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Chapter 2
”
Atthissheraisedhereyes,whichshehadturnedfromme;Isawthemfillwithgoodtears.“Whathashedone?”
Ihesitated;thenIjudgedbestsimplytohandhermyletter—which,however,hadtheeffectofmakingher,withouttakingit,simplyputherhandsbehindher.Sheshookherheadsadly.“Suchthingsarenotforme,miss.”
Mycounselorcouldn’tread!Iwincedatmymistake,whichIattenuatedasIcould,andopenedmyletteragaintorepeatittoher;then,falteringintheactandfoldingituponcemore,Iputitbackinmypocket.“Ishereallybad?”
Thetearswerestillinhereyes.“Dothegentlemensayso?”
“Theygointonoparticulars.Theysimplyexpresstheirregretthatitshouldbeimpossibletokeephim.Thatcanhaveonlyonemeaning.”Mrs.Groselistenedwithdumbemotion;sheforboretoaskmewhatthismeaningmightbe;sothat,presently,toputthethingwithsomecoherenceandwiththemereaidofherpresencetomyownmind,Iwenton:“Thathe’saninjurytotheothers.”
Atthis,withoneofthequickturnsofsimplefolk,shesuddenlyflamedup.“MasterMiles!himaninjury?”
Therewassuchafloodofgoodfaithinitthat,thoughIhadnotyetseenthechild,myveryfearsmademejumptotheabsurdityoftheidea.Ifoundmyself,tomeetmyfriendthebetter,offeringit,onthespot,sarcastically.“Tohispoorlittleinnocentmates!”
“It’stoodreadful,”criedMrs.Grose,“tosaysuchcruelthings!Why,he’sscarcetenyearsold.”
“Yes,yes;itwouldbeincredible.
