“Yes, yes,” said Mr. Dyce. “All one wants in this world is the health—and a little more money. I was just thinking—” He stopped himself, hummed a bar of melody, and twinkled through his spectacles. “You'll have read Dickens?” said he.
“I was familiar with his works when I was young,” said Alexander, like a man confessing that in youth he played at bools. “They were not bad.”
“Just so! Well, do you know there was an idea came to my mind just now that's too clearly the consequence of reading Dickens for a week back, so I'll hold my hand and keep my project for another early occasion when it won't be Dickens that's dictating.”
He went early back that day, to relieve Ailie at her nursing, as he pretended to himself, but really for his own delight in looking at the life in eyes where yesterday was a cloud. A new, fresh, wholesome air seemed to fill the house. Bud lay on high pillows, with Miss Minto's Grace propped against her knees, and the garret was full of the odor of flowers that had come in a glorious bunch from the banker's garden. Bell had grown miraculously young again, and from between Ailie's eyebrows had disappeared the two black lines that had come there when Dr. Brash had dropped in her ear the dreadful word pneumonia. But Dr. Brash had beaten it! Oh, if she only knew the way to knit a winter waistcoat for him!
The child put out her hand to her uncle, and he kissed her on the palm, frightful even yet of putting a lip to her cheek, lest he should experience again the terror of the hot breath from that consuming inward fire.
“Well,” said he, briskly, “how's our health, your ladyship? Losh bless me! What a fine, big, sonsy baby you have gotten here; poor Alibel's nose will be out of joint, I'm thinking.”
“Hasn't got any,” said Bud, still weakly, in her new, thin, and unpractised voice, as she turned with a look that showed no lessening affection for the old doll, badly battered in the visage and wanting in the limbs, which lay beside her on the pillow.
“Blythmeat and breadberry,” said Daniel Dyce. “In the house of Daniel Dyce! Bell and Ailie, here's an example for you!”