The failing woman reaped now the benefit of Polly's training.
Her gentle, quiet way, her soft voice, her neatness and tidiness,
made her an excellent nurse, and she devoted herself to cheer and
brighten the sickroom of the woman who had made so kind an adopted
mother to her. Her influence kept even the rough boys quiet; and
all Varley, which had at first been unanimous in its condemnation
of the manner in which Luke Marner was bringing up that "gal" of
his, just as if the place was not good enough for her, were now
forced to confess that the experiment had turned out well.

"Polly, my dear," the sick woman said to her one afternoon when
the girl had been reading to her for some time, and was now busy
mending some of the boys' clothes, while baby, nearly a year old,
was gravely amusing herself with a battered doll upon the floor, "I
used to think, though I never said so, as your feyther war making
a mistake in bringing you up different to other gals here; but
I see as he was right. There ain't one of them as would have been
content to give up all their time and thoughts to a sick woman
as thou hast done. There ain't a house in the village as tidy and
comfortable as this, and the boys mind you as they never minded me.
When I am gone Luke will miss me, but thar won't be no difference
in his comfort, and I know thou'lt look arter baby and be a mother
to her. I don't suppose as thou wilt stay here long; thou art over
fifteen now, and the lads will not be long afore they begin to
come a-coorting of thee. But doan't ee marry in Varley, Polly. My
Luke's been a good husband to me. But thou know'st what the most of
them be--they may do for Varley bred gals, but not for the like
of thee. And when thou goest take baby wi' thee and bring her up
like thysel till she be old enough to coom back and look arter Luke
and the house."