CHAPTER 1

fdeepandanxiousthoughtwhichconvincedmethathecouldnotbe,asIhadbeenatfirstinclinedtosuppose,inastateofdotageorimbecility. ‘Idon’tthinkyouconsider—’Ibegan. ‘Idon’tconsider!’criedtheoldmaninterruptingme,‘Idon’tconsiderher!Ah,howlittleyouknowofthetruth!LittleNelly,littleNelly!’ Itwouldbeimpossibleforanyman,Icarenotwhathisformofspeechmightbe,toexpressmoreaffectionthanthedealerincuriositiesdid,inthesefourwords.Iwaitedforhimtospeakagain,butherestedhischinuponhishandandshakinghisheadtwiceorthricefixedhiseyesuponthefire. Whileweweresittingthusinsilence,thedooroftheclosetopened,andthechildreturned,herlightbrownhairhanginglooseaboutherneck,andherfaceflushedwiththehasteshehadmadetorejoinus.Shebusiedherselfimmediatelyinpreparingsupper,andwhileshewasthusengagedIremarkedthattheoldmantookanopportunityofobservingmemorecloselythanhehaddoneyet.Iwassurprisedtoseethatallthistimeeverythingwasdonebythechild,andthatthereappearedtobenootherpersonsbutourselvesinthehouse.Itookadvantageofamomentwhenshewasabsenttoventureahintonthispoint,towhichtheoldmanrepliedthattherewerefewgrownpersonsastrustworthyorascarefulasshe. ‘Italwaysgrievesme,’Iobserved,rousedbywhatItooktobehisselfishness,‘italwaysgrievesmetocontemplatetheinitiationofchildrenintothewaysoflife,whentheyarescarcelymorethaninfants.Itcheckstheirconfidenceandsimplicity—twoofthebestqualitiesthatHeavengivesthem—anddemandsthattheyshareoursorrowsbeforetheyarecapableofenteringintoourenjoyments.’ ‘Itwillnevercheckhers,’saidtheoldmanlookingsteadilyatme,‘thespringsaretoodeep.Besides,thechildrenofthepoorknowbutfewpleasures.Eventhecheapdelightsofchildhoodmustbeboughtandpaidfor.’ ‘But—forgivemeforsayingthis—youaresurelynotsoverypoor’—saidI. ‘Sheisnotmychild,sir,’returnedtheoldman.‘Hermotherwas,andshewaspoor.Isavenothing—notapenny—thoughIliveasyousee,but’—helaidhishanduponmyarmandleantforwardtowhisper—‘sheshallberichoneofthesedays,andafinelady.Don’tyouthinkillofmebecauseIuseherhelp.Shegivesitcheerfullyasyousee,anditwouldbreakherheartifsheknewthatIsufferedanybodyelsetodoformewhatherlittlehandscouldundertake.Idon’tconsider!’—hecriedwithsuddenquerulousness,‘why,Godknowsthatthisonechildisthethoughtandobjectofmylife,andyetheneverprospersme—no,never!’ Atthisjuncture,thesubjectofourconversationagainreturned,andtheoldmanmotioningtometoapproachthetable,brokeoff,andsaidnomore. WehadscarcelybegunourrepastwhentherewasaknockatthedoorbywhichIhadentered,andNellburstingintoaheartylaugh,whichIwasrejoicedtohear,foritwaschildlikeandfullofhilarity,saiditwasnodoubtdearoldKitcomingbackatlast. ‘FoolishNell!’saidtheoldmanfondlingwithherhair.‘ShealwayslaughsatpoorKit.’ Thechildlaughedagainmoreheartilythanbefore,andIcouldnothelpsmilingfrompuresympathy.Thelittleoldmantookupacandleandwenttoopenthedoor.Whenhecameback,Kitwasathisheels. Kitwasashock-headed,shambling,awkwardladwithanuncommonlywidemouth,veryredcheeks,aturned-upnose,andcertainlythemostcomicalexpressionoffaceIeversaw.Hestoppedshortatthedooronseeingastranger,twirledinhishandaperfectlyroundoldhatwithoutanyvestigeofabrim,andrestinghimselfnowononelegandnowontheotherandchangingthemconstantly,stoodinthedoorway,lookingintotheparlourwiththemostextraordinaryleerIeverbeheld.Ientertainedagratefulfeelingtowardstheboyfromthatminute,forIfeltthathewasthecomedyofthechild’slife. ‘Alongway,wasn’tit,Kit?’saidthelittleoldman. ‘Why,then,itwasagoodishstretch,master,’returnedKit. ‘Ofcourseyouhavecomebackhungry?’ ‘Why,then,Idoconsidermyselfratherso,master,’wastheanswer. Theladhadaremarkablemannerofstandingsidewaysashespoke,andthrustinghisheadforwardoverhisshoulder,asifhecouldnotgetathisvoicewithoutthataccompanyingaction.Ithinkhewouldhaveamusedoneanywhere,butthechild’sexquisiteenjoymentofhisoddity,andthereliefitwastofindthattherewassomethingsheassociatedwithmerrimentinaplacethatappearedsounsuitedtoher,werequiteirresistible.ItwasagreatpointtoothatKithimselfwasflatteredbythesensationhecreated,andafterseveraleffortstopreservehisgravity,burstintoaloudroar,andsostoodwithhismouthwideopenandhiseyesnearlyshut,laughingviolently. Theoldmanhadagainrelapsedintohisformerabstractionandtooknonoticeofwhatpassed,butIremarkedthatwhenherlaughwasover,thechild’sbrighteyesweredimmedwithtears,calledforthbythefullnessofheartwithwhichshewelcomedheruncouthfavouriteafterthelittleanxietyofthenight.AsforKithimself(whoselaughhadbeenallthetimeoneofthatsortwhichverylittlewouldchangeintoacry)hecarriedalargesliceofbreadandmeatandamugofbeerintoacorner,andappliedhimselftodisposingofthemwithgreatvoracity. ‘Ah!’saidtheoldmanturningtomewithasigh,asifIhadspokentohimbutthatmoment,‘youdon’tk