the raven flapped his wings and croaking his satisfaction hopped to the feet of his master and there held his bill open ready for snapping up such lumps of meat as he should throw ham


of these lie received about a score in rapid succession with


out the smallest discomposure


thats all said barnaby


more t cried grip


more


but it appeating for a certainty that no more was to be had le retreated with his store and disgorging the morsels one by one from his pouch hid them in various cornerstaking particular care however to avoid the closet as being doubtful of the hidden mans propensities and power of resisting temptation


whlen


he had concluded these armsngementa in took a turn or two across rthe room with an elaltorare assutmption of having nothing on his mind hut svith one eye hard upon his treasure all the timel and then and not till ithes began to drag it out piece by piece and eat it with the utmost relish


liarnaby for iris part having pressed lilt mother to eat ina vajn made a hearty supper too once during thre progress of his meal ihe wanted more bread from ithe clotet and rose to got it


shte hur riedly interposed to prevent him and summoning her utmost fortitude passed into the receas and broright it out herself


mothert said barnaby looking at her stead


fastly as sihe sat down bealde him after dolag so rris today my birthday todsy i she answered dont you recollect it was but a week or so ago and that nummser autumn and winter have to pass before it comes againt i i remember that it has been so till now said barsaby


but i think today must be my birthis day too for all that site asked him why i pil tell yorr why ire said


i have always seen youi didnt let you know it but i haveon rho evening of rhst day gross very sad i itave seen yucry when grip and ii wvere motst glad arid look fihtened wrthr no reason and i have touched your hand and felt that it was coldsn it is now once mother on a birth day thsat wvas also


grip and i throsght of this aftor we wont up stairs to bed and wshen it was midnight striking one oclock we came down to your door to see if you were well


you wvere on your knees


i forget what it was you said


grip what was it we hteard her say that night im a devil i rejoined the raves promptly


no no said ibarinaby


but you said some


thring in a prayer sod whlen you rose and walked about you looked as you have done over sirnce motiter towvards night on my birthday jest as you do now i found that out you see toitugh i a sllty


so i say youre wrong and this must be my birthdaymy birthday grip i tiro bird received this information with a cross of suchr duration an a cock gifted with intelligence beyond all others of isis kind roigirt usher in tire longest day stirh


lieo as if he had well con sidered tire sentimentt and regarded it as apposite to btirthdaya ite cried nevor nay die i a great many times and flapped itis wvings for emphaasin


tho widow tried to make light of baroabys remtrk and endeavourod to divert his attention to noome new subject too easy a task at all times as rho koess


hiis supper done barnaby regardlrns of her entreaties stretched htimaelf emn theo mat before rite fire grip perched upon lila leg and divided ihis time betwveen dozing in tire grateful wvarmith sod endeavourlog as it presently appeared to recall a nesy accomp lishsment lie had been study log all day


a long and profound silence ensued broken only by some change of position on the part of barnnby whose eyes were still wide open and intently fixed upon the fire or by an effort of recollection on the part of grip who would cry in a low voice from time to time polly put the ket and there stop short forgetting the remainder and go off in a doze again


after a long interval barnabys breathing grew more deep and regular and his eyes were closed


but even then the unquiet spirit of the raven inter posed


polly put the ket cried grip and his master was broad awake


at length liarnaby slept soundly and the bird with his bill sunk upon his breast his breast itself puffed out into a comfortable aldermanlike form and his bright eye growing smaller and smaller


really seemed to be subsiding into a state of repose


now and then lie muttered in is sepulchral voice polly put the ket but very drowsily and more like a drunken man than a reflecting ravet


the widow scarcely venturing to breathe rose from her seat


the man glided from the closet and extinguished the candle


tle on cried grip suddenly struck with an idea and very much excited


tie on


hurrah


polly put the kettle on well all have tea polly put the kettle on well all hive tea


hurrah hurrah hurrah


i imadevil im a devil im a ket tle on keep up your spirits never say die bow scow wow im a devil im a kettle im apolly put the kettle on well all have tea


they stood rooted to the ground as though it had been a voice from the grave


but even this failed to awaken the sleeper


lhe turned over towards the fire his arm fell to the ground and his head dropped heavily upon it


the widow and her unwelcome visitor gazed at him and at each other for a moment and then she motioned him towards the door


stay lie whispered


you teach your son well


i have taught him nothing that you heard to night


depart instantly or i will rouse him


you are free to do so


shall i rouse hin


you dare not do that


dare do anything i have told you


he knows me well it seems


at least i will know him


would you kill him in his sleep i cried the widow throwing herself between them


woman lie returned between his teeth as he motioned her aside i would see him nearer and i will


if you want one of us to kill the other wake him


with that he advanced and bending down over the prostrate form softly turned back the head and looked into the face


the light of the fire was upon it and its every lineament was revealed distinctly


he contemplated it for a brief space and hastily uprose


observe lie whispered in the widows car in him of whose existence i was ignorant until tonight i have you in my power


be careful how you use me


lie careful bow you use me


i am destitute and starving and a wanderer upon the earth


i may take a sure and slow revenre


there is some dreadful meaning in your words


i do not fathom it


there is a meaning in them and i see you fathom it to its very depth


you have anticipated it for years you have told me as much


i leave you to digest it


do not forget my warning


hle pointed as he left her to the slumbering form and stealthily withdrawing made his way into the street


she fell on her knees beside the sleeper and remained like one stricken into stone until thlr tears which fear had frozen so long came tenderly to her relief


oh thou she cried who host taught me such deep love for this one remnant of the promise of a happy life out of whose affliction even peihaps the comfort springs that lie is ever a relying loving child to menever growing old or cold at heart but needing my care and duty in his manly strength as in his cradletimehelp hin in his daikened walk through this sad world or hi is doomed and my poor heart is broken i to be continued


barnaiy rudge


o cihapter r


there was great news that night for the regular maypole customers to each of whomas he straggled in to occupy his allotted seat in thechimdiey riner john with a most impressive slowness of delivery and inan apoplectic whisper communicated the fact that mr chester wasalone in the largeroomh up stairs and was waiting the arrival of mr geoifrcy haredale to whom he had sent a letter doubtless of a threatenidg nature by the hands of barnaby then and there present


for a little knot of smokers and solemn gossips who had seldom any new topics of discussion this was a perfect godsend


here was a good dark looking mystery progressing under that very roof brought home to the fireside as it were and enjoy able without the smallest pains or trouble


it is extraordinary what a zest and relish it gave to the drink and how it heightened the lavour of the tobacco


every man smoked his pipe with a face of grave and serious delight and looked at his neighbour with a sort of quiet congratulation


nay if was felt to be such a holiday and special night that on the motion of little solomon daisy every man including john himself put down his sixpened for a can of flip which grateful beverage was braiwed with all despatch and set down in the midst of them on the brick floor both that it might simmer and stew before the fire and that its fragrant steam rising up among them and mixing with the wreaths of vapour from their pipes might shroud them in a delicious atmosphere of their own and shut out all the world


the very furniture of the roomseemed tomellow and


deepen in its tone the ceiling and walls looked blacker and more highly polisbed the curtains of a ruddier red the fire burnt clear and high and the crickets in the hearthstone chirpied with a more than wonted satisfaction


there were present two however who showed but


little interest in the general contentoeont of these one was barnaby himself who sleptor to avoid being beset with questions reigned to sleep in the chimneycorner the other hugh


whoaleeping too lay stretched upon the bench on the oppnlsteside in the full glare of theblazing fire


the light that fell upon this slumbering form showed it in all its muscular and handsome propor tions


it wasthat of a youngman of ia hale athletic figure and a giants strength whose sunburnt face and swarthy throat over grown with jet blackhair might have served a painter for a model


loosely attired in the coarsest and roughest garb with scraps of straw and hayhis usual bedclinging here and there and mingling with his uncombed locks he had fallen asleep in a postureas careless as his dress


the negligence and disorder of the whole man with something fierce and sullen in his features gave him a picturesque appearance that attracted the regards even of the maypole customers who knew him well and caused long parkes to say that


ilogh looked more like a poaching rascal tonight than ever he had seen him yet


hes waiting here i suppose said solomon to take mr iharedaleehorse


thats it sir replied john willet hesnot often in the house you know hesmote athis ease among horses than men


i look upon him as a animal himself


following up this opinion with a shrug that seemed meant to say we cant expect everybody to be like us john put his pipe into his mouth again and smoked like one who felt his superiority over the general rul of mankind


that cap r said john taking it outagain after a timel and pointing at him withthe stem though hes got all his faculties abouthimiihot tied up and corked down if l may say so some wheres or another d very good said parkes nodding his head a very goodexpression johnny youll be a tack lingsomebody presestly youre in twig tonight i see


take care said mrwillet not ataliggrate ful for the compliment that i dont tackle you sir which i shiallcertainly endeavour to do ifyou interrupt me when m making observationis


that chp i was a saying though he has till his fatulies about him somewheres or another bottled upi and corked down has no more imagination than bar


naby has


and why hasnt he


the three friends shook their heads at each other sayingbythat actibn without the trouble of open


ing their lips do you observe what a philolo


phical mind our friend has


why hasnt he said john


gently striking the table with his open hand because they never was drawed out ofthim when he


was a boy thats why


what would any of us la been fathlera hiad tdrawe our faculties out of


us what would my boy joe have been if hadnt drawed his faculties out ofhim


do you mined what im saying of gentlemen


h we mind you ceried parkes go on im proving of us johnny


consequesntly then said lmr


willet that chap whose mother was hbng wlieg he was little by aoing with six others for passing bad notes and its a blessed thing to think hosimauined ple are hung in batches ever six weeks for ia tandr such likeoffences as alslwling w wdeawake our governmesntisthat chap thate was then


turned loose and had to mind cows and frightmlilds away anidrhitnot for a few pence to liveoni andl so goibii b derees to sdihorses and to saleep in courseof time in lofts


