this accomplished and the wounded man being coveted witit vtardens own greatcoat whics he took off for the purpose the proceeded onwards at a brisk pace lbarnaby galy counting tire stars tipon itis fingers and gabrti towardly congratulating himself upon having an adventure now whicit wouid ailence mrs varden on she subject of tire ulaypole for that night or there was no faitis to woman


to be conttrinte


equestrian


litiiratuiiithe fol lowing is a veritable copy of a bill passed a few days since at a village in essex to a gentleman wito had left his horse at one of the inns with directions that it should he baited for tire night and brought home the next mornirsg


tire man who brought the animal brougist also tire account in question with him


per such of our readers as are not used to deciphser hieroglyphitie we give tire translation a dl


liverpool lhlercctry


ilwlemttoio the stoey of a feather


jsy jdauglag retrain a


story from posen chapter xvii


continued from our lost monsieur spanneu and his scholars


i am illused by a poodle


dear mrs gaptooth felt for the double calamity of madame spanneu all the sympathy of asistcr


the heart of the matron upon her own grave assurance bled for her friend albeit no woman ever sit a bleeding heart with sweeter composure


its abad world my dear said mrs gaptooth but were in itwere in it and must make the best of it


with this expression of philosophy the old gentlewoman quitted the room followed by madame spanncu


i had that day been turned over andover by several hands and had been carelessly thrown upon a chair the price madame spanneu placed upon my beauty being considered too extravagant by those who carne to purchase


confess it my situation became irksome to me i longed once more to be in the world i had had sufficient of retirement and yeurncd for society


whilst these thoughts possessed me one of monsieur spanneus poodles frisked into the room


the little beast was a most mischievous and volatile animal despite the daily lessons of a master to correct the vices of his constitution


he was never so happy as when gnawing the edgeof a carpetjumping up and tearing at the maids apronsbiting the cat in the nape of the neck and in fact committing every license within the wicked powers of puppyhood n more irreclaimable little dog was never bom to the luxuries of life


as the poodle entered the room felt a strange shudder


he came in with a light cautious air treading on the very tips of his toenails and lifting up his jet black nose as though he snuffed delicious mischief somewhere then in very selfabandonment he chased his tail spinning round like any operadancer


then tired of the sport he approached a table with sudden seriousness and staring full at a blue riband or capstring twitched the muslin on the floor and in an instant buried his head fighting it the while with his forepaws in the cap itself


never did a dog seem more delightednever was puppy so completely caught by a cap


at length by the very force of his admiration the poodle tore the cap into strips and sated with that peculiar pleasure looked round about him for another victim


it was but an instant and i was in the poodles mouth


that i who had helped to decorate the prince of wales should be made the plaything of a dog i felt that my last moment was comethat my igno minious end was near


how the poodle snapped at me and tossed me then dropping me on the floor he barked and barked at me and then after a momentary pause he caught mc up in his mouth and ran with me out of the room


in another minute the heedless puppy unseen by his mnster car ried mc into monsieur spauncus academy for there was the frenchman kit in hand playing the minuet de ia cour to a couple of poodles stamping vociferating swearing whilst he played


i have no doubt that the action of the frenchman had sudden operation on the fears of the animal that had carried mc off for the dog crouched under a chair with me between his paws now pulling me through his teeth and now contemplating in curious silence the motions of his canine schoolfellows


i have little doubt too that a somewhat ponderous whip which the frenchman remorselessly applied to the backs of his students had its due effect upon the transgressing poodle for ns the whip cracked and the culprits yelped and howled the poodle trembled throughout every hair and yelped in sympathy


it was however delightful to witness the affectionate manner with which monsieur spanneu inflicted punishment on his students ha ha mon mignon he would cry and the thong would wind round the darlings body with force enough to crack it


viens mon ami the master would exclaim at the same time kicking the pupil to the other end of the schoolroom he divided his time between soft endearing phrases and hard thwacks


his lips dropt oil but his hand still bore a whip


the poodle having left me beneath a chair although i was somewhat flustered by the rough treatment i lind received i nevertheless soon recovered sufficient composure to look about me


i then noted what i have since a thousand times re marked the differenceeven to extremesbetween a man in his reality and a man as we may in our imagination have painted him


here was monsieur spanncu a short obese frenchman yet surely never did man carry so much fat so lightly


he was about four feet six in height with a face ample ns the moon at the full a broad forehead and bald head its nudity half discovered by a nightcap halfslipped from its restingplace


nothing could have been more ludicrous than the aspect and manner of the teacher had they not been redeemed by an cnetgy a certain enthusiasm of purpose that imparted to him something like dignity


it was impossible to laugh outright at monsieur spanncu the earnestness of the teacher would repress the giggle of the scoffer


it is true he taught nothing but dogs but then he convinced you that there were no creatures on this earth so worthy of teaching


a dog monsieur spanneu would say is de only true friend of de man and this opinion the master would dignify by laying on the whip to the best friend of our species


whether monsieur spanneus pupils were more than ordi narily dull or the master himself more than usually irascible i cannot determine but never during my stay in the house had i beard such crackings of the whip such yelpings and howlings from the dogs as whilst i lay unseen beneath the chair a witness of the discipline of my host


monsieur had arranged his pupils for a cotillon when after the sweetest evi dence of temper on his partafter the master had twenty times called the dogs mes petits mesamis mes mignons mes enfansafter he had lavished upon them all sorts of endearing syllableshe lost his benevolence and seising his whip he went in among the poodles and laid about him ike a thresher


it was at this moment when the very tiles of the housetop were ringing with the howling of the dogs and their master was raging like a tempest his face scarlet and his forehead training with passion when madame spanneu rushed into the room ceremoniously followed by mrs gaptooth


monsieur spanneu ill put up with this nuisance no longer cried madame and if ever woman looked in earnest h was the wife of the teacher


monsieur spanneu was instantly composed


he stooped to pick up the nightcap which in his energy had dropped from his head and folding it delicately tenderly between his hands he suffered a smile to break all over his face and bending with graceful devotion he said ma belle elise


there was no thing in the words


any other husband might hnvc called his wife his beautiful eliza but in the manner of monsieur spanneu there was the devotion of a life


never was there such fealty paid to ihe weddingring


i saw it at once the poodles whatever were their sufferings were fully revenged by the wife of their tyrant and teacher


the meekest poorest dog therewas a lion in heart and independence before monsieur spanneu compared to monsieur spanneu before his wife


hence the husband met the ferocity of his helpmate with nothing more than a deprecating bend of the back and ma belle elise


none of your nonsense cried madame spanneuthat loftyminded woman rejecting what the weakness of her sex might have deemed a compliment


wont have my house turned into a kennel any longer


the dogs shall pack and the better if their master packs with them


mon angel cried monsieur spanneu his meekness if possible increasing with the violence of his wife


yes youre a pretty fellow to call anybody your angel you are im none of your angels i can tell youexclaimed madam spanneu with a vigorous tossing of the head


now my dear said mt


gaptoolb apparently with the bett spirits in the world now dont go on sothough to be sure so many dogs must put any house in a most terrible pickle


fickle i cried madame spanneu with intense shrillness of organ tickle t ma ekre said the husband with


lost look as though that one word pickle bad conjured about him a throng of terrors wbicb he felt it were in vain to straggle with


had madame spanneu not been the poor mans wife she must have pitied him aa it was pity was the last feeling to be wasted on him


pickle for the third time screamed madame spanneu and i could perceive as she moved from the door that her hus band shifted himself preparing to make a retreat


i wonder that in floor doesnt open and swallow you al toe word she ried


ma btlle elise i said the frenchman but he spoke in vain


i wonder that you can have the impudence to existyou that i have given house and home toyou that i harbour with your filthy cursyou that the frenchman was about to fly when casting his eye about he observed me lying tumbled and bitten beneath the chair


the poor man turned ghastly pale when he saw me


he was at once assured of the ill behaviour of one of his dogs and of the increased abuse which would fall upon him should his wife discover the accident


he must suffer anything rather than permit the chance of such disclosure hence with false courage he approached the chair beneath which i lay and seat ing himself so arranged his legs as to keep me out of sight


and then madame spanncu began again to abuse her hus band whilst hepoor man began to tune his fiddle


again did the wife call out false vile wretch miserable french man whilst the gaul affecting philosophy drew his bow and sang nous navons quun terns vivre


to tie continued


the mysteries of paris


continued


a few minutes afterwards the priest and la goualeuse nrrived near the hollow path


way where the maitre decole la chouette and tortillard were concealed they having hcen sent as the reader may suppose on no good mission by hleleniseyton


the church and parsonage were situated on a hillside surrounded by chesnuttrees and overlooking the village


marie and the abbd reached a crooked path which conducted to the parsonage crossing a hollowroad by which this hill was diagonally intersected the three wretches just named were concealed in one of the windings of this road and saw the priest and his compamnion descend into the ravine and come out by a steep path


the features of the young girl were concealed under the hood of her mantle la chouette did not recognise her former victim


silence my man said the old woman to the maitre decole the young girl and the priest have just crossed the road it must be her from the description given by the tall man in black peasants dress middling size peticoats striped with brown woollen mantle bound with black


she thus conducts every day the priest to his house and returns alone


when she re turns we must pounce upon her and take her to the carriage


and if she cries for help answered the maitre decole they will hear her at the fatrm since you say that you can see build ings from hence for you can see added he in a mournful tone


certainly we can see the houses from here said tortillard


just now i creeped up to the top of the slope on my belly


i heard a man speaking to his horses in the court down there


then said the maitredecole after a moments pause tortillard must go and watch at the entrance of the road


when lie sees the girl coming in the distance he muse go to her crying that he is the son of a poor old woman who has fallen into the ravine and hlie must beg ithe young girl to come to her assistance


night came on clear and cold


follow ing the advice of the maitre decole la chouette went with him to a part of the road at some distance from the pathway and nearer the place where they had a carriage waiting


