Chapter X: Part 10

"Certainly! It is a great acquisition: it opens a new world. I haven't told you how I have spent almost all my evenings, alone at home, up there. We can't part with that glorious view when the cold weather comes. I intend to have some men come, right off, and put a partition where the curtains are, and then have it plastered and papered. We will set up one of our spare stoves by November; and you can fill a large box, outside the partition, with coal, as you get time,--which will be good exercise for you,--and keep it filled. Then, any Saturday you choose, or any other day, when any of us feel like going up there to enjoy the view, we can build a fire, even in mid-winter, and, lo! we are as good as out of doors, without the discomforts."

"What a grand place to see a winter storm from!" exclaimed Johnny, in delight.

"And to see the snow or ice all over the trees!" added Sue.

"This is a good illustration," remarked Mrs. Le Bras, "of how some of the things which we dread most turn out to be among the most fortunate incidents that come to us. To think how we all dreaded Felix's visit! and now let us see how many nice things it has brought us."

"A whole summer at the seaside, in a beautiful cottage, with lots of pleasant acquaintances and good times," said Johnny.

"And your bicycle, and all the fun you have had with it, and the dog-cart for me," said Sue.

"And the sky-room," added Johnny.

"And getting acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham and Ruth, for always," said Sue.

"And Felix's improvement," said Mr. Le Bras.

"And Pierre's having such a good place," said Mrs. Le Bras.

"And Ruth's being adopted," said Johnny; "for you know, Mr. Frothingham said it would never have come into his head, if you had not advised it so strongly."

"And your aunt Mary's getting better," said Mrs. Le Bras.

"And a check for a thousand dollars, my dear," said Mr. Le Bras, taking a slip of paper from his pocket-book, and handing it to her. "Louis fairly insisted upon my taking this; and when I saw it would make him feel very badly if I refused, I consented; though it secretly annoyed me greatly, to take pay for doing a favor to my own brother, and benefiting my own nephew. Still, Louis has money enough, and he might as well throw it away in this way as any other, I suppose."

Mrs. Le Bras looked at the check in blank astonishment.

"You see, poor Louis was almost beside himself with delight over Felix's improvement: he said he should never have known how to bring it about himself; and, in fact, he didn't so much as suppose the boy had it in him to try to be a scholar, or behave as well as some boys did, and he had always said he would give a thousand dollars to have Felix taught to behave himself decently. So I must take the money, or grieve him; and there it is."