and litter initead of uider haystacks and hedges tll at last he come ito be hostler at the maiole for hiis iboard and iodging qnd a annual trifethat chap that cant read nor write and has never had much todo with arnything bit animals is a animal and said mr willl sirri ing at his ogical conelusion s to be treatedhea cordengly willet said soloron dasy who iad ehi


biued some smpatletre at the


snrusion of so ui awqr hy a sbjict on ihi more interesting theme


whed lar


chester come thiimorningdid hb orde ifle lare room


a s r s ohn taths wanted a large apartmont i yesp rtaina


ly


ni why thehlll tell you wliat siaildtsoil speaklgi softly and wilisan earneost laook his and mlr haredale are going to fight a duel in it


everybody looked at lmr


willt after this alarmu


ing suggestion mr willet looked at the fire weigh ingin lias non mind the effect such an occurrence would be likely to have on the establishment


wellsaid john i dont know i asm sure i remember that when i went up last he had put the lights upon the mantel shelf


its as plain returned solomon as the nose on parkess facemr


parkes who had a large nose rubbed it and looked as if he considered this a personal allusion theyll fight in that room


you know by tile newspapers what a common thing it is for gentlemen to fight in coffeehouses without seconds


one of ens will he wgunded or perhaps atlled in this house


that was a challenge that barnaby took then eh saidjohn


inclosing a slip of paper with the measure of his sword upon it ill bet a guinea answered the little man


we know what sort of man mr hare dale is you have told us what barnaby said about his looks when he came back


depend upon it im aght now mind


the flip had had no flavour till now the tobacco had been of mere english growth compared with its present taste


a duel in that great old rambling room up staisa and the best bed ordered already for the wounded man i would it be swords or pistols now said john


heaven knows perhaps both returned solo mon


the gentlemen wear swords and may easily iave pistols in their pocketsmost likely have in deed


if they fire at each othler without effect then taeyll draw and go to work in earnest


a shade passed over mlr


willets face as he thought of broken windows and disabled furniture butt bethinking himselfthat one of the parties would be left alive to pay the damage ihe brightened up again


andthen said solomon looking from face to face then we shall have one of those stains upon the floor that never come out


if mr haredale wins depend upon it itll be a deep one or if he loses it will perhaps be deeper still for hell never give in unless hes beaten down


we know him better eh


better indeed they whispered altogether


as to its ever being got out again said so lemon i tell you it never will or can be


why do you knowthat it has been tried at a certain house we are acquainted with the warren


cried john no sure


yes sure yea


its only knownby very few sit has been whispered about though for all that


they planed the board away but there it was r they went deep but it went deeper they put new boards down but there was one great spot that came through still and showed itself inthe old place


and harkve draw nearer mr geoffrey made that room his study and sits therealways with his foot as i have heard upon it and he believes through thinking of it long and very much that it will never f asde until he finds the man who did the deed


as this recital ended and thley


all drew closer round the fire the tramp of a horse was heard without


the very man cried john starting up


lugh i hugh


the sleeper staggered to his feet and hurried after him


john quickly returned ushering in with great attention and deference for mr haredale was his landlord the longexpected visitor who strode into the room clanking his heavy boots upon the floor and looking keenlyaround upon the bowing group raised his hat in acknowledgment of their profound respect


you have a stranger here willet who sent to me he said in a voice which sounded naturally stern and deep where is lie in the great room up stairs sir answered john


show the way your staircase is dark i know gentlemengood night


with that he signed to the landlord to go on before and went clanking out and up the stairs


old sjohn in his agitation ingeniously lighting every


thing but the way and making a stumble at every second step


stop


he said when they reached thelanding i can announce myself dont wait


he laid his hand upon the door entered and shut it heavily


mr willet was by no means dis posed to stand there listening by himself especially as the walls were very thick so descended with much greater alacrity than he had come up and joined his friends below


memtoeil the story oe


a feather


j


jbanglit hcmtttf


a storyfrom posch chapter xviii


continued from our last


a husbands wrongsa listeneran attacktriumph of colours


and still did madame spanneu exercise her voice to ber husbands fiddle albeit little mollified by the conjugal catgut


orpheusit is a trite taletamed wildcats and lionesses by the magic of the gamut


monster julien spanneu as not an orpheus neither was his beautiful eliza a lioness hence the discord and the music continued for some minutes and threatened to ndure when the maid jigged into the room and announced the name of mr curhvell


at the sound mrs gaptooth observed in a confidential voice to madame spanneu from my lord im bound or him and hastened away to seek the valet


come for lndy dinahs dog ill lie sworn cried madame spanneu with a fiery glance at her husband and youre never in a state to see anybody


how the man sits


why dont you run and clean yourself you outlandish savage


ma belle elise cried the frenchman sitting crosslegged before me with a shuddering dread of my discovery


why dont you get up shrieked the wife


monsieur spanneu affected a sudden spasmworked his nether jawmoped and mowed like a monkey and then ven tured to ask his wife if she had no sentiment


sentiment echoed the beautiful eliza as though insulted


mon angei am sickmaladehorriblement malade


alle cherches du cognac


oh i if you have religion get brandy and the frenchman ground his teeth nnd rocking from side to side with both his arms hugged his abdomen


brandy exclaimed the wife with mixed contempt and derision at the extravagance of the sick man and was about to leave the room


this was precisely what the husband re quired he therefore sought tu hurry her with sweetest phrase


ha cest bien ma viemon trsormon me


then seeing his wife suddenly fixed he roared get brandy or


i ill die i tell you belle elise i will die


do you promise inquired the wife with evident interest in the question and then with a laugh she swept away from the moribund man


for an instant the sufferer sat listening to the footsteps of his spouse descending the stairs and then he jumped up and plucking me rumpled and disordered from beneath the chaircried hit i si cette diablesse vous avait vue


saying this he rapidly buttoned mc under his waistcoat and again fell in the chairagain sick expiring for the lifebestow ing brandy


he listened but there was no wife hurrying back with the restorative anodyne


yet certainly she would come yes she would never let him expire


that was her rushing step


no it was the cat at romps


had he not promised to die if brandy came not


still silence


it was plain the wretched woman wished to try if he would keep his word


smitten with a sense of this truth the mournful spouse rose from his chair and drawing forth his handkerchief was about to use it in search of a tear of wounded sensibility a tear that might be in his eye


he hesitated and the majesty of an offended husband coming to his aid he exclaimedi cannot fora certainty say what


but sure i am it was not ange


whatever it was the word by its energy seemed to carry the man from the room and he ran muttering down stairs carry ing me as his bosom companion on the way


verily believe that monsieur spanneu having descended his own staircase was about to enter his own parlour he how ever brought himself dead up at the door


i heard voices within so it was plain did monsieur spanneu for after pausing s minute his heart commencing n hurried beat lie lient his ear close to the keyhole


i must confess that for a moment i wished i could have been turned into a iii fog hedgehog that i might have inflicted on the bosom of the oltiiider a thousand pricking reproofs of the meanness of the net


i could have curled and twisted like a snake willi very indignation as the frenchman grasping the handle of the door seemed as he would screw the entire of his car into the compass of the keyhole


how at first he shook and quivered at the voices withinand then with an attempt at calmness he set his teeth and slightly grunted as he listened


nevertheless with all his industry and quickness of car monsieur spanneu was only enabled to catch halfsentences these he pieced together making thereof a terrible scourge by the very inge nuity of his ignorance


i having the acute organization of a bird could recognise sounds of softest volume and was therefore excessively amused at the jealousy which monsieur gathered from the mere fragments he was enabled to gather together


requesting that the printer will set in different letterswill if i may use the conceit put certain words in a whisperi will endeavour to show what monsieur spanneu heard and what escaped him


the proverb that listeners hear no good of themselves is evidently worked out in this way the good if ever spoken is spoken in so weak a voice that it falls dead


ere it arrives at the keyhole


this was doubtless the case with monsieur spanneu


i never thought that his lordship could have so liked that madame spanneu here begins the inaudible type for words inaudible to the husbandf to know all about her ladyshipj


but bless you he so loves herso doats upon her and as lady wuiowby has a fine fortune perhaps she deserves it j the first voice i immediately recognised as the silvery pro perty of airs


gaptooth the second as the masculine organ appertaining to the valet curiwell


well theres no accounting for love to be sure and so his lordship comes here for a dog to show his love


mrs spanneu tells me everything i la


i how she grins at her husband though do you know think she doats upon him after all j here the gentlewoman laughed not so monsieur spanneu for his rage rising his knees began to knock against the panne of the door


every moment i expected to hear a voice from the roora cry come in


the speakers were however too much interested to tskc heed of a light disturbance so the halflost dialogue to the further misery of monsieur spanneu went on


i must siy hil lordship takes a great deal of trouble about pleasing her ladyship


j why doesnt he run s with the woman at once


why not


im sure shed jump to have him fand as jar buying dogs and all such fallalsits childswork mr curiwell tt is indeed


here again mrs gaptooth laughed and again the knees of mousieur spanneu smote the pannel


almost breathless the forlorn selftormenting husband again essayed to listen yet heard but fragments


thus the dialogue was continued


but about that gal mr cvrlweu


if his lordship as you say is really in lote with the widow uhy should he care for that gat


f you dont know the trouble shes given me


j you are an excellent woman mrs gaptooth and scorn to deceive you


j ive only used his lordship as his lordships used the dogas a sort of blind


he cares nothing for the feather dresser hes never seen her


j its i as loves her answered curiwell and monsieur spanneu gasped again


impossible i cried mrs gaptooth


not that i can say love but you know what i mean


dont know how it is


but ii will have her and theres an end of it cried the valet


sacre i groaned monsieur spanneu


well


i like a man of spirit said mrs gaptooth


tm sure fve done all could to rummage lier out


she went from her last lodgings nobody knows where


tlunre was a talk about an old apothecary but i believe nothing about it


j


and now mr curiwell why should you deceive an old friend


why should you tell me it was his lordship ai loved the oman and not your proper self