tortillard posted as a scout watched the return of marie whom he was to entice into this ambush


he had advanced a few steps from the ravine to listen he heard qt a distance la goua leuse talking to the peasant who accom panied her


she being no longer alone the plot had failed


hie hastened to descend into the ravine and ran to inform la chouette


there is some one with her said he in a low and breathless voice


may the hangman strangle her cried she in a rage


who is she with asked the maitre decole


doubtless with the peasant girl who just now passed followed by a large dog


i heard a womans voice said tortillard


hold


listen


do you not hear the noise of their wooden shoes


there are two of them said la chou ette


i can take charge of one hut the other what shall we do with her


you are blind my man and tortillard is too weak to manuage the other one whom the devil choke


what shall we do


s am not strong said tortillard but if you say so ill catch hold of the legs of the peasant girl with the dog


ill hold her with my hands and teeth


during this time you can carry off the little one


sand if they scream they will hear them at the farm answered la chonette they will have time to come to their as sistance before we can reach the carriage


it isnt so easy to carry off a woman who struggles


andthey have a large dog with themn said tortillard


bah


i bahl


if it was only that with one kick of my shoe id settle him said la chouette


the dog which accompanied the peasant scenting no doubt the people in ambush stopped short barked with fury and paid no attention to the reiterated calls of the companion of marie sdo you hear their dog


here they are


quickyour knifeor cried la choiuette with a menacing tone


lome then and take it said the maitre decole


it is too late


cried la chonette after having listened a moment with attention


they are gone


you shall pay for this


get out gallowsbirdl


added she furiously shaking her fist in his face a thousand firancs lost by your fault a thousand two thousand perhaps three gained answered the maitre decole in a tone of authority


listen to me


la chouette and you will see


if i was wrong in refusing to lend you my knife


let both of you return with the carriage to the place where you are to meet the tall man in black you will tell him that nothing can be done today but that tomorrow she shall be carried oil


and you muttered la chouette still in a rage


listen once more


i this little girl goes alone every night to see the priest home it was by chance today ihat she met some one it is probable that to morrow well have better luck


return then to morrow at this hour


but you


but your tortillard will lead me to the arm where this girl resides we will say we are lost


that i am his father a poor workman blind from an accident that we are going to louvres to one of our relations who will we have no doubt greatly assist us and that we became lost in the fields by trying to find a shorter path


we will ask to pass the night at the farm in a corner of tle stable


that will answer my man your plan is a famous one


i say whei you become superannuated we must make you consult ing robber youll make as much money as a lawyer


come make haste tomorrow at four oclock well be here


farewell answered the brigand who with tortillard directed his steps towards the farm while la chouette returned to paris


strange fatality which thus drew together anselmo duresnel and his wife who had not seen each other since his condemnation to labour in the galleysl is there any thing more cheering than the kitchen of a large farm house at the hour of the evening repastin the winter season above all


is there any that more vividly recall the calmness and happiness of a rural life


a proof of this could have been adduced at the sight of the kitchen of the boqueval fitrm


its immense chimney six feet in height by eight in breadth re sembled an opening in a furnace


on the black hearth blazed immense logs of oak and beech


this immense fire sent as much light as heat to all parts of the kitchen and rendered useless the lamp suspended from the main beam of the ceiling


three or four stone pitchers filled with foaming cider made on the farm and as many loaves of bread as large as millstones were at the discretion of the labourers


an old shepherds dog almost without teeth was from his great ago and former services allowed permission to remain by the fireside


using modestly and discreetly this privilege with his muzzle elongated on his two outstretched paws he followed with an attentive eye the different culinary evolutions which preceded the supper


this venerable dog answered to the name somewhat pastoral of lysander


perhaps the supper of the people of this farm will appear somewhat sumptuous butmadame georges faithful to the views of rodolphe ameliorated as much as possible the con dition of her workmen exclusively chosen among the most honest and industrious of the country


they were well paid they were made comfortable and happy to be come a labourer on the farm of boqueval was the aim of all the good workmen of the district an innocent ambition which kept alive a sort ofemulation so much the more to be praised as it turned to the profit of the masters they served


rodolphe created thus on a small scale a kind of model farm not only destined to the improvement of agriculture or the breed of cattle but above all to the amelioration of men and he attained this end by making it their interest to be honest active and intelligent


after having served up the supper and placed on the table a jug of iold wine destined to accompany the dos sert the cook rang the bell


at this joyous appeal labourers boys milkmaids girls to the number of twelve or filteen entered gaily into the kitchen


the head of the table was occupied by an old labourer with white hair with a honest and hardy face


all these peasants seated themselves


after having asked a blessing in a loud voice the pore chatelain after an old and holy custom traced a cross on one of the loaves of bread with the point of his penknife and ciut off a small piece representing the share of the holy virgin


or for the poor he poured out at glass of wine afterwards un ider the same invocation and put the whole on a plate which was piously placed on the centre of the table


at this moment the dogs without began to bark the old ly sander answered with a sullen growl drew up his lips and shewed two or three stumps which were yet quite respectable


there is some one by the walls of the courtsaid the pore chatelain


hardly had he said these words when the bell of the large door was rung


swho can come so late


saidthe old labourer every body has come in


go and see jean ltene


jean rene put back with regretinto his plate an enormous spoonful of hot soup which he had been blowing like a young eolus and went out of the kitchen


this is the first time for a very long while that madaimd georges and mademoi selle marie have not taken their seat in the corner to assist at our supper said the pere chatelain i am hungry but dont eat with the same appetite


he was here interrupted by the return of the boy of whom he asked who had rung the bell


a poor blind man and a child that con ducts him


and what does this blind man want


the poor nian and his son have got lost in going to louvres by the crossroad


as it is so cold and the night so dark for the sky is now overcast the blind man and his boy ask permission to sleep in the stable madame georges is so good that she never refuses hospitality to an unfortunate she will certainly consent to give a lodging to these poor people but we muist ask her


go


and see claudine


and where is this poor man waiting asked le pore chatelain


in the little granary


why did you put him iu the granary


if he had remained in the court the dogs would have torn him to pieces


i hliad as much as i could do to keep the dogs quiet


i have never seen themso much enraged


go and bring them in jean reneo


you my girl place two chairs by the fire they must warm themselves at little befbre they can eat they must be very cold


the noise of the dogs was again heard and the voice of jean ireno trying to ape pease them


the door of the kitchoen was pushed open the maitre decole and tor tillard entered with precipitation as if they had been pursued


take care of your dogs t cried the maitre decolo in affright


they came near biting us


they have torn a piece of my blouse said tortillard stillpale with fear


dont be afraid my good man said jean rene shutting the door but i have never seen our dogs so wicked sure it is the cold makes them cross


now yonr turn


said the laborer stopping old lysander just at the moment as growling he was about to spring on the newcomers


ihe has heard the other dogs bark and thinks he must do as they do


will you go sleep at once old savage


will you


at these words of the pcre chatelcin na companied by a significaut kick lysander retired still growling to his usual place at the fire


the pore chatelain only thinking of fifl filling the duties of hospitality said to the maitre decole my good man draw near the fire you will first warm yourself


afterward you will sup with us for we were about to sit down when you came


there sit there


but what a head i have i itis not to you but to your son i must speak since you are unfortunately blind


hers my child lead your father there


yes my good sir answered tortillard in a nasal and hypocritical voice take care added he to the brigand guiding hitr to the fireplace


at first lysander howled in a low tone but having scented for a moment the maitre decole he uttered that kind of mournful cry which is commonly called the death howl


hell said the maitre decolo to him self is it then blood that these cursed animals scent


i wore these pantaloons on the night of the assassination of the


i declare it is astonishing


whispered jean rene old lyvsander has setup the death howl at the strangers


the cries of lysander were sopiercing so plaintive that the other dogs heard it and according to the habits of the canine race they repeated or answered these hor rible howlines


although but little su perstitious the laborers looked at one another with affright


and truly what was passing seemed very singular


a man they could niot look at without horror entered the house then the dogs until then very quiet became furious and uttered those


plaintive cries which according to the po pular belief indicated the approach of death


the brigand himself notwithstanding his infernal audacity shuddered for a moment on hearing the funereal cries which burst forth on his arrivalhean assassin


tortillard sceptical brazen as too many parisian boys are corrupted as we may say at his mothers breast alone r mained indifferent at this scene


this miserable abortion laughed at that which alarmed the people of the fthrm and made the maitre decole shudder


the first surprise being over jean rene went out and the cracks of his whip could soon be heard dissipating the mournful forebodings of turk sultan and medor


the appetite of thepeople for a moment forgotten was awakened with new energy and for some moments nothing was heard but the noise of the knives and forks


they could not however help remarking the tender care the child took of the blind man


tortillard prepared every thing for him cut his bread poured out his drink with an attention perfectly filial


hle com pensated however each of his ostensible attentions to his supposed father by kick ing his shins under the table


it needed all his fortitude to conceal his sufferings at each kick of tortillard as the little wretch always took care to commence his attacks when the brigand was about to drink or speak


nevertheless he concealed his rage and feelings thinking that it would be very dangerous for the success of his designs if they found out what was passing under the table


here poo papa here is a nut nicely picked said tortillard placing a walnut plucked from its shell


very good my child said the pore chatelain then addressing the brigand you are much to be pitied my good man but you have such a fineson it must be a great consolation to you


yes yes my misfortune is great but without the tenderness of this dear child i the maitre decole could not repress apiercing cry


what is the matter my good man


askdd the pore chatelain


your cry just now has made your child pale


poor little fellowi look he can hardly breathe


it is nothing answered the maitre decole recovering his sang froid


i am by trade a locksmith sometime since in working with the hammer a bar of iron i let it fall on my legs and it made such a deep burn that it is not yet healed


just now i hit it against the leg ofthe table and icould not keep from screaming out


