天亮了，天色陰沉沉的。彤雲低垂，寒風刺骨，眼看要飛雪花了。屋裏睡着個孩子， 一名女僕走了進來，拉開窗簾。她朝對面的房子，一幢正門前築有柱廊的灰泥房子，無 意識地望了一眼，然後走到孩子床邊。
“醒醒，菲利普，”她說。
她掀開被子，抱起孩子，帶他下了樓。孩子迷迷糊糊的，還未醒透。
“你媽媽要你去哩，”她說。
她來到下面一層樓，推開一間屋子的房門，將小孩抱到床前。床上躺着一位婦人， 是孩子的母親。她張開雙臂，讓孩子依偎在自己身邊。孩子沒問為什麽要在這時候將他 喚醒。婦人吻吻孩子的眼睛，並用那雙纖弱的小手，隔着孩子的白法蘭絨睡衣，撫摩他 溫暖的身子。她讓孩子貼緊自己的身子。
“還睏嗎，寶貝？”她說。
她的聲音輕輕悠悠，仿佛是從遠處飄來。孩子沒有應聲，衹是愜意地微微一笑，躺 在這張暖和的大床上，又被溫柔的雙臂摟着，感到有種說不出的快意。孩子緊偎着母親， 蜷起身子，想讓自己縮得更小些；他睡意矇矓地吻着母親。不一會，他闔上眼皮，酣然 入夢了。醫生走過來，站在床前。
“噢，別現在就把他抱走，”婦人悲戚地說。
醫生神情嚴肅地望着她，沒有答話。婦人心裏明白醫生不會讓孩子在她身邊呆多久 的，她又一次親親孩子；她撫摸着孩子的身體，手指輕輕下持，最後觸到孩子的下肢； 她把右腳捏在手裏，撫弄着那五個小腳趾。接着又慢慢地把手伸到左腳上。她抽搭了一 聲。
“怎麽啦？”醫生說，“你纍了。”
她搖搖頭，哽咽着說不出話來，眼淚沿着雙頰撲籟而下。醫生彎子。
“讓我來抱他。”
她心力交瘁，無力違拗醫生的意願，衹得任他抱走了孩子。醫生把孩子交還給保姆。
“最好還是把孩子送回自己的床上去。”
“好的，先生。”
仍在呼呼熟睡的孩子被抱開了。做母親的這時萬箭鑽心，低聲嗚咽起來。
“可憐的孩子，不知他將來會怎麽樣呢？”
侍候産婦的看護在一旁好言勸慰，想讓她平靜下來。隔了一會，她由於精疲力竭而 停止了哭泣。醫生走到房間另一側的一張桌子跟前，桌上有具死嬰，用毛巾蒙着。他揭 開毛巾看了看。雖然醫生的身子被屏風遮住，但床上的産婦還是猜着了他在幹什麽。
“是女的還是男的？”她低聲問看護。
“又是個男孩。”
婦人沒有再吭聲。不一會，孩子的保姆回來了。她走到床頭前。
“菲利普少爺睡得很香，”她說。
一陣沉默。醫生又給病人搭脈。
“我想這會兒沒我的事了，”他說。“早飯後我再來。”
“讓我領您出去，”孩子的保姆說。
他們默然不語地步下樓梯。到了門廳，醫生收住腳步。
“你們派人去請凱裏太太的大伯了，是嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“你知道他什麽時候能到這兒？”
“不知道，先生，我正在等電報。”
“那小孩怎麽辦？我覺得最好把他領開去。”
“沃特金小姐說她願意照看孩子，先生。”
“這位小姐是誰？”
“是孩子的教母，先生。您認為凱裏太太的病還能好嗎，先生？”
醫生搖搖頭。
"Wake up, Philip, " she said.
She pulled down the bed-clothes, took him in her arms, and carried him downstairs. He was only half awake.
"Your mother wants you, " she said.
She opened the door of a room on the floor below and took the child over to a bed in which a woman was lying. It was his mother. She stretched out her arms, and the child nestled by her side. He did not ask why he had been awakened. The woman kissed his eyes, and with thin, small hands felt the warm body through his white flannel nightgown. She pressed him closer to herself.
"Are you sleepy, darling?" she said.
