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You would be in a more wholesome state of mind about yourself； my young
gentleman； if you had to earn your bread and cheese before you ate it。〃
He stared at me piteously。 The noble sentiments which I had inherited
from Doctor Pratolungo； completely bewildered Mr。 Oscar Dubourg。
〃Don't be angry with me；〃 he said； in his innocent way。 〃I couldn't eat
my cheese； if I did earn it。 I can't digest cheese。 Besides； I employ
myself as much as I can。〃 He took his little golden vase from the table
behind him； and told me what I had already heard him tell Lucilla while I
was listening at the window。 〃You would have found me at work this
morning；〃 he went on； 〃if the stupid people who send me my metal plates
had not made a mistake。 The alloy； in the gold and silver both； is all
wrong this time。 I must return the plates to be melted again before I can
do anything with them。 They are all ready to go back to…day； when the
cart comes。 If there are any laboring people here who want money； I'm
sure I will give them some of mine with the greatest pleasure。 It isn't
my fault； ma'am； that my father married my mother。 And how could I help
it if he left two thousand a year each to my brother and me？〃
Two thousand a year each to his brother and him！ And the illustrious
Pratolungo had never known what it was to have five pounds sterling at
his disposal before his union with Me！
I lifted my eyes to the ceiling。 In my righteous indignation； I forgot
Lucilla and her curiosity about OscarI forgot Oscar and his horror of
Lucilla discovering who he was。 I opened my lips to speak。 In another
moment I should have launched my thunderbolts against the whole infamous
system of modern society； when I was silenced by the most extraordinary
and unexpected interruption that ever closed a woman's lips。
CHAPTER THE TENTH
First Appearance of Jicks
THERE walked in； at the open door of the roomsoftly； suddenly； and
composedlya chubby female child； who could not possibly have been more
than three years old。 She had no hat or cap on her head。 A dirty pinafore
covered her from her chin to her feet。 This amazing apparition advanced
into the middle of the room； holding hugged under one arm a ragged and
disreputable…looking doll； stared hard； first at Oscar； then at me；
advanced to my knees； laid the disreputable doll on my lap； and； pointing
to a vacant chair at my side； claimed the rights of hospitality in these
words：
〃Jicks will sit down。〃
How was it possible； under these circumstances； to attack the infamous
system of modern society？ It was only possible to kiss 〃Jicks。〃
〃Do you know who this is？〃 I inquired； as I lifted our visitor on to the
chair。
Oscar burst out laughing。 Like me； he now saw this mysterious young lady
for the first time。 Like me； he wondered what the extraordinary nick…name
under which she had presented herself could possibly mean。
We looked at the child。 The childwith its legs stretched out straight
before it； terminating in a pair of little dusty boots with holes in
themlifted its large round eyes； overshadowed by a penthouse of
unbrushed flaxen hair； looked gravely at us in return； and made a second
call on our hospitality； as follows：
〃Jicks will have something to drink。〃
While Oscar ran into the kitchen for some milk； I succeeded in
discovering the identity of 〃Jicks。〃
SomethingI cannot well explain whatin the manner in which the child
had drifted into the room with her doll； reminded me of the lymphatic
lady of the rectory； drifting backwards and forwards with the baby in one
hand and the novel in the other。 I took the liberty of examining
〃Jicks's〃 pinafore； and discovered the mark in one corner：〃Selina
Finch。〃 Exactly as I had supposed； here was a member of Mrs。 Finch's
numerous family。 Rather a young member； as it struck me； to be wandering
hatless round the environs of Dimchurch； all by herself。
Oscar returned with the milk in a mug。 The childinsisting on taking the
mug into her own handssteadily emptied it to the last droprecovered
her breath with a gasplooked at me with a white mustache of milk on her
upper lipand announced the conclusion of her visit； in these terms：
〃Jicks will get down again。〃
I deposited our young friend on the floor。 She took her doll； and stood
for a moment deep in thought。 What was she going to do next？ We were not
kept long in suspense。 She suddenly put her little hot fat hand into
mine； and tried to pull me after her out of the room。
〃What do you want？〃 I asked。
Jicks answered in one untranslatable compound word：
〃Man…Gee…gee。〃
I suffered myself to be pulled out of the roomto see 〃Man…Gee…gee；〃 to
play 〃Man…Gee…gee；〃 or to eat 〃Man…Gee…gee；〃 it was impossible to tell
which。 I was pulled along the passageI was pulled out to the front
door。 Therehaving approached the house inaudibly to us； over the
grassstood the horse； cart； and man； waiting to take the case of gold
and silver plates back to London。 I looked at Oscar； who had followed me。
We now understood； not only the masterly compound word of Jicks
（signifying man and horse； and passing over cart as unimportant）； but the
polite attention of Jicks in entering the house to inform us； after a
rest and a drink； of a circumstance which had escaped our notice。 The
driver of the cart had； on his own acknowledgment； been investigated and
questioned by this extraordinary child； strolling up to the door of
Browndown to see what he was doing there。 Jicks was a public character at
Dimchurch。 The driver knew all about her。 She had been nicknamed 〃Gipsy〃
from her wandering habits； and had shortened the name in her own dialect；
into 〃Jicks。〃 There was no keeping her in at the rectory； try how you
might： they had long since abandoned the effort in despair。 Sooner or
later； she turned up againor somebody brought her backor one of the
sheep…dogs found her asleep under a bush； and gave the alarm。 〃What goes
on in that child's head；〃 said the driver； regarding Jicks with a sort of
superstitious admiration； 〃the Lord only knows。 She has a will of her
own； and a way of her own。 She _is_ a child； and she _aint_ a child。 At
three years of age； she's a riddle none of us can guess。 And that's the
long and the short of what I know about her。〃
While this explanation was in progress； the carpenter who had nailed up
the case； and the carpenter's son； accompanying him； joined us in front
of the house。 They followed Oscar in； and came out again； bearing the
heavy burden of precious metalmore than one man could conveniently
liftbetween them。
The case deposited in the cart； carpenter senior and carpenter junior got
in after it； wanting 〃a lift〃 to Brighton。
Carpenter senior； a big burly man； made a joke。 〃It's a lonely country
between this and Brighton； sir；〃 he said to Oscar。 Three of us will be
none too many to see your precious packing…case safe into the railway
station。〃 Oscar took it seriously。 〃Are there any robbers in this
neighborhood？〃 he asked。 〃Lord love you； sir！〃 said the driver； 〃robbers
would starve in these parts； we have got nothing worth thieving here。〃
Jicksstill watching the proceedings with an interest which allowed no
de