poor papa i said lortillard recovering from his emotion and casting a di hbolical look at the maitre decole poor papal yet it is true my good gentlemen they could never cure his leg


well my good man answered the pere chatelain it is unfortunate for you that you didnot come to the farm three weeks since instead of to night


why so


because we had here for some days a negro doctor from paris but what is the matter


the mention of the negro doctor a wakened such terrible recollections that he could not refrain from shuddering and contracting his hideous features


sit is really a pity continued the pere chatelain addressing the maitre decole that this worthyjdoctor is not here but i know he is as charitable as he is learned let your son conduct you to him he will


cure you i am sure of it his address is not difficult to remember allee des veuves


the features of the maitre decole were so dreadfully scarred that his paleness could not be perceived


nevertheless lie turned pale frightfully pale


this was a fatal day for the maitre decole he arrives at the farm the dogs raise the death howl at his appearance


and wish to devour him finally chance conducts him to a house where some days sooner lie would liave met his executioner


for the first time in his life he experienced a kind of superstitious terror


jfrank bwth or the picnic


this is new years day cried frank smith exultingly as he opened his eyes after a nights sound slumber natural to healthy boys


hurrah for the picnic


he continued as he sprang out of bed hastily drew un the window blind and looked out at the sun which was just rising into a cloudless sky


tis a beautiful morning thank god oh


what a joyous happy day i shall spend such lots of fun


cannot help jumping for joy at the anticipation


his toilet was soon completed boys of ten years of age are not generally very fastidious and frank sat down according to bis invariable custom to read a chapter in his bible and afterwards returned thanks to almighty god for guarding him through the hours of darkness and giving him refreshing sleep


he then descended to the breakfast room with a face beaming with happy smiles


after partaking of a hearty meal and joining in the customary family worship he took leave of bis father and mother and hastened away to his sabbath schoolroom where were assembled about of his fellow scholars their beloved superin tendent and teachers and some of their friends headed by their worthy minister


all being ready they marched in procession to the wharf where the steamer ramjammer was waiting to convey them to the picturesque and extensive grounds on the south bank of the parramatta river belonging to mr m that worthy and hospitable gentleman having generously invited them for the day and with his good wife and interesting family had spared no pains to ensure them all the gratification in their power and to show them a cordial welcome after a little delay which caused some slight chagrin but which was however soon forgotten they all safely embarked and the steamer slowly pursued her course up the beautifully romantic river with its living freight who made the rocky shores reecho with the loud chorus of their cheerful voices as they united in those sweet and simple little melodies there is a land of pure delight


oh that will be joyful and others occasionally varying them with a round of hearty cheers such as boys only know how to give or to enjyj as they passed some of the many smart little yachts with which the river was studded


an hour or twos steaming brought them to kissing point one of the most charming localities as we might presuppose from its enticing name in this fair land so famous for beautiful scenery


if any of our readers are sceptical on the subject we would advise them to take a walk to the top of the hill at eyde on a clear bright day and they will be repaid by views unsurpassed in loveliness if indeed equalled by any landscapes which that garden of old england devon justly boasts of


after some little delay owing to the obstinacy of the captain of the the ramjammer who refused to go alongside mr ms jetty the party were all safely landed by boats and proceeded sans ceremony to disperse themselves over the grassy meadows all seeming determined to make up for the little delay by ente ting with increased spirit into their various sports and pastimes


cricket matches were got up as if by magicswings were i suspended from the treestents were erectedand numberless were the games engaged in apparently with no preparatory arrangement while some of the seniors hurried themselves in the less exciting but very important game of getting dinner ready their worthy host with his benevolent looking face beaming with smiles of satis faction was hurrying hither and thither directing his men in the supply of water milk c there were no stronger fluids made use of or in knocking fruit from the trees on the outside of his orchard for tire scrambling to boys beneath them


his blooming daughters radiant with health and cheerfulness were escorting those ladies who chose to accompany them round their pretty garden and orchard while his worthy wife superintended the hospitalities of their open house


all seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly the seniors tried io forget the strides of old time and were boys and girls again and entered into the sports with the zest of earlier days


dinner was at length commenced grace was sangthe boys and girls seated themselves in separate rows upon the grass and the contents of six flour barrels fell into rapid consumption


after dinner the sports were resumed i with renewed vigour and continued without anything to mar or disturb them until the declining sun and the scream of the steam pipe of the ki kamjammer reminded them that it was time to reembark for sydney


the reembarkation was effected through the medium of boats which in no small degree added to the fun


at about seven oclock the last boat load were on board the anchor was weighed and the steamer moved slowly homeward the grateful chil dren sainting their kind host with deafening cheers until out of sight of the jetty


after some trifling mishaps to the steamer which caused con siderable delay they landed in sydney at about ten oclock ali thoroughly tired but highly gratified with their days recreation


frank smith returned home and after giving his parents a brief account of his days pleasure he read his bible prayed to god and retired to bed but he could not sleephe was in much pain in his stomachhe rolled over and over and cried with agony


he would have called to his mother but he was afraid to tell her the cause of his pain and he too well knew what it was


his conscience reproached him bitterly for a sin which he had committed that day and he was then suffering a part of its conse quences


he had been enticed by another boy to break into mr ms orchard and take green apples and pears from the trees and had eaten them greedily


he felt that he had transgressed the laws of god and man that he had acted ungratefully towards the gentleman who had so kindly placed his grounds at the disposal of the party


he knew that he had disobeyed the injunctions xf his teacher who had mildly cautioned them all in the morning respecting their conduct during the day and he felt most terribly the idea that he might unjustly bring others of his schoolfellows under the imputation of the theft for he knew full well from the quantity of fruit taken that it would be missed and he feared that mr m would be afraid to invite the party to iiis grounds again


frank lay for several hours in great distress he knew not what to do at length he got out of bed and kneeling down he prayed to god to pardon him and promised if god would grant him his grace to resist he would never be guilty of a similar transgression he also determined that he would confess the whole particulars to his teacher and request him to make an apology for him to mr m and crave his pardon


towards daylight franks pains ceased a little and he fell into a sound sleep and when he arose he was so much better that his parents did not observe anything unusual the matter with him except that he looked fatigued


we are not aware if frank has put i his good resolutions into practice but we trust he will do so in justice to his schoolfellows and let him bear in mind that although he may cloak his doings from the knowledge of man he cannot escape the allseeing eye of god one of whose positive commands is thou shalt not steal


aqua


sydney th january


anj adviisltltls ov martin ciiuzzlicwit


by c ill c k e s s i


s q chaptull xi


wltrrtrclx


a cfhtainar


ntikman wecomfk tntaln uly ami ntnr


e comim tin iliiv wis now coninnn iljii that bright vision which hail burstnn toilclss so eiiii iliilv nnd made a buiibuiiic in the shady lircusl vi inkiiis was to lie sron no mure alien i p to be packed like a brown pnprr parcel or n iteliliasler or an nvlrliirrl or a fut iii llnnnii or any other dull realit i life in u


sncr my dear mis lvrksiiifls smi mra


toilerowlum thry rciireil ui rest on ilic lust tiielit of th


ir stay


ncvr liavc i mm mi establishment to poifuly liktnlirailpil lolicvevie gentlemen i ill iwliie


vciiilunicn iliuy were or auyibiujr like it no lint for weeks to eoaic


you have a great deal to unswer for


bulb of you


jhoy illoileslly disclaimed niv wilful apitiry in tins disastrous slate of f liingrs uud regicllml your pious in too


btiiil mrs to


wrs


tlieitb a loss


my uvnr miss pecksniffs vour ia t a ntffect mtssicniiv of peace nuii love


entcrlaiiiiiir an unrcrtainlv as to hie pir ticulrtr kind of love fcupiiosed io be ronilrirfid ill mr pecksniffs missiiil llie yomib ladies received this cninpliiiuiil rather coliflv


if ihircil sairi mrs toilers prrceiviii tins to violate a confilnce which bus bmii reposed in me and to tell you wliy nisi hag of you io leave tbo lihht door between your room ana mine open ton iiriit i think vcn would bo iiiunslal


but i mustnt do it


fir promised jinljlu faithfully that i woull he as silent as tbc tomli


dear mrs todgersl what can you possi why tluui my sutctmisi pecksniffs eiid the my of the house my oivn lovs


if von will allow me the privilege of takilis that freedom on the eve of our separations mr jiukins and the gentlemen have majc ui a lillle musical party unions lhcmselvi and io iujinil in tin


dead of this nijrlil to prrf


tin a ecifrnade upon the stairs outside the ilwr


ruulil have wished i own said jlrs wins with her usual foresight that it had been cause when reiilletien sit up late they drink and wlen llicy drink they are not su inusical ilhlps ns lvhcn they dont


but lliu is tin arrangement and know you will be iriittilieil my dear miss iccksnifiv by such a mark of the young iadics were at first so much ex cited by the news that llicy vowed tliei


cnnl not think of joins to bed until the sereinde was over


but half an hour of cod aitiu m iiltcred their opinion that they urlenly went to bed but fell asleep and were moreover not ecstatically charmed to be awakened soiuidmc afterwards by certoitl dulcet strains breakii ju upon the silent watches of the niirln


it was very affecting very


noihiiir minv dismal could have been ilenired by the in


fastidious taste


the pcntleiuan of u vical turn was head mute or chief mourner mr jiukins took the bass and the rest look any thing they could get


the youngest gentle man blew his melancholy into a flute


he did not blow much out of it but that was all ihe better


if the two miss pecksniffs and mrs todgcrs had perished by spontaneous com bustion and the serenade had been in honour of their ashes it would have been impossible to surpass the unutterable despair expressed iu iliatoue chorus go where glory waits iheel wail a lament an abslract of everything that s sorrowful and hideous in sound


