I thought
she might have said something handsome, considering the poor little
babe as my Missy here was when I had her--not so long as my hand--and
scarce able to cry enough to show she was alive. The work I and my
good man had with her! He would walk up and down half the night with
her. Not as we grudged it. He is as fond of the child as myself;
and Mr. Wayland, he knew it. 'She has a good nurse, dame,' says he
to me, with the water in his eyes, before he went to foreign parts.
But my Lady! When the little one as had been with Goody Bowles--an
ignorant woman, you see--cried and clung to her, and kicked, 'Little
savages all,' says my Lady. There was thanks to them that had had
more work to rear her children than ever with one of her own! 'Perfect
little rustics!' she said, even when you made your curtsey as pretty
as could be, didn't you, my little lammie?"
"Mammy Rolfe taught me to make my curtsey like a London lady," said
the other child, the most advanced in manners.
"Aha! little pitchers have long ears; but, bless you, they don't know
what it means," said Dame Wheatfield, too glad to talk to check herself
on any account; "Not so much as a kiss for them, poor little darlings!
Folks say she does not let even Master Wayland kiss aught but her hands
for fear of her fine colours.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107