I had but just slipped round to the court,
while he was asleep, poor dear, to give my children their dinner; for
it's a hard trial, sir, having a helpless young family depending upon
one; and it would but be fair that all I have gone through should be
considered; for though I says it as shouldn't, there isn't one of your
hired nurses would do more; and I'm willing to continue of it, provisoed
as I have help at nights, and my trouble considered in my wages."
"You need have no apprehension; you shall be paid for your trouble. Has
he been long ill?"
"Well, sir, he took the cold as were the beginning of his illness a
fortnight ago come next Thursday. You may remember, perhaps, as it came
on awful wet in the afternoon, last Thursday week, and Mr. Saltram was
out in the rain, and walked home in it,--not being able to get a cab, I
suppose, or perhaps not caring to get one, for he was always a careless
gentleman in such respects,--and come in wet through to the skin; and
instead of changing his clothes, as a Christian would have done, just
gives himself a shake like, as he might have been a New-fondling dog that
had been swimming, and sits down before the fire, which of course drawed
out the steam from his things and made it worse, and writes away for dear
life till twelve o'clock that night, having something particular to
finish for them magazines, he says; and so, when I come to tidy-up a bit
the last thing at night, I found him sitting at the table writing, and
didn't take no more notice of me than a dog, which was his way, though
never meant unkindly--quite the reverse.
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