02 Jo of the Chalet School (15 page)

The well-known tune of the
Adeste Fideles
sounded, and everyone sang it, so that it rang out as even
Stille
Nacht, Heilige Nacht
had not done. Then the screens were taken away for the last time, and the interior of the Stable was shown. They had done the whole thing very simply. As Miss Bettany had said, it would have been in bad taste to have elaborate scenery. An old wooden trough filled with hay stood at the back.

Before it was seated the Madonna, Wanda von Eschenau, holding in her arm a bundle to represent the Holy Child. Behind her stood Luigia di Ferrara as Joseph, and at either side stood an archangel with bowed head.

Child angels clustered round them, and kneeling at the Madonna’s feet, her baby face full of awe and reverence, was a tiny cherub, the Robin. To the right and at the back stood the welcoming Archangel with his lilies.

There was a little silence. Then, once more, music swelled out, and once more Joey’s silvery notes stole forth, though Joey herself was behind the scenes. The carol chosen for this was the Breton carol, ‘Sleep, Holy Babe.’ The poignant sweetness of the young voice struck home, even to those who could not understand what she was singing, and somehow the scene brought lumps into the throats of the audience.

Then, one by one, the worshippers stole in. The shepherds came first, offering their crooks; then the Wise Men with their symbolical gifts; then the children eagerly laying their treasured possessions before the Holy Child and His Mother. The poor Man had only his old blunt knife, but it was offered and accepted; the Lady tore off all her jewels and piled them at the Madonna’s feet. Then the Youngest Shepherd came. He had nothing but himself to give. Humbly he knelt, and a sudden strain of music swelled out as the Madonna rose, queenly, to her feet, and hep out to him a silver crook. His was the richest gift of all, for he had brought other worshippers.

Then came the final carol, ‘Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning.’ As it ended, the screens were brought forward, and the lights in the room were turned up. Miss Bettany stood forward. ‘Thank you,’ she said in her sweet voice, ‘for your appreciation of our little play. We wish you all a very happy Christmas!’

A storm of good wishes promptly broke on all sides. Tyroleans are quick to answer emotion, and all were specially sensitive at the moment. The girls’ performance, simple as it was, appealed to a people accustomed to giving and witnessing Mystery plays; and for many a day
The Youngest Shepherd
gave the lake people a topic for conversation.

As for the girls, it took them some time to come down to the earth. When they did, there was much chatter about Christmas plans. They were all going home early the next morning. Miss Bettany, Joey, and the Robin would be the only ones let, and they would be leaving the Chalet in the afternoon. The school was to be closed, and Marie and Eigen with Zita and Rufus were going home for Christmas. Jo had begged hard to take Rufus to Innsbruck with her, Bernhilda have assured her that he would be welcomed; but Madge was firm, and would not hear of it. Jo, therefore, had to content herself by giving the faithful Eigen reams of advice about him. ‘All the same, I know he’ll miss me, the darling!’ she mourned to Grizel.

‘Rubbish!’ retorted Grizel. ‘He’ll be all right. Oh, Joey,’ she went on, ‘I do wish you were coming with me to-morrow! I hate the idea of being with only Mr Stevens all the time!’

Mr Stevens, father of Margia and Amy, was going to London to see the editor of the great daily paper to which he was foreign correspondent, and had offered to take Grizel so far. Her own father would meet her there, and take her to Cornwall.

‘Mr Stevens is awfully nice,’ said Jo, in answer to her friend’s last remark. ‘And, anyway, you’re going to have
weeks
more than the rest of us, so I don’t see why you’re grumbling!’

‘I’m not
grumbling
! But – well – I’d like you and Miss Bettany too,’ replied Grizel. ‘I
did
want to be with you for Christmas!’

Jo looked at her curiously. ‘You’ll have Easter with us!’

‘I know! But Christmas is such a homey time! ‘Tisn’t much of a home at
home
!’

Joey was silenced She knew that Grizel’s’ stepmother had made home anything but happy for her, just as she knew that Grizel loved her life at school. Finally, ‘We’ll miss you!’ she jerked out. ‘Buck up, old thing!’

And with that Grizel was fain to be satisfied.

