I ain't forty yet, Cecile; and
that's counted no age as lives go; but I never for all that had a
moment. When I wor very young I married; and afore I married, I had
only time for play and pleasure; and then afterward Lovedy came, and
her father died, and I had to think on my grief, and how to bring up
Lovedy. I had no time to remember about dying during those years,
Cecile; and since my Lovedy left me, I have not had one instant to do
anything but mourn for her, and think on her, and work for her. You
see, Cecile, I never did have a moment, even though I seems old to
you."
"No, stepmother, I see you never did have no time," repeated Cecile
gravely.
"But it ain't nice to think on now," repeated Mrs. D'Albert, in a
fretful, anxious key. "I ha' got to go, and I ain't ready to go,
that's the puzzle."
"Perhaps it don't take so very long to get ready," answered the
child, in a perplexed voice.
"Cecile," said Mrs. D'Albert, "you're a very wise little girl. Think
deep now, and answer me this: Do you believe as God 'ull be very
angry with a poor woman who had never, no never a moment of time to
get ready to die?"
"Stepmother," answered Cecile solemnly, "I don't know nothink about
God. Father didn't know, nor my own mother; and you say you never had
no time to know, stepmother. Only once--once----"
"Well, child, go on. Once?"
"Once me and Maurice were in the streets, and Toby was with us, and
we had walked a long way and were tired, and we sat down on a
doorstep to rest; and a girl come up, and she looked tired too, and
she had some crochet in her hand; and she took out her crochet and
began to work.
Pages:
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32