Can't I give a present to somebody? Well, I'm
going to give it to a young lady who never cares for anything but what
she can give away again to somebody else; and it is--well, it is--Why
don't you guess, Mabyn?"
"I don't know what you mean to give Wenna," said Mabyn naturally.
"Why, you silly! I mean to give her a dozen sewing-machines--a baker's
dozen--thirteen. There! Oh, I heard you as you came along. It was all,
'Three sewing-machines will cost so much, and four sewing-machines
will cost so much, and five sewing-machines will cost so much. And a
penny a week from so many subscribers will be so much, and twopence a
week from so many will be so much;' and all this as if my mother could
tell you how much twice two was. My arithmetic ain't very brilliant,
but as for hers--And these you shall have, Miss Wenna--one baker's
dozen of sewing-machines, as per order, duly delivered, carriage
free--empty casks and bottles to be returned."
"That is very kind of you, Mr. Trelyon," Wenna said--and all
the dreams had gone straight out of her head so soon as this was
mentioned--"but we can't possibly accept them. You know our scheme is
to make the sewing club quite self-supporting--no charity."
"Oh, what stuff!" the young gentleman cried. "You know you will give
all your labor and supervision for nothing: isn't that charity? And
you know you will let off all sorts of people owing you subscriptions
the moment some blessed baby falls ill.
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