"And why will it not do to-morrow, Jenny, my good woman?" said Dame
Ursley; "for I have been as far as Whitehall to-day already, and I am
well-nigh worn off my feet, my good woman."
"Aweel!" answered Jenny, with great composure, "and if that sae be
sae, I maun take the langer tramp mysell, and maun gae down the
waterside for auld Mother Redcap, at the Hungerford Stairs, that deals
in comforting young creatures, e'en as you do yoursell, hinny; for ane
o' ye the bairn maun see before she sleeps, and that's a' that I ken
on't."
So saying, the old emissary, without farther entreaty, turned on her
heel, and was about to retreat, when Dame Ursley exclaimed,--"No, no--
if the sweet child, your mistress, has any necessary occasion for good
advice and kind tendance, you need not go to Mother Redcap, Janet. She
may do very well for skippers' wives, chandlers' daughters, and such
like; but nobody shall wait on pretty Mistress Margaret, the daughter
of his most Sacred Majesty's horologer, excepting and saving myself.
And so I will but take my chopins and my cloak, and put on my muffler,
and cross the street to neighbour Ramsay's in an instant. But tell me
yourself, good Jenny, are you not something tired of your young lady's
frolics and change of mind twenty times a-day?"
"In troth, not I," said the patient drudge, "unless it may be when she
is a wee fashious about washing her laces; but I have been her keeper
since she was a bairn, neighbour Suddlechop, and that makes a
difference.
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