CHRISTINA STEAD
63
character fortunately was not ruined, because my mother was a stern
old Methody woman, good, loving but fIrm-"
"She was our mother too, Morgan," said Beatrix, "and she
made me promise to obey those rules she believed in and which have
kept me straight and true ever since."
Aunt Mildred was now retiring to the kitchen and Beatrix said,
"Come here, lamb, to its mother." But Morgan instantly changing his
tune, commanded, "Grandmother, back to the fIre! You have not
done what I told you."
"Oh, Morgan," said Beatrix.
"And you, Beatrix, don't butt in," he said rudely, "ideas come
before sentiment. Granny," he began in an ingratiating drone, "do
what your little Uncle asks, Granny, your little Uncle is asking you.
Granny, do what
00
is told! Granny be a dood girl. Granny, put your
hand in the fIre for Uncle Morg!"
Trembling and weeping the child put her hand out, felt the heat
that surrounds the flame, blindly weeping, unquestioning, while
Uncle Morgan ducking his head and grinning whispered to left and
right, "She'll do it," gleefully, "Granny will do it!"
"Renee! " shrieked her mother and fell on the baby, pulling the
poor thing from the fIre.
,'She touched the fIre, she touched the fIre," the children
shouted, jubilating, dismayed.
"Granny did not al-to-gethertouch the fIre, Granny let her Uncle
down, Granny did not obey her Uncle," said Morgan, in a repulsive,
weeping tone.
Aunt Mildred was marching up and down the cemented kitchen
floor with her arms folded, her eyes black. She stared through the
window like a witch and if the crooked, smooth, silver arms of the fIg
trees had been broomsticks, she would have flown off on them.
Aunt Beatrix, weeping with her child, rushed into the kitchen to
Aunt Mildred. "Mildred! My poor fatherless baby!"
"You're a pack of fools, all of you," said Mildred.
She went into the boys' room next to the kitchen and started
throwing the mattresses about in a rage. Beatrix sat down on the rickety
kitchen chair and began combing Granny's soft, curly brown hair. She
soon smiled, her eyes rounded and shone and she whispered. "Uncle
Morgan didn't mean you to do it, love, Uncle Morg was having fun,
