d teach me to write a little better than I do now, and make
such a wise little woman of me; and if I wore gingham--but it need not
be dingy, Grandy--it would be all mine, and you would be all mine too,
and we'd keep a bird, and you'd teach it to sing; and oh, would it not
be nice!"

"But still, Sophy, we should have to live, and we could not live upon
daisies and butterflies. And I can't work now; for the matter of that, I
never could work: more shame for me, but so it is. Merle says the fault
is in the stars,--with all my heart. But the stars will not go to the
jail or the workhouse instead of me. And though they want nothing to
eat, we do."

"But, Grandy, you have said every day since the first walk you took
after coming here, that if you had three pounds, we could get away and
live by ourselves and make a fortune!"

"A fortune!--that's a strong word: let it stand. A fortune! But still,
Sophy, though we should be free of this thrice-execrable Rugge, the
scheme I have in my head lies remote from daisies and butterflies. We
should have to dwell in towns and exhibit!"

"On a stage, Grandy?" said Sophy, resigned, but sorrowful.

"No, not exactly: a room would do."

"And I should not wear those horrid, horrid dresses, nor mix with those
horrid, horrid painted people."

"No."

"And we should be quite alone, you and I?"

"Hum! there would be a third."

"Oh, Grandy, Grandy!" cried Sophy, in a scream of shrill alarm. "I know,
I know; you are thinking of joining us with the Pig-faced Lady!"

MR. WAIFE (not a muscle relaxed).--"A well-spoken and pleasing
gentlewoman. But no such luck: three pounds would not buy her."

SOPHIE.--"I am glad of that: I don't care so much for the Mermaid; she's
dead and stuffed. But, oh!" (another scream) "perhaps 't is the Spotted
Boy?"

MR. WAIFE.--"Calm your sanguine imagination; you aspire too high! But
this I will tell you, that our companion, whatsoever or whosoever that
companion may be, will be one you will like."

"I don't believe it," said Sophy, shaking her head. "I only like you.
But who is it?"

"Alas!" said Mr. Waife, "it is no use pampering ourselves with vain
hopes: the three pounds are not forthcoming. You heard what that brute
Rugge said, that the gentleman who wanted to take your portrait had
called on him this morning, and offered 10s. for a sitting,--that is,
5s. for you, 5s. for Rugge; and Rugge thought the terms reasonable."

"But I said I would not sit."