ijie nute of the youngest lcnlleinnu was wild and fitful


it came and went iu


uts like the wind


for a loiiir lime together ho seemed to ha t loft oft anil when it was quite bellied by mrs tourers am


the yomijr ladies iliit overcome by his feelings he had mitral in tears he unexpect edly fumed un again at the very tup of the tune ilmi


for breath


he was a tre mendous uersurmcr


there was uo kuuwini where to have him and exactly when yuii thought he was doing nothing at all then was he doing the very thing that ought to astonish you most


there were several uf these concerted pieces ills


tojlers said was a fault on the risht side


but even then oji tliit ioleiiin moment i when the ihrillinir suiiuds miy he presumed to have penetrated into the


ery depths of his nature if he hud any ileplhs jinkius couldnt leave the youiiltl gentleman alone


he asked him distinctlyfhefore the axuml fcjng ixpan as a personal favour ion mark the villain iu that not to play


yes he said so not tu play


the breathing of the voidest gentle man was beard through the keyhole the door lleiiidnt play


what vent was a flute for the passions swelling up within his breast n trombone would have been a world loo milil


the serenade approached its close


its crowning interest was at hand


the gentle man of a literary turu had written a song on the departure of the ladies and adapted it to an old tune


they all joined eiceut the voungest gentleman in company who for the the soul which was of a classical nature invoked the oraele of apllu and demandetl to know what would become if tuyeres ivhen mercy and cliarilv were baiiishid from iu w


iu


the oracledclivcrej no opinion par ticularly worth remembering according to the not infrequent practice of oracles from the earliest aire down to the present time


tn the absence of enlightenment on that subject the strain deserted it nnd went on to show that the miss pecksniff were nearly related to llulo urilannia and hint if jreat ljrilain hadnt been an island there cuulil uave hciu no jiibs pecksniffs


and being now un a nautical tack it closed with this verse tilt ardllfcd irtisl


smd inui


as hcv presented this beautiful picture tn the imagination the gentlemen gradually uillijruv


to bed to ive the music theiffect uv dlhunce nnd sa it died away and toilgerss was left iu its repose


jlr


jjailcy reserrej his rocn offering until the morning when he put his head into the room as the young ladies were kneeling before their trunks packing up and treated them io trying circumstances when that animal is supposed hy persons of a hvelv fancy to relieve his feelings by calling for pen and ink


well you ladies sail the youth so youre a going home are you wiis luck


i ves liuiley were ioiuu home returned mercy


lock ofyoiuhairtniuircdiic youth


its real ant it t i


they laughed at this and told him or course il was


oh is it of course ihoufrhi said bailey


know better than ural liars ani


why i sec it hanginp up once on that nail liv the winder


resides ive gone behind her in dm nertimc nnd pulled il and she never kiiovvm j say young ladieslm going to leave


i ant a going to stand being called names by miss mercy enquired what his plans fur the future might be iu reply to whom mr uailey intimated that he thought of going into topbuou or into the nrniy


into the army cried the young ladies


will a laiilh


ah i suid ilailoy why not


theres a inniiy dfuininurs in tliij tower i nm ic uiintud with cm


iunl their cuiinlry set a vaiiiv on vli jiiind you


noi lit nlll vcull be shot see observed merry


well i cried mr bailey wot if am


theres something gamey iii it younir luilios nnl theret vd sooner be hit


wiili a ciiuuun liall tiiin a rollingjiin anil ehefi always catch ing up something of that sort and throwing il at me wen the gcntlomans appetite is good


wnt said mr uailey stunp by th recol lection of his wrongs wot if they do con sura


the pcrvishuiib it nnt mi fault isitt surely no one says it is said mercy


dont thev thnugh


retorted the youth


fo ves


ah oh i no one maynt say it is but some one knows it is


but i anl a kniiijt to have every rise in prices wisiled on me


i nnt a going to be killed because tbc markets is dear


i wont stop


and there fore milled mr uailey relenting into a smile woltivtr you luciiii io uivti me youd hotter jive mo ijj ft onccy btuos if vou come buck iisin shant be here and as to the other buy iu wont deserve nothing know


the yoiinjr bulics nil behalf of jlr


peck sniff and ihemselves acted ou his thoughtful friemuiii iirebcntcil jlr


biiley with a irra luilv so ra


thai he could lianlly do


iionfrh to show ins gratitude which found but an imperfect vent during the remainder of the day in divers secret slaps upon his pocket and cimffinl to these ebullitions fat hesiihs crushing a bandbox with a bonnet iu it he seriously ilniniitrej mr pecksnills luggage hy ardently haiilim it down from the toof llio house and in short evinced by every nikans in his power a lively sense or hie favors he had received from thai geutlcmau and his lamily


mr pecksniff and jlr


jinlins came home to dinner arminarm fur the latter gcnlle innn hail made hallholiday on imrposc thus yinmribt irenllelnan and tn


lest whise time is it perversely ehanceil was all lirsiiokc until the evening


the bottle of wine was mr pecksniffs treat and they were very sociable indeed though full of lamentation on the necessity of parting


while uior uvre in the midst of their enjoyment old anthony and his mr pecksniff and greatly to the discumclure of jinkius


come to say irood bve you sue suul anthony in a low voice to mr iecksnitf as llicy tmk tlieirsmts nfiart nt the tiib uiiije ihu rest con vcrseil iitnoiti themselves


av heres llic use of n djvisum


ijctwueii


you


nml me


we arc the two halves of a pnir of scissors lniiimi


eli


arc unanimity inv good sir rejoined mr


pecksniff is alwnvs uklislilfiil


dont knuw about that said the old man lor there are some people would rather liffer from than agree with


hut you know my opinion of you


air


pecksniff ftill having hypocrite in itia mind only replied by a motion of his head uhich was sumeluiii between an affirmative bun and a negative sliake


complimentary said anthony


com filiuieutary upon inv word


it was an invo luntary tribute to jour abilities even at the lime and it was not a time to sngircst comjtli racuui either


but we agreed in the coach jou know that we quite understood each jther


oh quite assented jlr


pecksniff in a manner which implied that he himself was misunderstood most cruelly but would not aiiihoiiv glanced at his son ns he cat beside miss charily and then at m r pecksniff and then at his sou attain verv many times


it luinpeued thai mr pecksniffs glances took a similar direction but when he became aware jf it he first casl down his eyes am then loscd them as if he were determined that he om man shuuld ruad nothing there


jonas is a shrewd lad said the old man


he appears rejoined mr pecksniff in jis most candid manner to be very shrewd and careful said the old man


and careful have uo doubt returned mr pecksniff


luokvsaii anthony in his car


i jiink be is sweet upon your daughter


tut my good sir said mr pecksniff ivilb his eyes still closed young people voun people n kiwi of cousins too uu iitorc why tlnr is very lililesvvceluess in that ihonv isnt there a trifle more here impossible to say rejoined mr pecksniff


quit impossible


vou surprise me


yes kuow that said the old man ilrvly


it may last mean the sweetness uot the surprise and it niav die off


sup posing it should h perhs


yon having leathern


your inat pretty well and i inviiig done tlic same


we might have a mutual in terest in the matter


mr


pecksniff smiling gently was about to speak hiiiauthouy hopped him


i know what vou are miinu to say


ii guile unnecessary you have never thought of this for a moment and iu a point so nearly aftecliitr the hiiipimbs of your dear child you couluvtas a tender fiiheroxpressau opiiiim and so forth


yes quite true


and like you


isul it seems to me my denr pecksniff added anthony laying his band unou his sleeve that if you and kept up the joke of pre tending not to sec this one of us might pos sibly be placed in a position of disadvantage and as am verv unwilliug tu he thai


marly myself you will excuse my taking the liberty of pulliuir the mutter beyond a doubt thus early aiid having it distinctly understood as it is now that we do sec it and do know it


thank you far your attention


we are now upon an cqual fooliu which is agreeable to us both i am sure


lie rose as he spoke and giving mr peck anilf u nod or intelligence moved away from him to where the young people were siltimr leaving that good man somewhat iimaled and discomforted by such verv pljindealiue and foiled inlhi csercte ofhisviimiliar wesponsv lint the night coach had a punctual characler urn


it was lime to join il at the office which was so near at hand that they hst


ajreaily sent their luggage and arrauued to walk


thither the whole juitv repaired therefore after nn more dekiy ihcu sufficed for the equipment of the three jlisslvcksiiiinianl mrs todgers


wiry found the euacli already tit its ttacthi lice and the horses iu there too were a bre imijurilv uf the cuuunerciiil gentlemen iucludiir


i he vouiiest who was visiblv agitated anl in asuteuf deep mental dejection


nothing could mjual the distress of mrs tidlcrs in parliii


from the young ladies ex cept ihe ft roil


emotions with which she bade adieu to jlr


pcckbniff


never surely was a pockethandkerclief taken in and oulul ti flat reticule bo ofwn as mrs


tolgcrss was as the blood upon the lavement by the coach door saiitaud by tlutligln ofthc cochlaams caukht such brief snatches und glinies of the oimr


jinkins alluwl


fur jiukins to the last the youngest cntletnatis look ahead in life stood upon the coach step talking to the ladies


upon iho other step was mr jonas who maintained that position iu right of his who had lieeii first upon the ground was deep in the hookhignulcc among the black anil red placards ami the portraits of fust conches where he was iguomiuiously harassed by por ters and hail to contend and strive perpetually with heavy luggage


tins false position coui bincd with his nervous esciteineui brought ihont the vrrv consummation and catastrophe uf bis miseries for when in the moment of parting he aimed n uwer a hothouse flower thathal cost inonej at the fair hand of mercy it reuciied


instead the coachman un the hox who thanked him kindly and stuck it iu his buttonhole


they were off now and todgrrss was alone atrain


the two young ladiob leaning back in their separate comers resigned themselves to their own regretful thoughts