good reasons mrs gaptooth the world isnt what it ought to be or i should have as much money as them as carry their heads among the highest


its n wicked world for poor men mem said tho valet with a sigh


well well the worlds not so bad after all said the phi losophic matron we may know a worse


je respire muttered monsieur between his teeth and again with gaping ear he listened


but you are rich enough for her cried mrs gaptooth and it shant be my fault if you dont make ber a happy cretur


i will mn


gaptoothi will as im a man etclaimed tnt valet with energy


here monsieur spanneu with a sudden roar burst into the room if uttered no syllable but with a spring brought htm self to the fireplaceto his own sacred hearthand caught up the poker which except himselffor at that moment he had dreadful thoughts of his wifewas its brighest ornament


mrs gaptooth being a woman slightly screamed


mr curl well in short spasmodic sentences exclaimed hallo ithe man mad murder to be done


blood be to shed


brains to be knocked out


killed like a dogand uttered other household expressions of household alarm


monsieur spanneu felt too much to speak


his voice was inthe poker


seizing that weaponwe have often thought that marriage contracts will never be complete until it be part of the mar riagelaw that shovel tongs and poker be all and severally fastened by a certain length of chain lo the fireplacehe commenced an attack upon the valet who shaking many years from his heels ran round and round a table the injured husbandlike othello injured only by false suspicionfollow ing him


mrs gaptooth selecting the easychair sank in it evidently prepared at any moment to faint


still did curlwell describe the circle of monsieur spanncus mahogany which was happily of sufllcicnt area to protect the valet from the avenging iron of the short and corpulent frenchman who nathless ran round and round making at times the hardest blows upon his own hospitable table blows inhospitably in tended for the bruinpan of his guest


however mortal breath could not long sustain the trial and at length monsieur spanneu gasping again and shaking his head at his imagined wronger dropped tho poker despairingly upon the table


at the some moment curlwell paused and with his knuckles resting upon the same piece of household utility look wind


there they stood panting nt one another like two dogs in july un the opposite sides of a ditch


seeing them powerless far any mischief mrs gaptooth theil felt it her duty as a woman and a christianas she afterwards said to madame spanneuto scream the roof off


down rushed madame spanneu in full dress


she hail in truth retired to her chamber to decorate herself for an audience with mr curlwell and not as her husband foolishly imagined pour chercher du cognac i strange mysterious arc the movements of the human soul i arguing from common euimiles docs not the reader imagine that the very sight of his wife at such a moment would have been as oil to the frenchmans jealous flames


it was other wise


for in an instant monsieur spanneu crying ma bille elise i mon angel mon me locked his helpmate in his arms


now madame spanneu was dressed in a blue lutestring with white satin


had it been any other colour monsieur afterwards declared he would baie cast de tratresse avayfor everavay but dat gown was his weakness


ile could not tink to lose her ven in de vite and blue in a word the frenchman struck to his wifes colours


to he continued


mtimsot the story of a feather


s ounlft stwaftt


a storyfrom punch


chapter


xxxii


continued from our last


mrscramps


appeal to the widow


visit of a jealous wife


whilst the widow recreated herself with her sorrowsfor to me it seemed plain that she took a strange pleasure in declaring her wretchednessi could perceive that mr and mrs traply communicated with one anolher by frowns and pouts and other expressive means known to the married which looks and signs readily interpreted into great discontent on the part of the turnkey at the presence of patty and inglewood whilst poor mrs


traply by the eloquent lvation of her eyebrows asked s pluinly as ever woman spoke how she was to help it


the truth as air


traply had returned soured and disgusted to newgate for as afterwards discovered the cart had been stopped in oxfordroad by a reprieve and the horses head turned towards the old bailey


such an accident especially in the inter season was a mishap to ruffle the turnkey who as i heard bim swear vowed it was only playing w ith people


hence he had returned cold and hungry and no promissory rabbit and onions prepared for he board


this incident was of itself enough to curdle the milky humanity of the officer


avhen however fie saw patty and luglenoodfrom whom


with a fine instinct lie knew he could obtain nothingwhen he saw them intruding upon airs


cramp who declared she had plenty of money and whom therefore the man very naturally wished to have all to himselfhe lost the patience which by the very smallness of the stock was so valuable to him and relieved his bursting heart in contempt of patty


all very fine


air


parsonsince you are oneall very line sir but the young oman can tell whats what


bless jour heart shes not such a foolshe can tell newgate frcm piecrust


she knows it wasnt mr abram as gie her the avatch and though she might turn kings evidence shed never be such a wretch i never swear away the dear mans life


could you be sucha monster exclaimed mrs cramp entirely losing herself in her fears for the highwayman


no no you shall not leave rae cried the widow as patty moved towards the door you shall not quit this spot until you swear to meand this kind gentleman will take your oath until you swear to mc that youll preserve edward


and with these words mrs cramp seized patty by the wrists who meekly begged traply to take her back into the prison


not till i have her oath i not till i have her oath i repeated the woman hysterically


putty for a moment forgot her own miseries in pity of the forlorn condition of the widow


your oath my dear sweet girl your oath before this pious reverend gentleman


swear it and ill go upon my knees and the widow in veriest imbecility was about to prostrate herself when patty prevented her


be assured i will say nothingcan sty nothingto injure him said the girl


but swoar it i swear it i cried mrs cramp who was for a moment interrupted in her violence by the return of liutley


the apothecary had heard of the widows consuming passion for the highwayman and placing himself between her and patty he said i am come from air


a brum


from dear edward exclaimed the widow ha the suffering martyr


i have had some talk with him said li lilley about the stolen property


he knows nothing of the watch of course


ill be sworn for him i a love i cried mrs cramp


neither patty hoes he know anything of you


no he does you this much justice he says though they hang him for the robbery as far as lies in him hell acquit you


hang him


he a robber i


oh troubles turned the dear creatures brain


i see it


theyll drive him mad and then make him say all sorts of things against his precious self


he steal a walch


wouldnt believe it though i saw him


no id rather doubt my own eyes than him


hut hell be mur dered and for her saketo save her


yes yes i know it i see it and the poor widow flinging herself in a chair i rooanct pheusly


good bye sirgood bye said putty to lintley as she endeavoured to hurry from the room


then after a moment turning lo inglewood she said sir i thank you for this kindness and whatever may befal me must think of p whatever may befal you cried inglewood sadly taking pattys hand i will pray for the best and whatever may befal you he repeated with earnest yet trembling voice i will be here to sorrow or rejoice with you


the tone in which inglewood spokei could sec itthrilled the heart of patty


new emotion seemed awakened within her


she was fixed to the spother eyes upon the ground her face now red and pale


and inglewood with death in his aspect gazed upon the hapless persecuted girl and for a moment his eye brightened and he smiled as though he heard the whisperings of longsilent hope


to me the couple were a touching sight


the girl with affections deep as the sea a wronged and blighted thing doomed it might be to death made horrible by every circumstance of shame the man in the first strength of life with the best nobility of heart a gentle upright holyminded being surely withering to an early grave


and in these two there were newborn hopes affections for the first time known a dreama mocking vision that for the moment made that prisonplace a paradise and glorified the hideous present by the happy future


and shall it be communed with myself shall it be indeed a dream come patty said lintley not unobservant of the girls emotion i willwith air


tiaplys good leavesee you through the passage


and with this intention lintlty taking pattys hand was about to leave the room when the door was flung open and mrs lintleyfor she soon proclaimed herselfbounced beforo her husband


poor lintley


i could see it he was a man of firm yet gentle temper he was upon the noblest duty that can employ a human creature that of administering sympathy and strength to the weak and suffering and yet for an instant he looked con founded had he been detected in the meanest act that can vulgarise life he could not have looked more shamefaced


lie had swallowed the bitterest drug in his shop rather than the wordsfor


well he knew their qualityof mrs lintley


now the apothecarys wife doated upon her husband and such excess of affection was to ber a sufficient reason that she should make hinrt now and then extremely miserable


she employed her love upon her husband as cats employ their claws upon a halfdead mouse hence she would make him keenly suffer her affection


in the ihst place it was with her an enduring principle that every woman who saw mr lintley who in truth was a goodtempered sweetnatured looking man and no morewaa from the moment incurably in love with him


maids wives or widows all were alike ready to sacrifice their hearts their weddingrings and mourningcaps to the apothecary


it never fora moment struck mrs lintley that by such belief she committed a grievous scandal upon all her sisterhood certainly not lie never so far analysed her feelings but lived on with suspicion of all for her connubial creed


tho ingenuity with which her jealousy would transform straws into poisoned daggers and cobwebs into whips of steel though highly creditable to the maker of the implements was grievously painful to the sufferer


let a girl with a tolerably sparkling eye enter the shop for some anodyne for toothache ob in the words of the apothecarys wife there must be something in it let her opposite neighbour have a pain in tlie bead and send for mr lintley why that woman was always having a pain in the head and there must be something in it


i a poor widow could not summon lintleyto the spasms but there must be something in it


nay had the same widow broken a limb and sent for lintley there would have been something even ina compound fracture


and than mr lintley had such an inveterate habit of feeling the pulse of a patient


could ha not asked mrs lintley at least when the sufferer waa feminine could he not tell what


ws th matter without squeesing the woman wrists


oh there must b something in it


i many a time when after a hard days drudgerytramping through the mud and mists of london to hil frscittred patientsthe worn apothecary had stretched himself in bed and the sordid miserable pettinesses of the world were melting in the balm of sleep many a time when that demon lodged in th clapper of his night bell has called him from warm sheets into the raw drisaling wintry air the apothecarys wife era the bell hu censed sounding has declared it very strange install at labours should be at night very strange indeed but it was plain enoughthere must be something in it


