Chapter III

27. One night, after I had gone to my room, I heard a soft tap at my door. So I said, "Come in," and there came in a pretty little girl, neatly dressed in mourning, who dropped a courtesy.

28. "If you please, miss," said the little girl, in a soft voice, "I am Charley."

"Why, so you are!" said I, stooping down in astonishment, and giving her a kiss. "How glad I am to see you, Charley!"

29. "If you please, miss," pursued Charley, in the same soft voice, "I'm your maid."

"Charley?"

"If you please, miss, I'm a present to you, with Mr. Jarndyce's love."

30. I sat down with my hand on Charley's neck, and looked at Charley.

"And oh, miss," says Charley, clapping her hands, with the tears starting down her dimpled cheeks, "Tom's at school, if you please; and little Emma, she's with Mrs. Blinder, miss. And Tom, he would have been at school; and Emma, she would have been left with Mrs. Blinder; and I should have been here, all a deal sooner, miss; only Mr. Jarndyce thought that Tom and Emma and I had better get a little used to parting first, we were so small. Don't cry, if you please, miss."

31. "I can't help it, Charley."

"No, miss, I can't help it," says Charley. "And, if you please, miss, Mr. Jarndyce's love, and he thinks you'll like to teach me now and then. And, if you please, Tom and Emma and I are to see each other once a month. And I'm so happy and so thankful, miss," cried Charley, with a heaving heart, "and I'll try to be such a good maid!"

32. Charley dried her eyes, and entered on her functions, going in her matronly little way about and about the room, and folding up everything she could lay her hands upon.

33. Presently, Charley came creeping back to my side, and said: "Oh, don't cry, if you please, miss."

And I said again: "I can't help it, Charley."

And Charley said again: "No, miss; I can't help it." And so, after all, I did cry for joy, indeed, and so did she.

* * * * *

I. =G_u_ärd´ĭ an=: one to whose care a person or thing is
committed. =Sŭb´stĭ tū̍t_e_=: a person or thing put in place
of another. =Năn kē_e_n´=: a kind of yellow cotton cloth.
=Cŏn´sē̍ quĕnt ly̆=: accordingly; as a result.

II. =Com pas´sion ate ly=: pityingly. =Păt´tĕns̝=: wooden soles
made to raise the feet above mud. =Grăt´ĭ tū̍d_e_=: thankfulness.
=Bŭs´_t_lĭng=: noisy; active. =Trăṉ´quĭl=: quiet; calm.

III. =Func´tions=: actions suitable to a business or profession.
=Mā´trȯn ly̆=: womanly; motherly.

Tray

BY ROBERT BROWNING

Robert Browning (1812-1889): An English poet. His poems are
frequently difficult and obscure, but they are full of courage,
manliness, and hopefulness, which appeal to young readers as well
as to older ones. "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," "Hervé Riel," and
"How They Carried the Good News from Ghent to Aix" are among the
poems best liked by young people.

1. A beggar-child ...
Sat on a quay's edge: like a bird
Sang to herself at careless play,
And fell into the stream. "Dismay!
Help, you standers-by!" None stirred.

2. Bystanders reason, think of wives
And children ere they risk their lives.
Over the balustrade has bounced
A mere instinctive dog, and pounced
Plumb on the prize. "How well he dives!

3. "Up he comes with the child, see, tight
In mouth, alive, too, clutched from quite
A depth of ten feet--twelve, I bet!
Good dog! What, off again? There's yet
Another child to save? All right!

4. "How strange we saw no other fall!
It's instinct in the animal.
Good dog! But he's a long while under:
If he got drowned I should not wonder--
Strong current, that against the wall!

5. "Here he comes, holds in mouth this time
--What may the thing be? Well, that's prime!
Now, did you ever? Reason reigns
In man alone, since all Tray's pains
Have fished--the child's doll from the slime!"

* * * * *

=Băl´ŭs trā̍d_e_=: a railing along the edge of a bridge or
staircase. =Ĭn stĭnc´tĭv_e_=: acting according to his nature.

The Golden Fleece

BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE