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The Child at the Brookside
"Comethou,andentreathisblessing!Helovesthee,mylittlePearl,andlovesthymother,too.Wiltthounotlovehim?Comehelongstogreetthee!"
"Dothheloveus?"saidPearl,lookingupwithacuteintelligenceintohermother’sface."Willhegobackwithus,handinhand,wethreetogether,intothetown?"
"Notnow,mychild,"answeredHester."Butindaystocomehewillwalkhandinhandwithus.Wewillhaveahomeandfiresideofourown;andthoushaltsituponhisknee;andhewillteachtheemanythings,andlovetheedearly.Thouwiltlovehim—wiltthounot?"
"Andwillhealwayskeephishandoverhisheart?"inquiredPearl.
"Foolishchild,whataquestionisthat!"exclaimedhermother."Come,andaskhisblessing!"
But,whetherinfluencedbythejealousythatseemsinstinctivewitheverypettedchildtowardsadangerousrival,orfromwhatevercapriceofherfreakishnature,Pearlwouldshownofavourtotheclergyman.Itwasonlybyanexertionofforcethathermotherbroughtheruptohim,hangingback,andmanifestingherreluctancebyoddgrimaces;ofwhich,eversinceherbabyhood,shehadpossessedasingularvariety,andcouldtransformhermobilephysiognomyintoaseriesofdifferentaspects,withanewmischiefinthem,eachandall.Theminister—painfullyembarrassed,buthopingthatakissmightproveatalismantoadmithimintothechild’skindlierregards—bentforward,andimpressedoneonherbrow
