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?"
"Don't cry, if you please, miss."
"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. Guärd´ĭ an: one to whose care a person or thing is committed. Sŭb´stĭ tū̍te: a person or thing put in place of another. Năn kēen´: 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 tū̍de: thankfulness. Bŭs´tlĭng: noisy; active. Trăṉ´quĭl: quiet; calm.
III. Func´tions: actions suitable to a business or profession. Mā´trȯn ly̆: womanly; motherly.