"Well, Betsy, what is it?" she said kindly, coming up to a woman of
rather hard features, who stood patiently in the shade with her
sun-bonnet fluttering in the breeze.
"'Tis about my Tommy, my Lady," said the woman curtseying. "Here,
Tommy, come 'vor, and take off your hat to her Ladyship," and she
pulled forward a frightened shrinking boy in a suit of corduroy, who
had hidden himself behind her. "Look to mun, my Lady, he that was the
most rompageous boy in Ashacombe, so quiet as a snail. And he can't
spake, my Lady, he can't spake."
"Can't speak?" said Lady Eleanor.
"I can't make mun spake, my Lady. I don't know if your Ladyship was to
try--"
"Why, Tommy," said Lady Eleanor, bending down towards the boy, in her
sweet winning tones, "what's the matter with you? Come along and tell
me, like a good boy."
The lad came forward, for no one could resist Lady Eleanor's smile, and
opened his mouth confidently to speak; but he made only a few
inarticulate sounds, and then thrust his knuckles into his eyes and
began to cry.
"Come, come, don't be frightened. Try again," said Lady Eleanor
kindly; but the boy only continued sobbing and remained speechless.
Nor could all her endeavours succeed in making him utter a word.
"He must recover his speech presently," she said, much puzzled. "He
has not lost the power of uttering sound.
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