CHAPTER 3

Ihadseveraltimesessayedtogomyself,buttheoldmanhadalwaysopposeditandentreatedmetoremain.Asherenewedhisentreatiesonourbeingleftalone,andadvertedwithmanythankstotheformeroccasionofourbeingtogether,Iwillinglyyieldedtohispersuasions,andsatdown,pretendingtoexaminesomecuriousminiaturesandafewoldmedalswhichheplacedbeforeme.Itneedednogreatpressingtoinducemetostay,forifmycuriosityhasbeenexcitedontheoccasionofmyfirstvisit,itcertainlywasnotdiminishednow. Nelljoinedusbeforelong,andbringingsomeneedle-worktothetable,satbytheoldman’sside.Itwaspleasanttoobservethefreshflowersintheroom,thepetbirdwithagreenboughshadinghislittlecage,thebreathoffreshnessandyouthwhichseemedtorustlethroughtheolddullhouseandhoverroundthechild.Itwascurious,butnotsopleasant,toturnfromthebeautyandgraceofthegirl,tothestoopingfigure,care-wornface,andjadedaspectoftheoldman.Ashegrewweakerandmorefeeble,whatwouldbecomeofthislonelylittlecreaturepoorprotectorashewas,saythathedied—whatwouldbeherfate,then? Theoldmanalmostansweredmythoughts,ashelaidhishandonhers,andspokealoud. ‘I’llbeofbettercheer,Nell,’hesaid‘theremustbegoodfortuneinstoreforthee—Idonotaskitformyself,butthee.Suchmiseriesmustfallonthyinnocentheadwithoutit,thatIcannotbelievebutthat,beingtempted,itwillcomeatlast!’ Shelookedcheerfullyintohisface,butmadenoanswer. ‘WhenIthink,’saidhe,‘ofthemanyyears—manyinthyshortlife—thatthouhaslivedwithmeofmymonotonousexistence,knowingnocompanionsofthyownagenoranychildishpleasuresofthesolitudeinwhichthouhasgrowntobewhatthouart,andinwhichthouhastlivedapartfromnearlyallthykindbutoneoldmanIsometimesfearIhavedealthardlybythee,Nell.’ ‘Grandfather!’criedthechildinunfeignedsurprise. ‘Notinintention—nono,’saidhe.‘Ihaveeverlookedforwardtothetimethatshouldenabletheetomixamongthegayestandprettiest,andtakethystationwiththebest.ButIstilllookforward,Nell,Istilllookforward,andifIshouldbeforcedtoleavethee,meanwhile,howhaveIfittedtheeforstruggleswiththeworld?Thepoorbirdyonderisaswellqualifiedtoencounterit,andbeturnedadriftuponitsmercies—Hark!IhearKitoutside.Gotohim,Nell,gotohim.’ Sherose,andhurryingaway,stopped,turnedback,andputherarmsabouttheoldman’sneck,thenlefthimandhurriedawayagain—butfasterthistime,tohideherfallingtears. ‘Awordinyourear,sir,’saidtheoldmaninahurriedwhisper.‘Ihavebeenrendereduneasybywhatyousaidtheothernight,andcanonlypleadthatIhavedoneallforthebest—thatitistoolatetoretract,ifIcould(thoughIcannot)—andthatIhopetotriumphyet.Allisforhersake.Ihavebornegreatpovertymyself,andwouldspareherthesufferingsthatpovertycarrieswithit.Iwouldspareherthemiseriesth