Rosa Lambert — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

338 and that I could not plead coverture. I was com- pelled to yield to the force of these observations : but then I insisted that I could not be captured without previous legal process. ‘To this the officers replied that there were special writs em- powering them to take me into custody until I put in bail for my appearance ; and I had now no further remonstrance to use. I asked whither they meant to take me?—and the response was that I might go, if I thought fit, to a lock-up house at Newport, where I could remain a few days until [ communicated with my friends. This was at least some little consolation: I was not to be taken at once to gaol—and therefore I resigned myself to my present fate. I requested permission to change my apparel for a more suitable garb; and this was granted, on condition that the officer should be allowed to remain on the landing outside my ¢hamber so 48 t6 guard against an escape. ‘To this I assented; and summoning the maic, repaired with her to my room. She already knew that the visitors were bailiffs; and her heart was softened towards mé. I placed my watch and my few remaining orna- ments of jewellery in her hand,—begging that she and the other servants would éither af onée dispose of the articles to pay themselves the wages due; or that they would retain possession of them for a few days until I was enabled to redeem them. She did not wish to take them—but I compelled her ; and when I had put on the plainest apparel I pos- sessed, I prepared to accompany the officers. They had come in a fly—foresceing that they would have to bear me away to the lock-up house; and f entered it, takmg with me only a small parcel containing a few necessaries. It was five e’clock m the evening when I alighted at the door of the gloomy-looking sponging-house in Newport. There were bars to all the windows; and aninner door of the passage was kept constantly lockeds I imaguired whether I could have a sitting-room to myself; and the Officer replied, “For a matter of ten shillin’s a day, ma’am, you may have the sweetest little bed- chamber, with the most comfortablest little parlour adjining, as ever was know’d of in a lock- up.” - He then summoned his “ missus,” as he deno- minated his wife,—a great, fat, blowzy woman, tawdrily dressed; and she offered to conduct me to my quarters, JI experienced a sad sinking of the heart when I beheld the two rooms which had been so magniloquently eulogised. The first— which by courtesy was denominated the parlour— contained as much furniture as might be pur- chased for about fifteen shillings; and this was, of course, of the poorest description. A common deal table, painted—a couple of high-backed chairs—a fragment of a carpet—and a few shells on the mantel-piece by way of ornament, con- stituted the appointments of the sitting-room. The paper was dingy, and showed signs of damp in several places: the ceiling had been for years innocent of contact with the white-washer’s brush: and as much of the boards as the carpet left bare, was dark with grime. I passed into the bed- chamber, hoping to find it at least a trifle more comfortable: but this room, which had been described as the sweetest ever known im a lock-up house, had an air so dirty in every respect that L ROSA LAMBERT, eee ee a i ie shrank loathingly from the idea of committing my person to such a bed as I there beheld. TI asked the sheriff’s-officer’s wife whether these were her best accommodations ; and as the query seemed to throw a sort of slur upon them, she bridled up in a moment, “When people is in trouble, mem,” she said, “they hadn’t ought to be over nice. But I have kept this ’ouse for nineteen year come next Aperil, — and this is thé fust complaint as I’ve ever heard. Why, some of the highest people in the land has- slep’ in that werry identical bed—and slep’ like tops too. ‘There was a French Countess what’s her namé again? howsomever, she was a fine old lady—and she liked that there bed so much that she took to it for six weeks with a fever. It’s as true as you're there, mem. And what's more, this same bed has been still further honuared by a dashing Barrownight a dying in it of cholera morbus.” Having thus illustrated the high qualities of the dirty-looking couch, the woman surveyed me in a triumphant manner;—as much as to ask what I could dare to say now against it? I saw that it was no use to bandy words; and therefore I at once decided upon keeping possession of the quarters to which I was conducted. I asked for a sheet of paper; and feeling faint through having eaten nothing since the morning, I requested to have some dinner served up. The woman at once deciared that anything I chose to order should be | Supplied in the very best style—and she spoke vaguely of “Soup, fish, joint, and what not, with weggitables.” I expressed a fanéy for a old fowl: but seeing that there was a difficulty in the way, f mentioned a few other things that i thought I should like—in the way of which theré were equal difficuities: so that at last it came out that I must choose between a steak or a chop. I decided upon the latter; and the woman asked me what I would take to drink? I replied nothing but water: at which she looked upon me with a sort of con- ‘temptuous disgust—for it was evident by her rubicund countenance that the beverage I pre- ferred was no particular favourite of hers. «“ And now, mem, if you please,” she said, “Tl take for all these things in adwance.” ' Thereupon I drew out my purse, which con- tained little more than thirty shillings—for I had paid for the fly which had brought me thither ; and I handed her a sovereign. I learnt that there was yet an hour to post-time; and I accordingly sat down to write my letter while the dinner was being gotten in readiness. A dirty drab of a servant-girl came up to light the fire: but as the wood was wet and the coals were dust, there was no prospect of its throwing out any heat until it would be time to go to bed some few hours later. I wrote to Mr. Alvanly—describing my position, and entreating him to befriend me once more. IL did not even think of addressing myself again to Sir James Thornley, though I was now in the same town.as himself. I concluded that his silence was definitive—that he looked upon me as a vile hypocritical impostress—and that he was most pros bably well pleased at having escaped from a con-— nexion with such a creature.’ The letter to Mr, ~ Alvanly was sent to the post; and then the drab — of a servant-girl came to afford me a specimen of — the splendid style in which a dinner could bo — p * ae e owe + ~~ Ld COMICHOOKS.cc