CHARLES DICKENS DOMBEY AND SON CHAPTER I Dombey and ...

'How long is it,' asked Alice, 'Since I went to you and told you what I had
done, and when you were advised it was too late for any one to follow?'
'It is a year and more,' said Harriet.
'A year and more,' said Alice, thoughtfully intent upon her face. 'Months
upon months since you brought me here!'
Harriet answered 'Yes.'
'Brought me here, by force of gentleness and kindness. Me!' said Alice,
shrinking with her face behind the hand, 'and made me human by woman's looks
and words, and angel's deeds!'
Harriet bending over her, composed and soothed her. By and bye, Alice lying
as before, with the hand against her face, asked to have her mother called.
Harriet called to her more than once, but the old woman was so absorbed
looking out at the open window on the darkness, that she did not hear. It
was not until Harriet went to her and touched her, that she rose up, and
came.
'Mother,' said Alice, taking the hand again, and fixing her lustrous eyes
lovingly upon her visitor, while she merely addressed a motion of her finger
to the old woman, 'tell her what you know.'
'To-night, my deary?'
'Aye, mother,' answered Alice, faintly and solemnly, 'to-night!'
The old woman, whose wits appeared disordered by alarm, remorse, or grief,
came creeping along the side of the bed, opposite to that on which Harriet
sat; and kneeling down, so as to bring her withered face upon a level with
the coverlet, and stretching out her hand, so as to touch her daughter's
arm, began: