occurrence seemed such an age away that I should not have been surprised
to hear that the boy had grown to be a man.

I hastened up the steps, and observed that some official personage in
showy uniform was expecting me quite impatiently. "Come up, sir," he
said; "we cannot converse with your little boy."

"To be sure you can't!" said I, smiling, in spite of the dreadful
situation. "Neither can I, for the boy is deaf and dumb; but I have to
correct you, sir. The boy is not my own, although I took him out of the
carriage."

"That boy deaf and dumb? About as much as we are, I judge. Why, he is
talking incessantly, only we can't make anything out of his prattle, as
we do not understand the language," said the officer.

"Well, that's certainly a miracle!" I exclaimed, "and it bears witness
to the truth of the old proverb, 'It is an ill wind that blows nobody
any good.' Assuredly, the shock of the accident restored his power of
speech. What is he saying?"

"I told you we can't make it out. It's a language that none of us
understand."

"Then I hardly suppose that I shall be cleverer than all of you."

"Whose child is it, if not yours?"

"Some rich nabob's. I can't at the moment recall his name, although the
governess told me, poor soul! We were thrown together by chance, and the