Part 26 (1/2)
”Something like one now, sir, but I wasn't always.”
”What were you?”
”Not much, sir. I didn't _do_ anything till just lately.”
He could not bear at the moment to talk of his be-loved dead. He felt as if the old gentleman would be rude to them.
”Is the infant there your sister?”
”She's my sister the big way: G.o.d made her. She's not my sister any other way.”
”How does she come to be with you then?”
”I took her out of the water-b.u.t.t. Some one threw her in, and I heard the splash, and went and got her out.”
”Why did you not take her to the police?”
”I never thought of that. It was all I could do to keep her alive. I couldn't have done it if we hadn't got into the house.”
”How long ago is that?”
”Nearly a month, sir.”
”And you've kept her there ever since?”
”Yes, sir--as well as I could. I had only sixpence a day.”
”And what's that boy's name?”
”Tommy, sir.--I don't know any other.”
”Nice respectable company you keep for one who has evidently been well brought up!”
”Baby's quite respectable, sir!”
”Hum!”
”And for Tommy, if I didn't keep him, he would steal. I'm teaching him not to steal.”
”What woman have you got with you?”
”Baby's the only woman we've got, sir.”
”But who attends to her?”
”I do, sir. She only wants was.h.i.+ng and rolling round in the blanket; she's got no clothes to speak of. When I'm away, Tommy and Abdiel take care of her.”
”Abdiel! Who on earth is that? Where is he?” said the magistrate, looking round for some fourth member of the incomprehensible family.
”He's not on earth, sir; he's in heaven--the good angel, you know, sir, that left Satan and came back again to G.o.d.”