and this was the womanthe affectionate wife for she was so in her own persecuting waywho caught mr lintley in the fact apprehended him with his fingers holding the fingers of patty butler


now mr lintley im satisfied quite satisfied and the little woman spoke as though she was chewing groundglass


yes i knew it was sure of iti always said to myself there must he something in ttk my dear nancy aid lintley with his customary meekness


no no mr lintley not dear nancybut dear patty mid then mrs lintley smiled as none but women can smile under such circumstances


i assure you mrs lintleyand inglewood was about to intercede for his friend but vain indeed his intercession


oh mr inglewood its not for nie to speak but i really am ashamed of you


a parsona minister of the church and here abetting a mana husband and a father of a family abetting him i say in such doings


the whole neighbour hood rings with em


it wasnt enough that i was to be insulted in my own house but he must come to newgateamong felons and worse than that i are you not ashamed nancy died lintley and his colour rose


no mr lintley i am not ashamed nor you either but you ought to be


i thought you had given this creature up but woman exclaimed the apothecary in a stern command ing voice


for your foolish sayings keep them for your own house and tor my carsince i must hear themfor my car alone


but i say to you speak not a syllable look not one affronting look against this poor wretched girl this victim of illfortune this patient unrepining piece of goodness


at another time your words would have been those of o silly woman now do they sound as of a wicked one


here is a poor innocent friendless soul standing for what we know on the very edge of an untimely graveyet standing with a courage and a meekness enough to put pity in the breast of a wolfand yet youyou a woman and the mother of future women you with a vain and idle tongue must stub a heart the world so wickedly has bruised


are you not ashamed


blush i sayblush test i despair of you


the little oman was awed consciencestricken by the stern yet wholesome rebuke of her husband vowing that she meant nothing at all in the world only that she was never allowed to speak and mr lintley was aluays so violentthen she dis solved into tears at the same time declaring that she thought patty the most innocent creature that ever broke the worlds bread


to lie continued


the holy homes


by silverpen


continued from page


chapter xiii


the clerkenwell lodging


following in the wake of the old bal lad sellerjoe and nelly appleshaw took their way towards clerkenwell


when partly thither for the districts lie in near neighbourhood they met bernardo the italian


he carried something on his arm carefully done up in green baize and guessing from nelly and her husbands manneras well as from their children being with themand they had left nixs lodgingshe stayed to make a gesticu lation expressive of good speed and kindly farewell and to caress his little favorite ruth


as he did solifting the child up in his vacant armand pouring out a flood of endearing words in his own beau tiful languagethe old man gave him to understandhow great the honest crea tures troubles were in their penilbss con dition and with a sick childand how cruelly the nixes had behaved


no sooner did the quick witted italian understand thisthan he made signs that they should follow him and proceeding for a short space in a direction opposite to that which would take them to clerkenwellhe rea ched a tolerably wide and lengthened thoroughfareabout midway in which was a large dusty windowed shop full of plaster easts


here leaving his com panions outside he went within with his favorite child upon his arm and sum moning the masterwho was about to close his shophe set his green baize covered parcel on the counteropened it and showed a small cast of great beauty


he then spake volubly in his own


language to the man who seemed an italian like himself and as though they had before that night negotiated the mat ter and differed as to pricebernardo now expressed accquiescence and in this spirit pushed his cherished piece of work across the eounter


the master at this exhibited signs of pleasure in his hard covetous face placed the work asidewent into an inner roombrought from thence a small sum of ready money gave it to bernardo and saying something further wished him good night


coming quickly out sidebernardo placed a portion of this sum in little ruths handdeliberately veiling thereby his intentthat it should assist her parents then again kissing the child tenderlyhe set her down gesticu lated his adieu and went on his way


nothing now further detained themand the appleshaws and their guide soon reached the miserable quarter where they were to find their new home


it may be often noticedwith respect to london especially that districts of great citiesonce essentially suburban become when incorporated therein the jxnost squalid and pestiferous


this is easily accounted for whilst they were semirural garms summer houses little shedlike tenements stuck here and there as caprice had promptedco vered it


there was no reference to any plan drainage or future exigencies


as population increasedas the town like some hungry giant stepped on and on the gardens gradually became yards the fields streets and the miserable tenements which were unwisely spared were soon surrounded and the giant town stepped on


the opportunity for improvement thus lostthe neighborhood had thence forth to accommodate itself to these little patchy rights of property


thus the vine streets the appletree courts


the arbour or hedge lanes may for the most partas regards londonbe associated with a miserable and degraded population


of this class of london districtsnone bear more remarkable traces of bygone rusticity than clerkenwell and none in reference to its extent of area holds a more ill accomodated and wretched popu lation


in old times it was undoubtedly the most beautiful of the immediate sub urbs of london without the walls


the river of wellsthen not degraded into the fleet ditch but broad clear and turning innumerable rills flowed through it clifflike acclivities sloped upwards from the eastern shore of the stream and were decked with meadows trees and gardens in some cases these banks were exceedingly precipitous one of such heights stretching away amidst noble gardens was adorned with the stately monastery of st johnand a few citizens and nobles country houses were scattered here and there


then to the east and north tha views were fine and sylvan hampstead heath wide solitary and dun canonbury with its fine seat and gardens to which the priors of st bartholomew the great in smithfield were wont to retireand then encroaching on it from the north were the solemn shades of hainault forest


this was clerkenwell in old days and very beautiful it was


after winding through severajr little mean and fsetid streetsthat rai up hill and down hill as most clerkenwell streets doold madge reached one that had a more retired air than the rest and which sloped downwards somewhat precipi tously


many courts and lanes diverged from itand eventually he turned into one of the former


it was small partly paved and partly not old gables rotten with age and almost roofless jutted out into ita cesspool overflowed its major portiondoorless accommodations gaped open there was a huge rubbish heap in one corner and a costermongers cart a pigstye and some rabbit hutchesfilled up other recesses of this wretched nook


yet its namesweet pea court and certain things about it betrayed garden days


a very sapless currant bush in one cornerstill bore a few withered leavesthe rear of the pig stye had once formed a bowerthe nails and i strips of cloth which had once upheld a flourishing vinerustled and fluttered on the far up gables


entering a doorless passage the floor of which was rotten and broken through to the bare earth beneath madge carefully ascended a railless staircase and after thus winding up two flights of stairs he reached the top floor and knocked upon the framework of a door the panels being supplied by a piece of sacking nailed upon the inside


his summons was answered by a meek and kindly toned voice the possessor of which opened the door as soon as it was ascertained who the new comer was


an elderly woman then admitted the little company in a large garret chamberdimly lighted by a solitary candle burning in one corner the ceiling was in so delapidated a con ditionas to be open to the roof and to let through more than one great fissure the brightness of the moonlight night outside


where these rents werethe rain from dripping down had rotted the boards of the floor beneathso that gaps full a foot wide stood open


the floor was in fact vastly dilapidated throughout and shook beneath a step as heavy as that of joe appleshaw


ive brought you mrs wickles some poor creturs whod be glad of a nights lodging said madge addressing the woman


they be homely honest souls and yer obliging emvll oblige me


the nixes have bin behaving to em right shamefully and as theyre a bit down in the world till the masters got some work hes promised and the babby thats with em is sorely ill


thy sheltering em be uncommon kind


for thee mr madge replied the widow for such she was ill do what i would for fewfor thee hast done many a kindness to me and my blind lad so come inim pretty full ye seebut do the best i can as she spoke she admitted the new come guests into the great dilapidated room and waved her hand round as though to exhibit it


it held no furniture except an old spider legged table two backless chairs and a shelf of gay crockery belonging to the widow


for though her lodgers weie in bed with the exception of a man and woman and their child there were no bedsteadsfor the beds formed of sacking or rags lay opened out in the more retired and less dilapidated portions of the room


in one of these rested the widows blind childa boy of about twelve years old in anotheran irishwoman and her three children in the third lay a poor irish maid of all work out of place and the fourth being yet untenanted stood ready probably for the man and woman seated ou a downturned tub and basket by the fire


though the atmosphere of the room was not very choice being odoriferously enrichedamongst other thingswith the perfume of the costermongers unsold turnips and onions still it was peaceful and to poor nellyseemed a charmed placeafter the riot and filthy squalor of nixs lodgings


the mistress too seemed a decent thrifty creature though miser ably poor and led the way to her own portion of the roomwith a kindness worthy of a far better place


madge now withdrew after saying he would come in a day or two and see how they got on and after bidding dick improve his read ing for in that case he would do something that should make a man of him


the women were immediately inter


ested in the condition of nellys poor baby which rapidly sinking made little gasps for breath most painful to hear as well as witness


to relieve nelly of her other childrenmrs wickles put dick and sinning jem to bed beside her own boy and made for ruth and tiny nelly a resting place near


she then with mrs bluff the coster mongers wife seated by the fire sought to aid the poor mother in such small matters as it was thought might give comfort to the dying child


but few were wanted


to say the truth poor joe and his wife would have rather been alone and undisturbed in this sad hour but these attentions were so kindly meant and stood out in such marked contrast to the brutal callousness they had left behind as to be received with all the gratitude they deserved


thus the night waned onthe baby sinking lower and lower


whilst still sensibleit cleaved tenderly to the breast it loved so wellthough it refused to suck now


and then it lifted up its little waxen hand towards its mothers mouth and sometimes it strove to turn in the direc tion where it knew its father sat


then weepingas only strong men weepand lost in grief deeper than he had ever known before joe would take it in his arms and caressing it in the throes of the deepest mortal loveprayed god to spare his little sam


then nelly cleaving to his neckwept and prayed too


but tears and prayers were unavailingthe throes of mortal love however passionate were of no accounthis everlasting laws had been disregardedand the price must be paid