‘Isn’t it quiet?’ said Joey suddenly

It was one o’clock on the following afternoon, and she and her sister and the Robin were finishing a very picknicky meal before finally closing the Chalet and making the journey on foot to Spärtz, where the midday train from Salzburg would carry them off to Innsbruck and the Mensches flat in the Mariahilfer Strasse at the other side of the Inn. Everyone had been up early, and the last of the girls had gone shortly before ten o’clock. Since then Miss Bettany and the two children had been busy packing their clothes in the light wicker baskets which Eigen and Marie would help to carry down the snow-covered footpath to the station at Spärtz. It would be easy walking, for the snow was frozen till it was like a rock, and the big nail-studded climbing-boots they all wore would give them a grip on the slippery surface. The only thing they had to fear was another fall of snow; and Marie, the weather-wise, had assured them that there would be none before nightfall, at any rate Miss Bettany, surveying the sparkling white-clad landscape from the window with thoughtful dark eyes, decided that Marie was right.

‘Don’t you hear me?’ said Jo impatiently at this point. ‘
Don’t
you think it’s deathly quiet now everyone else has gone?’

‘Yes; very quiet,’ agreed her sister. ‘If you two have finished, we may as well clear these things away so that Marie can clear up. We’ve a very fair walk before us, and it is dark by four, so I want to get off as quickly as possible. Put those rolls and the butter into that basket, Robin; Marie may as well take them home with her. -Are there any apples left, Joey? Pop them in as well! I’m sure Frau Pfeifen can use them, and they’ll only rot if they’re left here. Hurry, children!’

They hurried. One usually did when Miss Bettany spoke in that tone. Joey dropped the apples in beside the rolls and butter the Robin was carefully tucking into the big basket Madge had pointed out to her, and then scurried along to the big kitchen with a trayful of china. She dumped it down before Marie, who was busily washing up the few crocks she and Eigen had used, and then sped back to the
Speisesaal
to fold up and put away the blue-and-white checked tablecloth, and help the Robin to push the chairs into their places.

Eigen came in while they were busy, and carefully raked out the remnants of fire left in the big porcelain stove. Like most of the houses along the Tiern See, the Chalet was build of wood, so the precaution was a necessary one.

Just as he finished, Madge called them to get ready for their walk and the short railway journey, and saw to their wrapping-up herself.

‘Ouf! I feel like an Esquimau!’ proclaimed Joey as her sister flung a shawl over her shoulder and tied the crossed ends behind as the peasants did. ‘I say, Madge,
must
I wear this thing?’

‘Of course! People who get up pneumonia scares must expect to be well wrapped!’ laughed Miss Bettany.

‘There! Get your gloves on, and you’re ready. -Robin, come here, and let me tie you up. I’m not running any risks with either of you!’

‘Are
you
going to have one?’ demanded Joey as she watched her sister fasten another shawl around the Robin.

‘Certainly I am. It’s freezing hard outside, and we have a long walk. It’s mayn’t look
beautiful
, but it
is
sensible! There you are, Robin! Run downstairs now, you two, and I’ll come in a few minutes.’

They clattered off, and ten minutes later Miss Bettany was locking the door, while Marie and Eigen were already trudging ahead, each carrying two of the baskets, while a much smaller one remained for Joey.

‘At last!’ exclaimed that young lady as her sister dropped the keys into her pocket. ‘Now we’re really off.

Oh, Madge, won’t it be jolly to see the shops all decorated for Christmas? We’ve got nearly all our presents to get, you know. Won’t it be fun?’

‘Splendid,’ replied Madge. ‘But you don’t want to live in the town always, do you, Joey?’

‘Oh
no!
I love the Tiern See and the mountains. But it’s jolly to have a change!’

‘What do you think, Robin?’

The Robin lifted a rosy face to the delicate one bent down to hers. ‘It will be
zolly
!’ she said emphatically.

Madge laughed. ‘So ti will! I expect we shall have a splendid Christmas.’

‘Will the Christ Child put bonbons in our shoes?’ asked the Robin eagerly.

‘Yes, if He thinks you have been good.’

‘And then there’ll be the Christmas-tree,’ added Joey. ‘Frieda says they’re going to have an extra nice on

‘cos were going to be there. Her brother’s coming too, from Bonn.’

‘We shall go to the church,’ the Robin chimed in, ‘and see the Manger and the little Lord Jesus and His Mother.’

