Do thee now, Lord."
Tony could hear no more, and he stole back to bed, his mind full of new
and vague hopes. He dreamed of the fourpenny piece, and the gentleman who
had given it, and of Dolly, who bought a wondrous broom with it, in his
dream, which swept a beautiful crossing of itself. But old Oliver sat
still a long time, talking half aloud; for his usual drowsiness did not
come to him. It was nearly five months now since Dolly was left to him,
and he felt his deafness and blindness growing upon him slowly. His
infirmities were not yet so burdensome as to make him dependent upon
others; but he felt himself gradually drawing near to such a state.
Dolly's clothes were getting sadly in want of mending; there was scarcely
a fastening left upon them, and neither he nor Tony could sew on a button
or tape. It was a long time--a very long time--since his sister had been
to see him; and, with the reluctancy of old age to any active exertion,
he had put off from week to week the task of writing to her to tell her
of Susan's departure, and the charge he had in his little grandchild. He
made up his mind that he would do it tomorrow.
CHAPTER IX.
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