Her voice was so weak that it seemed to come already from a great distance. The child did not answer, but smiled comfortably. He was very happy in the large, warm bed, with those soft arms about him. He tried to make himself smaller still as he cuddled up against his mother, and he kissed her sleepily. In a moment he closed his eyes and was fast asleep. The doctor came forwards and stood by the bed-side.
"Oh, don't take him away yet, " she moaned.
The doctor, without answering, looked at her gravely. Knowing she would not be allowed to keep the child much longer, the woman kissed him again; and she passed her hand down his body till she came to his feet; she held the right foot in her hand and felt the five small toes; and then slowly passed her hand over the left one. She gave a sob.
"What's the matter?" said the doctor. "You're tired. "
She shook her head, unable to speak, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. The doctor bent down.
"Let me take him. "
She was too weak to resist his wish, and she gave the child up. The doctor handed him back to his nurse.
"You'd better put him back in his own bed. "
"Very well, sir. " The little boy, still sleeping, was taken away. His mother sobbed now broken-heartedly.
"What will happen to him, poor child?"
The monthly nurse tried to quiet her, and presently, from exhaustion, the crying ceased. The doctor walked to a table on the other side of the room, upon which, under a towel, lay the body of a still-born child. He lifted the towel and looked. He was hidden from the bed by a screen, but the woman guessed what he was doing.
"Was it a girl or a boy?" she whispered to the nurse.
"Another boy. "
The woman did not answer. In a moment the child's nurse came back. She approached the bed.
"Master Philip never woke up, " she said. There was a pause. Then the doctor felt his patient's pulse once more.
"I don't think there's anything I can do just now, " he said. "I'll call again after breakfast. "
"I'll show you out, sir, " said the child's nurse.
They walked downstairs in silence. In the hall the doctor stopped.
"You've sent for Mrs. Carey's brother-in-law, haven't you?"
"Yes, sir. "
"D'you know at what time he'll be here?"
"No, sir, I'm expecting a telegram. "
"What about the little boy? I should think he'd be better out of the way. "
"Miss Watkin said she'd take him, sir. "
"Who's she?"
"She's his godmother, sir. D'you think Mrs. Carey will get over it, sir?"
The doctor shook his head.
“醒醒，菲利普，”她說。
她掀開被子，抱起孩子，帶他下了樓。孩子迷迷糊糊的，還未醒透。
“你媽媽要你去哩，”她說。
她來到下面一層樓，推開一間屋子的房門，將小孩抱到床前。床上躺着一位婦人， 是孩子的母親。她張開雙臂，讓孩子依偎在自己身邊。孩子沒問為什麽要在這時候將他 喚醒。婦人吻吻孩子的眼睛，並用那雙纖弱的小手，隔着孩子的白法蘭絨睡衣，撫摩他 溫暖的身子。她讓孩子貼緊自己的身子。
“還睏嗎，寶貝？”她說。
她的聲音輕輕悠悠，仿佛是從遠處飄來。孩子沒有應聲，衹是愜意地微微一笑，躺 在這張暖和的大床上，又被溫柔的雙臂摟着，感到有種說不出的快意。孩子緊偎着母親， 蜷起身子，想讓自己縮得更小些；他睡意矇矓地吻着母親。不一會，他闔上眼皮，酣然 入夢了。醫生走過來，站在床前。
“噢，別現在就把他抱走，”婦人悲戚地說。
醫生神情嚴肅地望着她，沒有答話。婦人心裏明白醫生不會讓孩子在她身邊呆多久 的，她又一次親親孩子；她撫摸着孩子的身體，手指輕輕下持，最後觸到孩子的下肢； 她把右腳捏在手裏，撫弄着那五個小腳趾。接着又慢慢地把手伸到左腳上。她抽搭了一 聲。
“怎麽啦？”醫生說，“你纍了。”
她搖搖頭，哽咽着說不出話來，眼淚沿着雙頰撲籟而下。醫生彎子。
“讓我來抱他。”
她心力交瘁，無力違拗醫生的意願，衹得任他抱走了孩子。醫生把孩子交還給保姆。
“最好還是把孩子送回自己的床上去。”
“好的，先生。”
仍在呼呼熟睡的孩子被抱開了。做母親的這時萬箭鑽心，低聲嗚咽起來。
“可憐的孩子，不知他將來會怎麽樣呢？”
侍候産婦的看護在一旁好言勸慰，想讓她平靜下來。隔了一會，她由於精疲力竭而 停止了哭泣。醫生走到房間另一側的一張桌子跟前，桌上有具死嬰，用毛巾蒙着。他揭 開毛巾看了看。雖然醫生的身子被屏風遮住，但床上的産婦還是猜着了他在幹什麽。
“是女的還是男的？”她低聲問看護。
“又是個男孩。”
婦人沒有再吭聲。不一會，孩子的保姆回來了。她走到床頭前。
“菲利普少爺睡得很香，”她說。
一陣沉默。醫生又給病人搭脈。
“我想這會兒沒我的事了，”他說。“早飯後我再來。”
“讓我領您出去，”孩子的保姆說。
他們默然不語地步下樓梯。到了門廳，醫生收住腳步。
“你們派人去請凱裏太太的大伯了，是嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“你知道他什麽時候能到這兒？”
“不知道，先生，我正在等電報。”
“那小孩怎麽辦？我覺得最好把他領開去。”
“沃特金小姐說她願意照看孩子，先生。”
“這位小姐是誰？”
“是孩子的教母，先生。您認為凱裏太太的病還能好嗎，先生？”
醫生搖搖頭。
"Wake up, Philip, " she said.
