| 225 | 226 | 227 | 228 | 229 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
|
'
Get me money,' he said wildly, as they parted for the night. 'I must
have money, Nell. It shall be paid thee back with gallant interest one
day, but all the money that comes into thy hands, must be mine - not
for myself, but to use for thee. Remember, Nell, to use for thee!'
What could the child do with the knowledge she had, but give him
every penny that came into her hands, lest he should be tempted on
to rob their benefactress? If she told the truth (so thought the child)
he would be treated as a madman; if she did not supply him with
money, he would supply himself; supplying him, she fed the fire that
burnt him up, and put him perhaps beyond recovery. Distracted by
these thoughts, borne down by the weight of the sorrow which she
dared not tell, tortured by a crowd of apprehensions whenever the old
man was absent, and dreading alike his stay and his return, the
colour forsook her cheek, her eye grew dim, and her heart was
oppressed and heavy. All her old sorrows had come back upon her,
augmented by new fears and doubts; by day they were ever present to
her mind; by night they hovered round her pillow, and haunted her in
dreams.
It was natural that, in the midst of her affliction, she should often
revert to that sweet young lady of whom she had only caught a hasty
glance, but whose sympathy, expressed in one slight brief action,
dwelt in her memory like the kindnesses of years. She would often
think, if she had such a friend as that to whom to tell her griefs, how
much lighter her heart would be - that if she were but free to hear
that voice, she would be happier. Then she would wish that she were
something better, that she were not quite so poor and humble, that
she dared address her without fearing a repulse; and then feel that
there was an immeasurable distance between them, and have no hope
that the young lady thought of her any more.
It was now holiday-time at the schools, and the young ladies had gone
home, and Miss Monflathers was reported to be flourishing in London,
and damaging the hearts of middle-aged gentlemen, but nobody said
anything about Miss Edwards, whether she had gone home, or
whether she had any home to go to, whether she was still at the
school, or anything about her. But one evening, as Nell was returning
from a lonely walk, she happened to pass the inn where the stage-
coaches stopped, just as one drove up, and there was the beautiful
girl she so well remembered, pressing forward to embrace a young
child whom they were helping down from the roof.
Well, this was her sister, her little sister, much younger than Nell,
whom she had not seen (so the story went afterwards) for five years,
and to bring whom to that place on a short visit, she had been saving
her poor means all that time. Nell felt as if her heart would break
when she saw them meet. They went a little apart from the knot of
Page
Quick Jump
|