as morning began to down through the miserable ragstuff casement the widow lay down beside her blind boy joe i appleshaw worn down hy contending griefs sank into a weary sleep even where he satand nelly and the coster mongers wife were the only watchers of the dying babe


i


so as the dawn grew into early morn ing the little waxen hand was still the tiny lips moved no more than to give exit to the ebbing breath the eyelids quivered though the eyes themselves had looked their last upon the things of this world and the sinless soul was near quitting its little earthly tenement beautiful and wonderfully fashioned as it was


then it was that nelly bent over itholding it in her armsafraid to stir nay almost breathelest she hastened it more quick ly than it must go upon its solemn journey


like as with her husband the throes of her inexpressive anguish were deeper than any she had ever known


sitting in this torpid state nelly was unconscious that the costermongers wife had risen gone to a little corner cupboard which was hers and had now come back with something in a tea cup


she knew it when the woman touched her and kindly proffered the cup with a welcom ing invitation


come my love she said theest bad and be off thyself if thee dont take something


come a drop o ginand right good it be keep thee up till thy little sam bless his precious heart be an angel with the lord


ay ise many a trouble and couldnt get through em but for the help of a drop


but ive promised my master never to touch a drop replied nelly as this temptation in another form was again pressed upon her


ehmy hearts sore enough and down enough but i dont like breaking a promise made to joe


oh never mind this aint a time for keeping promises and things o that sort


for little sams sake thou must take a drop


comeso


she held the cup close to nellys lips and the gin was drunk


this was the firt time she had ever tasted the spirit


its effects was there fore great and instantaneous


it seemed to revive comfort and elevate her to make her think her troubles less to een dry her eyes for her little babe


already worn for want of rest it soothed her by a charm to sleep


not deep sleepher soul was too troubled for rest such as thatso by and by she woke again and the sun shone brightly into the garret room


her babe lay dead in her em brace


through gin she had lost its dying look its dying breath


for gin she was to do many other and more sinful thingsbut the agony of this first guiltyness was never effaced from her soul


the inmates of the room were now soon astir


the women were all full of sympathy and tender acts for they were notimbrutified to the extent which renders all feeling callous and dead there is no sympathy more tender no loving kind ness more genuine than that of the poor for the poor


we may miss from both some fine and delicate touches but genuineness and homely pathos fill up the blank


when mrs wickles had ministered in such poor way as she could to nellys comfort she departed to the stall she kept in an adjacent street


the irish woman and the costermonger went off to covent garden


thus when poor joe could rouse himself up sufficiently to go forth to seek a job the women and children including the blind boy were left alone


fortunately the poor fellow got some work that day


entering the shop of a large wholesale grocer in one of the city streets the master who chanced to be present was struck by his honest looks


questioned him and believing his home ly tale of sorrow the good man called up his foreman and asked if a job could be found


this could and joe was at once set to work


this he effected with such seal that at night he was told to come gain indeed for as long as the extra work might last


with bread thus secured for a few days at least joes heart at another time would have been light


but he had to go home not to see his little sam full of beauty and baby life but for ever silent


i still when he had got there the scene cheered him nelly and his children and the blind boy were alone


the former had opened the widows little tea board set out the best meal she could and his grief was soothed by her kindly welcome its bin hard doing it joe she said but ive been tidying up the children abit for poor things their state was awful


as to the place its a deal quieter than nixs and i like it better but its a sad place for all that


such lots of folks on all the floors belowand scarce ly any water


well missis replied joe we must bide in the evils for a time and just now we may git a home o our own


then he proceeded to tell her of his good fortune and the kindness of the gentle man who had given him the work


but if it had only come a bit a fore he said our little sam


might ha bin sitting here patting his knees instead o lying there and pointing to th widows bed where the dead baby lay his grief broke out afresh


when he was calmernelly spoke to him about its little coffin and burial


as to its little shroud she said with low voiced grief


ive made it one out of my spare flannel petticoat and as thee can see it looks sweetly in it


but as to the coffin and burial


i canna think where either be to come from


unless here she cast her eyes down painfully it be the pawning o my wedding ring


nay nay lassnot that said joe it maun be a worser press than even this o little samwhen that goes


for lass the pride wi which i put it on thy finger never go from me whilst breath be left in my body


ay


nell never let that go off thy finger


it be a real trouble to me if thee do


nelly said it never should


then they talked over expedients for the burial of the babe but none could be thought of


thou must wait till i get my first wages that be saturday night


joe said this but nelly did not think they could keep the babe so long


thats not a week said the coster mongers wifewho had just come in a week or a fortnight aint thought nothing of why mrs wickles own jn band werent buried under a fortnight


and there bo seeres ofolks thai aint got to their graves lor much longer


its bard keeping em so longwhen folks a got but one room but what can be done there be no places to carry the dead to and it takes poor folks all that time to get together the berrin money and alots needed too


why i dussav this little babe a yourn wont be berrd under two pound


tvro pounds exclaimed poor nelly thats a lot a money


why in the country parts me and my master come from a baby has a nice grave for a few shillings


it aint so here rejoined the woman as youll find


her words were only too true joes work fortunately continued but it was full fortnight before enough could be raised to bury the child


then it was put into its little coffinand decorated with a few flowers brought purposely from covent gardenby biddy sullivan and the costermonger


heres a rosebud for its hand said biddy and a bit of the true gilliflower for its feet


the lord give rest to its soulit was a jewel sure enough that eyes dont often see ay precious little sam said the father bitterlyfor it was evening time and he was just home from work when this de coration of the dead took place


would ha bin alive at this minnithad it not bin for nixs lodgingbut that were the cause of it as surely as little sam lie in the earth to morrow night


ay


rich folks and lords in parliament dunna know what human woe comes o herding ecant folksworser than farm yards pigs


that aint all mr appleshaw added mrs wiekleswho had come home for a ehort time to give her blind boy his tea there the trouble that comes a hoarding the dead amongst the living


if poor folks had decent lodgement if thered be two rooms where thousands of poor folks have now but one the dead wouldnt have to be day and night admidst the living


but with this and the deal o money it costs to put a dead cretur in such pits of graves as be for the poor its horrible


what wont our little sam have a nice grave to hisself asked nelly bursting into an agony of tears


the widow made no replyonly shook ber head and lifted up her hands


on the morrow afternoon the sabbath little sam was buried


he was carried to one of those horrible golgothas in the northern suburbsthe tramp tramp to which through the crowded streetsbeing painful to the poor mourners in the extreme


what reverence to the dead could be herewhat consolation to strick en hearts


no


the sooner we take all mourning processions from the streets the better for moralityand the finer feelings of the human heartas pariia mentary evidence has shown f


in the gjolgotha


the scene was still more painful


dozens of funerals all crowding in at oncecrowds of stricken mournersthrongs of gaping people and idle loungersundertakers sextons attendants running to and fro one or two harrassed clergymen and the win dows of the houses round full of specta tors looking on as though the merriment of a fair were before them and not the most solemn sightthat belongs to this stage of human existence


at length the little coffin was borne to the mouth of a huge pitmuch like one of the dead pits in kinsbury described so graphically by defoe and there placed with others whilst the service was read


when nelly saw the little coffin lowered down and others made ready to rest upon the topwhen in imagination she saw the features of her darling babe all crushed and mangled in this horrible melange of unchristian burial this suburban graveyard burial of these our present days a deathlike faintness seized her and she fell sense less in her husbands arms


it was with difficulty she was got hence to the poor clerkenwell lodging


there a sort of feast was held gin beer pipes and some homely viands


but joe had no heart for these


poor and uneducated as he was there was that that was too manly and too tender in his nature to permit of his drowning the deepest grief he had ever known in riotous sensualism


so when his children had gone to their poor bed and nelly a degree better and drowsily resting on that of the widow he went out for a little while to gain if he could some tidings of ned bingly


when last he heard of the poor fellow he was very bad and joe was anxious to hear better news


mrs wickles no more than joe apple shw liked this burial feastsuch as it was but biddy sullivan did as also the costermonger and his wife


still as they were her lodgersand she could not without such assistance keep a roof over her blind boy she had to submit though occasionally softening loud laughter and coarse talk by a hushhush please


by and by biddy rose with a glass of spiritsand went towards nelly


there let her alone said mrs wick les who sat listening to her boys low singing for he was chorister at a neigh boring church and the organist a kindly gentleman had already began to teach him the violin its quite sinful of you tempting mrs appleshaw so with liquor sinful


exclaimed biddy in great won der


sure its the first time i ever heard sich a word said o the comforting drop


oh sure


it do the missis good that it will and fill her heart wid joy instead of the throuble


so in spite of remonstrances biddy and the other woman raised nelly up and put the glass to her lipsthough she struggled against their doing so


id rather not take it she said it made ma bad the other niht and cant cur th heart ache about little sam


oh it will replied the costermonger


wife nothin like it in the whole world for takin pain away


so by degrees they induced her tt drink glass after glass of the filthy and debasing poison till she fell back stupi fied on her pillow


when poor joe caine home with the good news that bingly was better and had sent a kind message through one of his mates who had been to the hospital to see him that he should soon be up again and that before longf there would be some good work for his old friend joe he found nelly as he thought in a comfortable sleep so he made her bed helped her into it and when he left her in the morning with kiss upon her damp and pallid forehead he was unconscious that the seeds of a new and deeper sorrow were sown


to be continued


the settler chaiteu iii a l is a bustle the vovaoe out


rcmrf


ivteii of ioinins ll ladies as uic aicn ed b xtinations of bright eyes and that soft voices acoinpame


by the pllo niifshl shake his resolution


notmui srrfe tnereiorc u p ubsence


and nocededtoheneiebbouringtownto


otn the mail


the contents of the coach l e as usual at that season of the year al upon urgent business and each occupied a conversation


