The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 356: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a. TD SS SL SSS SE SS SS ces benevolence—she shared in the generosity of the deed. I told you my tale without reseerve—and you believed me at once. I might have been a design- girl—and then how your confidence would have been misplaced! But your own good hearts prompted you both to put faith in the poor friend- less stranger—and you bade me remain with you. Nay, more—you even persuaded the landlady of the house to grant me a lodging until I could obtain needle-work and pay her-——” “ And that work, my dear young lady, you have been, alas! unable to procure,” said Mrs. Mel- moth, in a voice that was broken by deep sobs. “Would to God that you had suoceeded, for your own sake! But heaven alone knows what is to be- come of us all f* she added, as she threw a glance of despair upon the babe that was now moaning with a low and subdued plaintiveness in her “I was about to tell you what is to become of ws,” exclaimed Rose, emphatically. “We must obtain bread—bread, at any risk—at any sacrifice —bread for those dear children at least, if not for ourselves! And if I recapitulated all that you have done for me, my good friends, it is merely to convince you that I am mindfal of your gene- Ld] rosity———- “ Generosity ’ repeated Melmoth, bitterly bat not sarcastically : “we had nothing to give !” “Yes—lI have eaten at your expense—I have obtained a lodging on your credit—I should have been a without you,” sald Rose, with a voice and manner of fervid gratefulness; “and I cannot see your ehiidren perish before your eyes without making an effoct to save them. Despite, therefore, of all you have told me concerning this Mr. Meagles, I will hasten to him—I will throw myself at his feet —I will implore him to succour you——.” “God bless you, Miss Foster !” cried Melmoth, grasping both her hands and pressing them forcibly in his own: “God bless you, dear young lady— bat this must not be! You will only run into the scares of your enemies—you will be delivered over to the Prince——” “I cannot think that Mr. Meagles is capable of sach treachery f”’ said Rose, interrupting the jour- neyman hatter. “I have already explained to you the ciroumetances under which I formed his ac. the delicate attentions he paid me——” aesured, Mies Foster, that the blackest treachery lurked at the bottom of all that seeming At this moment the door was flung violently open; and a short, thin, hatchet-faced woman, with a very vixenish look, made her appearance upon the threshold. The young maiden shrank back in alarm—for she was instantly seized with a presen- timent of the coming storm; and the children, ter. rified by the abrupt and unceremonious manner of the woman's entrance, Ended together and began to cry in mournful concert. “ Mrs. Thomas,” said Melmoth, adopting as con- eilintory atone as possible, “I am well aware for what parpose you have come——" “Then pay me, if you please,” interrupted the landlady—for such the woman was: “psy me, if you please,” she repeated, in that sharp, shrill, pe- a ee starving, unfriended wanderer | with 341 netrating voice which usually belongs to the cha- racter of a vixen. “I must request your patience a little longer. Mrs. Thomas,” returned the unhappy man, in an imploring tone. “You seo that I have been unable to obtain work for the present——” ‘¢ And never will” cried the landlady, her voice swelling into a screech. “They say you've ruined yourself by spouting at public meetings and so on —aend the hat manufacturers looks on you with suspicion. They think you'll raise a mob and burn their houses down—and s0 they wont have nothink to do with you.” “Let as hope, Mrs. Thomas, that things will not continue quite so bad as all this,” said Melmoth. “Itis perfectly true that I have experienced a great deal of cruel persecution on account of my poli- tical opinions: but surely—surely,” he added, in a tone of deep feeling, “this unjust prejudice must wear away sooner or later.” “Sooner or later indeed! shrieked forth the landlady, now worked, or rather having worked herself up to a high piteh of irritability. “And am I to wait till doomeday for my rent, I should like to know. Here's twenty-six shillings doo from you —and wn the week's rent for this young woman here—and not a sixpence forthoom.- ing, as far as I can see.” “God knows it is too true!” murmured the un- happy man, turning aside and covering his face his hands. At the sight of their father’s grief, the wailing of the children became piteous in the extreme, Mrs. Melmoth, rising up with her babe in her arms, endeavoured to say something to pacify the land- lady: but anguish choked her utterance—for when she was ahout to implore the woman’s forbearance until athe morrow, the sickening conviction rushed to her mind that there was not a single hope left. “ Mrs. Thomas,” said Rose Foster, acoosting the landlady, whom her sweet tone and manner some- what mollified for a moment: “I beseech you to grant an hour's delay before you adupt any harsh measure towards this worthy but most unhappy family. Late though it now is, I am going to see a friend ——” “Ah! a friend indeed—I’ve no doubt of it,” ob- served the landlady, throwing a sudden glance of cruel suspicion upon Miss Foster. “ But howsom. ever—it doesn’t matter to me where the money comes from, so long as it does come——” turning abruptly and sternly round upon the ane vixen: © her conduct is above sus- “Oh! well—I dare say you will answer for her good behaviour and become bail for her character as you have for her rent,” oried the landlady. “Bat them as balls ought to be substannshal——. There was a pause of nearly a minute, during remained uncertain which Melmoth whether to hasten after her and fetch her back, or whether he should allow her to run the risk which he feared she would encounter in paying a visit to Tim Meagies. But while he was wavering betweea two aa Cl QOLAPKE bole S COMM