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'Well； Mr Meagles； say no more about it now it's over；' urged a cheerful
feminine voice。
'Over！' repeated Mr Meagles； who appeared （though without any
ill…nature） to be in that peculiar state of mind in which the last word
spoken by anybody else is a new injury。 'Over！ and why should I say no
more about it because it's over？'
It was Mrs Meagles who had spoken to Mr Meagles； and Mrs Meagles was；
like Mr Meagles； ely and healthy； with a pleasant English face which
had been looking at homely things for five…and…fifty years or more； and
shone with a bright reflection of them。
'There！ Never mind； Father； never mind！' said Mrs Meagles。 'For goodness
sake content yourself with Pet。'
'With Pet？' repeated Mr Meagles in his injured vein。 Pet； however；
being close behind him； touched him on the shoulder； and Mr Meagles
immediately forgave Marseilles from the bottom of his heart。
Pet was about twenty。 A fair girl with rich brown hair hanging free in
natural ringlets。 A lovely girl； with a frank face； and wonderful eyes；
so large； so soft； so bright； set to such perfection in her kind good
head。 She was round and fresh and dimpled and spoilt； and there was in
Pet an air of timidity and dependence which was the best weakness in
the world； and gave her the only crowning charm a girl so pretty and
pleasant could have been without。
'Now； I ask you；' said Mr Meagles in the blandest confidence； falling
back a step himself； and handing his daughter a step forward to
illustrate his question： 'I ask you simply； as between man and man；
you know； DID you ever hear of such damned nonsense as putting Pet in
quarantine？'
'It has had the result of making even quarantine enjoyable。' 'e！'
said Mr Meagles； 'that's something to be sure。 I am obliged to you for
that remark。 Now； Pet； my darling； you had better go along with Mother
and get ready for the boat。 The officer of health； and a variety of
humbugs in cocked hats； are ing off to let us out of this at last：
and all we jail…birds are to breakfast together in something approaching
to a Christian style again； before we take wing for our different
destinations。 Tattycoram； stick you close to your young mistress。'
He spoke to a handsome girl with lustrous dark hair and eyes； and very
neatly dressed； who replied with a half curtsey as she passed off in the
train of Mrs Meagles and Pet。 They crossed the bare scorched terrace
all three together； and disappeared through a staring white archway。
Mr Meagles's panion； a grave dark man of forty； still stood looking
towards this archway after they were gone； until Mr Meagles tapped him
on the arm。
'I beg your pardon；' said he； starting。
'Not at all；' said Mr Meagles。
They took one silent turn backward and forward in the shade of the wall；
getting； at the height on which the quarantine barracks are placed； what
cool refreshment of sea breeze there was at seven in the morning。 Mr
Meagles's panion resumed the conversation。
'May I ask you；' he said； 'what is the name of……'
'Tattycoram？' Mr Meagles struck in。 'I have not the least idea。'
'I thought；' said the other； 'that……'
'Tattycoram？' suggested Mr Meagles again。
'Thank you……that Tattycoram was a name； and I have several times
wondered at the oddity of it。'
'Why； the fact is；' said Mr Meagles； 'Mrs Meagles and myself are； you
see； practical people。'
'That you have frequently mentioned in the course of the agreeable and
interesting conversations we have had together； walking up and down on
these stones；' said the other； with a half smile breaking through the
gravity of his dark face。
'Practical people。 So one day； five or six years ago now； when we took
Pet to church at the Foundling……you have heard of the Foundling Hospital
in London？ Similar to the Institution for the Found Children in Paris？'
'I have seen it。'
'Well！ One day when we took Pet to church there to hear the
music……because； as practical people； it is the business of our lives to
show her everything that we think can please her……Mother （my usual name
for Mrs Meagles） began to cry so； that it was necessary to take her out。
〃What's the matter； Mother？〃 said I； when we had brought her a little
round： 〃you are frightening Pet； my dear。〃 〃Yes； I know that； Father；〃
says Mother； 〃but I think it's through my loving her so much； that it
ever came into my head。〃 〃That ever what came into your head； Mother？〃
〃O dear； dear！〃 cried Mother； breaking out again； 〃when I saw all those
children ranged tier above tier； and appealing from the father none of
them has ever known on earth； to the great Father of us all in Heaven；
I thought； does any wretched mother ever e here； and look among those
young faces； wondering which is the poor child she brought into this
forlorn world； never through all its life to know her love； her kiss；
her face； her voice； even her name！〃 Now that was practical in Mother；
and I told her so。 I said； 〃Mother； that's what I call practical in you；
my dear。〃'
The other； not unmoved； assented。
'So I said next day： Now； Mother； I have a proposition to make that I
think you'll approve of。 Let us take one of those same little children
to be a little maid to Pet。 We are practical people。 So if we should
find her temper a little defective； or any of her ways a little wide
of ours； we shall know what we have to take into account。 We shall
know what an immense deduction must be made from all the influences and
experiences that have formed us……no parents； no child…brother or sister；
no individuality of home； no Glass Slipper； or Fairy Godmother。 And
that's the way we came by Tattycoram。'
'And the name itself……'
'By George！' said Mr Meagles； 'I was forgetting the name itself。 Why；
she was called in the Institution； Harriet Beadle……an arbitrary name；
of course。 Now； Harriet we changed into Hattey； and then into Tatty；
because； as practical people； we thought even a playful name might be
a new thing to her； and might have a softening and affectionate kind of
effect； don't you see？ As to Beadle； that I needn't say was wholly out
of the question。 If there is anything that is not to be tolerated on
any terms； anything that is a type of Jack…in…office insolence and
absurdity； anything that represents in coats； waistcoats； and big sticks
our English holding on by nonsense after every one has found it out； it
is a beadle。 You haven't seen a beadle lately？'
'As an Englishman who has been more than twenty years in China； no。'
'Then；' said Mr Meagles； laying his forefinger on his panion's breast
with great animation； 'don't you see a beadle； now； if you can help it。
Whenever I see a beadle in full fig； ing down a street on a Sunday
at the head of a charity school； I am obliged to turn and run away； or
I should hit him。 The name of Beadle being out of the question； and the
originator of the Institution for these poor foundlings having been a
blessed creature of the name of Coram； we gave that name to Pet's little
maid。 At one time she was Tatty； and at one time she was Coram； until we
got into a way of mixing the two names together； and now she is always
Tattycoram。'
'Your daughter；' said the other； when they had taken another silent turn
to and fro； and； after standing for a moment at the wall glancing down
at the sea； had resumed their walk； 'is your only child； I know； Mr
Meagles。 May I ask you……in no impertinent curiosity； but because I have
had so much pleasure in your society； may never in this labyrinth of
a world exchange a quiet word with you again； and wish to preserve an
accurate remembrance of you and yours……may I ask you； if I have not
gathered from your good wife that you have had other children？'
'No。 No；' said Mr Meagles。 'Not exactly other children。 One other
child。'
'I am afraid I have inadvertently touched upon a tender theme。'
'Never mind；' said Mr Meagles。 'If I am grave about it； I am not at all
sorroent； but does not make me unhappy。 Pet
had a twin sister who died when we could just see her eyes……exactly like
Pet's……above the table； as she stood on tiptoe holding by it。'
'Ah！ indeed； indeed！'
'Yes； and being practical people； a result has gradually sprung up in
t