canon is nicholas nickleby (by charles dickens)

[youaremyhome]

[ The boy's voice is barely louder than a tremor when he speaks, and he can't quite bring himself to lift his head from his hunched shoulders. ] Ma'am - I am grateful, truly, to have a caretaker who concerns for me as much as you do. [ He's completely unused to it after a lifetime with the harsh and abusing Squeers. ] But I hope you know you...you have no obligation to me. Please do not worry on account. If others don't wish to speak to me, it's certainly not your doing, and there are many others who are more deserving to be in your care instead of me.