| 218 | 219 | 220 | 221 | 222 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
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'Have we been worse off,' resumed the child, 'since you forgot these
cares, and we have been travelling on together? Have we not been
much better and happier without a home to shelter us, than ever we
were in that unhappy house, when they were on your mind?'
'
She speaks the truth,' murmured the old man in the same tone as
before. 'It must not turn me, but it is the truth; no doubt it is.'
'Only remember what we have been since that bright morning when
we turned our backs upon it for the last time,' said Nell, 'only
remember what we have been since we have been free of all those
miseries - what peaceful days and quiet nights we have had - what
pleasant times we have known - what happiness we have enjoyed. If
we have been tired or hungry, we have been soon refreshed, and slept
the sounder for it. Think what beautiful things we have seen, and how
contented we have felt. And why was this blessed change?'
He stopped her with a motion of his hand, and bade her talk to him
no more just then, for he was busy. After a time he kissed her cheek,
still motioning her to silence, and walked on, looking far before him,
and sometimes stopping and gazing with a puckered brow upon the
ground, as if he were painfully trying to collect his disordered
thoughts. Once she saw tears in his eyes. When he had gone on thus
for some time, he took her hand in his as he was accustomed to do,
with nothing of the violence or animation of his late manner; and so,
by degrees so fine that the child could not trace them, he settled down
into his usual quiet way, and suffered her to lead him where she
would.
When they presented themselves in the midst of the stupendous
collection, they found, as Nell had anticipated, that Mrs Jarley was
not yet out of bed, and that, although she had suffered some
uneasiness on their account overnight, and had indeed sat up for
them until past eleven o'clock, she had retired in the persuasion, that,
being overtaken by storm at some distance from home, they had
sought the nearest shelter, and would not return before morning. Nell
immediately applied herself with great assiduity to the decoration and
preparation of the room, and had the satisfaction of completing her
task, and dressing herself neatly, before the beloved of the Royal
Family came down to breakfast.
'
We haven't had,' said Mrs Jarley when the meal was over, 'more than
eight of Miss Monflathers's young ladies all the time we've been here,
and there's twenty-six of 'em, as I was told by the cook when I asked
her a question or two and put her on the free-list. We must try 'em
with a parcel of new bills, and you shall take it, my dear, and see what
effect that has upon 'em.'
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