energy. ‘In this very room — in this very bed — I once nursed a pretty young creetur’, that was brought into the house with her feet cut and bruised with walking, and all soiled with dust and blood. She gave birth to a boy, and died. Let me think — what was the year again!’

‘Never mind the year,’ said the impatient auditor; ‘what about her?’

‘Ay,’ murmured the sick woman, relapsing into her former drowsy state, ‘what about her? — what about — I know!’ she cried, jumping fiercely up: her face flushed, and her eyes starting from her head — ‘I robbed her, so I did! She wasn’t cold — I tell you she wasn’t cold, when I stole it!’