She pulled down the bed-clothes, took him in her arms, and carried him downstairs. He was only half awake.
"Your mother wants you, " she said.
She opened the door of a room on the floor below and took the child over to a bed in which a woman was lying. It was his mother. She stretched out her arms, and the child nestled by her side. He did not ask why he had been awakened. The woman kissed his eyes, and with thin, small hands felt the warm body through his white flannel nightgown. She pressed him closer to herself.
"Are you sleepy, darling?" she said.
Her voice was so weak that it seemed to come already from a great distance. The child did not answer, but smiled comfortably. He was very happy in the large, warm bed, with those soft arms about him. He tried to make himself smaller still as he cuddled up against his mother, and he kissed her sleepily. In a moment he closed his eyes and was fast asleep. The doctor came forwards and stood by the bed-side.
"Oh, don't take him away yet, " she moaned.
The doctor, without answering, looked at her gravely. Knowing she would not be allowed to keep the child much longer, the woman kissed him again; and she passed her hand down his body till she came to his feet; she held the right foot in her hand and felt the five small toes; and then slowly passed her hand over the left one. She gave a sob.
"What's the matter?" said the doctor. "You're tired. "
She shook her head, unable to speak, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. The doctor bent down.
"Let me take him. "
She was too weak to resist his wish, and she gave the child up. The doctor handed him back to his nurse.
"You'd better put him back in his own bed. "
"Very well, sir. " The little boy, still sleeping, was taken away. His mother sobbed now broken-heartedly.
"What will happen to him, poor child?"
The monthly nurse tried to quiet her, and presently, from exhaustion, the crying ceased. The doctor walked to a table on the other side of the room, upon which, under a towel, lay the body of a still-born child. He lifted the towel and looked. He was hidden from the bed by a screen, but the woman guessed what he was doing.
"Was it a girl or a boy?" she whispered to the nurse.
"Another boy. "
The woman did not answer. In a moment the child's nurse came back. She approached the bed.
"Master Philip never woke up, " she said. There was a pause. Then the doctor felt his patient's pulse once more.
"I don't think there's anything I can do just now, " he said. "I'll call again after breakfast. "
"I'll show you out, sir, " said the child's nurse.
They walked downstairs in silence. In the hall the doctor stopped.
"You've sent for Mrs. Carey's brother-in-law, haven't you?"
"Yes, sir. "
"D'you know at what time he'll be here?"
"No, sir, I'm expecting a telegram. "
"What about the little boy? I should think he'd be better out of the way. "
"Miss Watkin said she'd take him, sir. "
"Who's she?"
"She's his godmother, sir. D'you think Mrs. Carey will get over it, sir?"
The doctor shook his head.
