The Seamstress; or, The White Slave of England — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

; ee rn ee re me me me a THE SEAMSTRESS. gated their heaviness. In a word, by the time she that the air of artlessness which the maiden’. had resumed her apparel, the natural freshness of | | charming countenance wore, was nature’s own veri- youth, aided by the vigour of a good constitution, had so far triumphed over the lassitude and lan- euor which she felt on first rising from her couch that although still experiencing a sense of wearl- ness, she was astonished that it should be so com- paratively slight when measured with the magni- tude of her recent exertions. The moment she was dressed, Virginia opened her cupboard, and thence took forth the materials for her frugal breakfast. Having put about a thimbleful of tea into a little brown earthenware tea-pot, she opened the door—tripped gently down stairs—and descended to the kitchen, where she was allowed to procure some boiling water. Of a dirty slatternly servant-girl she asked “how Mrs. Jackson was this morning ?’”’—and the response, indifferently but not insolently given, was to the effect that the female thus inquired about had passed a comfortable night and was somewhat better. ey] suppose you are going to take up her break- fast now, Jane?” observed Virginia, whose voice was of silvery sweetness and touching softness : then, perceiving that the girl nodded her head affirmatively, she added, ‘‘ Have the goodness, then, to inform Mrs. Jackson that the dress is finished and that I will be with her in about ten minutes.” “And do you mean to Say; Miss, that you’ve done that welwet gown since the night before last P” inquired the servant-girl, gazing upon the young seamstress with mingled amazement and interest. ie Xes—I finished it at half-past two o’cleck this morning,” replied Virginia, her beautiful lps wreathing into a aiile of satisfaction as she lin- gered for a moment on the threshold of the kitchen- door. « And you ain’t worn out?” ejaculated Jane, the expression of her countenance deepening in wonder and sympathy,—feelings which her usually cold and sullen disposition seldom allowed her to exhibit: then, shaking her head with a kind of ominous so- lemnity, she added, “But you won’t keep it up long, Miss—yow' ll see you won’t. It will kill you right off in a few years if you do. Well, it’s a pity —a freat pity, such a sweet pretty creature as you are—and quite a lady too: but your fate is fixed, as the saying is—and in a short time you'll be glad to take it easy as Miss Barnet does.” ‘‘Miss Barnet—the person who lives in the room underneath mine?” said Virginia, interrogatively. “TY think I saw her on the stairs the day before yesterday—a tall, handsome, well-dressed female, of about two-and-twenty——” “The same, Miss,’ replied Jane, with a faint smile of superciliousness upon her lip. “ Has she not formed your acquaintance yet?” «She made some observation of ordinary civility as we passed each other on the staircase,” returned Virgina; “and I of course gave a suitable answer. But what did you mean, Jane, by the remark that I shall soon be glad to imitate Miss Barnet ?” The servant-girl, who was not above eighteen herself, but whose experience was such that she had little left to learn, fixed her gaze steadfastly upon Miss Mordaunt as if to read her through and through : but almost in a moment was she satistied oe re eee ewe — - —— a table impress and utterly beyond all power of affectation. Then did the crimy but not ill-looking features of the servant-girl assume a look of the deepest commiseration, as she said in a_low tone, ‘And you really don’t understand me, Miss ” Certainly I do not, Jane,” was Virginia’s im- j mediate response: “or else I should not have solicited an explanation.” “Then may you continue in ignorance, Miss,” ejaculated the servant-girl, with an abruptness alike of tone and manner which seemed passing strange to our innocent heroine: and turning away, the slattern Jane, apparently relapsing into all her wonted sullenness and reserve, continued her work without taking any farther notice of the young seamstress. Virginia accordingly hurried up-stairs to her own chamber; and as she sate down to drink her tea and eat a slice of dry bread therewith, she could not help reflecting that there was some- thing very singular in the servant-girl’s observa- tion. But she had not much leisure for giving way to her thoughts upon the subject: for as soon as she had finished her frugal and hurried meal, she threw the velvet dress carefully over her arm and once more descended the stairs. But this time, instead of proceeding down to the lowest region, she stopped at the back-room on the first storey and knocked gently at the door. A faint voice desired her to enter; obeyed the invitation. It was a bed-chamber into which the maiden thus passed; and an elderly female was lying in the couch. <A cheerful fire blazed in the grate—that apartment was well-furnished—and the breakfast materials, neatly arranged upon a tray, stood on the table by the side of the bed. The air of*comfort which pervaded the place struck the seamstress as being positively luxurious after the chill and cheer- less aspect of her own garret; and the genial warmth of the atmosphere struck as gratefully upon her shivering frame as a kind word falls beneficently upon the afflicted spirit. “T am glad to learn from Jane that you are better this morning, Mrs, Jackson,” said Virginia, as she approached ‘the couch. “Yes—I have slept well—and that is a good thing for an invalid,’ returned the female, who possessed one of those cold, passionless countenances which afford not the slightest index to the reading of the mind. ‘ But you have finished the dress— you have kept your word—and you are a good girl,” she added, in an imperturbable business-like fashion. “T hope it will give you satisfaction, madam,” said Virginia, as she held up the superb robe in such a manner that the light trom the window gave a living lustregto its gloss. “Come close,” exclaimed Mrs. Jackson, raising herself partially up from the pillows which sup- ported her head: then, drawing the dress towards her, she examined it with a look which though hurried was keenly critical—while Virginia stood by, her gentle bosom palpitating with suspense. “ Yes—it will do excellently—that is to say, it will do,” observed the invalid, suddenly checking her. sclf so as to qualify any amount of praise which an hook and Virginia accordingly _