“Yes, yes; but why come and talk about it again?”
“Because, mother, you seem to feel the disgrace of his being hanged so much.”
“Well, to be sure I do—then why do you remind me of it, you bad boy? It’s cruel of you, Jack; I thought you kinder.”
“Mother, it is because you do feel it so much that I have come to tell you that you have been deceived. Your son was not hanged.”
“Not hanged! Why, Jack, are you sure?”
“Yes, mother, quite sure.”
“Not hanged, quite sure—”
Here old Nanny burst out into a wild laugh, which ended in sobbing and tears. I was obliged to wait some minutes before she was composed enough to listen to me; at last I said, “Mother, I have more to say, and there is no time to be lost.”
“Why no time to be lost, my dear boy?” said she. “Oh! now that you have told me this, I could dwell for hours—ay, days—more. I shall dwell my whole life upon this kind news.”
“But listen to me, mother, for I must tell you how I discovered this.”