Part 88 (1/2)
”Mr. Winthrop Landholm, and Winifred, and me.”
”Winifred and you,” said Elizabeth. ”And did he send you to me?”
Clam nodded. ”He said he would ha' writ somethin', if he'd ha'
had a piece of paper or card or anything, but he hadn't nothing.”
”He would have written what?”
”Don't know -- didn't say.”
”Do you know who I am?”
Clam nodded again and shewed her teeth. ”The lady Mr. Winthrop sent me to.”
”Do you remember ever seeing me before?”
”When he was out walkin' with you in the rain,” said Clam, her head first giving significant a.s.sent.
”Look here,” said Elizabeth a little shortly, -- ”when I speak to you, speak, and don't nod your head.”
To which Clam gave the prohibited answer.
”What are you sent here for now?”
”I dun' know, ma'am.”
”What did Mr. Winthrop say you were to do?”
”Said I was to come here, and behave.”
”Why have you come away from Mrs. Landholm?”
”Didn't,” said Clam. ”She went away first. She's gone to heaven.”
”Mrs. Landholm! Is she dead?”
Clam nodded.
”When? -- and what was the matter?”
”'Twa'n't much of anything the matter with her,” said Clam; -- ”she took sick for two or three days and then died. It's more'n a fortnight ago.”
”And they sent for Mr. Winthrop?”
”Job Underhill rode down after him as hard as he could and fetched him up on horseback.”
”In time?” said Elizabeth.
”He was in time for everything but himself. It was too late for him. But all the rest of the folks had the good of his coming.”