You said he was
proprietor of a public-house."
"I don't want his money; please God, we'll be able to do without it to the
end."
"If I were to die to-morrow, Esther, remember that you would be in exactly
the same position as you were when you entered my service. You remember
what that was? You have often told me there was only eighteen-pence
between you and the workhouse; you owed Mrs. Lewis two weeks' money for
the support of the child. I daresay you've saved a little money since
you've been with me, but it cannot be more than a few pounds. I don't
think that you ought to let this chance slip through your fingers, if not
for your own, for Jackie's sake. William, according to his own account, is
making money. He may become a rich man; he has no children by his wife; he
might like to leave some of his money--in any case, he'd like to leave
something--to Jackie."
"He was always given to boasting about money. I don't believe all he says
about money or anything else."
"That may be, but he may have money, and you have no right to refuse to
allow him to provide for Jackie. Supposing later on Jackie were to
reproach you?"
"Jackie'd never do that, miss; he'd know I acted for the best."
"If you again found yourself out of a situation, and saw Jackie crying for
his dinner, you'd reproach yourself.
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