The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

=_ =» —_ ele ae owe the house—efi officious, obtrusive, mquisidve kind of person, who, seeing that the visitor was evidently aman of substance, had endeavoured to push her } way along with him in order to ascertain what he could possibly want with the Beydens. But he had got rid of her as much by his peremptory manner as by the donation of the shilling; and almost im- mediately afterwards Mrs. Leyden and her cinidren heard his footsteps halt at their door, at which he immediately knocked. Henrietta opened it, and found herself in the pre- sence of an old gentleman with a brown acratch- wig, a red face, a large double chin, and a short stout figure. “Your name is Henrietta Leyden, I guppose ?” said the gentleman: then catching sight of the in- valid woman in bed, he observed in a blunt off-hand manner, “Don’t mind me; I come with no intent—it may be otherwise :”~-end he niously walked into the room. Henrietta shut the door, and at once placed a seat for the visitor’s accommodation: for it struck her that this was an emissary from the kind-hearted Angela Vivaldi. Mrs. Leyden, who, the moment the knock sounded at the door, had settled herself in bed so as to be prepared for the presence of any visitor, entertained the same idea; and little Charley stood gasing upon the gentleman with childish won- der as to what he wanted. “You expected a call from some one this morn- Henrietta. “I know all that took place last night between you afid Signora Vivaldi, with whom I have the honour to be acquainted; and she told me of your position—aleo of what she had given you. I suppose a part of the moncy has gone to dress this little fellow out in these new clothes? Well, he’s a little boy. What's your name, eir?”’ “Charley Leyden, please sir,” responded the ehild. “ And I suppose you are very fond of your sister ?”’ asked the gentleman. “Oh! yes, sir—she is so good and kind to me— and she gave me these new clothes just now.” “And parted your hair for you, and made you look smart——eh, my boy ?” For a moment Charley was at e loss to under- stand whether the gentleman spoke in a scolding manner or not; and he looked up with a somewhat frightened glance towards his sister. “Oh, I am not angry!” exclaimed the visitor, drawing the boy towatds him afid smoothing down his hair: “you are a nice little fellow—but you ought to have more colour upon those cheeks. Well, we shall sec. Madam,” he continued, turning towards Mrs. Leyden, “you are an invalid. Pray, have you been ill long?” “T have been suffering much for several months past,” replied Mrs. Leyden; “ and if it were not for that dear sweet girl, I khow not what would have become of me her little brother,” she added, the tears trickling down her cheeks. “How mach do you earn a-week P” asked the gentleman, somewhat abruptly fixing his syes on Henrietta. “ Kight shillings, sir,” was the reply. “Well, you had five pounds given you by Signora Vivaldi last night. Let us see what you have done ith it ‘How much was that ?” “Seven shillings and sixpence, sir. We pay half-a-crown a week for this room———” “It would be dear af a gift,” ejaculated the ‘visitor, whose pemeipal characteristic seemed to be “Linen? I suppose for your own wear P’ “No, sir—to make my mother more comfort. able,” answered Hanrietta, with a look that showed she wae somewhat hurt by the question. “Well—and then you boughs these fine clothes for the little fellow here—eh?” “Yes, sir; he was almost in rags. The suit he has now on cost fifteen shillings. I know it was a great deal to give in our condition: but, poor child, I could pot bear to see him as he was :”—and the tears rolled down Henrietta’s pale cheeks. “ Now you have told me all you boaght for your ecif? Come,” exclaimed the gentleman, somewhat petemptorily, “show me the new dress or new shawl, whatever it was.” “I can assure you, sit,” cried Mre. Leyden, per- that her “Oh!” muttered the visitor. “Haye you many things in pledge P” “ Everything,” replied Mrs. Leyden, bursting into tears. “I don’t know much about those sort of things,” said the gentleman ; “ but I believe that the pawn- let me see them all.” Mrs. made en effirmative sign to Hea- rietta, who forthwith produced from a drawer a coa- siderable quantity of pawnbrokers’ tickets, which with trembling hands and blushing cheeks she laid upon the table. “You have not always been poor,” said the gen- tleman, as he examined the duplicates one after another. “ Here is one for a ring—another for a watch—another for a pair of earrings: then we have gowns—bdiankets-—sheets-—~God bless me! what a miscellaneous assortment of things, even down to petticoats and stockings !” Although both Mrs. Leyden end Henrietta felt m their hearts that the old gentleman did not mean to be cruel, but that on the contrary he probably meant to give them some relief—yet they could not hew fecling a little ehocked at the apparently blunt ane unfeeling manner, amounting almost to coarsener and indelicacy, with which he spoke of the articles that were p and which might have shown him how ditter had been the need that had reduced GOnMGIOO