The Amazon sat down with her, and rocked to and fro with her as if she was still a child.  “Don’t check it, my lamb,” said she; “have a good cry; never drive a cry back on your heart”; and so Lucy sobbed and sobbed, and Mrs. Wilson rocked her.

When she had done sobbing she put up a grateful face and kissed Mrs. Wilson.  But the good woman would not let her go.  She still rocked with her, and said, “Ay, ay, it wasn’t for nothing I was drawed so to go to your house that day.  I didn’t know you were there; but I was drawed.  I WAS WANTED. Tell me all, my lamb; never keep grief on your heart; give it a vent; put a part on’t on me; I do claim it; you will see how much lighter your heart will feel.  Is it a young man?”

“Oh no, no; I hate young men; I wish there were no such things.  But for them no dissension could ever have entered the house.  My uncle and aunt both loved me once, and oh! they were so kind to me.  Yes; since you permit me, I will tell you all.”

And she told her a part.

She told her the whole Talboys and Hardie part.

Mrs. Wilson took a broad and somewhat vulgar view of the distress.

“Why, Miss Lucy,” said she, “if that is all, you can soon sew up their stockings.  You don’t depend on them, anyways:  you are a young lady of property.”

“Oh, am I?”

“Sure.  I have heard your dear mother say often as all her money was settled on you by deed.  Why, you must be of age, Miss Lucy, or near it.”

“The day after to-morrow, nurse.”

“There now!  I knew your birthday could not be far off.  Well, then, you must wait till you are of age, and then, if they torment you or put on you, ‘Good-morning,’ says you; ’if we can’t agree together, let’s agree to part,’ says you.”

“What! leave my relations!!”

“It is their own fault.  Good friends before bad kindred!  They only want to make a handle of you to get ’em rich son-in-laws.  You pluck up a sperrit, Miss Lucy.  There’s no getting through the world without a bit of a sperrit.  You’ll get put upon at every turn else; and if they don’t vally you in that house, why, off to another; y’ain’t chained to their door, I do suppose.”

“But, nurse, a young lady cannot live by herself:  there is no instance of it.”

“All wisdom had a beginning.  ’Oh, shan’t I spoil the pudding once I cut it?’ quoth Jack’s wife.”

“What would people say?”

“What could they say?  You come to me, which I am all the mother you have got left upon earth, and what scandal could they make out of that, I should like to know?  Let them try it.  But don’t let me catch it atween their lips, or down they do go on the bare ground, and their caps in pieces to the winds of heaven;” and she flourished her hand and a massive arm with a gesture free, inspired, and formidable.

“Ah! nurse, with you I should indeed feel safe from every ill.  But, for all that, I shall never go beyond the usages of society.  I shall never leave my aunt’s house.”