Dr.Beckerleg went towards this, after opening for the Captain the door of a room wherein no sound was at all.
When, half an hour later, Captain Barker came out and closed this door gently, Dr.Beckerleg, who waited on the landing, forbore to look a second time at his face.

Instead he stared fixedly at the staircase wall and observed: "I think it is time we turned our attention upon the child." "Take me to him by all means." Margaret's son was reclining, very red and angry, in the arms of an old woman who attempted vainly to soothe him by tottering up and down the room as fast as her decrepit legs would carry her.
The serving-girl, who had opened the door on the previous evening, stood beside the window, her eyes swollen with weeping.
"He is extremely small," said the Captain.
"On the contrary, he is an unusually fine boy." "He appears to me to want something." "He wants food." "Bless my soul! Has none been offered to him ?" "Yes; but he refuses it." "Extraordinary!" "Not at all.

I understand--do I not ?--that you have adopted this infant." The Captain nodded.
"Then your parental duties have already begun.

You must come with me at once and choose a wet nurse." As they passed through the hall to the front-door, Captain Barker perceived two letters lying side by side upon a table there.
He snatched them up hastily and crammed one into his pocket.
Then, handing the other to Dr.Beckerleg: "You might give that to Jemmy when you see him, and--look here, as soon as the child is out of the house, I think--if you went to Jemmy--he might like to see Meg, you know.".