ly.
"But my wife and mother wouldn't part with him if he was a still worse
encumbrance. It isn't that we don't know the long and short of matters,
but it's our principle. There's fools do business at a loss and don't
know it. I'm not one of 'em."

"Oh, Mordecai carries a blessing inside him," said the grandmother.

"He's got something the matter inside him," said Jacob, coming up to
correct this erratum of his grandmother's. "He said he couldn't talk to
me, and he wouldn't have a bit o' bun."

"So far from wondering at your feeling for him," said Deronda, "I
already feel something of the same sort myself. I have lately talked to
him at Ram's book-shop--in fact, I promised to call for him here, that
we might go out together."

"That's it, then!" said Cohen, slapping his knee. "He's been expecting
you, and it's taken hold of him. I suppose he talks about his learning
to you. It's uncommonly kind of _you_, sir; for I don't suppose there's
much to be got out of it, else it wouldn't have left him where he is.
But there's the shop." Cohen hurried out, and Jacob, who had been
listening inconveniently near to Deronda's elbow, said to him with
obliging familiarity, "I'll call Mordecai for you, if you like."

"No, Jacob," said his mother; "open the door for the gentleman, and let
him go in himself Hush! don't make a noise."

Skillful Jacob seemed to enter into the play, and turned the handle of
the door as noiselessly as possible, while Deronda went behind him and
stood on the threshold. The small room was lit only by a dying fire and
one candle with a shade over it. On the board fixed under the window,
various objects of jewelry were scattered: some books were heaped in
the corner beyond them. Mordecai was seated on a high chair at the
board with his back to the door, his hands resting on each other and on
the board, a watch propped on a stand before him. He was in a state of
expectation as sickening as that of a prisoner listening for the
delayed deliverance--when he heard Deronda's voice saying, "I am come
for you. Are you ready?"

Immediately he turned without speaking, seized his furred cap which lay
near, and moved to join Deronda. It was but a moment before they were
both in the sitting-room, and Jacob, noticing the change in his
friend's air and expression, seized him by the arm and said, "See my
cup and ball!" sending the ball up close to Mordecai's face, as
something likely to cheer a convalescent. It was a sign