rut mr pecksniff dismiiising all ehiueral cousiilera linns or social pleasure and enjoyment concen trated his meditutiuus oulhc one great virtuous purpose before him


of casting out that ingrato and deceiver whosu presence yet trnuhlej liis domestic hearth and wui a sacrilege


npou the ulltira of his iiutiwlwm gwl


chapter xxvii


showing that u friends may not only appear with new faces jiut in false colours


that kollk


abe rlloke to bitk and that uiteb may sometimes je ultteir


mr bailey junior for the sporting charac ter whilom of general utility at todgerss had now regularly set up in life under that name without troubling himself to obtain from the legislature a direct license in the form of a private bill which of all kinds and classes of bills is without exception the most unreason able in its charges mr bailey junior just tall


enough to be seen by an inquiring eye gazing indolently at society from beneath theathihe down pall mall about the hour of noon in wait ing for his governor


the horse of dis tinguished family who had capricorn for his nephew und caulibowerfor his brolher


bhowed himself worthy of his high relations by champ ing at the bit until his chest was white with foam and rearing like a horse in heraldry the plated harness and the patent leather glittered in the sun pedestrians admired mr bailey was complacent but unmoved


he seemed to say a barrow eood people a mere barrow nothing to what we could do if we chose i and on he went squaring his short green arms outside lie apron as if he were hooked on to it by the armpits


mr bailey had a great opinion of brother to cauliflower and estimated his powers highly


uut he never told him so


on the contrary it was his practice in driving that animal to ussail him with disrespectful if not injurious expressions as ah


would you did you think it then t


where are you going to now v no you wont my lad i and similar fragmentary remarks


these being usually accompanied bj a jerk of the reiu or a track of the whip led to many trials of strength between them and to many contentions for the upper hand terminating uotr and then in chinashops and other unusual goals as mr bailey had already hinted to his friend poll sweedlepipe


on the present occasion mr bailey being in spirits tvus more than commonly hard upon bis charge in consequence of which that fiery animal confined himself almost entirely to his hind legs in displaying his paces ami con stantly gothimself into positions with refeience to the cabriolet that very much amazed the pas sengers in the street


but mr bailey not at all disturbed had still a shower of pleasantries to bestow on any one who crossed his pnth as calling to a fullgrown coalheaver in a wagon who for a moment blocked the way now young un ivho trusted you with a curt v in quiring of elderly ladies who wanted lo cross and ran back again why they didnt go to the workhouse aud get an order to be buried tempting bovs with fricndlv words to tret ui behind and immediately afterwards cutting them down and the lik flashes of a cheerful humour which he would occasionally relieve bv going round st jamess square at a hand gallop and coming slowly into pall mall by another entry as if in the interval his pace had been a perfect crawl


it was not until these amusements had been very often repeated and the applestall at the corner had sustaiued so tuauy miraculous escapes as to appear impregnable that mr bailey wua summuned to the door of a cerlnin house in pall mall and turning short obeyed the call anil jumped out


it was not until he had held the bridle for some minutes longer every jork of cauliflowers brothers head and every twitch of cauliflowers brothers nostril takiug him off his legs in the menwhile that two persons entered the vehicle one of whom took the reins and drove rapidly off


nor was it until mr bailey had run after it some hun drejs of yards in vain that he managed to lift his short leg into the iron step aud finally to get his boots upon the little footboard behind


then indeed lie became a sight to see and stnndiug now on one foot and now upon the other now trying to look round the cab on this side now on that aud noir endeavouring to peep over the top of it as it went dashing in among the carts aud coaches was from head to heel newmarket


the appearance of mr baileys governor as he drove along fully justified that enthusiastic youths description of him to the wondering poll


lie had a world of jetblack shining liair upon his head upon hie cheeks upon his chin upon his upper lip


his duties sym metrically made were of the newest fashion aud the costliest kind


flowers of gold and blue and green and blushing red were on his waistcoat precious chaius and jewels sparkled on his breast his fingers clogged with bril liant rings were as unwieldy as summer flics but newly rescued from a honeypot


theday light innuoed in bis gleaming hat and boots os ii


a polished glass


and yet though changed his name and changed his outward surface it was tigg


though turned and twisted upside down and inside out as great men have been sometimes known to be though no longer montague tigg but tigg montague still it was tijfr the same satanic gallant military tigg


the brass was burnuhed lacquered uewlystamped yet it was the true tigg metal notwithstanding


beside him sat a smiling gentleman of lesb intensions and of business looks whom he addressed as david


surely not the david of the iiow shall it be phrased


the triumvirate of golden halls


not david tapster at the loiubsnbs arms


yes


the very man


the secretarys salary david said mr montague the office being now established is eight hundred pounds per annum with his houserent coals and candles free


hiafive nndtwenty shares he holds of course


is that enough


david smiled and nodded and coughed behind a little locked portfolio which he car ried with an air that proclaimed him to be the secretary in question


if thats enough said montague i will propose it at the board tudtiy in my capacity as chairman


the secretary smiled again laughed indeed this time and fcaid rubbing his nose slyly with one end of the portfolio it was a capital thought wasnt it


what was a cipital thought david


mr montuue inquired


the anglobengalee tittered the secre tary


the anglobengalee disinterested loan and lili insurance company is rather a capital concern hope david said mon tseue


capital indeed cried the secretary with nether laugh in one sense


in the only important one observed the chairman which is number one david


what asked the secretary bursting into another laugh what will be the paid up capital according to the prospectus a figure of two and as many oughts after it as the printer can get into the same line replied his friend


ha ha


i at this they both laughed the secretary so vehemently that in kicking up his feet he kicked the apron open and ueurly started cauliflowers brother into an oystershop not not to mention mr baileys receiving such a sudden swing that he held on for the moment quite a youug fame by one strap and no legs


what a chap you arc i exclaimed david admiringly when this little alarm had subsided


say genius david genius


well upon inv soul you are a genius then said david


i always knew you had the gift of the gab of course but i never believed you tvere half the man you are


how could i


i rise with circumstances david


thats a point of geniub in itself said tigg


if you weie to lose a hundred pound wager to me at this minute david and were to pay it which is most confoundedly improbable i should rise in a mental point of view directly


it is due to mr igg lo say that he had really risen with his opportunities and pecu lating on a grander scale had become a grander man altogether


ha ho cried the secretary laying his hand with growing familiarity upon the chairmans arm when i look at you and think of your property in bengal being ha ha hal the halfexpressed idea seemed no less ludi crous to mr tigg than to his friend for he laughed too heartily


being resumed david being amena ble your property in bengal being amenable to all claims upon the company when i look at you aud think of that you might tickle roe into jits by waving the outlier of a pen at me


upon my soul you might its a devilish fine property said tigg montague to be amenable to any claims


the preserve of tigers alone is worth a mint of jnoney


david


his laughter oh what a chap you arc am so continued to huigh and hold his sides and wipe his eyes for some time without offering any other observation


a capital idea said tigg returning after a tiino tn his companions first remark no doubt it was a capital idea


it was my idea


no no


it wus my idea ead david


hang it jet a man have some credit


didnt i say to you that id saved a few pounds t


you snid


didnt i sny to you interposed tigg that had come into a few


pounds certainly you did returned davidwarmly but thats not the idea


who said that if we put the money together we could furnish au office and make a slion


and who said retorted mr tigg that providing we did it on a sufficiently large scale we could furnish an office and make a show without any money at all


be rational and just and calm and tell tnc whose idea was that


why there david was obliged to confess you had the advantage of me i admit


but i dont put myself on a level with you


i only want a little credit in the business


all the credit you deserve you have said tigg


the plain work of the company darij figures books circulars advertisements pen ink and paper sealingwax and wafers is ad mirably dune by you


you are a firstrate groveller


i dont dispute it


but the orna mental department david the inventive and poetical department is entirely yours aid his friend


so question of it


but with such a swell turnout as this and all the handsome things youve got about you and the life you lead mean to say its a precious comfortable department too


does it gain tbe purpose is it auglo eengalee asked tigg


yes said david


could you undertake it yourself


demanded


is no said david


hbhal laughed tigg


theu be con tented with jourstattoii aud yuurprosts david my fine ielloiv and bless the day that made tie acquainted across the counter of our common uucle for it was a golden day to you


it will have been already gathered from the conversation of these wurthies that they were embarked in an enterprise of some magnitude in which they addressed the public in general from the strong position of having everything to gain and nothing at all to lose and which based upon this great principle was thriving pretty comfortably


the anglobengalee disinterested loan and life insurance company started into exist ence one morning not an infant institution but a grorniup company running uuue at a great pace and doing business tigui and lett with a branch in a first floor over a tailors at the westend of the town and main offices in a new street in the city comprising the upper part of a spacious bouse resplendent in stucco and plateglass with vireuliiids in all the windows and a nglobengalee worked into the pattern of every one of them


on the doorpost was painted again in large letters offices of the auglobungalee disinterested loan and life insurance company aud on tbe door was a large brass plate vrith the same inscription always kept very bright ab court ing enquiry staring the city outof counte nance after officehours on working days and all day long on sundays and looking bolder than the bank


within the offices were nenly plastered newly painted newly papered newly countered newly floorclothed nenly tabled newly chaired newly fittedup iu every way with goods that were substantial and expensive and designed like the company to last


bu siness look at the green ledgers with red backs like strong cricketballs beaten flat the courtguides directories daybooks alma nacks letterboxes weighingmachines for letters rows of firebuckets for dashing out a conflagration iu its first spark and saving tbe immense wealth in notes and bonds belonging to the company look ut the iron safes tie clock tho office seal in itfl napuciuus self security for anything


solidity look at the massive blocks of marble in the chimney pieces and the gorgeous parapet on the top of the house


publicity


why anglobengalee disinterested loan and life insurance com pany is painted on the very coalscuttles


it is repeated at every turn until the eyes ore dazzled with it aud the head is giddy