handy therefore like h is fellowiassengers soon fell into a broken sleepdreaming of any thing except real ties when by the sudden slopping of i he coach his head came in contact with lie paneland he found himself not at the heads of port jackson but at tle door of that most comfortable of family hotels hatchells and where he was enabled to mature his arnuigemeuu for ibe voyage


horse guards greenwood


dowmng rbemirfriffi tssorwg wsibpfts zlnt vpnemtionforthe individual who hwlhe moral courage to undcrtake invitations to dine or to attend some party where there was sure to be a lion who had rn all the auctioneer and packng up the childrens clothes in the most contcnent form so as to be easily accessible during die voyage


at length nearly worn uu


b they a i embarked mi board tfe good s up ll a then lying at gravesend benjamin bluff commander on stepping on the quarterdeek


handy was saluted by a voice that appeared familiar to him


i thousht


vou were killed at orlhcs


no replied his friend mneal am as lively r


but l lhouslf ju


w never have recovered from the peppering you got from that french rifleman and vhen you ensconced yourself behind the tree bv george sir we counted eleven balls in the tree


let me introduce you to mrs mneal


tle introductions being mutual the party were at once as intimate z if the ladies had been acquainted for ears


the ne day the sknper and pdot came on boara anu me vo


b


it latter immediately got under weigh


after the pilot had taken ins leave and the nassengers were settled down in their i cspectvegcabinstle ship being then on the bosom of the blue waters


handy be gan to consider how they should beguile the weary hours of sixteen weeks


pn ment as he always pronounced s hpboard to be one day after overhauling their position on the chart and splicing the e brace


fan universal custom on board selves of it


the passage i refer to runs thus com que mclbor podemos bum dma e tensaouejtaosado omquenodeiie o sono carregado


good


exclaimed mneal although my ortuguese is rather rusty i drink know what that means so while the ladies are fusing themselves with their bobbins we n iile awav among the pyrenees j with can blaze away anu b


at ana pei iihn j j j i an albatross or catching a shark we manae to get over our troubles very well and sure enough they did there was not a battle from poictiers down to water loo that was not fought over again dunng the voyage for although nether of them hadbeenpresent at all tle engagements vet handy had had opportunities of study t he history of most of them upon the vev ekund where they took place


but when their stock was nearly exhausted and even the ladies whose patience far exceeds lhat of the lords of the creation began to


id ihe vovaee at an end the chief officer nasseneis went immediately on deck


ewer


off two points said the former after looking for a moment and recognizing siraiibold water all the way


on sailed the gallant si p u occasional glimpses of wj rribrruiscr ssranditise


bav steward let usliavc champagne called out the worthy skipper now i vnu are near your journey s end


dont know how you lee but i l a never enjoyed a passage more than we nren


the skippers healtbwas drunk


itreturicd thanks iu an appropriate speech and the next day anchored off lc cove


handy who was an enthu i riaslie admirer of nature was awfully dis appointed at tbe first appearance of the s d near the heads of port jackson although he might have recollected that wentworth descnues u u


lfthat small island which is so bare at present were crowned with somenppro nriae building say lle temple of the is observed mrs mneal what a euphonious names either mem uu seved m mneal but what is that small castellated building at the foot of the rocks so beautifully reflected in the waur


that my lady is mrs maeouares ba dunghouse and lle little playthmg ol afort considerably to the right of it is fort macquarie


the fort at the top of the jl yonder above the houses and where you see the signal post and telegraph fnrt phillip


line cotninanding is iha observed handy who lhat moment joined the gazers a capital place for a citadel but it should be con nected by a covered way


witli


the low i battery near the point winch should be considerably strengthened for it appears after musing for a moment so this is the queen of the south pacific her majesty appears to be but poorly defended


how


i s you like as a job before breakto to take this place by storm


addressing tnmself to mneal


why here would be hardly work enough to sharpen die lppetiie answered me


hill now have an opportunity ol forming an opinion of our adopted land from a perambulation of the metropolis for sec the boat is alongside vamos dundo


in a few minules lle whole party anded at a small wooden jelly a little to die eft of ths front of the government house which overlooks sydney cove


after leaving their cards with the porter at government houseas in respcclfu duly bound the party strolled through tlie town which handy at once pronounced to be decidedly ugly and from which charac ter it was beyond tbe possibility of art to redeem it


the streets although of tolerable width being laid out


in continw ations qf repetitions of


prolongations having neither centre nor flank neither soul nor body no such tiingsannniform range of buildings in the wholetown each proprietor of as much ground


as a house could stand upon seemed


to be building according to ins own caprice witnout re ference lo climate or convenience


along side a splendid facade half ionic and half dutch or modern english might be seen a miserable tottering weadierboarded hovel


each corner was either a publtc liouse or a butchers shop


upon the whole it presented a most conglomerate appearance nearly tbe reverse of rome where die ancient buildings are the most magnificent specimens of art the modern ones being mean


very few instances of paved footways presented themselves al though die greatest activity manifested itself bodi with respect to the improve ments in the lown and in business


there were but few idlers and no mendicants


every body who chose to work readily found employment


to he continued


chaileit xii


wiij


he skek in the long rdm if not in tiib shout one to cnkk mlt


pincn and otiikns nkarlv


mil kcksnilf assehts the bigkitv ol


outkaolin tilttuk and young siaiitin


chuzzlewit lhm a dksilillattt keso lution


mr pinch end


martin little dreaming of the stormy weather that impended made them selves verv comfortable iu the lecksuiftiau lialls mnf improved their friendship daily


martins facility both of invention and execu tion being remarkable the grammarschool proceeded with great vigour and tom repeat edly declared that if thero were anything like human judges a design so new and full of merit conld not fail tocarry off the first prise when the ttinc of competition arrived


without being quite so sanguine himself martin had ins hopeful anticipations too nnl thev served to make him brisk and eaier at his lask


if i should turn out a great architect tom said the new pupil one day as he stood at a little distance from his drawing and eyed it with great complacency ill tll


vou what should be one of the things id build ate cried tom


what wliv jour fortune


no i snil


tom quite as much pleased as if the thing were done


would you though


how kind of you to sav so


id build it up tom relurneil martin ou such a strong foundation that it should list your life avn and yiur childrens lives lo and their childrens niter them


id be your imlroii tom


id take you under my iiriteclion


let me see tlio limn who should give the cold shoulder to anybody i chose to tjoteel anil patronise if were ut the top of the tree tom


now i dont think said mr pinch upon inv word that i was ever more gratified lhaii hy this


i really dont


oh i i mean what i say retorted martin lhoiither as if he were already first architect in orliiarv to all ihe crowned heads in eoniii


vi do it


i m provide fur yuu lm afraid said tom shaking lis head that should he a mighty awkward person to provide for


pooh pooh i rejoined martin


never mini that


if i took it in my head to say


linch is a clever fellow i approve of pinch should like to know iie man who would venture to put himself in opposition to me


besides confound it


toll you could be useful it i wire not useful in one or two it shouldnt be for want of trying said tom


tor instance pursued martin after a short recollection youd be a capita fellow now to see that iny iduaswcie properly carried out aud to overlook the works in their pro gress hlire


they uere sufficiently alranced to be vorv interesting to vit and to take all that sort of plain sailing


then voud be a splendid fellow to show pedc


over my studio und to talk about art tu cm when couldnt be bored myself and all that kind of thing lor it would be devilish creditable tom im quite iu oarmm i give you my word to have a man at your information about me instead of some ordiuary blockhead


oh id lake care ol you


voud be uselul rely upon ill to say that tom bad no idea of playing first fiddle in onv social orchestra hut was alintrs quite ealisne to he set down for the hundred aud fiftieth part of the baud or thereabouts is to express his modesty in very inadequate tenrs


lie ms much delighted therefore by thes olisurvalious


i should be uiarriej to her then tom of course said martin


what was lhat which checked tom piuch so suddenly in the high lluw fo his gladness britiint tlie hlood into his honest checks aud a remorseful feeling to his honest heart as il he nerc unworthy of his friends regard


i should be married to her then said martinluokinz with a smile towards the light and we shouid


have i hone children about us


theyd be very fond of you tom


but not a ivord sail


mr pinch


the words he would have uttered died upon his lips and found a hie more spiritual iu selfdenying thoughts


all the children hereabouts are fond of sued martin


perhaps i might name one of cm after you tom chl


well dont know toms not a bad name


thomas pinch clnra zlewit


tpc ou bis phialoresno objections to lhat i should say


tom cleared his throat and smiled


slw would like you tom i know uij martin


ajel crisil tom pinch faintly


cunt tell exactly what she would think of you said martin leaning his chin upon his hand and looking throutrh the wiudow glass as if he read there what he said know her so well


she would smile tom often at first when you spoke to her or when she looked at you incrrilv too but you wouldnt mind that


a brighter smile you no uo said tom


i wouldnt mind that


she would he as tender with you tom said martin as if you were a child yourself


mr pinch nodded his entire assent


she would always ho kind and goodhu moured mid rlau to see you eaid martin nnd when she found out exactly what sort ol a fellow you were which shcj do very soon she would pretend to give you little coinmis sionb to execute aud tu ask little services of you which she


knew you were burning tu render so that when she really pleased you most sue would try to inuke you think you


mosl pleased her


she would lake to you uncommonly tom anil would understand you far more delicately than ever i shall aud would often say know uiu you were a harmless genltewelliiitonlionedjjood fellow


in honour of old times said martin and of her having heard yuu play the organ in this damp lillle church down hero for nothing too we will have one in the house


shalfbuild uu archileclural music room ou a ulau of my own aud itll look ratuer knowing in a recess in one mid


there vou shall play away tom till you tire yourself and as you likelo do iu the dark it shall lie dark and ninnys the summer evening she and will sit and listen to you tom bu suie of that i to lie continued


fitrkfr


continued from page j chapter iv


early on the following morning henry was awakened by captain thrums gruff voice calling the crew in any thing but polite terms


