Stranica 243 [243]
OCR
183 “She will be persuaded now,” cried the young lady; “she hesitates, I am sure." “T fear not, my dear,” said the gentleman. 6 No, sir, I do not," replied the girl after a short struggle. “Iam chained to my old life, and loathe and hate it now, but [ cannot leave it; I must have gone too far to turn back,—and yet I don’t know, for if you had spoken to me so sometime ago, I should have laughed it off. But”—she said, looking hastily round —this fear comes over me again. | must go home.” . “Home!” replied the young lady, with great stress upon the word. “ Home, lady,” rejoined the girl. § To such a home as I have raised for myself, with the work of my whole life. Let us part. I shall be watched, or seen. Go; o. If | have done you any service, all ee is that you leave me, and let me go my way alone.” “It is useless,” said the gentleman, with a sigh. “ We compromise her safety, perhaps, by staying here. We may have detained her longer than she expected, already.” 6 Yes, yes,” urged the girl, “ you have." “ What,” cried the young lady, “ can be the end of this poor creature’s life!" “ What!” repeated the girl. ‘ Look before you, lady. Look at that dark water. How many times do you read of such as me who spring into the tide, and leave no living thing to care for or bewail them. It may be years hence, or it may be only months; but I shall come to that at last.” * Do not speak thus, pray,” returned the young lady, sobbing. “It will never reach your ears, dear lady, and God forbid such horrors should,” replied the girl. “Good night, good he gentleman turned away. “This purse,” cried the young lady, “take it for my sake, that you may have some resource in an hour of need and trouble.” ‘‘ No, no,” replied the girl, “IT have not done this for money. Let me have that to think of. And yet—give me something that you have worn: I should like to have something —no, no, not a ring, your gloves, or handkerehief—anything that I can keep as having belonged to you, sweet lady. There, bless you, God bless you. Good night, good night, good night.” the apprehension of some discovery which would subject her to ill-usage and violence, seemed to determine the gentleman to leave her as she requested. ‘The sound of retreating footsteps were audible, and the voices ceased. The two figures of the young lady and her companion soon afterwards appeared upon the bridge. They stopped at the summit of the stairs. “ Hark!” cried the young lady, listening. “Did she call? I thought I heard her voice.” “ No, my love,” replied Mr. Brownlow, looking sadly back. “She has not moved, and will not till we are gone.” Rose Maylie lingered, but the old gentleman drew her arm through his and led her with gentle force away. As they disappeared, the girl sunk down nearly at her full length upon one of the stone stairs, and vented the anguish of her heart in bitter tears. After a time she rose, and with feeble and tottering steps ascended to the street. The astonished listener remained motionless on his post for some minutes afterwards, and having ascertained with many cautious glances round him that he was agen alone, crept slowly from his hidingplace and returned, stealthily and in the shade of the walk, in the same manner as he had descended. Peeping out more than once when he reached the top to make sure that he was unobserved, the spy darted away at his utmost speed, and made for the Jew’s house as fast as his legs would carry him. CHAPTER THE NINTH. Fatal Consequences. Ir was nearly two hours before daybreak—that time, which in the aufumn of the year, may be truly called the dead of night, when the streets are silent and deserted, when even sound appears to slumber, and profligacy and riot have staggered home to dream—it was at this still and silent hour that the Jew sat watching in his old lair with face so distorted and pale, and eyes so red and bloodshot, that he looked less like a man than like some hideous phantom, moist from the grave, and worried by an evil spirit. He sat crouching over a cold hearth. wrapped in an old torn coverlet, with his face turned towards a wasting candle that
