Once when Mrs. Crawford was talking earnestly to her, trying to make her
understand, she stood for a moment watching and imitating the motion of
the lady's lips and the expression of her face; then going up to her she
began to examine her mouth and her teeth, as if she would know what
manner of machinery it was which produced sounds so new and strange to
her. She certainly was a remarkable child for her age, though Mrs.
Crawford was puzzled to know just how old she was. She was very small,
and, judging from her size, one would have said she was hardly three;
but the expression of her face was so mature, and she saw things so
quickly and understood so readily, that she must have been older. She
was certainly very precocious, with a most inquiring turn of mind, and
Mrs. Crawford felt herself greatly interested in her as she watched her
active movements and listened to the musical prattle she could not
understand.
She had examined the carpet-bag, in which were found the articles
necessary for an ocean voyage, and little else. Most of these were
soiled from use, but there was among them a little clean, white apron,
and this Mrs. Crawford put upon the child, after having washed her face
and hands and brushed her wavy hair, which had a trick of coiling itself
into soft, fluffy curls all over her head.
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