a little slow for human life. So delicate! Attending court the other day⁠—I attend it regularly, with my documents⁠—I taxed him with it, and he almost confessed. That is, I smiled at him from my bench, and he smiled at me from his bench. But it’s great good fortune, is it not? And Fitz-Jarndyce lays the money out for me to great advantage. Oh, I assure you to the greatest advantage!”

I congratulated her (as she addressed herself to me) upon this fortunate addition to her income and wished her a long continuance of it. I did not speculate upon the source from which it came or wonder whose humanity was so considerate. My guardian stood before me, contemplating the birds, and I had no need to look beyond him.

“And what do you call these little fellows, ma’am?” said he in his pleasant voice. “Have they any names?”

“I can answer for Miss Flite that they have,” said I, “for she promised to tell us what they were. Ada remembers?”