CHAPTER XI
Distinction between would & should
DORCAS, who continued very ill all this Day, began thereafter to amend, and was able to take the sole Night-watch. But the Watchman would not let me go forth, though he would send my Messages to Violet, and give me the Packages of Clothing and so forth that Violet sent me. However, one Day a Doctor called, and gave as his Reason for not coming before, that he had been ill himself. And he said both my Patients were in such a fair Way of Recovery, that he thought in another Week I might leave the House without Danger to myself or others, only attending to the proper Fumigations.
Master Blower now sat up in his easy Chair, half wakeful, half dozing, for he was too weak to read much. But he liked me to read to him, which I did for Hours together; and the Subject-matter of the Book often gave Rise to much pleasant Talk, insomuch that I began to be secretly and selfishly sorry that the Time was so near at Hand when he would be well enough to do without me.
At other Times I got him to talk to me about the Country-house of his Brother, the Squire, wherein he himself had been born, and had spent all his boyish Days. And when I heard him tell about the little ivy-covered Church, and the pretty Churchyard planted with Flowers, and the rustic Congregation in their red Cloaks and white Frocks, and the Village Choir with their Pipes and Rebecks, it seemed to me I would rather, a thousand Times, be Vicar or even Curate of such a Place as that than have ever such a large, grand Living in Whitechapel. And so I told him.
At other Times I sat sewing quite silent by the Window, leaving him to doze if he could; and sometimes I could see without looking up, that his Eye would rest on me for a good While at a Time. I did not care a Pin about it, and made as though I took no Notice.
“Cherry,” says he, after one of these Ruminations, “what have the Men been about that you have never got married?”