Podcast Appearances
"'When she was a child,' he said, lifting up his head soon after we were left alone.
She used to talk to me a deal about the sea, and about them coasts where the sea got to be dark blue, and to lay a-shinin' and a-shinin' in the sun.
I thought, odd times, as her father bein' drownded made her think on it so much.
I dunno, you see, but maybe she believed, or hoped, he had drifted out to them parts where the flowers is always a-blowin' and the country bright.
It is likely to have been a childish fancy, I replied.
"'When she was lost,' said Mr. Peggedy, "'I knowed in my mind as he would take her to them countries.
"'I knowed in my mind as he'd have told her wonders of him, "'and how she was to be a lady there, "'and how he got her to listen to him fussed along, oh, such like.
"'When we see his mother, I knowed quite well as I was right.
"'I went across Channel to France, "'and landed there as if I'd fell down from the sky.'
I saw the door move, and the snow drift in.
I saw it move a little more, and a hand softly interposed to keep it open.
"'I found an English gentleman as was in authority,' said Mr. Peggedy, "'and told him I was a-going to seek my niece.
He got me them papers as I wanted for to carry me through.
I don't rightly know how they're called, and he would have give me money, but that I was thankful to have no need on.
I thanked him kind for he had done, I am sure.'
"'I wrote afore you,' he says to me, "'and I shall speak to many as will come that way, "'and many will know you for distant from here, "'when you're a-travelling alone.'
"'I told him, best as I was able, what my gratitude was, "'and went away through France.'