CHAPTER 1

e.Thoughmorescantilyattiredthanshemighthavebeenshewasdressedwithperfectneatness,andbetrayednomarksofpovertyorneglect. ‘Whohassentyousofarbyyourself?’saidI. ‘Someonewhoisverykindtome,sir.’ ‘Andwhathaveyoubeendoing?’ ‘That,Imustnottell,’saidthechildfirmly. TherewassomethinginthemannerofthisreplywhichcausedmetolookatthelittlecreaturewithaninvoluntaryexpressionofsurpriseforIwonderedwhatkindoferranditmightbethatoccasionedhertobepreparedforquestioning.Herquickeyeseemedtoreadmythoughts,forasitmetminesheaddedthattherewasnoharminwhatshehadbeendoing,butitwasagreatsecret—asecretwhichshedidnotevenknowherself. Thiswassaidwithnoappearanceofcunningordeceit,butwithanunsuspiciousfranknessthatboretheimpressoftruth.Shewalkedonasbefore,growingmorefamiliarwithmeasweproceededandtalkingcheerfullybytheway,butshesaidnomoreaboutherhome,beyondremarkingthatweweregoingquiteanewroadandaskingifitwereashortone. Whilewewerethusengaged,Irevolvedinmymindahundreddifferentexplanationsoftheriddleandrejectedthemeveryone.Ireallyfeltashamedtotakeadvantageoftheingenuousnessorgratefulfeelingofthechildforthepurposeofgratifyingmycuriosity.Ilovetheselittlepeopleanditisnotaslightthingwhenthey,whoaresofreshfromGod,loveus.AsIhadfeltpleasedatfirstbyherconfidenceIdeterminedtodeserveit,andtodocredittothenaturewhichhadpromptedhertoreposeitinme. Therewasnoreason,however,whyIshouldrefrainfromseeingthepersonwhohadinconsideratelysenthertosogreatadistancebynightandalone,andasitwasnotimprobablethatifshefoundherselfnearhomeshemighttakefarewellofmeanddeprivemeoftheopportunity,Iavoidedthemostfrequentedwaysandtookthemostintricate,andthusitwasnotuntilwearrivedinthestreetitselfthatsheknewwherewewere.Clappingherhandswithpleasureandrunningonbeforemeforashortdistance,mylittleacquaintancestoppedatadoorandremainingonthesteptillIcameupknockedatitwhenIjoinedher. Apartofthisdoorwasofglassunprotectedbyanyshutter,whichIdidnotobserveatfirst,forallwasverydarkandsilentwithin,andIwasanxious(asindeedthechildwasalso)forananswertooursummons.Whenshehadknockedtwiceorthricetherewasanoiseasifsomepersonweremovinginside,andatlengthafaintlightappearedthroughtheglasswhich,asitapproachedveryslowly,thebearerhavingtomakehiswaythroughagreatmanyscatteredarticles,enabledmetoseebothwhatkindofpersonitwaswhoadvancedandwhatkindofplaceitwasthroughwhichhecame. Itwasanoldmanwithlonggreyhair,whosefaceandfigureasheheldthelightabovehisheadandlookedbeforehimasheapproached,Icouldplainlysee.Thoughmuchalteredbyage,IfanciedIcouldrecognizeinhisspareandslenderformsomethingofthatdelicatemouldwhichIhadnoticedinthechild.Theirbrightblueeyeswerecertainlyalike,buthisfacewassodeeplyfurrowedandsoveryfullofcare,thathereallresemblanceceased. Theplacethroughwhichhemadehiswayatleisurewasoneofthosereceptaclesforoldandcuriousthingswhichseemtocrouchinoddcornersofthistownandtohidetheirmustytreasuresfromthepubliceyeinjealousyanddistrust.Thereweresuitsofmailstandinglikeghostsinarmourhereandthere,fantasticcarvingsbroughtfrommonkishcloisters,rustyweaponsofvariouskinds,distortedfiguresinchinaandwoodandironandivory:tapestryandstrangefurniturethatmighthavebeendesignedindreams.Thehaggardaspectofthelittleoldmanwaswonderfullysuitedtotheplacehemighthavegropedamongoldchurchesandtombsanddesertedhousesandgatheredallthespoilswithhisownhands.Therewasnothinginthewholecollectionbutwasinkeepingwithhimselfnothingthatlookedolderormorewornthanhe. Asheturnedthekeyinthelock,hesurveyedmewithsomeastonishmentwhichwasnotdiminishedwhenhelookedfrommetomycompanion.Thedoorbeingopened,thechildaddressedhimasgrandfather,andtoldhimthelittlestoryofourcompanionship. ‘Why,blessthee,child,’saidtheoldman,pattingheronthehead,‘howcouldstthoumissthyway?WhatifIhadlostthee,Nell!’ ‘Iwouldhavefoundmywaybacktoyou,grandfather,’saidthechildboldly‘neverfear.’ Theoldmankissedher,thenturningtomeandbeggingmetowalkin,Ididso.Thedoorwasclosedandlocked.Precedingmewiththelight,heledmethroughtheplaceIhadalreadyseenfromwithout,intoasmallsitting-roombehind,inwhichwasanotherdooropeningintoakindofcloset,whereIsawalittlebedthatafairymighthavesleptin,itlookedsoverysmallandwassoprettilyarranged.Thechildtookacandleandtrippedintothislittleroom,leavingtheoldmanandmetogether. ‘Youmustbetired,sir,’saidheasheplacedachairnearthefire,‘howcanIthankyou?’ ‘Bytakingmorecareofyourgrandchildanothertime,mygoodfriend,’Ireplied. ‘Morecare!’saidtheoldmaninashrillvoice,‘morecareofNelly!Why,whoeverlovedachildasIloveNell?’ HesaidthiswithsuchevidentsurprisethatIwasperplexedwhatanswertomake,andthemoresobecausecoupledwithsomethingfeebleandwanderinginhismanner,therewereinhisfacemarkso