一個星期之後。翁斯洛花園街上的沃特金小姐公館。菲利普正坐在客廳的地板上。他沒有兄弟姐妹，已習慣於獨個兒玩耍取樂。客廳裏擺滿了厚實的傢具，每張長沙發上都有三衹大靠墊。每張安樂椅上也放着一隻椅墊。菲利普把這些軟墊全拿過來，又藉助於幾張輕巧而易於挪動的鍍金雕花靠背椅，煞費苦心地搭成個洞穴。他藏身在這兒，就可以躲開那些潛伏在帷幔後面的印第安人。菲利普把耳朵貼近地板，諦聽野牛群在草原上狂奔疾馳。不一會兒，他聽見門打開了，趕緊銷聲斂息，生怕被人發現；但是，一隻有力的手猛地拖開靠背椅，軟墊紛紛跌落在地。
“淘氣鬼，你要惹沃特金小姐生氣啦。”
“你好啊，埃瑪？”他說。
保姆彎下腰吻了吻他，然後將軟墊抖抖幹淨，一隻衹放回原處。
“我該回傢了，是嗎？”他問道。
“是呀，我特地來領你的。”
“你穿了件新衣裙哩。”
這是一八八五年。她身上穿一件黑天鵝絨裙袍，腰裏襯着裙撐，窄袖削肩，裙子上鑲了三條寬荷葉邊；頭上戴一頂係有天鵝絨飾帶的黑色無邊帽。她猶豫起來。她原以為孩子一見面，一定會提出那個問題，結果壓根兒沒提，這一來，她預先準備好的回答也就無從出口了。
“你不想問問你媽媽身體好嗎？”最後她衹好自己這麽說了。
“噢，我忘了。媽媽身體好嗎？”
埃瑪這會兒胸有成竹。
“你媽媽身體很好，也很快活。”
“哦，我真高興。”
“你媽媽已經去了，你再也見不着她了。”
菲利普沒聽懂她的意思。
“為什麽見不着了？”
“你媽媽已在天國裏了。”
埃瑪失聲痛哭，菲利普雖不完全明白是怎麽回事，但也跟着號喝起來。埃瑪是個高身材、寬骨架的婦人，一頭金頭，長得粗眉大眼。她是德文郡人，儘管在倫敦幫傭多年，卻始終鄉音未改。她這麽一哭可真動了感情，難以自禁；她一把將孩子緊摟在懷裏。她心頭隱隱生出一股憐憫之情：這可憐的孩子被剝奪了他在人世間唯一的愛，那種自古至今純屬無私的愛。眼看着非得把他交到陌生人手裏，真有點叫人心寒。過了不多一會兒，她漸漸平靜下來。
“你威廉大伯正等着見你呢，”她說，“去對沃特金小姐說聲再見，我們要回傢了。”
“我不想去說什麽再見，”他回答說。出於本能，他不想讓人看到自己在哭鼻子。
“好吧，那就快上樓去拿帽子。”
菲利普拿了帽子，回到樓下，埃瑪正在門廳裏等着。菲利普聽到餐室後面的書房裏有人在說話。他站定身子。他明白是沃特金小姐和她姐姐在同朋友談心；他這個九歲的孩子似乎感到，要是自己這時候闖進去，說不定她們會為他傷心難過的。
“我想我還是應該去對沃特金小姐說聲再見。”
“我想也是去說一聲的好，”埃瑪說。
“那你就進去通報說我來了，”他說。
菲利普希望能充分利用這次機會。埃瑪敲敲門，走了進去。他聽見她說：
“小姐，菲利普少爺嚮您告別來了。”
談話聲戛然而止；菲利普一瘸一拐地走了進來。亨麗埃塔。沃特金是個身材敦實的女子，臉色紅潤，頭髮是染過的。在那個年頭，染發頗招物議，記得教母剛把頭髮染了的那陣子，菲利普在自己傢裏就聽到過不少閑話。沃特金小姐和姐姐住在一起。這位姐姐樂天知命，打算就此安心養老了。有兩位菲利普不認識的太太正在這兒作客，她們用好奇的眼光打量着菲利普。
“我可憐的孩子。”沃特金小姐說着張開了雙臂。
她嗚嗚哭了起來。菲利普這會兒明白過來為什麽她剛纔沒在傢吃午飯，為什麽今天她要穿一身黑衣。沃特金小姐嗚咽着說不出話來。
“我得回傢去了，”菲利普最後這麽說。
菲利普從沃特金小姐懷裏脫出身來；她又一次來了親這孩子。然後，菲利普走到教母的姐姐跟前，也對她說了聲再見。陌生太太中的一位問菲利普是否可以讓她吻一下，菲利普一本正經地表示可以。雖說他在不住流眼淚，但是對於眼前這種由自己引起的傷感場面，倒覺得挺帶勁的。他很樂意再在這兒多呆一會，讓她們在自己身上淋漓盡致地發泄一通，不過又感到她們巴不得自己快點走開，於是便推說埃瑪正在等他，徑自走出了書房。埃瑪已到地下室同她的女友拉傢常去了，菲利普就守在樓梯平臺處等她。他能聽到亨麗埃塔·沃特金的說話聲音。
“他母親是我最要好的朋友。想到她竟這麽去了，心裏真受不了。”
“你本來就不該去參加葬禮，亨麗埃塔，”她姐姐說，“我知道你去了會難過的。”
一位女客接口了。
“可憐的小傢夥，就這麽孤苦伶仃地活在人世上，想想也可怕。我見他走路腿還有點瘸呢！”
“是呀，他生下來一隻腳就是畸形的。因為這個，他母親生前可傷心哩。”
這時，埃瑪回來了。他們叫了一輛馬車，埃瑪將去處告訴了車夫。
"You naughty boy, Miss Watkin WILL be cross with you. "
"Hulloa, Emma!" he said.
