“And you reached Calcutta safely at last?”

“Yes, safely!  Oh! when I knew I had only two days’ journey more before me, I could not help it, ma’am—­it might be idolatry, I cannot tell—­but I was near one of the native temples, and I went into it with my baby to thank God for His great mercy; for it seemed to me that where others had prayed before to their God, in their joy or in their agony, was of itself a sacred place.  And I got as servant to an invalid lady, who grew quite fond of my baby aboard-ship; and, in two years’ time, Sam earned his discharge, and came home to me, and to our child.  Then he had to fix on a trade; but he knew of none; and once, once upon a time, he had learnt some tricks from an Indian juggler; so he set up conjuring, and it answered so well that he took Thomas to help him—­as his man, you know, not as another conjuror, though Thomas has set it up now on his own hook.  But it has been a great help to us that likeness between the twins, and made a good many tricks go off well that they made up together.  And Thomas is a good brother, only he has not the fine carriage of my husband, so that I can’t think how he can be taken for Signor Brunoni himself, as he says he is.”

“Poor little Phoebe!” said I, my thoughts going back to the baby she carried all those hundred miles.

“Ah! you may say so!  I never thought I should have reared her, though, when she fell ill at Chunderabaddad; but that good, kind Aga Jenkyns took us in, which I believe was the very saving of her.”

“Jenkyns!” said I.

“Yes, Jenkyns.  I shall think all people of that name are kind; for here is that nice old lady who comes every day to take Phoebe a walk!”

But an idea had flashed through my head; could the Aga Jenkyns be the lost Peter?  True he was reported by many to be dead.  But, equally true, some had said that he had arrived at the dignity of Great Lama of Thibet.  Miss Matty thought he was alive.  I would make further inquiry.

CHAPTER XII—­ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED

Was the “poor Peter” of Cranford the Aga Jenkyns of Chunderabaddad, or was he not?  As somebody says, that was the question.

In my own home, whenever people had nothing else to do, they blamed me for want of discretion.  Indiscretion was my bug-bear fault.  Everybody has a bug-bear fault, a sort of standing characteristic—­ a piece de resistance for their friends to cut at; and in general they cut and come again.  I was tired of being called indiscreet and incautious; and I determined for once to prove myself a model of prudence and wisdom.  I would not even hint my suspicions respecting the Aga.  I would collect evidence and carry it home to lay before my father, as the family friend of the two Miss Jenkynses.