Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/115

Rh "What signifies!" replied she in some excitement. "You'll wan't somebody to clean and wash, and cook, won't you? I can do all that; and never mind the wages—I've my bits o' savings yet, and if you wouldn't take me, I should have to find my own board and lodging out of 'em somewhere, or else work among strangers—and it's what I'm not used to—so you can please yourself ma'm." Her voice quavered as she spoke, and the tears stood in her eyes.

"I should like it above all things, Rachel, and I'd give you such wages as I could afford—such as I should give to any servant of all work I might employ; but don't you see I should be dragging you down with me, when you have done nothing to deserve it?"

"Oh, fiddle!" ejaculated she.

"And besides, my future way of living will be so widely different to the past—so different to all you have been accustomed to——"

"Do you think, mam, I can't bear what my