he hastily dressed and went upon deck


it was a dull drizzlv mornmer


with a stroner breeze blowing from the south west


a lazy drunken set of rascals ive got for a crew said captain thrum in an angry tone after roughly returning henrys morning salutation i cant get them to rouse out of their bunks to up anchor and heres this fine breeze blowing to waste


one of the blackguards came on board drunk last night and brought some grog with him and soon made all hands as drunk as himself but ill keep them on mon keys allowance for itthey shall whip the cat or my name is not jack thrum


oh here they come at last crawling up like a batch of old soldiers with wooda legs he continued as the sailors slowly emerged from the forecastle hatch looking much the worse for their debauch overnight


heave the cable short you ugly looking savages


roared the captain and up you go a couple of you and loose the topsails


come move along you tailorlooking ragamuffins or ill freshen your way with this ropes end


ill make you move a little faster than turtles


ill warrant he added apply ing the rope most lustily to the mens legs as they scrambled up the rigging muttering curses and horrible impreca tions as they went up


aie you going to man the windlass today mr jones fiercely shouted the captain to his chief mate who was forward why dont you knock some of those fellows down with a hand spike if they dont turn to


ay ay sir replied the mate and amidst an exchange of threats and oaths between him and the crew the cable was hove short the topsails were then slowly hoisted the anchors weighed and they were soon in sight of the blue waves of the vast pacific


tis lucky for us that we have a leading wind out of the port said the captain to henry as he walked aft with his spyglass under his arm i could not work the ship out with this lubberly drunken crew


set topgallantsails and courses mr jones he continued and keep those fellows hard at work all day you can find plenty of jobs for themjust to sober them down a bit


and now for breakfast as he descen ded into the cabin followed by eenry i feel hungry enough to eat a hedgehog


the breakfast table was well supplied with edibles but the uneasy motion of the ship had begun to produce in henry that peculiar sensation too well known togpovices at sea to need description and the viands remained untouched by him


what sea sick already asked the captain with a loud laugh why we are in smooth water yet man


we shall have a jump of a sea i expect when we get off the land a bit


id advise you to lay in plenty of dunnage as the sailors call a good feed and take a stiff glass of grog first of all that will stop your squeamishness


henry declined his offer and apolo gising for leaving the table he lay down upon a sofa wondering how the captain could possibly eat so much fat pork the sight of which tended to increase his disorder


do you always make your crew work on sunday captain thrum asked henry


to be sure i do replied the cap tain


were at sea now and have left sunday on shore


io you not have divine service on board on sundays again asked henry


serviceno


weve no parson on board our owner wont afford that and for my part i am all the better pleased for i never had a parson on board my ship


yet


but i fell in with bad weather


however you may have as much service as you like to yourself i shall not disturb you


i am a great advocate for liberty of opinion


i feel myself in my element now be continued rising up after finishing his breakfast by swallowing half a tumbler full of rum


i am clcar of those confounded longshore nuisancesthose land sharks which sydney is overrun with


i feel i can breathe now and do and say as i like without having my jawing tackle overhauled


now make yourself as comfortable as you can mr gardner


i must go on deck and see how the frolic is going on theres no danger of her running away with us thats one comfort


ill defy any mortal man to knock more than eight knots an hour out of her in a hurricane


here steward come here you woollyheaded animated coal sack


he continued addressing a black man you attend to that gentleman and dont be drinking the rum or ill tattoo your canniballooking carcase with everlasting pepper


give me my oilskin and souwesterit is raining marline spikes


he then went on deck and commenced pacing up and down occasionally stopping to issue orders to the crew in his roughest tones accompanied witli oaths and curses


all that day and the four succeeding days henry was very unwell and unable to leave his cabin


he had opportunities however of seeing and hearing nearly all that transpired and was by this time convinced that cap tain thrum was a very coarse illbred man and a most immoderate drinker and that his first mate was an exact prototype of the captain


he won dered why mr green kept such men in his employ and felt assured that he was ignorant of their true characters but the real facts were thesethey were called good practical seamen and were well acquainted with the dangerous navigation of the southern archipelago and their voyages were always very profitable so mr green did not trouble himself with inquiries into their moral character and habits


he had certainly heard many complaints made against them by their crews but he made great allowance for the wellknown propensity in sailors to grumble


he had seen pothing very objectionable in them himself they suited him and were he to discharge them other owners of vessels would immediately employ them and interfere with his profitable trade


towards the end of the week henry got quite well


the weather was fine and the ship tolerably steady his appetite returned and he began to enjoy his new life and could laugh at some of the quaint though coarse say ings of captain thrum


this is saturday night said cap tain thrum to henry and i always like to have a little bit of a sheavo to keep up saturday niht at sea and drink to sweethearts and wives although i have neither one nor the other of those inconveniences


i know you can sing well and can tootle a bit on your flute mr ball my second mate can sing a good song and jones can spin a good yarnso well have a night of it


steward bring the punchbowl some rum lemons and sugar and scud away to the galley for some hot water as fast as those bandy legs of yours will carry you


ill let you taste some firstrate punch he continued address ing henry


and as you have not drunk success to the voyage since you came on board you must do so to night


in due course a reeking bowl of punch was made and the captain henry and jones were seated at the table


we must have ball down said the captain


steward call mr ball


tell chips the caipenter to keep your watch for an hour and you come and join us said the captain as mr ball entered the cabin


how is the weather looking


the moon looks rather greasy replied mr ball and it looks dirty to windward


i well hand the topgallantsails and haul up the mainsail


we are not carrying the mails and we are paid by the month


and give chips a glass of grog to keep his weather eye open said the captain


in a short time mr ball reentered the cabin saying that he had made all snug and their evenings joviality began


the punch was freely circu lated henry thought he had never tasted finer liquor and as he had abstained for a fortnight he thought hie could reasonably take an extra glass on such an occasion


many songs were sung and quaint stories were told toasts were drunk and the punchbowl was replenished


henry had long since forgotten hosv many glasses he had drunk beyond his limit and was in the act of singing with very imperfect articulation one of burns songs we are fou when the loud call of chips to the crew to let go the topsail halyards and c helm hard up startled him


in another instant the howling of the wind drowned all other noisesthe ship was thrown on her beamends the putichbowl glasses captain mates and henry with their seats were pre cipitated violently to leeward while the sea rushed in through the open ports a deluge


a few minutes in that posi tion would have decided their fate for ever when providentially the topmasts were carried away at the caps and the ship righted immediately


a scene of confusion ensued not easily described


neither the captain nor mates were able to stand much less to issue necessary orders in this trying dilemma the crew however worked hard in cutting away the wreck which was beating violently against the ship and then laid the ship to under storm staysail


theres all hands at the bellows tonight muttered the captain as he sat swinging to and fro on the top of the companion and they have blown our sticks away so we must shape a course for the bay of islands and replace them


never mindhie were daid bv the month


aqul f


to be continued


chapter iii


proud of you fond of you having all right in you quitting all else through my love and delight in you


glad is my heart now tis beating so nigh to you


light is my step for it always may fly to you


clasped in your arms where no sorrow can reach to me reading your eyes till new love they shalt teach to me though wild and weak till now by that blest marriage vow


more than the wisest know your heart shall preach to me


next day olave wandered pensively forth to take a farewell for a time of her muchloved home


she kept within the bounds of home at least her footsteps did but her eyes wandered away to the pretty little cottage on the hill and i fancy her heart followed after them i wonder why


what interest could olave find in the parsonage that she watched it so intently


perhaps she was think ing that when she came back there would be new faces there and among them she might find her souls ideal perhaps


or more likely she was thinking of her little goldenhaired pupil and friend viola dean and it was to leave the little darling that olave felt so much reluct ance and at the thought of that sad parting those pearly tears fell over the purple heartsease that she had gathered


after many a lingering glance and many a murmured farewell olave reluctantly retraced her steps towards the house


a servant met her on the verandah and with a hasty mr dean and miss viola are waiting your return in the drawing room miss passed on


oh if you had seen the change dear reader


the bright light rushed to the beaming eyes the ruddy colour to the cheeks the chiseled lip curled into a glorious smile and she stood panting with some emotion for a moment then flew up the steps into the hall


she paused there for a moment chased back the exultation from her features and gently entered the room she found there viola alone


the child sprang to her arms sobbing oh dear miss olave i am going away from you i am going away from you


olave kissed and soothed her and tak ing her on her knee commenced a gay chattering about her childish themes of conversation


this quieted her for awhile but presently she said again miss olave papa is going to take me away from this place never again to come back never again he says miss olave


the little lip quivered whatll you do without little viola miss olave wont you be sorry for me and want me to come to you again


olave replied i am going away too viola


the little one threw her arms round her neck


oh you dear good kind miss olave you are going with us i knew you would i knew you would i told papa you would olave started and blushed painfully


she put violas arms firmly down oh viola what made you do that you shouldnt you shouldnt have told your papa that i am not going with you i am going to sydney i am not going with you i couldnt go with you


oh viola viola


thats just right almost shouted viola papa is going to sydney papa is going to sydney and you can go with us you know oh miss olave wont that be nice


oh no no viola i cant go with you indeed i cant go with you


she calmed herself with an effort and said viola i am going to sydney with mrs glenstone and so i cant go with you do you understand


so say no more about it like a dear little girl


why said viola sorrowfully then i must tell papa you will not go with us must i viola olave said sternly if you talk about it to any one any more i shall not love you


the child lay sadly silent for a few moments and then clasping her little hands tightly together she looked up imploringly into olaves face and sob bed


but how can i go when i love you so much so much


you will have your papa said olave and do you not love him


i love you as much quite as much asserted viola passionately dont you know when reuben caught the mother swallow last year and took it away from the little one it died though reuben didnt take the father swallow away


and ill die too if they take you away from me for i love you as well as papa i will die ill die ill die moaned the child


