncheon at the Rectory with my Lady, and
her twelve years old daughter.
'Mamma,' said Miss Price, 'did you see the Underwoods in new hats?'
'Of course I did, my dear. They were quite conspicuous enough; but

when people make a great deal of their poverty, they always do break
out in the most unexpected ways.'
'They are pretty girls' said the Rector, rather dreamily, 'and I suppose
they must have new clothes sometimes.'
'You will always find,' proceeded Lady Price without regard, 'that
people of that sort have a wonderful eye to the becoming--nothing
economical for them! I am sorry for Mr. Underwood, his wife is
bringing up a set of fine ladies, who will trust to their pretty looks, and
be quite above doing anything for themselves.'
'Do you think Wilmet and Alda Underwood so very pretty, Mr.
Audley?' inquired Miss Price, turning her precocious eyes upon him.
'Remarkably so,' Mr. Audley replied, with a courteous setting-down
tone that was the only thing that
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