CHAPTER 1

nowwhatyousaywhenyoutellmethatIdon’tconsiderher.’ ‘Youmustnotattachtoogreatweighttoaremarkfoundedonfirstappearances,myfriend,’saidI. ‘No,’returnedtheoldmanthoughtfully,‘no.Comehither,Nell.’ Thelittlegirlhastenedfromherseat,andputherarmabouthisneck. ‘DoIlovethee,Nell?’saidhe.‘Say—doIlovethee,Nell,orno?’ Thechildonlyansweredbyhercaresses,andlaidherheaduponhisbreast. ‘Whydostthousob?’saidthegrandfather,pressingherclosertohimandglancingtowardsme.‘Isitbecausethouknow’stIlovethee,anddostnotlikethatIshouldseemtodoubtitbymyquestion?Well,well—thenletussayIlovetheedearly.’ ‘Indeed,indeedyoudo,’repliedthechildwithgreatearnestness,‘Kitknowsyoudo.’ Kit,whoindespatchinghisbreadandmeathadbeenswallowingtwo-thirdsofhisknifeateverymouthfulwiththecoolnessofajuggler,stoppedshortinhisoperationsonbeingthusappealedto,andbawled‘Nobodyisn’tsuchafoolastosayhedoosn’t,’afterwhichheincapacitatedhimselfforfurtherconversationbytakingamostprodigioussandwichatonebite. ‘Sheispoornow’—saidtheoldman,pattingthechild’scheek,‘butIsayagainthatthetimeiscomingwhensheshallberich.Ithasbeenalongtimecoming,butitmustcomeatlastaverylongtime,butitsurelymustcome.Ithascometoothermenwhodonothingbutwasteandriot.Whenwillitcometome!’ ‘IamveryhappyasIam,grandfather,’saidthechild. ‘Tush,tush!’returnedtheoldman,‘thoudostnotknow—howshould’stthou!’thenhemutteredagainbetweenhisteeth,‘Thetimemustcome,Iamverysureitmust.Itwillbeallthebetterforcominglate’andthenhesighedandfellintohisformermusingstate,andstillholdingthechildbetweenhiskneesappearedtobeinsensibletoeverythingaroundhim.BythistimeitwantedbutafewminutesofmidnightandIrosetogo,whichrecalledhimtohimself. ‘Onemoment,sir,’hesaid,‘Now,Kit—nearmidnight,boy,andyoustillhere!Gethome,gethome,andbetruetoyourtimeinthemorning,forthere’sworktodo.Goodnight!There,bidhimgoodnight,Nell,andlethimbegone!’ ‘Goodnight,Kit,’saidthechild,hereyeslightingupwithmerrimentandkindness. ‘Goodnight,MissNell,’returnedtheboy. ‘Andthankthisgentleman,’interposedtheoldman,‘butforwhosecareImighthavelostmylittlegirlto-night.’ ‘No,no,master,’saidKit,‘thatwon’tdo,thatwon’t.’ ‘Whatdoyoumean?’criedtheoldman. ‘I’dhavefoundher,master,’saidKit,‘I’dhavefoundher.I’llbetthatI’dfindherifshewasaboveground,Iwould,asquickasanybody,master.Ha,ha,ha!’ Oncemoreopeninghismouthandshuttinghiseyes,andlaughinglikeastentor,Kitgraduallybackedtothedoor,androaredhimselfout. Freeoftheroom,theboywasnotslowintakinghisdeparturewhenhehadgone,andthechildwasoccupiedinclearingthetable,theoldmansaid: ‘Ihaven’tseemedtothankyou,sir,forwhatyouhavedoneto-night,butIdothankyouhumblyandheartily,andsodoesshe,andherthanksarebetterworththanmine.Ishouldbesorrythatyouwentaway,andthoughtIwasunmindfulofyourgoodness,orcarelessofher—Iamnotindeed.’ Iwassureofthat,Isaid,fromwhatIhadseen.‘But,’Iadded,‘mayIaskyouaquestion?’ ‘Ay,sir,’repliedtheoldman,‘Whatisit?’ ‘Thisdelicatechild,’saidI,‘withsomuchbeautyandintelligence—hasshenobodytocareforherbutyou?Hasshenoothercompanionoradvisor?’ ‘No,’hereturned,lookinganxiouslyinmyface,‘no,andshewantsnoother.’ ‘Butareyounotfearful,’saidI,‘thatyoumaymisunderstandachargesotender?Iamsureyoumeanwell,butareyouquitecertainthatyouknowhowtoexecutesuchatrustasthis?Iamanoldman,likeyou,andIamactuatedbyanoldman’sconcerninallthatisyoungandpromising.DoyounotthinkthatwhatIhaveseenofyouandthislittlecreatureto-nightmusthaveaninterestnotwhollyfreefrompain?’ ‘Sir,’rejoinedtheoldmanafteramoment’ssilence.‘Ihavenorighttofeelhurtatwhatyousay.ItistruethatinmanyrespectsIamthechild,andshethegrownperson—thatyouhaveseenalready.Butwakingorsleeping,bynightorday,insicknessorhealth,sheistheoneobjectofmycare,andifyouknewofhowmuchcare,youwouldlookonmewithdifferenteyes,youwouldindeed.Ah!It’sawearylifeforanoldman—aweary,wearylife—butthereisagreatendtogainandthatIkeepbeforeme.’ Seeingthathewasinastateofexcitementandimpatience,IturnedtoputonanoutercoatwhichIhadthrownoffonenteringtheroom,purposingtosaynomore.Iwassurprisedtoseethechildstandingpatientlybywithacloakuponherarm,andinherhandahat,andstick. ‘Thosearenotmine,mydear,’saidI. ‘No,’returnedthechild,‘theyaregrandfather’s.’ ‘Butheisnotgoingoutto-night.’ ‘Oh,yes,heis,’saidthechild,withasmile. ‘Andwhatbecomesofyou,myprettyone?’ ‘Me!Istayhereofcourse.Ialwaysdo.’ Ilookedinastonishmenttowardstheoldman,buthewas,orfeignedtobe,busiedinthearrangementofhisdress.FromhimIlookedbacktotheslightgentlefigureofthechild.Alone!Inthatgloomyplaceallthelong,drearynight. Sheevincednoconsciousnessofmysurprise,butcheerfullyhelpedtheoldmanwithhiscloak,andwhenhewasreadytookacandletolightuso