The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

ssn eS Ee _ SP et ee THE MYSTERIES. otL -_-— benevolence—she shared in the generosity of the deed. I told you my tale without reserve—and you believed me at once. I might have been a design- ing, artful girl—and then how your confidence would have been misplaced! But your own good hearts prompted you both to put faith in the poor friend- less stranger—and you bade me remain with you. Nay, more—you even persuaded the landlady of the house to grant me a lodging until I could obtain needle-work and pay her——” “ And that work, my dear young lady, you have been, alas! unable to procure,” said Mrs. Mel- moth, in a voice that was broken by deep sobs. “Would to God that you had succeeded, for your own sake! But heaven alone knows what is to be- come of us all!” she added, as she threw a glance of despair upon the babe that was now moaning with a low and subdued plaintiveness in her arms. “TI was about to tell you what is to become of us,” exclained Rose, emphatically. “We must obtain bread—bread, at any risk—at any sacrifice —bread for those dear children at least, if not for ourselves! And if I recapitulated all that you have done for me, my good friends, it is merely to convince you that I am mindful of your gene- rosity ——” “ Generosity!” repeated Melmoth, bitterly but not sarcasticaily : “ we had nothing to give !” “Yes—I have eaten at your expense—I have obtained a lodging on your credit—I should have been a houseless, starving, unfriended wanderer without you,” said Rose, with a voice and manner of fervid gratefulness; “and I cannot see your children perish before your eyes without making an effort to save them. Despite, therefore, of all you have told me concerning this Mr. Meagles, I will hasten to nim—I will throw myself at his feet —TI will implore him to succour you ——” “God bless you, Miss Foster!” cried Melmoth, grasping both her hands and pressing them forcibly in his own: “ God bless you, dear young lady— but this must not be! You will only run into the snares of your enemies—you will be delivered over to the Prince——” “T cannot think that Mr. Meagles is capable of such treachery!” said Rose, interrupting the jour- neyman hatter. “I have already explained to you the circumstances under which I formed his ac- quaintance — the kindness which he then mani- tested towards me—the assistance he rendered— the delicate attentions he paid me——” “Be assured, Miss Foster, that the blackest treachery lurked at the bottom of all that seeming friendship,” interrupted Melmoth. “He saw that you were beautiful, innocent, and artless——” At this moment the door was flung violently open; and a short, thin, hatchet-faced woman, with a very vixenish look, made her appearance upon the threshold. The young maiden shrank back in alarm—for she was instantly seized with a presen- timent of the coming storm; and the children, ter- rified by the abrupt and unceremonious manner of the woman’s entrance, huddled together and began to cry in mournful concert. “ Mrs. Thomas,” said Melmoth, adopting as con- ciliatory a tone as possible, “I am well aware for what purpose you have come——” “Then pay me, if you please,” interrupted the landlady—for such the woman was: “pay me, if you please,” she repeated, in that sharp, shrill, pe- netrating voice which usually belongs to the chia- racter of a vixen. “T must request your patience a little longer. Mrs. Thomas,” returned the unhappy man, in an imploring tone. “You see that I have been unable to obtain work for the present——” ** And never will!” cried the landlady, her voice swelling into ascreech. “They say you’ve ruined yourself by spouting at public meetings and so on —and the hat manufacturers looks on you with suspicion. They think you'll raise a mob and burn their houses down—and so they wont have nothink to do with you.” “Let us hope, Mrs. Thomas, that things will not continue quite so bad as all this,” said Meimoth. “Itis perfectly true that I have experienced a great deal of cruel persecution on account of my poli- tical opinions: but surely—surely,”’ he added, ina tone of deep feeling, “this unjust prejudice must wear away sooner or later.” “Sooner or Jater indeed!” shrieled forth the landlady, now worked, or rather having worked herself up to a high pitch of irritability. “ And am I to wait till doomsday for my rent, I should like to know. Here's twenty-six shillings doo from you —and half-a-crown the weeks rent for this young woman here—and not a sixpence forthcom- ing, as far as I can see.” * God knows it is too true!’ murmured the un- happy man, turning aside and covering his face with his hands. At the sight of their father’s grief, the wailing of the children became piteous in the extreme. Mrs. Melmoth, rising up with her babe in herarms, endeavoured to say something to pacify the land- lady: but anguish choked her utterance—for when she was ahout to implore the woman’s forbearance until the morrow, the sickening conviction rushed to her mind that there was not a single hope left. “ Mrs. Thomas,” said Rose Foster, accosting the landlady, whom her sweet tone and manner some- what mollified for a moment: “I beseech you to grant an hour’s delay before you adopt any harsh measure towards this worthy but most unhappy family. Late though it now is, I am going to see a friend——” “Ah! a friend indeed—I’ve no doubt of it,” ob- served the landlady, throwing a sudden glance of cruel suspicion upon Miss Foster. ‘“ But howsom- ever—it doesn’t matter to me where the money comes from, so long as it does come——” “ Do not insult this young lady,” exclaimed Mel- moth, turning abruptly and sternly round upon the unfeeling vixen: “her conduct is above suse picion !” * Oh! well—I dare say you will answer for her good behaviour and become bail for her character as you have for her rent,” cried the landlady. “ But them as bails ought to be substaunshal——” * One hour—only one hour—and everything shall be paid !” exclaimed Rose, writhing under the in- sult which the woman had so heartlessly levelled at her: and, having thus spoken, she hurried from the room. There was a pause of nearly a minute, during which Melmoth remained uncertain whether to hasten after her and fetch her back, or whether he should allow her to run the risk which he feared she would encounter in paying a visit to Tim Meagles. But while he was wavering between tio O) 6)(0)©) <SIIGO)