it is engraved upon the top of all the letterpaper and it makes a scroll work round the seal and it shines out of the porters buttons and it is repeated twenty times in erery circular and public notice wherein one david crimple esq secretary and resident director takes the liberty of inviting your attention to the accom panying statenieut of the advantages offered by the anglobengalee disinterested loan and life insurance compauy and fully proves to you that any connexion on your part with that establishment must result in a perpetual christ mas box and constantly increasing bonus to yourself aud that nobody can run any risk except the office which in its great liberality is pretty sure to lose


and this david criinple esq submits to you and the odds are heavy you believe him is the best gua rantee that can reasonably be suggested bytbe board of management for its permanence and stability


this gentlemans name by the way had been originally crimp but as the word was susceptible of an awkward construction and might be misrepresented he had altered it to crimple


lest with all these proofs and confirmations any mau should be suspicious of the anglo bengalee disinterested loan and life insu rance company should doubt iu tiger cab or person tigg mcntague esquire of pall mall and bengal or any other name in the imaginative list of directors there was a porter on the premises a wonderful creature m a vast red waistcoat and a shorttailed pep per andsalt coat who carried more conviction to the minds of sceptics than the whose estab lishment without him


no confidence existed between him and the directorship nobody knew where he had served last no character or explanation had been given or required no questions had been asked on either side


this mysterious being relying solely on his figure iad applied for the situation and had been instantly engaged on his own terms


they were high but lie knew doubtless that no man could carry such au extent of waist coat as himself and felt the full value of uis capacity to such on institution


when tie sat upon a seat creeled for him in a corner of the office with his glazed hat hanging on a peg over his head it was impossible to doubt the respectability of tbe concern


it went on doubling itself with every square inch of his red waistcoat until like the problem of the nails in the horses shoes the total became enormous


people bad been known to apply to effect an insurance on tbeir lives for a thou sand pounds and looking ot him to beg before


the form of proposal was filled up that it might be made two


and yet he was not a giant


his coat was rather small than otherwise


the whole charm was in


his waistcoat


re spectability competence property in bengal orauywhere else responsibility to any amount ou the part of the company that employed him


were all expressed in that one garment


rival offices had endeavoured to lure him away lombardstreet itself bad beckoned to him rich companies bad whispered be a beadle but lie still continued faithful to the auglobcngalee


whether he was a deep rogue or a stately simpleton it was impossible to make out but he appeared to believe iu the auglobciigniee


he was grave with imagi nary careb of office and having nothing what ever to do and something less to take care of would look as if the pressure of


his numerous duties and a seube of the treasure in the com panys strongroom made him a solemn and a uiughtful man


as the cabriolet drove up to the door this officer appeared bareiiended on the pavement crying aloud


hoom fur the chairman room for tjie chairman if you please i much to the admiration of the bystuudere who it is nesd


anglobengalee company thenceforth liy that means


mr tigg leaped gracefully out fol lowed by the managing director who was by this time verv distant and respectful and as cended the stairs still preceded by the porter who cried as he went by your leave there i by your leave


i the chairman of the board gentle men


in like manner but in a still mare stentorian voice he ushered the chairman through the public office where some humble clients were transacting business into an awful chamber labelled boardroom the door of which sanctuary immediately closed and screened tbe great capitalist from vulgar eyes


the boardroom bad a turkey carpet in it a sideboard a pcrtrait of tigg montague esquire as chairman a very imposing chair of office garnished with an ivory hammer and a little handbell and a long table set out nt intervals with sheets of blottingpaper foolscap clean pens and inkstauds


the chairman having taken his seat with great solemnity the secre tnry supported him on his ricrht hand and he porter stood bolt upright behind them forming a warm background of waistcoat


this was the board everything else being a liglit bearled little fiction


bullauiytssid mr tigg


sir replied the porter


let the medical officer know with ray compliments that i wish to see him


bullamy cleared his throat and bustled out into tbe office crying the chairman of the board wishes to see the medical officer


by your leave there


by your leave


he soon returned with the gentleman iu question and at both openings of the boardroom door at his coming in and at his going out simple clients were seen to stretch their necks and stand upon their toes thirsting lo catch the slightest glimpse of that mysterious chamber


jobling my dear friend said mr tigg how ore you


bullauiy wait outside


crimple dont leave us


jobliug my good fellow i am glad to see you


and how are you mr montagup eh said the medical officer throwing himself luxuriously into un easy chair they were all easy chairs iu tbe boardroom aud taking a imnuseme gold siiuftbo from the pocket of bis black satin waistcoat


how are you f


a little norn with business eh


if so rest


a little feverish front wine humph


if so water


nothing at all the matter anil quite comfortable


then take some lunch


a very wholesome thing at this time of day to strengthen tbe gastric juices with lunch mr montague


the medical officer he was the same medical officer who had followed poor old anthony chuzzlewit to the grave and who had attended mrs gamps patient at the bull smiled in saying these words and casually added as he brushed some grains of snuff from his sirt frill i always lake it myself about this time of day do you know


bullamy i said the chairman ringing the little bell


sir i lunch


not on my account i hope i said the doctor


you are vnry good


thank you


im quite ashamed


ha ha if i had been a sharp practitioner mr montague i shouldnt have mentioned it without a fee for you may depend upon it my dear sir that if you dont make a point of taking luuch youll very soon conic under my hands


allow me to illustrate this


in mr crimples leg the resident director gave an involuntary start for the doctor in the beat of his demon stration caught it up aud laid it across his ohu as if he were going to take it off then and there


in mr crimples leg youll observe pur sued the doctor turning back his cuffs and spanning the limb with both hands where sir


crimples knee fits into the socket here there is that is to say between the bone and the socket a certain quantity of animal oil


whit do you pick my leg out for said mr crimple looking with something of an anxious expression at his limb


its the tame with other legs aint it


never you mind my good sir returned the doctor shaking his head whether it is the same with other legs or not the same


but i do mind said david


i take a particular case sir montague returned the doctor as illustrating my remark you observe


in this portion of mr crimples leg sir there is a certain amount of animal oil


iu every one of mr crimples joints sir there is more or less of the same deposit


very good


if mr crimple ueglects his meals or jails to take his proper quantity of rest that oil wanes aud becomes exhausted


what is the consequence


mr crimples bones sink down into their sockets sir aud


mr crimple becomes a weazen punv stunted miserable man the doctor jet mr criroples leg fall sud denly as if he were already in that agreeable condition turned down his wristbands again and looked triumphantly at the chairman


we know a few secrets of nature in our profession sir said the doctor


of course we do


we study for that we pass the hall aud the college for that aud we take our station in society by that


its extraordinary how little is known on these subjects irencrally


where do jou suppose now the doctor closed one eye as he leaned back smilingly iu his chair and formed a triangle tvitb his hands of which his two thumbs composed the base where do you suppose sir


critnples stomach is


mr crimple more agitated than before clapped his hand immediately below his waist coat


not at all cried the doctor not at all


quite a popular mistake


my good sir youre altogether deceived


i led it there when its out of order thats all i know said crimple


you think you do replied lie doelor but science knows better


there was a patient of mine once touching one of the many mourning rings upon his fingers and slightly bowing his head a gentleman who did me the honour to make a very landsome mention of roe in iiis will in testimony as lie was pleased to say of the unremitting zeal talent and attention of my friend and medical attendant john jobling esquire


mibcs who was so overcome by the idea of having all his life laboured under au erro ueoub view of the loculily of this important organ that when i assured him on my pro fessional reputation he was mistaken he burst into tears put out his hand and said jobling god bless you immediately after words be becamespeecbless and was ultimately buried at brixton by your leave there


cried bullamy without


by your leave i refreshment for the boardroom


tiie holy homes by ilverpen


continued from page


chapter xii


berthas adventure it might have been thought that ber thas father still slept and that her duty lay in watching him by the lengthened time she knelt and by the manner she gazed upon his face


maggys knocking at length aroused her so going lightly downstairs she let the woman in


the faithful creature was at once struck by her young mistress looks


what is the matter maam


some fresh trouble i know


eh


what a pity these troubles beto you


too who give nothin but comfort to others


it is indeed a great trouble maggy come upstairs with me and see


she led the woman who was young and comely up to the old mans cham ber and thence very softly to the bed


there it is maggy the greatest that earth can ever hold for me


then her fortitude all gone she flung herself down by the bed and gave way to a wild par oxysm of grief quite awful to behold


maggy sought to console her apart from a little roughness and homliness it was full of divine tenderness


bless you miss dont give way so dear lady dear miss i will be faithful to you


and work for you as servant never worked before


my little jack and susy shall be dutiful to you and if dan never comes back from the sea where he has been so long ill keep it in my heart to tell him in heaven what youve been to me


thank you maggy your faithful love will be a great comfort now go downstairs ihall best hush my grief alone


go for a few minutes i shall be better presently


maggy hastened to prepare some break fast though she kept stopping every few minutes to wipe away her tears with her apron or to mutter something to herself about the trouble thus fallen on the little household


she might have expected it poor dear she said referring to bertha for the poor old doctor had been long ailing still its a sore trouble notwithstanding for theres not a penny in the house i daresay to bury him nor a friend that the poor dear misses can turn to i won der what shell dothough i daresay her mind will be soon made up for no one has such a way of going straight out of a trouble as she


maggy judged berthas strength of will and power of mind correctly for when the latter came downstairs a few minutes afterwards she was quite collected and had already resolved how to act


maggy she said you must keep this sorrow as quietly as you can for a few hours or lister and the other will be here to carry off what little poor papa has left you must go and find up john olave be fore he starts to work and ask him to come for a few minutes and when i have spoken to him as to papas coffin i must set off and see mrs floring


bertha alluded to her mother though she rarely called her or addressed hor by that name


