“Why, James Ellis!” she said petulantly, “were you asleep?”
“No, ma’am, I was shutting my eyes to try how it would be amongst the plants.”
“Ah,” she said, with the tears now brimming up into her eyes; “isn’t it wonderful? Poor fellow, I cannot tell you how happy it has made me feel. Why, James Ellis, I had been thinking that he had to face a desolate, blank existence, and I was nearly heart-broken about him, and all the time, as you saw, he was going about happy and light-hearted, actually smiling over his work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said the bailiff rather gruffly, “it seems very wonderful. I don’t think he can be quite blind.”
“What!”
“His eyes look as bright as any one else’s, ma’am.”
“You think then that he is an impostor?”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I wouldn’t say that.”
“No, James Ellis, you had better not,” said his mistress tartly. “Well, you saw what he can do.”
“Yes, ma’am, and I was very much surprised. I did not know he was here;” and Ellis spoke as if he felt rather aggrieved.