The nurse bent down and kissed him, then began to shake out the cushions, and put them back in their places.
"Am I to come home?" he asked.
"Yes, I've come to fetch you. "
"You've got a new dress on. "
It was in eighteen-eighty-five, and she wore a bustle. Her gown was of black velvet, with tight sleeves and sloping shoulders, and the skirt had three large flounces. She wore a black bonnet with velvet strings. She hesitated. The question she had expected did not come, and so she could not give the answer she had prepared.
"Aren't you going to ask how your mamma is?" she said at length.
"Oh, I forgot. How is mamma?"
Now she was ready.
"Your mamma is quite well and happy. "
"Oh, I am glad. "
"Your mamma's gone away. You won't ever see her any more. " Philip did not know what she meant.
"Why not?"
"Your mamma's in heaven. "
She began to cry, and Philip, though he did not quite understand, cried too. Emma was a tall, big-boned woman, with fair hair and large features. She came from Devonshire and, notwithstanding her many years of service in London, had never lost the breadth of her accent. Her tears increased her emotion, and she pressed the little boy to her heart. She felt vaguely the pity of that child deprived of the only love in the world that is quite unselfish. It seemed dreadful that he must be handed over to strangers. But in a little while she pulled herself together.
"Your Uncle William is waiting in to see you, " she said. "Go and say good-bye to Miss Watkin, and we'll go home. "
"I don't want to say good-bye, " he answered, instinctively anxious to hide his tears.
"Very well, run upstairs and get your hat. "
He fetched it, and when he came down Emma was waiting for him in the hall. He heard the sound of voices in the study behind the dining-room. He paused. He knew that Miss Watkin and her sister were talking to friends, and it seemed to him--he was nine years old--that if he went in they would be sorry for him.
"I think I'll go and say good-bye to Miss Watkin. "
"I think you'd better, " said Emma.
"Go in and tell them I'm coming, " he said.
He wished to make the most of his opportunity. Emma knocked at the door and walked in. He heard her speak.
"Master Philip wants to say good-bye to you, miss. "
There was a sudden hush of the conversation, and Philip limped in. Henrietta Watkin was a stout woman, with a red face and dyed hair. In those days to dye the hair excited comment, and Philip had heard much gossip at home when his godmother's changed colour. She lived with an elder sister, who had resigned herself contentedly to old age. Two ladies, whom Philip did not know, were calling, and they looked at him curiously.
"My poor child, " said Miss Watkin, opening her arms.
She began to cry. Philip understood now why she had not been in to luncheon and why she wore a black dress. She could not speak.
"I've got to go home, " said Philip, at last.
He disengaged himself from Miss Watkin's arms, and she kissed him again. Then he went to her sister and bade her good-bye too. One of the strange ladies asked if she might kiss him, and he gravely gave her permission. Though crying, he keenly enjoyed the sensation he was causing; he would have been glad to stay a little longer to be made much of, but felt they expected him to go, so he said that Emma was waiting for him. He went out of the room. Emma had gone downstairs to speak with a friend in the basement, and he waited for her on the landing. He heard Henrietta Watkin's voice.
"His mother was my greatest friend. I can't bear to think that she's dead. "
"You oughtn't to have gone to the funeral, Henrietta, " said her sister. "I knew it would upset you. "
Then one of the strangers spoke.
