Page 212 [212]
156
again opéned; the housebreaker shifted
his position restlessly, and, after dozing
again and again for two or three minutes,
and as often springing up with a look of
terror, and gazing vacantly about him,
was suddenly stricken, as it were, while
in the very attitude of rising, into a deep
and heavy sleep. The grasp of his hand
relaxed, the upraised arm fell languidly
by his side, and he lay like one in a pro¬
found trance.
c The laudanum has taken effect at
last," murmured the girl as she rose from
the bedside. "I may be too late even
now."
She hastily dressed herself in her bon¬
net and shawl, looking fearfully round
from time to time, as if, despite the sleep¬
ing draught, she expected every moment
to feel the pressure of Sikes’s heavy hand
upon her shoulder; then stooping softly
over the bed, she kissed the robber’s lips,
and opening and closing the room-door
with noiseless touch, hurried from the
house.
A watchman was crying half-past nine
down a dark passage through which she
fans to pass in gaining the main thorough¬
re.
“Has it long gone the half hour?"
asked the giri.
sc [t"]1 strike the hour in another quar¬
ter," said the man, raising his lantern to
her face.
c And I cannot get there in less than
an hour or more," muttered Nancy, brush¬
ing swiftly past him, and gliding rapidly
down the street.
Many of the shops were already closing
in the back lanes and avenues through
which she tracked her way in making
from Spitalfields towards the West-End
of London. The clock struck ten, in¬
creasing her impatience. She tore along
the narrow pavement, eibowing the pas¬
sengers from side to side, and darting al¬
most under the horses’ heads, crossed
crowded streets, where clusters of per¬
sons were eagerly waiching their oppor¬
tunity to do the like.
*'T"he woman is mad!” said the people,
turning to look after her as she rushed
away.
Whe: sne reached the more wealthy
quarter of the town, the streets were
comparatively deserted, and here her
headlong progress seemed to excite a
greater curiosity in the stragglers whom
she hurried past. Some quickened their
pace behind, as though to see whither
she was hastening at such an unusual
rate; and a few made head upon her, and
looked back, surprised at her undiminish¬
ed speed, but they fell off one by one; and
when she neared her place of destination
she was alone.
It was a family hotel, in a quiet but
handsome street near Hyde Park. As
the brilliant light of the lamp which burnt
before the door guided her to the spot, the
clock struck eleven. She had loitered
for a few paces as though irresolute, and
sound determined her, and she stepped
into the hall. The porter’s seat was va¬
cant. She looked round with an air of
incertitude, and advanced towards the
stairs.
** Now, young woman,” said a smartly¬
dressed female, looking out from a door
behind her, “ who do you want here ?”
* A lady who is stopping in this house,”
answered the girl.
“A lady!" was the reply, accompani¬
ed with a scornful look. “ What lady,
pray !"
“Miss Maylie," said Nancy.
The young woman, who had by this
time noted her appearance, replied only
by a look of virtuous disdain, and sum¬
moned a man to answer her. To him
Nancy repeated her request.
“ What name am I to say?” asked the
waiter.
“It’s of no use saying any,” replied
Nancy.
6 Nor business?" said the man.
c No, nor that neither,” rejoined the
girl. “J must see the lady.”
“Come,” said the man, pushing her
towards the door, “none of this! Take
yourself off, will you?"
“] shall be carried out if I go!” said
the girl violently, “and I can make that
a job that two of you won’t like to do.
Isn’t there any body here,” she said, look
ing round, “that will see a simple mes¬
sage carried for a poor wretch like me?”
This appeal produced an effect on a
good-tempered-faced man-cook, who with
some other of the servants was looking
on, and who stepped forward to interfere.
“'Take it up for her Joe, can’t you?”
said this person.
“'What’s the good?" replied the man.
“ You don’t suppose the young lady will
see such as her, do you?
This allusion to Nancy’s doubtful char¬
acter raised a vast quantity of chaste
wrath in the bosoms of four housemaids,
who remarked with great fervour that the
creature was a disgrace to her sex, and
strongly advocated her being thrown ruth¬
lessly into the kennel.