Book 1

, chap. xi.]

[Illustration: AND STOOPING DOWN TO PINCH THE CHEEK OF ANOTHER YOUNG CHILD WHO WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR, STARING AT HIM, ASKED MRS. PLORNISH HOW OLD THAT FINE BOY WAS? "FOUR YEAR, JUST TURNED, SIR," SAID MRS. PLORNISH. "HE'S A FINE LITTLE FELLOW, A'INT HE, SIR, BUT THIS ONE IS RATHER SICKLY." SHE TENDERLY HUSHED THE BABY IN HER ARMS AS SHE SAID IT--