"Poor little boy, it's dreadful to think of him quite alone in the world. I see he limps. "
"Yes, he's got a club-foot. It was such a grief to his mother. "
Then Emma came back. They called a hansom, and she told the driver where to go.
“淘氣鬼，你要惹沃特金小姐生氣啦。”
“你好啊，埃瑪？”他說。
保姆彎下腰吻了吻他，然後將軟墊抖抖幹淨，一隻衹放回原處。
“我該回傢了，是嗎？”他問道。
“是呀，我特地來領你的。”
“你穿了件新衣裙哩。”
這是一八八五年。她身上穿一件黑天鵝絨裙袍，腰裏襯着裙撐，窄袖削肩，裙子上鑲了三條寬荷葉邊；頭上戴一頂係有天鵝絨飾帶的黑色無邊帽。她猶豫起來。她原以為孩子一見面，一定會提出那個問題，結果壓根兒沒提，這一來，她預先準備好的回答也就無從出口了。
“你不想問問你媽媽身體好嗎？”最後她衹好自己這麽說了。
“噢，我忘了。媽媽身體好嗎？”
埃瑪這會兒胸有成竹。
“你媽媽身體很好，也很快活。”
“哦，我真高興。”
“你媽媽已經去了，你再也見不着她了。”
菲利普沒聽懂她的意思。
“為什麽見不着了？”
“你媽媽已在天國裏了。”
埃瑪失聲痛哭，菲利普雖不完全明白是怎麽回事，但也跟着號喝起來。埃瑪是個高身材、寬骨架的婦人，一頭金頭，長得粗眉大眼。她是德文郡人，儘管在倫敦幫傭多年，卻始終鄉音未改。她這麽一哭可真動了感情，難以自禁；她一把將孩子緊摟在懷裏。她心頭隱隱生出一股憐憫之情：這可憐的孩子被剝奪了他在人世間唯一的愛，那種自古至今純屬無私的愛。眼看着非得把他交到陌生人手裏，真有點叫人心寒。過了不多一會兒，她漸漸平靜下來。
“你威廉大伯正等着見你呢，”她說，“去對沃特金小姐說聲再見，我們要回傢了。”
“我不想去說什麽再見，”他回答說。出於本能，他不想讓人看到自己在哭鼻子。
“好吧，那就快上樓去拿帽子。”
菲利普拿了帽子，回到樓下，埃瑪正在門廳裏等着。菲利普聽到餐室後面的書房裏有人在說話。他站定身子。他明白是沃特金小姐和她姐姐在同朋友談心；他這個九歲的孩子似乎感到，要是自己這時候闖進去，說不定她們會為他傷心難過的。
“我想我還是應該去對沃特金小姐說聲再見。”
“我想也是去說一聲的好，”埃瑪說。
“那你就進去通報說我來了，”他說。
菲利普希望能充分利用這次機會。埃瑪敲敲門，走了進去。他聽見她說：
“小姐，菲利普少爺嚮您告別來了。”
談話聲戛然而止；菲利普一瘸一拐地走了進來。亨麗埃塔。沃特金是個身材敦實的女子，臉色紅潤，頭髮是染過的。在那個年頭，染發頗招物議，記得教母剛把頭髮染了的那陣子，菲利普在自己傢裏就聽到過不少閑話。沃特金小姐和姐姐住在一起。這位姐姐樂天知命，打算就此安心養老了。有兩位菲利普不認識的太太正在這兒作客，她們用好奇的眼光打量着菲利普。
“我可憐的孩子。”沃特金小姐說着張開了雙臂。
她嗚嗚哭了起來。菲利普這會兒明白過來為什麽她剛纔沒在傢吃午飯，為什麽今天她要穿一身黑衣。沃特金小姐嗚咽着說不出話來。
“我得回傢去了，”菲利普最後這麽說。
菲利普從沃特金小姐懷裏脫出身來；她又一次來了親這孩子。然後，菲利普走到教母的姐姐跟前，也對她說了聲再見。陌生太太中的一位問菲利普是否可以讓她吻一下，菲利普一本正經地表示可以。雖說他在不住流眼淚，但是對於眼前這種由自己引起的傷感場面，倒覺得挺帶勁的。他很樂意再在這兒多呆一會，讓她們在自己身上淋漓盡致地發泄一通，不過又感到她們巴不得自己快點走開，於是便推說埃瑪正在等他，徑自走出了書房。埃瑪已到地下室同她的女友拉傢常去了，菲利普就守在樓梯平臺處等她。他能聽到亨麗埃塔·沃特金的說話聲音。
“他母親是我最要好的朋友。想到她竟這麽去了，心裏真受不了。”
“你本來就不該去參加葬禮，亨麗埃塔，”她姐姐說，“我知道你去了會難過的。”
一位女客接口了。
“可憐的小傢夥，就這麽孤苦伶仃地活在人世上，想想也可怕。我見他走路腿還有點瘸呢！”
“是呀，他生下來一隻腳就是畸形的。因為這個，他母親生前可傷心哩。”
這時，埃瑪回來了。他們叫了一輛馬車，埃瑪將去處告訴了車夫。
"You naughty boy, Miss Watkin WILL be cross with you. "
"Hulloa, Emma!" he said.
