"He will help you all to run races on the downs. He is the one to say 'One, two, three, and away.' But I really hoped, Miss Rebecca, that you were buying for a house of your own."
"And where would be the use of a house of my own, unless father was to be in it? and then it would be all one as his. No, the old house must do,--at least for a beginning. If better times should come, perhaps----"
"What! your father's school fell off, then. It was a fine one when my children went; but I suppose the ruin of the coast ruined it?"
"'Tis all ruin to us. If it was only the loss of the trade to himself, that was a great amusement. But it set the people all complaining about not affording schooling for the children; for they had grown careless about the fishing. And then, several went away for a time, after the murder, for fear of the reward the government offered; and that broke up everything. Father never got over that.--You may talk about running races on the down. Father has never been to the down with any heart since; for it was there that he spoke with poor Nicholas the very day before----"
Rebecca stopped short, struck by the effect of what she was saying on the gay ancient personage who sat near. Nurse came forward, jerking an end of ribbon in one trembling hand, and fumbling for her handkerchief with the other, while her countenance resumed the expression of which her fellow-servants were tired, and which they hoped she had laid aside with her mourning.
"My son, ma'am! I beg pardon for interrupting you, ma'am, but he was my son. Nicholas, I heard you mention. If you knew him, perhaps you would tell me anything you might know."
Rebecca and the gipsy looked at each other, which made nurse appeal to Mrs. Draper, with confessions that she should not have turned her away from the back-door so peremptorily, the last time she came to tell the maids' fortunes, if she had thought she knew anything about the Preventive Service and her poor son.
"We knew him very well indeed," said the plain-spoken Rebecca. "He used to pass almost before our door twenty times in a day, when he was upon watch; and our children used----"
"Ah, poor fellow! he was always like a child himself. He could never say a cross word to a child," sobbed nurse.
"Nor to anybody else," feelingly observed Rebecca.