"It is nothing," she answered. "I am not quite well. Go you tobed, dear, and leave me here."
"To bed!" he answered. "I don"t like bed. I like to lie beforethe fire, watching the prospects in the burning coals--the rivers,hills, and dells, in the deep, red sunset, and the wild faces. Iam hungry too, and Grip has eaten nothing since broad noon. Let usto supper. Grip! To supper, lad!"
The raven flapped his wings, and, croaking his satisfaction, hoppedto the feet of his master, and there held his bill open, ready forsnapping up such lumps of meat as he should throw him. Of these hereceived about a score in rapid succession, without the smallestdiscomposure.
"That"s all," said Barnaby.
"More!" cried Grip. "More!"
But it appearing for a certainty that no more was to be had, heretreated with his store; and disgorging the morsels one by onefrom his pouch, hid them in various corners--taking particularcare, however, to avoid the closet, as being doubtful of the hiddenman"s propensities and power of resisting temptation. When he hadconcluded these arrangements, he took a turn or two across the roomwith an elaborate assumption of having nothing on his mind (butwith one eye hard upon his treasure all the time), and then, andnot till then, began to drag it out, piece by piece, and eat itwith the utmost relish.
Barnaby, for his part, having pressed his mother to eat in vain,made a hearty supper too. Once during the progress of his meal, hewanted more bread from the closet and rose to get it. Shehurriedly interposed to prevent him, and summoning her utmostfortitude, passed into the recess, and brought it out herself.
"Mother," said Barnaby, looking at her steadfastly as she sat downbeside him after doing so; "is to-day my birthday?"
"To-day!" she answered. "Don"t you recollect it was but a week orso ago, and that summer, autumn, and winter have to pass before itcomes again?"
"I remember that it has been so till now," said Barnaby. "But Ithink to-day must be my birthday too, for all that."
She asked him why? "I"ll tell you why," he said. "I have alwaysseen you--I didn"t let you know it, but I have--on the evening ofthat day grow very sad. I have seen you cry when Grip and I weremost glad; and look frightened with no reason; and I have touchedyour hand, and felt that it was cold--as it is now. Once, mother(on a birthday that was, also), Grip and I thought of this after wewent upstairs to bed, and when it was midnight, striking oneo"clock, we came down to your door to see if you were well. Youwere on your knees. I forget what it was you said. Grip, what wasit we heard her say that night?"
"I"m a devil!" rejoined the raven promptly.
"No, no," said Barnaby. "But you said something in a prayer; andwhen you rose and walked about, you looked (as you have done eversince, mother, towards night on my birthday) just as you do now. Ihave found that out, you see, though I am silly. So I say you"rewrong; and this must be my birthday--my birthday, Grip!"
The bird received this information with a crow of such duration asa cock, gifted with intelligence beyond all others of his kind,might usher in the longest day with. Then, as if he had wellconsidered the sentiment, and regarded it as apposite to birthdays,he cried, "Never say die!" a great many times, and flapped hiswings for emphasis.
The widow tried to make light of Barnaby"s remark, and endeavouredto divert his attention to some new subject; too easy a task at alltimes, as she knew. His supper done, Barnaby, regardless of herentreaties, stretched himself on the mat before the fire; Gripperched upon his leg, and divided his time between dozing in thegrateful warmth, and endeavouring (as it presently appeared) torecall a new accomplishment he had been studying all day.