The nurse bent down and kissed him, then began to shake out the cushions, and put them back in their places.
"Am I to come home?" he asked.
"Yes, I've come to fetch you. "
"You've got a new dress on. "
It was in eighteen-eighty-five, and she wore a bustle. Her gown was of black velvet, with tight sleeves and sloping shoulders, and the skirt had three large flounces. She wore a black bonnet with velvet strings. She hesitated. The question she had expected did not come, and so she could not give the answer she had prepared.
"Aren't you going to ask how your mamma is?" she said at length.
"Oh, I forgot. How is mamma?"
Now she was ready.
"Your mamma is quite well and happy. "
"Oh, I am glad. "
"Your mamma's gone away. You won't ever see her any more. " Philip did not know what she meant.
"Why not?"
"Your mamma's in heaven. "
She began to cry, and Philip, though he did not quite understand, cried too. Emma was a tall, big-boned woman, with fair hair and large features. She came from Devonshire and, notwithstanding her many years of service in London, had never lost the breadth of her accent. Her tears increased her emotion, and she pressed the little boy to her heart. She felt vaguely the pity of that child deprived of the only love in the world that is quite unselfish. It seemed dreadful that he must be handed over to strangers. But in a little while she pulled herself together.
"Your Uncle William is waiting in to see you, " she said. "Go and say good-bye to Miss Watkin, and we'll go home. "
"I don't want to say good-bye, " he answered, instinctively anxious to hide his tears.
"Very well, run upstairs and get your hat. "
He fetched it, and when he came down Emma was waiting for him in the hall. He heard the sound of voices in the study behind the dining-room. He paused. He knew that Miss Watkin and her sister were talking to friends, and it seemed to him--he was nine years old--that if he went in they would be sorry for him.
"I think I'll go and say good-bye to Miss Watkin. "
"I think you'd better, " said Emma.
"Go in and tell them I'm coming, " he said.
He wished to make the most of his opportunity. Emma knocked at the door and walked in. He heard her speak.
"Master Philip wants to say good-bye to you, miss. "
There was a sudden hush of the conversation, and Philip limped in. Henrietta Watkin was a stout woman, with a red face and dyed hair. In those days to dye the hair excited comment, and Philip had heard much gossip at home when his godmother's changed colour. She lived with an elder sister, who had resigned herself contentedly to old age. Two ladies, whom Philip did not know, were calling, and they looked at him curiously.
"My poor child, " said Miss Watkin, opening her arms.
She began to cry. Philip understood now why she had not been in to luncheon and why she wore a black dress. She could not speak.
"I've got to go home, " said Philip, at last.
He disengaged himself from Miss Watkin's arms, and she kissed him again. Then he went to her sister and bade her good-bye too. One of the strange ladies asked if she might kiss him, and he gravely gave her permission. Though crying, he keenly enjoyed the sensation he was causing; he would have been glad to stay a little longer to be made much of, but felt they expected him to go, so he said that Emma was waiting for him. He went out of the room. Emma had gone downstairs to speak with a friend in the basement, and he waited for her on the landing. He heard Henrietta Watkin's voice.
"His mother was my greatest friend. I can't bear to think that she's dead. "
"You oughtn't to have gone to the funeral, Henrietta, " said her sister. "I knew it would upset you. "
Then one of the strangers spoke.
"Poor little boy, it's dreadful to think of him quite alone in the world. I see he limps. "
"Yes, he's got a club-foot. It was such a grief to his mother. "
Then Emma came back. They called a hansom, and she told the driver where to go.