Chapter XIX
THE WEDDING
And now, of course, there must be a wedding, and—of course—the wedding must take place in Willow Tree Hall, where, after the ceremony, a grand ball and reception would be held in honour of the bride and bridegroom.
Great preparations were afoot. Bulka’s costume was already provided; Tubby, by rights, should wear the white satin petticoat and veil, but Gladys had used the petticoat for so long that it was quite shabby, though the veil might yet pass muster, after being washed and mended, and the spray of orange blossom attached to it was still quite good.
So the dolls and Jensina sewed Tubby a new frock out of the pieces of coloured silk that had been in the Tubbyland box. It had purple sleeves and a bit of pink down the front and was trimmed with tinsel lace. With it she wore the blue beads.
Poor Cecco, who was to give Tubby away, wore a green ribbon tied round his middle, and the gilt watch and chain, a present from the bride.
Virginia May, Gladys and Jensina were bridesmaids, with white ribbons and bouquets of wild parsley blossom.
The wedding gifts were laid out on the cigar-box, covered with a blue cloth.
Jensina gave her drinking cup and the green glass stopper; Poor Cecco his penny. Gladys gave her last year’s straw hat, retrimmed, Virginia May a hair-ribbon for Tubby’s ears, and the Easter Chicken got up early and picked a large bunch of flowers. Harlequin gave a striped pebble that had been in a brooch. Anna, the Engine and the Lion gave a saucepan, three spoons and a bent napkin-ring, wrapped up in paper. They really belonged in the toy-cupboard, but every one was delighted that Tubby should have them. The rats presented a blue egg-cup, slightly chipped, an almost new tea-strainer and a silver pencil, sent all the way from the ash-heap country by Rat-Express, and the house-mice, to show their gratitude to the toys for driving Murrum away, brought seven thimblefuls of rice, a perfectly good cheese rind and a long pin with a pink head, which they had found under the floor-boards.
And now the happy moment had arrived. The Express Wagon, making a fine clatter, drove up with the guests. Harlequin stood ready, the musical-box was all wound up to play; Tubby, in her veil and orange blossoms, and Bulka with his little scarlet coat and sky-blue trousers, were just about to kneel down side by side upon Ida, who had begged this privilege—
But they didn’t. They couldn’t, because Ida wasn’t there. And on enquiry, it appeared that no one had seen Ida since the early morning. Without Ida the wedding could not very well proceed, but just as they were all getting quite concerned the Easter Chicken called out:
“Here’s Ida! And, my goodness, look what she’s bringing!”
Ida, with her tender heart, had felt really upset when she saw the Money-Pig in pieces on the floor. All through the day, at intervals, she thought of him, put tidily away in the doll’s trunk. And now, when Tubby was found again and every one so happy it seemed too bad the Money-Pig, unpopular as he was, should be missing all the good times.
So after much hunting about Ida found an old tube of glue in a box on the pantry floor, and very secretly, while the others were busy, she set herself down in a corner of the toy-cupboard beside the doll’s trunk and proceeded to glue him together. It was a hard job; many of the pieces were chipped and wouldn’t fit, one ear was lost entirely, though Ida searched high and low for it; but in the end she got him together somehow, and more or less like his former self, except that the slit in his back would always remain a little crooked, try as she might. Well pleased with her labour, she had to wait till the glue was dry enough for him to be moved, and he could be brought, with the help of the Wooden Engine, as far as the Willow Tree. So there he stood at last, rather patchy in parts, shaky still on his legs and not a little ashamed of himself—but ravenously hungry.
Hurrying forward with many apologies Ida laid herself on the ground. Tubby and Bulka knelt down on her, side by side. In a hushed silence Bulka took the ring with the green stone and slipped it over Tubby’s paw, where it fitted easily. The musical-box burst out with a triumphant “Tum tum tum tumptity!” Harlequin waved his wand above them, saying “Hey Presto!” and immediately they were married.
Scarcely was the ceremony over, and every one had crowded round to kiss the bride, than the Lion came forward, with Anna sidling along behind. They too wanted to get married, seeing how simple it all was. Harlequin was willing, but Poor Cecco put his foot down.
“Nonsense!” he declared. “One wedding at a time! It’s Tubby’s turn to-day, and besides, there are no more gifts ready. Anna has spent all the summer shilly-shallying on account of that stupid green meadow of hers, and now she must just content herself with being engaged for the present!”
So they were engaged, formally; Anna, after some coyness, consented to wear a grass ring round her left ankle, and she took off her bell and hung it about the Lion’s neck.
“You were quite right,” Gladys whispered to Poor Cecco. “Anna could have made up her mind long ago, if she had had any sense.”
That night there was a grand ball in the Willow Tree.
The walls were hung with garlands of flowers; refreshments were set out, and the squirrel arrived, bringing a whole bag of nuts. In the middle stood Tubby’s wedding-cake, with Icing and Almonds and Silver Balls. And at least three candles. The Toad, with a white apron over his spotted vest, acted as waiter and handed the plates. The three baby squirrels, too small to take part, were allowed to look on from their window until ten o’clock. Every one wore their best, and in addition to the Musical-box the Grasshopper and Crickets’ Jazz Band was engaged to play the dance music.
Never had there been such a gathering; the mice had been busy all morning carrying invitations, and the guests came from far and near.
Softly the green light shone out from the old willow tree walls, making the whole scene beautiful. Tubby danced with Bulka, Jensina with Poor Cecco, Gladys with Harlequin. Anna lumbered, giggling, through a quadrille with the Lion and the Engine—all found partners, and every little while Bulka would break away from the dance and turn somersaults for pure joy.
Every one had a wonderful time. Even the Money-Pig made himself agreeable. He could still only eat soft food; it was whispered that he might have to live on cake for the rest of his days, and he certainly began now with such haste that Bulka had to drag him away, declaring that some must be left for the rest of the guests!
In a pause in the music Poor Cecco stood by Jensina, gazing on the happy throng.
“Isn’t it nice?” he said. “Oh, Jensina, how well everything has turned out! Look at Tubby! Look at Bulka, all over cake crumbs! Really, it almost makes one feel—”
“Yes?” murmured Jensina, gazing shyly up at him. She was thinking of what the policeman rat had said.
“—makes one feel like standing on one’s head!” finished Poor Cecco somewhat hastily, for he had caught the look in Jensina’s eye.
Jensina’s natural common sense returned to her.
“You needn’t think I’m in a hurry to get married, either,” she retorted instantly, “because I’m not. I much prefer a life of adventure and combat!”
“And from what I know of you,” Poor Cecco gallantly returned, “you’re likely to get plenty of it! And now I must go and dance with Tubby!”
And with this he slipped away, just as the music struck up once more.
“Hey Presto!” said Harlequin.
