Everybody seemed to hear of her as soon as they arrived; for the milliner sat up in bed, drying her eyes, and said, just as the dancing-master had said,
"Oh! You are the child, are you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I am sorry I haven't got anything for you," said the milliner, shaking her head.
"It's not that, ma'am. If you please I want to learn needlework."
"Why should you do that," returned the milliner, "with me before you? It has not done me much good."
"Nothing—whatever it is—seems to have done anybody much good who comes here," she returned in all simplicity; "but I want to learn, just the same."
"I am afraid you are so weak, you see," the milliner objected.
"I don't think I am weak, ma'am."
"And you are so very, very little, you see," continued the milliner.