"Fanny knows," said she, touchingly; "for she, too, is blind here;" and
she pressed her hands to her temples. Notwithstanding her silence and
strange ways, and although he could not see the exquisite loveliness
which Nature, as in remorseful pity, had lavished on her outward form,
Simon soon learned to love her better than he had ever loved yet: for
they most cold to the child are often dotards to the grandchild. For
her even his avarice slept. Dainties, never before known at his sparing
board, were ordered to tempt her appetite, toy-shops ransacked to amuse
her indolence. He was long, however, before he could prevail on himself
to fulfil his promise to Morton, and rob himself of her presence.
At length, however, wearied with Mrs. Boxer's lamentations at her
ignorance, and alarmed himself at some evidences of helplessness, which
made him dread to think what her future might be when left alone in
life, he placed her at a day-school in the suburb. Here Fanny, for a
considerable time, justified the harshest assertions of her stupidity.
She could not even keep her eyes two minutes together on the page from
which she was to learn the mysteries of reading; months passed before
she mastered the alphabet, and, a month after, she had again forgot it,
and the labour was renewed. The only thing in which she showed ability,
if so it might be called, was in the use of the needle. The sisters of
the convent had already taught her many pretty devices in this art;
and when she found that at the school they were admired--that she was
praised instead of blamed--her vanity was pleased, and she learned
so readily all that they could teach in this not unprofitable
accomplishment, that Mrs. Boxer slyly and secretly turned her tasks
to account and made a weekly perquisite of the poor pupil's industry.
Another faculty she possessed, in common with persons usually deficient,
and with the lower species--viz., a most accurate and faithful
recollection of places. At first Mrs. Boxer had been duly sent, morning,
noon, and evening, to take her to, or bring her from, the school; but
this was so great a grievance to Simon's solitary superintendent, and
Fanny coaxed the old man so endearingly to allow her to go and return
alone, that the attendance, unwelcome to both, was waived. Fanny exulted
in this liberty; and she never, in going or in returning, missed passing
through the burial-ground, and gazing wistfully at the tomb from which
she yet believed M