The words were said in an undertone to Esther, and the shop-woman turned to get down the ready-made things which Mrs. Saunders had asked to see.
"Here," said the shopwoman, "is the gown, longcloth, one-and-sixpence; here is the flannel, one-and-sixpence; and here is the little shirt, sixpence."
"You must have these to go on with, dear, and if the baby lives you'll want another set."
"Oh, mother, of course he'll live; why shouldn't he?"
Even the shopwoman smiled, and Mrs. Saunders, addressing the shopwoman, said—
"Them that knows nothing about it is allus full of 'ope."
The shopwoman raised her eyes, sighed, and inquired sympathetically if this was the young lady's first confinement.
Mrs. Saunders nodded and sighed, and then the shopwoman asked Mrs. Saunders if she required any baby clothes. Mrs. Saunders said she had all she required. The parcel was made up, and they were preparing to leave, when Esther said—
"I may as well buy the material and make another set—it will give me something to do in the afternoons. I think I should like to make them."
"We have some first-rate longcloth at sixpence-half-penny a yard."