hush viola hush


you mustnt talk so said olave sadly and the child was quiet again


when she spoke her thoughts had taken a new turn but one scarcely less distressing to olave miss olave she said do you love my papa


olave was confused


i love every body she said at length


but do you love my papa said the child


every body loves your papa my dear answered olave


no no but do you love him persisted viola


i like mr dean very much indeed said olave with a trembling voice and kindling eyes


liking isnt loving observed viola do you love my papa miss olave


shes not to be put off said a manly voice behind and though shes a rude little girl yet i must repeat her ques tion for i have a personal interest in the matter miss olave


can you love her papa


and mr dean passed round and bent over his childs head and looked into olaves eyes


can you love me misg lystor


can you give your pure young heart into my charge that it may be my precious treasure the joy of my life and the light of my days


he was trembling as he spoke


she laid her hand in his


oh said she can such a joy be mine


a burning kiss and a few hurried words were his answer


they were such as became the minister of god


the father of all mercies bless thee my be loved and preserve thee to life eternal for ever


reader we had better draw a veil over such a scene


three weeks later olave gave her hand to the man whom she had loved so long and so secretly and at the same moment viola was sitting in mrs glen stones drawingroom on the dear old ladys lap and telling her now miss olave was mamma olave now and now she was going away with her papa and herself and never going to leave them any more never papa said so


wont you be sorry mrs glenstone wont you be sorry when mamma olave goes away and leaves you wont you be sorry


asked the child


i shall indeed viola said mrs glen stone but whod have thought it


she added in soliloquy grave mr dean and our pretty olave whod have thought it


whod have thought it gentle reader


ilthe mysteries


of paris


chapter xvi


jaques perrand


jaques perrand was a son of the grand family of misers yet he risked and risked much


he counted on his cunningit was extreme on his hypocrisyit was pro found on his understandingit was fer tile and pliable on his audacityit was infernalto assure impunity to his crimes and they were already numerous


notwithstanding his great cunning this man had committed two or three errors which the most crafty criminals hardly ever escape from


forced by circumstances it is true he had two accomplices this great fault as he said himself had been repaired in part neither of his accomplices could betray him without betraying themselves


the office of m ferrand resembled all other offices his clerks all other clerks


it was reached by an antechamber furnished with four old chairs


in the office pro perly so called surrounded by shelves fur nished with paper boxes containing docu ments belonging to the clients of the no tary five young men bending over their desks laughed talked or scribbled inces santly


a certain agitation seemed to reign among the clerks some fragments of their conversation will explain the cause of this commotion


certainly if any one hadtold me that frangois germain was a robber said one of the young men i should have said it was false


and i also i and ialso i seventeen thousand francs itis a sum


but what is that you aie tilkiilg about said one who had just enitred shas any thing new happened here


just imagineabout two hours since the patron came in here like a madman sgermain is not here


cried he


no monsieur


well


the scoundrel has robbed me last night of seventeen thou sand francs


continued the patron


this conversation was interrupted by the arrival of helen seyton who entered the cabinet of the notary with her habitial coolness and assurance jaques ferrand did ifot know her hed was ignorant of the object of her visit he observed heirvery closely in the hope to make n newdupe


the notary arose from his chair and handed a seat to his visitor saying


you asked for a meeting madame yesterday i was so much occupied that i couldnot send you an answer until this morning i make you a thousand excuses


i desired to see you inonsieuri on an affair of the greatest importance your reputation has made me hope my business with you will be successful


the notary bowed in his chair


i know monsieur that your discretion is well tried


sit is my duly madame


yet if one were to tell you monsieur that it depends on you to restore lifemore than lifereason to an unhappy mother


would you have the courage to refuse


state facts madame i will answer


about fourteen years since about the end of december a young man dressed in mourning offered you the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand frafics for an annuity to a child of three years and whose parents desired to remain un known


you consented to receive that amount and to assure the child an income


of eight thousand francs the oiie half of which was to be added to the capital the other half was to be paid to the person who should take charge of this little girl


continue madame


sat the end of two years said helen without being able to conquer a slight emotion this child died


before continuing this conversation madame i shall ask you what interest have you in this affair


sthe mother of this little girl is my sister monsieur i have here for proof ofa wihat i advance the publication of thel deati of this poor little thing and lettersi from the person who had care of her


i letme see those papers madame


helen drew from a portfolio several papers which the notary closely examined ah


well i madame what do you want


the notice of the death is all right the fifty thousand crowns became the property of l


petitjean my client by the deth of the child


nothing can be more correct than your conduct iii this affiir monsieur


the woman to whom the child was confided has also a right to ourgratitude


that is true madame i was so muclh pleased with her conduct that after the deith of the child i took her in my ser vice she is still there


since it is thus monsieur she can be of great assistance if you will grant a de mand which will appear strange perhaps even culpable at first but when you shall know with what intention


sa culpable demand madame


i i do not think you are any more capable of making tlhan i am of hearing it


i know monsieur that you are tle last person to whom one should address such a request but i place my sole hope in your pity


in every case i rely on your discre tion


the death of this poor little girl has cast her mother into such a state of desola tion her grief is as lively at the present day as it was fourteen years since undi after having feared forser life to daywe fear for her reason


unfortunately nothing can be done for her saidm ferrand yes monsieur


suppose some one should come and say to the poor nmother your child was supposed to be dead she is not the womani who had care of her in fancy can aflirm it


such a falsehood would be cruel


iwhy cause vain hopes to this poor woman


but if it was nota falsehood monsieur or rather if this supposition could be realised by a miracle if it only needed to ob tain it my prayersjoiiied to yours i would pray from the bottom of my heart


alas


there can be no doubtiof her death


i mlon dieui


i know it monsieur the child is dead and yet if you wish it the evil is not irreparable


letmy sister find her child not only will she be restored to


health but what is more she is sure to marry the father of this child now as free as she is


my niece died atsix years


se


we will conduct the reader to the man sion of the marquis dharville


he and his wife had just left the table


the expres sion of clemence was affeetionsto and kind m dharvillo seemed less sad than usual


he had not yet received the infamous lette


paratcd from her parents at this tender age they have no recollection of her


sun pose that a young girl of seventeen could he found that my sister should he told here is your child you have been deceived certain interests required that she should be thought dead


jaques ferrand after having allowed his visiter to speak without interrupting her rose suddenly and cried in an indignant manner enough enough madamel


oh this is infamous


to dare to propose to meto meto palm off a childa criminal i action


but monsieur who is wronged by it


lmysisterand the person who desires to marry are single both regret bitterly the child to deceive them is to restore to themi happinesslife


i it is to


assure to some forsaken young girl a most happy lot so that it is a noble generous action and not a crime


truly cried the notary with increasing i indignation i see how the most execrable projects can be coloured with helen cast on the notary one of her i dark looksand said coldly you refuse


i sno new insult madame i stake care


i sthreats threats


and to prove to you that they will not be in vain learn in thefirst place that i have no sisteri am the mother of this child inventedthis fable to interest s you


you are without pity i raise the t mask


you want war i well war i listen i to me monsieur your reputation as an t honest man is great known far and near r buti know how much one bught to suspect the reputation of strict virtues which often r conceal the gallantries of women and the scoundrelism of men


i will now tell you my determination


i begin by telling you that i am convinced of the death of my poor child but no matter i will pretend t she is not dead the most unlikely actions often occur


you are at this moment in such a position that you must have f many envious rivals they will regard it i as a piece of good fortune to attack you


f i will furnish them


as i have the great h est interest in having it believed that she c still livesalthough lost it will serve me to give much notoriety to this affair a r mother who reclaims her child is always r interesting


i will maintain that you wishing to divide with your client the sum c paid for the annuity havecaused the child to be carried off


the notary without moving a muscle of t hisface shrugged his shoulders


if i had d been criminal enough to do that instead of sending her off i would have killed her


helen shuddered withsurprise remained silent for a moment then resumed with s bitterness for a holy man that is a b thought of crime profoundly deep


i one ti last word you see what kind of a woman i ami crush without pity all those who cross my path


rollect well to morrow you must decide you cando with impunity c what you are asked


as to the money a placedwith you that concerns me alone it shall remain with your clientwho must be ignorant of all this finally you shall c fix yourself your own recompense


v the pertinacity of helen alarmed the t notary


wishing to give himself time to n seek


some means to avoid the dangerous blow he said coldly you have asked a until noon tomorrow


it is i madame who give you until the iecktday to re


nounce a project of which you know not the gravity


l


th tlift s to say monsieur thals uvwdej mand one day more to reflecton my pro position


that ii


a good sign i grant it you


sscarcely had the notarys visiter de parted when the private door of his cabinet was opened and madame seraphin entered wildly ahl ferrand


cried she clasping her hands you were riglit enough in saying that we should some day perhaps regret hijving spaired her life


whuose


lthis cursed little girls


how a oneeyed woman whom i did not know and to whom tournemine had de livered the little girl toridus of lier four teen years ago when we said she was dead ah


mon dieul who would have thought it i speak then


speak thei


sthis iwoan has jiist been here she was below just low she told me she knew it wasi gaveuupthechild


malediction


who coald have told her


si denied everything treatilgher as a liar


but she maintains that she hits found this child again who is now grown up that she knowswhere she is and that it only depends upon herself to discover everything


is hell unchained against me today cried the notary in a fit of rage that ren dered him hideous


s


mon dieu


i what shall ibe said to the woman


whmt must we promise hertb keep her silent


and she knows where this young girlis now


she declares she knows


the notary muttorerto himself


and she is the daughter of she who just now offered me so much to say her child was not deiad and the child lives i can re store her to her


yes but if any inquiry is made i am lost


i this crime may put them on the scent of others


after a mo ments thought he said to madame sera phin this oneeyed woman knows where this young girlis yes


and this woman will return toiiib row i sto morrow


write to polidori to be here tonight at nine oclock