Tinker
heard all their prophecies of evil with his wonted tranquillity; but he
had no little difficulty in setting their minds at rest.
M. Cognier had been impressive.
The two children had finished their breakfast, and were about to set out
in search of adventure, when Selina found them and began to set forth a
petition. She wished to be allowed to enter Tinker's service again. She
was, she said, alone in the world once more, for her husband, having
spent all her savings, had with determined Scotch thriftiness
incontinently died, and left her to shift for herself. She had been
making a mean living as an ironer in a Parisian laundry, when Alexander
McNeill had sent for her to Apricale to help him deliver a young lady
from the Jesuits; and she saw in her curious meeting with Tinker, at the
country seat of the young Monteleone, the finger of Providence pointing
the way back to her old situation. Would he lay the matter before his
father, and support her petition?
Tinker was somewhat taken aback, and said, "But I'm too old for a nurse."
"Oh, there are lots of things I could do, Master Tinker. There are
really," said Selina. "You want a housekeeper when you're at the Refuge,
a housekeeper who could get up your linen and Sir Tancred's as they can't
do it at Farndon-Pryze.
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