‘There’s tobogganing too, and skating,’ went on Joey, waving gaily to the hostess of the
Gasthaus
at Seespitz, which they were passing. ‘Come on, Robin;
this
way now!’ And she led off to the right through tall black pines to the narrow winding pathway that ran along the banks of what was usually a very turbulent little stream. Now, Winter held it in his iron grasp, and there was silence where before there had been the music of tossing water. Icicles hung on the boulders in its bed, and fringed the alder boughs that overhung it, and a black pathway of ice was all that showed its usual course.

‘Isn’t it still?’ said Joey in half-awed tones. ‘Even the sawmill has stopped.’

‘Of course,’ said Madge. ‘It can’t go on when the stream is frozen.’

‘I forgot that!’ Joey gave a giggle. ‘What an ass I am!’

Down, down, they went. The voices of Marie and Eigen floated up to them clearly on the frosty air, and occasionally there was a sharp ‘crack,’ as a rotten bough snapped in the woods under its weight of snow.

But, expect for these sounds, there was silence – a silence that could be felt. Even excitable Joey stopped talking before long, and they went on without speaking.

When they had gone a third of the way, Miss Bettany stopped and picked up the Robin, who was beginning to lag behind.

‘Why not take her on your back?’ suggested Joey. ‘I can give her a boost up, and you’ll be able to see your way better.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ agreed Madge. ‘Climb up on that log, Robinette, and Joey will help you up. That’s it! Put your arms round my neck, but don’t strangle me if you can help it! Comfy? -Come along, then, Joey?’

They set off once more, and this time got on faster. The Robin, in spite of her wrappings, was a light weight, and Madge, though slightly built, was strong. Joey stepped out manfully, and they made good time down the mountain-side.

Miss Bettany was beginning to feel anxious about Marie and Eigen. They meant to return that night, she knew, and it was growing dusk already under the pines. ‘Joey,’ she said presently, ‘if I send Marie and Eigen back as soon as we reach Spärtz, do you think you and I can mange the Japanese baskets between us?

The Robin could carry your little one, I should think.

‘Oh, rather!’ said Joey enthusiastically. ‘It isn’t far to the station.’

‘I don’t like the idea of those two having to go back up there in the dark. It’s clouding in, too, and I’m afraid we shall have more snow. I’ll carry the Robin to the bottom, and then she’ll be quite fresh. We can take the baskets, and I’ll send those two straight back up the path.’

‘Good scheme!’ agreed Joey. ‘But, I say, Madge, if you get tired, Robin can carry the basket now, and we can give her a queen’s chair.’

‘Perhaps that would be better,’ said Madge thoughtfully. ‘She’s very light, but the baskets won’t be.

We’ll stop now, and do as you suggest, Joey baba!’

‘But I can walk,’ declared the Robin as she wriggled down to the ground.

‘No, dearie, you will be so tired, ‘replied Madge tenderly. ‘See, I’m going to tie the little basket to your girdle. Then you can sit on our hands, and it will rest on your knees, so that you can hold on to us safely.’

‘The Robin was always obedient. She sat down on their linked hands, settled the basket on her knees, and then put an arm round each neck. ‘Now I am ready,’ she said cheerfully.

They hurried on, and another twenty minutes saw them within sight of Spärtz, where already the lights twinkled out merrily.

Marie and Eigen were waiting or them. ‘Marie,’ said Miss Bettany, as she and Jo set their burden down, ‘I am afraid it is going to snow before long, so I want you and Eigen to give us the baskets and go straight back to Briesau at once. We can easily manage as far as the station.’

Marie would have argued the matter, but her young mistress gave her no chance. She took the two largest baskets herself, and said firmly, ‘Jo, give Mari eth little parcel I gave you, and then take the other baskets. -

Auf widersehen, Marie, und froliche Weihnachtsfest!
‘

Marie took the little package Jo offered her, and curtsied, while Eigen saluted, and both wished the trio

‘
Froliche Weihnachtsfest!
‘ before they turned and set off on their long walk home.

‘It’s lighter here,’ said Jo as they turned off to the station. ‘I don’t think the snow will fall for ages yet.

Oh, Madge, there’s Herr Anserl!’

Herr Anserl, a shaggy-looking monster in his old fur coat, turned at her cry, and then came hurrying across the road.

‘
Guten Tag, Fraulein,
‘ he said to Madge, relieving her of her load. ‘But where, then, do you go?’

‘We are going to Innsbruck for the Christmas holidays,’ explained Madge in his own language.