Esther was a Frenchwoman, who had lived with ‘Madame’,as she called her mistress, for many years,and who rather tyrannized over the old lady,who could not get along without her.Her real name was Estelle,but Aunt March ordered her to change it,and she obeyed, on condition that she was never asked to change her religion.She took a fancy to Mademoiselle,and amused her very much with odd stories of her life in France,when Amy sat with her while she got up Madame’s laces.She also allowed her to roam about the great house,and examine the curious and pretty things stored away in the big wardrobes and the ancient chests, for Aunt March hoarded like a magpie. Amy’s chief delight was an Indian cabinet, full of queer drawers, little pigeonholes, and secret places, in which were kept all sorts of ornaments, some precious, some merely curious, all more or less antique. To examine and arrange these things gave Amy great satisfaction, especially the jewel cases, in which on velvet cushions reposed the ornaments which had adorned a belle forty years ago. There was the garnet set which Aunt March wore when she came out, the pearls her father gave her on her wedding day, her lover’s diamonds, the jet mourning rings and pins, the queer lockets, with portraits of dead friends and weeping willows made of hair inside, the baby bracelets her one little daughter had worn, Uncle March’s big watch, with the red seal so many childish hands had played with, and in a box all by itself lay Aunt March’s wedding ring, too small now for her fat finger, but put carefully away like the most precious jewel of them all.
“Which would Mademoiselle choose if she had her will?” asked Esther, who always sat near to watch over and lock up the valuables.
“I like the diamonds best,but there is no necklace among them,and I’m fond of necklaces, they are so becoming.I should choose this if I might,” replied Amy,looking with great admiration at a string of gold and ebony beads from which hung a heavy cross of the same.
“I, too, covet that, but not as a necklace. Ah, no!To me it is a rosary,and as such I should use it like a good catholic,” said Esther, eyeing the handsome thing wistfully.
“Is it meant to use as you use the string of good-smelling wooden beads hanging over your glass?” asked Amy.
“Truly, yes, to pray with.It would be pleasing to the saints if one used so fine a rosary as this,instead of wearing it as a vain bijou.”
“You seem to take a great deal of comfort in your prayers,Esther, and always come down looking quiet and satisfied. I wish I could.”
“If Mademoiselle was a Catholic,she would find true comfort, but as that is not to be,it would be well if you went apart each day to meditate and pray,as did the good mistress whom I served before Madame.She had a little chapel,and in it found solacement for much trouble.”
“Would it be right for me to do so too?” asked Amy, who in her loneliness felt the need of help of some sort,and found that she was apt to forget her little book,now that Beth was not there to remind her of it.
“It would be excellent and charming,and I shall gladly arrange the little dressing room for you if you like it.Say nothing to Madame,but when she sleeps go you and sit alone a while to think good thoughts,and pray the dear God preserve your sister.”
Esther was truly pious, and quite sincere in her advice,for she had an affectionate heart,and felt much for the sisters in their anxiety.Amy liked the idea,and gave her leave to arrange the light closet next her room,hoping it would do her good.
“I wish I knew where all these pretty things would go when Aunt March dies,” she said, as she slowly replaced the shining rosary and shut the jewel cases one by one.
“To you and your sisters. I know it,Madame confides in me. I witnessed her will,and it is to be so,” whispered Esther smiling.
“How nice!But I wish she’d let us have them now.Procrastination is not agreeable,” observed Amy,taking a last look at the diamonds.
“It is too soon yet for the young ladies to wear these things.The first one who is affianced will have the pearls,Madame has said it,and I have a fancy that the little turquoise ring will be given to you when you go, for Madame approves your good behavior and charming manners.”
“Do you think so?Oh, I’ll be a lamb, if I can only have that lovely ring!It’s ever so much prettier than Kitty Bryant’s.I do like Aunt March after all.” And Amy tried on the blue ring with a delighted face and a firm resolve to earn it.
From that day she was a model of obedience,and the old lady complacently admired the success of her training.Esther fitted up the closet with a little table,placed a footstool before it,and over it a picture taken from one of the shut-up rooms.She thought it was of no great value, but,being appropriate, she borrowed it,well knowing that Madame would never know it,nor care if she did. It was, however,a very valuable copy of one of the famous pictures of the world,and Amy’s beauty-loving eyes were never tired of looking up at the sweet face of the Divine Mother, while her tender thoughts of her own were busy at her heart. On the table she laid her little testament and hymnbook, kept a vase always full of the best flowers Laurie brought her, and came every day to ‘sit alone’ thinking good thoughts, and praying the dear God to preserve her sister. Esther had given her a rosary of black beads with a silver cross, but Amy hung it up and did not use it, feeling doubtful as to its fitness for Protestant prayers.
The little girl was very sincere in all this,for being left alone outside the safe home nest,she felt the need of some kind hand to hold by so sorely that she instinctively turned to the strong and tender Friend, whose fatherly love most closely surrounds His little children. She missed her mother’s help to understand and rule herself, but having been taught where to look, she did her best to find the way and walk in it confidingly. But, Amy was a young pilgrim, and just now her burden seemed very heavy. She tried to forget herself, to keep cheerful, and be satisfied with doing right, though no one saw or praised her for it. In her first effort at being very, very good, she decided to make her will, as Aunt March had done, so that if she did fall ill and die, her possessions might be justly and generously divided. It cost her a pang even to think of giving up the little treasures which in her eyes were as precious as the old lady’s jewels.
During one of her play hours she wrote out the important document as well as she could, with some help from Esther as to certain legal terms, and when the good-natured Frenchwoman had signed her name, Amy felt relieved and laid it by to show Laurie, whom she wanted as a second witness. As it was a rainy day, she went upstairs to amuse herself in one of the large chambers, and took Polly with her for company. In this room there was a wardrobe full of old-fashioned costumes with which Esther allowed her to play, and it was her favorite amusement to array herself in the faded brocades, and parade up and down before the long mirror, making stately curtsies, and sweeping her train about with a rustle which delighted her ears. So busy was she on this day that she did not hear Laurie’s ring nor see his face peeping in at her as she gravely promenaded to and fro, flirting her fan and tossing her head, on which she wore a great pink turban, contrasting oddly with her blue brocade dress and yellow quilted petticoat. She was obliged to walk carefully, for she had on high-heeled shoes, and, as Laurie told Jo afterward, it was a comical sight to see her mince along in her gay suit, with Polly sidling and bridling just behind her, imitating her as well as he could, and occasionally stopping to laugh or exclaim, “Ain’t we fine?Get along, you fright!Hold your tongue!Kiss me, dear!Ha!Ha!”