more rugged and uneven, for sometimes she stumbled, and became

roused, as it were, in the effort to prevent herself from falling. Poor

child! the cause was in her tottering feet.

Towards the afternoon, her grandfather complained bitterly of hunger.

She approached one of the wretched hovels by the way-side, and

knocked with her hand upon the door.

What would you have here?' said a gaunt man, opening it.

Charity. A morsel of bread.'

Do you see that?' returned the man hoarsely, pointing to a kind of

bundle on the ground. 'That's a dead child. I and five hundred other

men were thrown out of work, three months ago. That is my third

dead child, and last. Do you think I have charity to bestow, or a

morsel of bread to spare?'

The child recoiled from the door, and it closed upon her. Impelled by

strong necessity, she knocked at another: a neighbouring one, which,

yielding to the slight pressure of her hand, flew open.

It seemed that a couple of poor families lived in this hovel, for two

women, each among children of her own, occupied different portions

of the room. In the centre, stood a grave gentleman in black who

appeared to have just entered, and who held by the arm a boy.

Here, woman,' he said, 'here's your deaf and dumb son. You may

thank me for restoring him to you. He was brought before me, this

morning, charged with theft; and with any other boy it would have

gone hard, I assure you. But, as I had compassion on his infirmities,

and thought he might have learnt no better, I have managed to bring

him back to you. Take more care of him for the future.'

'And won't you give me back MY son!' said the other woman, hastily

rising and confronting him. 'Won't you give me back MY son, Sir, who

was transported for the same offence!'

Was he deaf and dumb, woman?' asked the gentleman sternly.

Was he not, Sir?'

You know he was not.'

He was,' cried the woman. 'He was deaf, dumb, and blind, to all that

was good and right, from his cradle. Her boy may have learnt no

better! where did mine learn better? where could he? who was there to

teach him better, or where was it to be learnt?'

The Old Curiosity Shop