human
Papa, I have washed the dishes beautifully; I know I have, she said, and she looked at him for praise, her head on one side, her look half-whimsical, half-childishly earnest.
gpt
I don't see why it is at all hard work to be a maid,
human
There are other things to do, dear, I suppose,
gpt
I think I could easily learn to do the other things, said she.
human
I don't quite know about the washing and ironing, and possibly the scrubbing and sweeping. Charlotte surveyed, as she spoke, her hands. She looked at the little, pink palms, made pinker and slightly wrinkled by the dish-water; she turned them and surveyed the backs with the slightly scalloping joints, and the thin-nailed fingers. She shook her head.
gpt
I don't know,
human
I know, Carroll said, quickly.
gpt
Your father is going to take care of you, Charlotte. It has not yet come to that pass that he is quite helpless.
human
It does seem, said she,
gpt
There is no question of your doing such things, Charlotte,
human
Why, papa! said she, and went up to him and kissed him. She rubbed her cheek caressingly against his, and his cheek felt wet. She realized that with a sort of terror.
gpt
Why, papa, I did not mean any harm!
human
I will get a servant for you to-morrow, Charlotte, he said, brokenly.
gpt
It has not yet come to pass that you have to do such work.
human
Papa, listen to me, said she.
gpt
Really, there is no scrubbing nor sweeping nor washing nor ironing to be done here for quite a time. Marie has left the house in very good condition. There is enough money to pay for the laundry for some time, and as for the cooking, you can see that I shall love to do that. You know Aunt Catherine used to let me cook, that I always like to.
human
Papa, you are not well; you are all worn out, Charlotte said.
gpt
Let us go into the den, and you smoke a cigar and I will read to you.
human
No, dear, not to-night,
gpt
We will have a game of cribbage.
human
No, dear, not to-night. You are tired, and you must go to bed. Take a book and go to bed and read. You are tired.
gpt
I am not very tired, said Charlotte, but therein she did not speak the entire truth. Her spirit was leaping with happy buoyancy, but she could scarcely stand on her feet, she was so fatigued with her unaccustomed labor and the excitement of it all. There was a ringing in her ears, and her eyelids felt stiff; she was also a little hoarse.
human
Will you go to bed, too, papa?
gpt
I will go very soon, dear.
human
Won't you want anything else before you go?
gpt
No, darling.
human
You _did_ have a good supper, didn't you, papa?
gpt
A beautiful supper, sweetheart.
human
You never had a better?
gpt
Never so good, never half so good,
human
You are glad I came back, aren't you, papa?
gpt
Glad for my own sake, God knows, dear, but--
human
There are no buts at all, Charlotte cried, laughing.
gpt
No buts at all. If you don't think I am happier and better off here with you than I would be rattling down to Kentucky on that old railroad, and I am always car-sick on a long journey, you know, papa.