This persuasion was rather confirmed than otherwise by the tone in which she at length broke silence and said, 'And yet you can read.

And write too, I shouldn't wonder ?' 'Yes, ma'am,' said the child, fearful of giving new offence by the confession.
'Well, and what a thing that is,' returned Mrs Jarley.

'I can't!' Nell said 'indeed' in a tone which might imply, either that she was reasonably surprised to find the genuine and only Jarley, who was the delight of the Nobility and Gentry and the peculiar pet of the Royal Family, destitute of these familiar arts; or that she presumed so great a lady could scarcely stand in need of such ordinary accomplishments.
In whatever way Mrs Jarley received the response, it did not provoke her to further questioning, or tempt her into any more remarks at the time, for she relapsed into a thoughtful silence, and remained in that state so long that Nell withdrew to the other window and rejoined her grandfather, who was now awake.
At length the lady of the caravan shook off her fit of meditation, and, summoning the driver to come under the window at which she was seated, held a long conversation with him in a low tone of voice, as if she were asking his advice on an important point, and discussing the pros and cons of some very weighty matter.

This conference at length concluded, she drew in her head again, and beckoned Nell to approach.
'And the old gentleman too,' said Mrs Jarley; 'for I want to have a word with him.

Do you want a good situation for your grand-daughter, master?
If you do, I can put her in the way of getting one.