as she lives; and, after that, she shall either come and live with us,
or, if she likes it better, she shall have a provision for life--for your
sake, missus. No one who has been good to you or the child shall go
unrewarded. But even the little one will be better for some fresh stuff
about her. Get her a bright, sensible girl as a nurse: one who won't go
rubbing her with calf's-foot jelly as Norah does; wasting good stuff
outside that ought to go in, but will follow doctors' directions; which,
as you must see pretty clearly by this time, Norah won't; because they
give the poor little wench pain. Now, I'm not above being nesh for other
folks myself. I can stand a good blow, and never change colour; but, set
me in the operating-room in the infirmary, and I turn as sick as a girl.
Yet, if need were, I would hold the little wench on my knees while she
screeched with pain, if it were to do her poor back good. Nay, nay,
wench! keep your white looks for the time when it comes--I don't say it
ever will. But this I know, Norah will spare the child and cheat the
doctor if she can. Now, I say, give the bairn a year or two's chance,
and then, when the pack of doctors have done their best--and, maybe, the
old lady has gone--we'll have Norah back, or do better for her."

The pack of doctors could do no good to little Ailsie. She was beyond
their power. But her father (for so he insisted on being called, and
also on Alice's no longer retaining the appellation of Mama, but becoming
henceforward Mother), by his healthy cheerfulness of manner, his clear
decision of purpose, his odd turns and quirks of humour, added to his
real strong love for the helpless little girl, infused a new element of
brightness and confidence into her life; and, though her back remained
the same, her general health was strengthened, and Alice--never going
beyond a smile herself--had the pleasure of seeing her child taught to
laugh.