‘Some friend of his, as welcome here as he,’ said the old man.
‘And that?’ inquired the dwarf, wheeling round and pointing straight at me.
‘A gentleman who was so good as to bring Nell home the other night when she lost her way, coming from your house.’
The little man turned to the child as if to chide her or express his wonder, but as she was talking to the young man, held his peace, and bent his head to listen.
‘Well, Nelly,’ said the young fellow aloud. ‘Do they teach you to hate me, eh?’
‘No, no. For shame. Oh, no!’ cried the child.
‘To love me, perhaps?’ pursued her brother with a sneer.
‘To do neither,’ she returned. ‘They never speak to me about you. Indeed they never do.’
‘I dare be bound for that,’ he said, darting a bitter look at the grandfather. ‘I dare be bound for that Nell. Oh! I believe you there!’
‘But I love you dearly, Fred,’ said the child.