He stared at her. "Me doe now," he said, and was off to the door and out before they could persuade him further. After which they heard him shouting— "Dranny, me dood! Me want my sudar!"
"When you are established," said Arthur condescendingly, "I will come and visit you, and inspect your arrangements."
"Thank you," answered Christina, making a little bow to him; "I shall be very happy to see you."
"But now, seriously, Christina," said Mrs. Arundel, "supposing you have your little ones ill, shall you want to give it up directly?"
"I do not think so; I shall have to bear it, and nurse them. One cannot expect to go through life without illness and trouble."
"No; and when they come to us in our own family we do not exactly want to run from it; but I fancy it makes a difference if it seems a thing we have gone into, as it were, of our own accord."
Christina looked a little puzzled. "Perhaps," she said; "but, dear Mrs. Arundel, do tell me, am I presumptuous to undertake it at all? Do you think (and that, after all, is the whole question), do you think it is God's call to me, or is it all for my own satisfaction?"
There was a pause; Nellie looked up anxiously, and Ada and Arthur almost exclaimed.
At last Mrs. Arundel said very gently, "You should know yourself, dear Christina; what was your first thought of all about it?"
"The homeless workhouse children! Then that I might be able, like that lady, to give my life to them to bring them up for Jesus, instead of their growing up wicked. Yes; that was what I thought first."