The hamper lay on the ground where it had been placed for
greater security during the repairs. The girls nipped it up by its
handles, and ran off again, regardless of protests and inquiries.
It was very heavy, delightfully heavy: the bearers rejoiced in its
weight, wished it had been three times as heavy; the aching of their
arms was a positive joy to them as they bore their burden into the
little dining-room, and laid it down upon the floor.
[Sidenote: What shall we do with it?]
"Now! What shall we do now? Shall we lay out the things and make a
display on the table, or shall we put the pie in the oven beside that
tiny ghost of a joint, and the pudding in a pan beside the potatoes?
Which do you think would be best?"
But Margaret shook her head.
"Neither! Oh! don't you see, both ways would look too human, too
material. They would show too plainly that strangers had been in, and
had interfered. I want it to look like a Christmas miracle . . . as if it
had come straight. . . . We'll lay the basket just as it is, on the Christ
Child's chair. . . ."
Peg nodded. She was an understanding Peg, and she rose at once to the
poetry of the idea. Gently, reverently, the girls lifted the basket
which was to have furnished their own repast, laid it on the carved-oak
chair, and laid on its lid the painted card; then for a moment they
stood side by side, gazing round the room, seeing in imagination the
scene which would follow the return of the family from church .
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33