eh


dearreplied maggy that is a long way into essex isnt it


and bad weathers coming onthe day broke with wind and rain


i must go nevertheless maggy


hard as mrs moring is and much as she dislikes me above her sons still if she can be persuaded to contribute anything to papas funeral it will be alone by me


besides added bertha again convulsed with grief for sternwilled as she was her stoicism in this case was a very weak and shortlived thing it may be best that i should break this matter out to her for bitter as was her animosity against papa she may be touched now that he is really dead


maggys only relief was a doubtful shake of the head


then making her young mistress some tea she put on her bonnet and went in search of john olave


he was just starting from his lodgings to his work so he returned at once with her and greatly affected by the old doctors sudden death promised bertha every assistance in his humble power


he said he knew that mr loxwood would spare him for the day if word were sent and that if miss floring thought it necessary to go into essex he and maggy would keep faithful watch of the little house hold till her return


she gladly accepted his offer gave him necessary commission to execute and prepared to go


it was yet early not more than seven oclock but it was rather like a cold au tumnal morning than a summer one for the wind blew roughly in the streets and fhe ram at intervals fell heavily


during maggys absence bertha had looked into the condition of her narrow finances and found that with what was in the shop till and her purse she had just five shil lings for the chief of the little sum she had received on the previous evening she paid away before her return


she was not sure what the coachhire would be between town and the part of essex she had to go to as she had never been there before but hoping she should have sufficient and that the weather would as the day wore on clear up she set forth


on reaching bishopsgatestreet from whence the coach started she found that it was not only a longer journey than she expected but that she could not be set down nearer to the place whither she was going than four miles and that her way would lay through a part little inhabited and chiefly covered by woodlands strictly preserved for game


to her dismay too the coachhire exceeded by a trifle the little sum she had with her


knowing that in the house of death there lay no assistance and that she must go forward even for the sake of this beloved dead the thought forced itself upon her after some moments of intense agony that she must pawn or sell something she had with her to raise the further sum she needed


through all her stern necess ities and troubles she had never been within a pawnshop but now with no alternative left her she entered one with bent head and stricken heart and laying down a ring she wore obtained a small sum upon it


at another time it would have been painful to her to part with it for she had found it under singular cir cumstances and greatly prized it now the greater grief absorbed an infinitely lesser one


thus supplied she sheltered herself in a shop till the coach started


it was far into the afternoon before this set her down at a point where two or three wooded lanes diverged from the solitary highway


following the direc tion given to her by the coachman she went onward for some three miles or more the rain and wind which had been com paratively moderate for some hours again increasing


yet hers was not a soul to quail for a trivial mischance like that of bad weather so she plodded on through mire and puddle and quite unconscious of the wild wind which soughed through the woods or the sweep of water which came down pouring occasionally from the boughs


premature night too was com ingaon chill nay cold withal


at this point the road again branched out into others and but for a farmlad she might have been puzzled but he wa going the way she needed so proceeding with him he byandbye stopped before some ruins which had once been a lodga and telling her to pass through a gate which stood ajar said that that would lead her to the place she wanted


she had been to full of grief and anxiety to talk to the lad or enquire about the sort of place she wa going to so rewarding him with a trifle she went tacitly on her way


this gate a brokenup avenue looking wild and full of shadows in the waning light of evening a sweeping ter race and another gate brought her into the area of a large dilapidated building forcing with a cloistered front three sides of a square


those cloisters were vaulted and weather tight though con siderable portions of the building were so far in ruins as to be windowless and open to the sky


it was now almost dark this more so in the vicinity of the gloomy building and but for a crying sort of noise which attracted her she would have had diffi culty in finding her way


guided by this however she went onward along one side of the cloisters and saw a girl seated on some old steps crying bitterly


she was very young not more than ele ven or twelve and it was not till she had been spoken to a time or two that she looked up she then told bertha that her name was leah that she was the step daughter of the man who kept the place that she waited on mrs floring who lived in a part of the building and that why she cried was that the old lady had been complaining of her


well that is scarcely worth such tears my child said bertha now be so kind as to lead me to mrs florings door


the child dried her tears on her ragged pinafore and led the way willingly to the other side of the cloisters


there she stopped and knocked humbly on a door and when some querulous voice within asked who was there she said with a hu mility of voice quite painful to berthas ear for she knew too weh the bitter school in which the child was taught


if you please maam heres a lady


as bertha did not wish the child to hear the probable reply she put a little reward into her hand coaxed her face with a tenderness quite her own and bid her go


she then opened the door still wider pausing on the threshold a minute for her surprise was very great and then went in


looking at the ruined place without it would have surprised a stranger more for bertha in some measure knew her mothers peculiarities


in fact they were her own with this rich advantage of being in adjunct with a noble intellect and loving heart


originally a hall or vestibule the room which was large lofty and with a high casemented window opened directly from the cloisters


but if there was dilapidation without there was none here


it had been newly whitewashed papered and decorated curtains swept from either side the lofty window the stone floor was nicely carpeted the furniture was abundant good and polished to the brightness of a looking glass there were some shelves tastefully set out with old china quaint boxes and a few books nd in the curious old fireplace with its mantleshelf above decorated with in finite taste burnt an exceedingly bright fire


before this in a very easy cushioned armchair with a small table placed beside itpr daintly spread with tea sat an semerly woman neatly dressed in black silk and with a cap of snowy lace and ribbons


her elbows rested on each side her chair her hands were gathered be neath her chin and she still sat there gazing abstractedly into the fire with a severe cruel bitter look though she had spoken to the girl and knew that some one had entered and closed the door


now as bertha came towards the fire she looked round without moving from her posture and seeing at a glance who it was well


is it you j


it was such an extraordinary address from a mother to a child whom she had not seen for upwards of four yearssuch an unnatural scene such a perversion of human tenderness and human naturesuch an address to a daughter such as bertha that a stranger looking on or hearing would have been incredulous


but it was not and is not fiction


alas


i wish it were


bertha framed her lips to say tender words she did not feel and approaching the chair as though to kiss the woman said mamma i hope youre well


are you very anxious to hear this


have you come so far to learn


oh mother mother said bertha deaf to these bitter words and sinking in her ungovernable anguish on her knees before the woman speak tenderly please our sorrow is a great onepapa is dead


the old wo nan made no direct reply even allowed berthas beautiful head to be bent down upon and rest for a moment on hera human motherslap then moving it gently away she answered coldly is he


you say our sorrow ido not think its one to me and it may have been expected this long time she spoke this withiron hardness with frigid coldness but bertha absorbed as she was by the deepest anguish could detect from her mothers voice that much of this extraordinary manner was assum ed and could she have seen her face her palsied head and hands her conscience stricken eye her blanched cheeks she would have known that she was moved indeed he was unusually well last night continued bertha i found him dead this morning


wether it was that the word well jarred upon the old womans ear it impossible to say but her hardness and acrimony were again here


couldnt this have been told me in a letter what was the use of spending money needlessly


oh mother mother said bertha lifting ip her stricken face and raising her hands as though to still more fully crave a little pity a little charity even few kindly words for the dead do far once speak tenderly to me


i came because i thought it better to break out the trouble to you and because iliad to ask what i should not like to have done in writing some assistance to bury


she did not could not end her words her grief was too profound


but it was checked as we might sud denly check a deep and rapid stream and berthas heart stood still


oh that is it is it


said the woman starting to her feet and raising her voice to a pitch of violence that echoed through the building not pity for me or love for me but to get something out of me eh youre beginning to thiflu that ive got a little money eh


that my days of poverty are at an end


mother said bertha solemnly no such thought has entered my brain


at ordinary times i have no greed for money why should this be now when i am stun ned and bowed down by this deep sorrow


i come to you because none so much as you should sympathize with me or if you have means however poor they may be to help me to give a decent grave to one who was many year your husband and my father


only the more the pity


only the worse for me that had such a hindrance in an idle man and that i have such chil dren as i have


no


no thanks to either that i have a bed to lie on or a roof to shelter me


bertha had risen now to kneel before such a woman was as ill as to worship the foulest hindoo idol so she stood a little apart but face to face with her


mamma she said with a great firm ness that was so characteristic of her you know as well as i that you withdrew from us and not we from you


i would have worked for you as i worked for dear papa


as for him he loved you to the last and as you had thought it well to come here to manage the property your uncle had left he strove to be content


but he fretted more than he was willing to confess that you never wrote or came to see him


why should iwhat did any one care for me


if


i had been ill would they have come


i had died would they have buried me


oh no no no im only sought bfecause something is wanted of me


and that only to bury the dead with wept bertha in her bitter anguish that only because your sons have eat and drunk and been clothed out of my labours and that from my hard earnings they havehad many pounds in one case fifty at once


more than this your son lister came and took twenty pounds from the cashbox though our strait was so great at the time


of this i made no complaint to you and all i ask is trivial assistance because death is in our house and i have not a shilling in the world have no pity it is all your own fault you should not have harboured those boys


but you were always ex travagant berthaalways


there was something almost ludicrous in the way the old soman spoke this


if tpfe just and to show kindness is to be extravagant then i plead guilty mamma and guilty i shll lways be


for a moment there was a lull in the storm


mrs flowing now bethought her to ask bertha to sit down and have some tea and offered her some bread and butter


scarcely was it tasted than mrs floring recommenced the conversation and as an habitual thinga sort of necessity with hershe soon broached her favourite strain of invective against her husband and children the former especially


mother said bertha firmly and lay ing down the bread just raised to her lips in mercy spare me


if you never loved my father as a husband i as a daughter have loved him with the tenderest holiest love and the grief that is in my soul to night may be lessened but can never die


by this hearth therefore i will not sit and hear him so bitterly maligned who with some frailtiesa little indolence a little carelessnesshad as fine a brain and as generous a heart as was ever possessed by man


the old woman had risen had drawn up her short stature her frail figure to its full height and now thrusting the tea table back so as nearly to upset it and then her heavy chair she shook her head and clenched her hands in the terrificness of her insane rage


