Benedict sees the Red Lady

Benedict leaned forward with all his might, but he knew what the outcome would be. He would fall flat on his chest, and then there would be all the hard work of pushing and grunting until he was on his hands and knees again, and in the end he might find himself no closer to his doll than he had been when he started. Sometimes he would even be farther away.

He knew there had to be a trick, just as there had been a trick to rolling over and to sitting up. Perhaps if he lifted his hand toward the doll…

But just at that critical moment, he was distracted, and he flopped onto the bearskin again. This time he hurried to roll over onto his side so he could push himself up to sit. He wanted to see whether he had seen what he had thought he had seen.

Now this was something he had never seen before. This was strange on several counts. There was a lady coming into the house, but she was coming through the wall instead of the open door.

Also, she was not dripping wet, even though the rain was coming down loudly enough against the windows that he would have been frightened if Mama had not been near.

Also, she was all red, and he could see through her body to the wall.

This was altogether an interesting sight. He looked to Mama to see what he ought to think of it, but Mama did not appear to be paying attention to the lady. Nor did Osh, nor did Cat, nor did Rua, nor did Flann.

The lady went to kneel before Cat. This was something funny – he could see Cat through the lady! He had never seen anything like this before!

But Mama was not laughing.

Benedict squealed and clapped his hands. Unfortunately, this only had the effect of attracting attention to himself.

Mama laughed and clapped her hands, but she would not look at the Red Lady.

Benedict was beginning to worry. If Mama would not look to laugh, he could not know whether it was right to laugh, or whether he had better cry.

He would have to direct her attention. How did that work again? Something with the fingers of his hand…

Meanwhile the lady stepped over Osh – No! On Osh! Through Osh! This was indeed alarming. Although he was permitted to step on Osh and even to dance upon his chest, Benedict himself did not like it when the cat stepped on him, and he had some idea that an entire lady stepping on one must be uncomfortable. He needed to get Osh’s attention. It was something with the first finger…

But now the Red Lady was looking at Flann – or perhaps at Flann’s big belly, which he was not allowed to dance upon. Flann continued smiling, but she did not pay the Red Lady any attention either. Perhaps she would not be smiling if she had noticed the Red Lady.

That was it! The first finger had to go in the direction one wanted Mama to look.

Benedict squealed and pointed with all his might.

“That’s Flann!” Mama cried. “Flann!”

He knew that already. He wanted to hear the name of the Red Lady. He wanted somebody to look at the Red Lady and to laugh or cry so that he would know what to do.

Meanwhile the Red Lady stepped around behind Flann’s chair and laid her hands on Flann’s shoulders.

Benedict could not see the Red Lady through Flann as he had seen Cat through the Red Lady. Clearly there was something unusual about this Red Lady.

“I’m Flann!” Flann said.

He knew that already! Was he supposed to use the other hand?

Finally he could bear it no longer. He put up his arms to Mama and whined. If Mama would not tell him whether the Red Lady was bad, she would at least protect him from her if she was.

“Are you getting lonely down there all alone?” Mama asked.

“All alone?” Osh cried. “What am I? An elf-​​skin rug?”

Cat lifted her feet and laid them on Osh’s chest.

Benedict realized that perhaps everybody was allowed to step on Osh. He was reassured, and he laughed at the Red Lady.

But Mama was already picking him up.

“Is that funny? Funny boy?”

Benedict kicked his feet and leaned towards the Red Lady. He would make Mama look. He leaned and leaned with all his might, but Mama did not look.

And when Benedict did, he saw that the Red Lady was gone.