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THE CHIMES. |
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Trotty really had picked up the kettle somewhere or other in the course of his wild career, and now put it on the fire : while Meg, seating the child in a warm corner, knelt down on the ground before her, and pulled off her shoes, and dried her wet feet on a cloth. Ay, and she laughed at Trotty too—so pleasantly, so cheerfully, that Trotty could have blessed her where she kneeled : for he had seen that, when they entered, she was sitting by the fire in tears.
" Why, father ! " said Meg. " You're crazy to-night, I think. I don't know what the Bells would say to that. Poor little feet. How cold they are !"
" Oh, they're warmer now ! " exclaimed the child. " They're quite warm now ! "
" No, no, no," said Meg. " We haven't rubbed 'em half enough. We're so busy. So busy! And when they're done, we'll brush out the damp hair; aud when that's done, we'll bring some colour to the poor pale face with fresh water; and when that's done, we'll be so gay, and brisk, and happy— !"
The child, in a burst of sobbing, clasped her round the neck ; caressed her fair cheek with its hand; and said, "Oh Meg! "oh dear Meg!"
Toby's blessing could have done no more. Who could do more !
" Why, father ! " cried Meg, after a pause.
" Here I am and here I go, my dear," said Trotty.
" Good Gracious me ! " cried Meg. " He's crazy ! He's put the dear child's bonnet on the kettle, and hung the lid behind the door!"
" I didn't go to do it, my love," said Trotty, hastily repairing this mistake. " Meg, my dear ?"
Meg looked towards him and saw that he had elaborately stationed himself behind the chair of their male visitor, where with many mysterious gestures he was holding up the sixpence he had earned.
" I see, my dear," said Trotty, " as I was coming in, half an ounce of tea lying somewhere on the stairs; and I'm pretty sure there was a bit of bacon too. As I don't remember where it was, exactly ; I'll go myself and try to find 'em."
With this inscrutable artifice, Toby withdrew to purchase the viands he had spoken of, for ready money, at Mrs. Chickenstalker's; and presently came back, pretending he had not been able to find them, at first, in the dark.
"But here they are at last," said Trotty, setting out the tea-things, " all correct! I was pretty sure it was tea, and a rasher. |
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