what she asked are you again at your old tricks of catechizing metalking to me as if i were a child


i tell you i wont bear it


i merely said replied bertha firmly i would hot in this hour of woe or in any ether hear my beloved father spoken of as you speak of him


then go i did not ask you to come


let life or death be no pretence at any fu ure time to come again


go go


i will i have no wish to stay only say if you will do what i askpay for the burial of the dead


no no no i should have told you this at first i have no means im very poor im quite a beggar


then god in his mercy must aid me strangers must befriend me


good bye mother may you never know an hour as bitter as this one you have made to me one thing ill do said the woman if youll keep up the beggarly lpve of writing of scratching with a pencil of running mad after ragged schools and helping what you call fallen wmen though you ought to be ashamed of doing soill keep you you can help me in


the housework and i shall be able to save the ninepence a week i pay leah


never never mrs floring come poverty come trial come sorrow but give me my beloved work


o god


give me but power to ameliorate woe and for myself i care for no human ill


no no even for my dead fathers sake i will be no household drudge or rust my soul for mere bread alone


mother farewell


she said this with an austere firmness a natural dignity a rare courage that showed the infinite genuineness of her taste and high capacity and then going to the door she opened it and paused a minute to look back upon the beautiful room


good bye mother for such must call you may he forgive and bless you even for the sake of the beloved and unburied dead


she turned out into the cold wet gloomy cloisters alone penniless and her way back to the dead before her


the other bolted her door with mad vehe mence howled out her insane impreca tions for the next hour so that distant shadowy rooms gave back the witchlike echoes and when at last the raging ocean of her passions was a little still slis stirred up her sparkling fire made herself her nightly though moderate portion of ginandwater and got out her hoard to count


it was as yet no great sum but it was as precious to her as life itself


making her way along the cloisters through which the fitful wind swept up and down bertha sought a twinkling light which she had seen shning from the opposite side


it was in the wing of the other cloister and came through a door which stood ajar


pushing this farther open bertha entered a ruinous old kitchen and saw leah sitting half asleep before a fire on the hearth


there was something cooking in a pot as though for supper and a dog lay curled up in the chimney corner


bertha crossed the kitchen roused the girl asked what oclock it was and her nearest way into the avenue


leah pointed to a cuckoo clock in a distant corner and said she was going almost then up the avenue to take her stepfathers supper who would have to stay out in the woodsall night


saying this the child placed bertha a chair and with infinite selfpossession for one so young put a portion of the seething mess into a basin tied this into a cloth lighted a lantern and prepared to set forth


are you all alone here asked bertha as the child approaching her bid the dog take care of the place


yes nobody but me and stepfather and mrs floring in the old rooms oppo site


mother who was stepfathers housekeeper till he married her died last year so im here and try to learn to work for if i didnt father would send me off to the unionhouse for hes a right hard one and sos the old lady


eh


shes always scolding though she learns me a deal thats useful


poor child


pooor childsaid ber tha with great tenderness


for she thought what patience it must need in one so young


are you her daughter asked the girl inquisitively youre a bit like her in the face but eh


dear you speak so kindly and have such a nice way


if shed be like you i wouldnt mind all that she puts me to do a bit


i am not much like her replied ber tha quietly i am much more like what my father was


but you must not mind my mothers strange ways but learn as much as you can from her for shes very clever in some things


thats just it replied the girl every body is surprised with what she has done to the old rooms


mr conway the lon don gentleman who has the shooting says its wonderful


well im right glad ive seen you i shall bear with her the better now and so i hope miss youll come again


it is not likely


leah


but be as good and kind to mrs floring as you can and i will not forget you


now please let us be going for it is getting late and have far to go


so leah led the way up the avenue and then going onward by a side path a little distance deposited the supper in a certain place and came running back i again for she had promised to show ber tha a nearer way to the road the coach passed


this she did and the vehicle soon appearing bertha bid the child a kindly good night


i only hope that i shall see you again miss were leahs last words


the oldfashioned coach was full inside


so wet as the night was bertha had to take her place beside the coachman and inquiring of him found that her poor finances would bear her no farther than chigwell on her way back to town


so she must walk the rest but bertha was not one to quail at these smallpemmas of adversity


unrefreshed unrested preyed upon by grief of the deepest kind and its countless anxieties bertha as it may be supposed felt worn and ill


sinking into a sort of stupor as the wind blew round and the rain fell down it was not till she had nearly approached the end of her journey that she was roused


then it was by appalling screams and imprecations in a coarse voice which issued from the upper rooms of a lonely country cottage they were passing


whats that asked bertha in much terror of the coachman


nothing maam


i hear it every night


a mad ladys kept there with her nurse and sister thats all


shes the wife of a rich gentleman in the neighbourhood and though she was as bad a one as could be hes too tender to let her go into a sylum so shes there


in a few minutes more the coach was drawn up before the inn


two gentlemen had j nst walked up to it and one now piepared to ascend the coach as bertha assisted by the coachman began to de scend


but when her foot touched the ground she felt ill and sick and faint and in another instant she had fallen deathlike and insensible to the ground


both gentlemen sprung to her aid


the taller stouter and elder raised her from the ground


as soon as he had seen her pallid stricken face he uttered an excla mation of surprise and pain and pushing the other almost fiercely aside bore her tenderly into the inn in his arms


to be continued


the mysteries of paris


continued


chapter lxvi


honest mii s l y


the reader has doubtless not forgotten that an unfortunate family the head of whicha journeyman jeweller namel morel occupied the garret of the house in the rlue du temple


we will conduct him to this sad abode


it is five oclock in the morning


the night dark and frosty


a candle sustained by two sticks on a little square block hardly pierces with its yellow flickering light the darkness of the garret


the slop ing roof forms with the floor a very acute angle


the walls had been plastered but were blackened by time and through cracks and rents could be seen the wormeaten laths a door off its hinges showed the way to the staircase


such frightful disorder always announces misery so desperate so overwhelming that the man annihilated degraded feels no more the will strength nor need to get rid of it he crouches there like a beast in his den


during the day this hole is lighted by a narrow window made in the roof


at the time of which we speak it was covered with a thick coating of snow


on the table which was covered with stains of tallow shone and sparkled a handful of diamonds and rubies of the finest water


morel was a workman in real and not false stones as he said and as they thought in the house


so much riches placed at the mercy of so much misery


i we need not speak of the probity of morel


seatedon a stool without a back over come by fatigue by cold by sleep after a long winters night passed in labour the jeweller has let thll on the table his weary head and benumbed arms asaw of fine steel and some other utensils are scattered around the artisan is dressed in an old coat of coarse net which he wears next to his skin and a wretched pair of cotton trowsers his last slippers in tatters scarcely cover his feet blue with cold


there reigns in this garret a cold so intense notwithstanding the kind of sleep into which he is plunged from exhauston that he shivers at times from head to foot


the length of unsnuffed candlewick an nounces that morel has slept for some time his oppressed respiration is alone heard for the other inhabitants of this garrret are not asleep


in this narrow garret live seven persons


five children the youngest four years of age the eldest hardly twelve with their infirm mother and then a woman of four scorethe mother of their motheran idiot i except the father of the family a moment overcome because his strength is exhausted no one sleeps cold hunger sickness keep their eyes openwide open


madeleine morel is thirtysix years of agean old blue cotton handkerchief tied around her head glaringly sets forth the bilious colour of her bony face


her eyes are surrounded by deep brown circles the blood flows from her chapped lips


the jeweller was often obliged although his labor alone supported the family to leave his work to console the poor valetudina


rian under a wretched covering of coarse cotton which was spread over his wile morel had placed some clothes so old and ragged that the pawnbrokers had refused to receive them


this desolate scene is lighted by the candle whose flame agitated by the wind which whistles through the crevices of the roof now casts its pale and fiickeringlight on so much misery and now illumiines with a thousand fires the dia monds and rubies exposed on the work bench of the sleeping artisan


with an involuntary movement the eyes of all these miserable beings are fixed instinctively on the jeweller their only hope their only resource


in their selfishness they are vexed to see him thus overcome by labour


the mother thought of her children the children thought of themselves


the idiot appeared to think of nothing


the idiot advanced to the table to warm her hands at the fltme of the candle she looked down and appeared to examine with imbecile curiosity the rubies and dia monds which sparkled on the table


ab sorbed lin this contemplation the idiot burned her handsshe uttered a hoarse cry


at this noise morel awoke with a start and found himself face to face with the idiot


what is the matter


what do you want mother


said morel then he added in a low tone fearing to awaken his fa mily whon he thought sleeping sgo to sleep motherdont make any noise madeleine and the children are asleep


i am not asleepi am trying to warm adele said the eldest of the little girls


i am too hungry to sleep said one of the boys


poor children said morel i thought that you were asleep at least


i was afraid to wake you morel said his wife otherwise i would have asked for some water


swait said the workman i must first get your mother to bed come leave my jewels alone


go to bed mother repeated he this this


answered the idiot shovw ing one of thie precious stones she coveted


go to bed at once go to bed i at the noise of the whip the oldidiot started quickly away then stopped grum bled and cast angry looks at her son


inlaw


he desirous of terminating this cruel scene to give his wife drink advanced close to the idiot and again snapped his whip loudly saying to bed immediately the oldl woman in her fright began to utter dreadful howls and threw herself on her couch like a dog in his kentnel


the frightened children thinking that their father had struck the old idiot cried bitterly


at this moment some one knocked loudlly at the door of the garret


much astonished the artizen went and opened it


soh


it smells of poverty and death her


said malicorne one of the intruders


the truth is it dont smell of musk answered his companion ilourdin with a gesture of disgust and contempt


through the half opened door could be seen the sunning wicked face of tortillard


what do you want asked the artisan


we want jerome morel answered bourdin


we are officersdo you un derstand


here is the judgment said malicornc drawing from his portfolio a stamped act