er it without
expecting either tender sound or touch to follow.

"Anybody 'ud think the angils in heaven couldn't be prettier," said
Dolly, rubbing the golden curls and kissing them. "And to think of its
being covered wi' them dirty rags--and the poor mother--froze to death;
but there's Them as took care of it, and brought it to your door,
Master Marner. The door was open, and it walked in over the snow, like
as if it had been a little starved robin. Didn't you say the door was
open?"

"Yes," said Silas, meditatively. "Yes--the door was open. The money's
gone I don't know where, and this is come from I don't know where."

He had not mentioned to any one his unconsciousness of the child's
entrance, shrinking from questions which might lead to the fact he
himself suspected--namely, that he had been in one of his trances.

"Ah," said Dolly, with soothing gravity, "it's like the night and the
morning, and the sleeping and the waking, and the rain and the
harvest--one goes and the other comes, and we know nothing how nor
where. We may strive and scrat and fend, but it's little we can do
arter all--the big things come and go wi' no striving o' our'n--they
do, that they do; and I think you're in the right on it to keep the
little un, Master Marner, seeing as it's been sent to you, though
there's folks as thinks different. You'll happen be a bit moithered
with it while it's so little; but I'll come, and welcome, and see to it
for you: I've a bit o' time to spare most days, for when one gets up
betimes i' the morning, the clock seems to stan' still tow'rt ten,
afore it's time to go about the victual. So, as I say, I'll come and
see to the child for you, and welcome."

"Thank you... kindly," said Silas, hesitating a little. "I'll be glad
if you'll tell me things. But," he added, uneasily, leaning forward to
look at Baby with some jealousy, as she was resting her head backward
against Dolly's arm, and eyeing him contentedly from a distance--"But I
want to do things for it myself, else it may get fond o' somebody else,
and not fond o' me. I've been used to fending for myself in the
house--I can learn, I can learn."

"Eh, to be sure," said Dolly, gently. "I've seen men as are wonderful
handy wi' children. The men are awk'ard and contrairy mostly, God help
'em--but when the drink's out of 'em, they aren't unsensible, though
they're bad for leeching and bandaging--so fiery and unpatient. You
see this goes first, n