Page:Harper's New Monthly Magazine - v109.djvu/94

80 patiently abroad, the head that turned so silently, pleased with the song that sounded far above.

From time to time there would be the flutter of a white feather, and the bird with the red breast and the song would light upon the bough. There for a while he would sit and comfort his brown mate, now and then feeding her with worm or grub, which she would take sometimes, sometimes refuse, but all the while regarding him thankfully with bright eye.

Eileen learned much of the mystery of love as she sat there day by day. Another look grew upon the brilliant face; the kindness of the birds' love grew upon her, and she began to remember them too in her prayers, sure that the Father of all, who inspired her own heavenward desires, held in His thought also the wild creatures of the wood, since they took so gratefully from His hand their love and their sunshine and their rain.

After a time came one morning, and when Eileen came to the nest, in place of the fair smooth eggs, lo! five ugly little naked souls with gaping mouths sat all together upon her ring.

Eileen went home vexed that day. "Their looks disgust me, Nurse Phaire," said she. "I never saw young birds so ugly. They have got no feathers on. Their mouths are as large as their bodies, and they all squeak together. I do not like them to be sitting on my ring. I had a mind to have it out again."

Nurse Phaire shook her head wisely upon the ignorant girl. "Mistress Eileen is proud this morning, and handsome," said she. "But I remember a Mistress Eileen that was given into my hands one morning, seventeen years ago, who was no handsomer nor wiser than these little birds. Ah, God knows the young are scornful, but an old woman like me knows what goes before and behind them and is never proud at all."

Eileen stood pouting and bending her brows on her old nurse.

The old woman could not bear to see her cross; she reached out her hand and pulled the young girl on to her knee. "There, there, child of my heart, sure I never meant to vex you. Handsome you are and proud you may be, and have a good right; but not too proud to love the poor old woman that nursed you. There, there, child of my heart, the ring is doing finely; it will be holding the better love surely now, for the pity of love will be in it, and it will be strong against sorrow and sickness and age."

Eileen kissed her back again, and next day returned to the wood; as she watched the parent birds at their hard labors of devotion she learned the pity and the service of love. Her tears dropped down that morning as she thought on suffering and age and death, and pride left her heart.

Then with a better wisdom she began to think again of Estercel. Below her the lake shone. In waving lines along its face the edges of the ripples caught the light, till it seemed as though rows of diamond lamps were being lit, bright as the spirit in those eyes that had troubled her peace. If only, she was thinking, her nurse's charm taught Estercel to look kindly upon her, her feet and her hands should be his servants till the last hour of age should bring her death.

Day by day the feathers grew upon the young ones in the nest; day by day the red breast and the brown labored ceaselessly from dawn till dark to keep them satisfied. And in the labor seemed to be their pleasure, too, for the song from the beech-tree, though less frequent, was as loud as ever.

At length came a morning when the first young bird, full-feathered, very round and fat, most pretty now to Eileen's eyes, sat on the edge of the nest. Many times the short wings quivered and lifted, like living creatures that themselves desired the air, only to be folded once more. At length with a mighty effort they rose again, and father and mother shrieked for joy as the first young bird fluttered over the edge of the nest and tumbled on to the moss below.

Another followed, and another, till only one was left in the nest. Then Eileen rose up and went over, for she feared lest her ring should be left cold. One young bird she lifted up, so round and sweet and short-tailed that she must needs kiss his downy feathers before she drew out her ring. It was quite warm and shining bright. Her fingers thrilled as she held it; her heart beat as she hid the charmed gold in her bosom.

For a moment longer she lingered to