Are you sure you're
happy, sister?' said the child as they passed where Nell was standing.
'Quite happy now,' she answered. 'But always?' said the child. 'Ah,
sister, why do you turn away your face?'

Nell could not help following at a little distance. They went to the
house of an old nurse, where the elder sister had engaged a bed-room
for the child. 'I shall come to you early every morning,' she said,
'and we can be together all the day.-'-'Why not at night-time too?
Dear sister, would they be angry with you for that?'

Why were the eyes of little Nell wet, that night, with tears like those
of the two sisters? Why did she bear a grateful heart because they had
met, and feel it pain to think that they would shortly part? Let us
not believe that any selfish reference--unconscious though it might
have been--to her own trials awoke this sympathy, but thank God that
the innocent joys of others can strongly move us, and that we, even in
our fallen nature, have one source of pure emotion which must be prized
in Heaven!

By morning's cheerful glow, but oftener still by evening's gentle
light, the child, with a respect for the short and happy intercourse of
these two sisters which forbade her to approach and say a thankful
word, although she yearned to do so, followed them at a distance in
their walks and rambles, stopping when they stopped, sitting on the
grass when they sat down, rising when they went on, and feeling it a
companionship and delight to be so near them. Their evening walk was
by a river's side. Here, every night, the child was too, unseen by
them, unthought of, unregarded; but feeling as if they were her
friends, as if they had confidences and trusts together, as if her load
were lightened and less hard to bear; as if they mingled their sorrows,
and found mutual consolation. It was a weak fancy perhaps, the
childish fancy of a young and lonely creature; but night after night,
and still the sisters loitered in the same place, and still the child
followed with a mild and softened heart.

She was much startled, on returning home one night, to find that Mrs
Jarley had commanded an announcement to be prepared, to the effect that
the stupendous collection would only remain in its present quarters one
day longer; in fulfilment of which threat (for all announcements
connected with public amusements are well known to be irrevocable and
most exact), the stupendous collection shut up next day.

'Are we goin