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204 This salutation was addressed to Mr. Brownlow, who had stepped up to within a short distance of the respectable couple, and who inguired as he pointed to Monks, “Do you know that person ?" a No,” replied Mrs. Bumble, flatly. ‘Perhaps you don’t,” said Mr. Brownlow, addressing her spouse. s] never saw him in all my life,” said Mr. Bumble. ‘ Nor sold him anything, perhaps?” cc No,” replied Mrs. Bumble. 6 You never had, perhaps, a certain gold locket and ring?’ said Mr. Brownow. “Certainly not,” replied the matron. to such nonsense as this for?” Grimwig, and again that gentleman limped away with extraordinary readiness. But not again did he return with a stout man and wife; for this time he led in two palsied women, who shook and tottered as they walked. 6 You shut the door the night old Sally died,” said the foremost one, raising her shrivelled head; “but you couldn’t shut out the sound, nor stop the chinks.”’ “No, no," said the other, looking round her, and wagging her toothless jaws; “no, no, no." c We heard her try to tell you what she’d done, and saw you take a paper from her hand; and watched you, too, next day, to the pawnbroker’s shop,” said the first. 6 Yes," added the second; “and it was a locket and gold ring. We found out that, and saw it given you. We were by. Oh! we were by.” c And we know more than that,’’ resumed the first; “for she told us often, long ago, that the young mother had told her, that feeling she should never get over it, she was on her way, at the time she was taken ill, to die near the grave of the father of the child.” * Would you like to see the pawnbroker, himself?” asked Mr. Grimwig, with a motion towards the door. “No,” replied the woman. “If he," enough to confess, as I see he has, and you have sounded all these hags till you found the right ones, I have nothing more to say. I did sell them, and they’re where you'll never get them. What then ?” “ Nothing,” replied Mr. Brownlow, “except that it remains for us to take care that you are neither of you employed in a situation of trust again. You may leave the room.” “T hope, said Mr. Bumble, looking about him with great ruefulness, as Mr. Grimwig disappeared with the two old women, “I hope that this unfortunate little circumstance will not deprive me of my porochial office?" ‘Indeed it will,” replied Mr. Brown| low. ‘“ You must make up your mind to that, and think yourself well off besides.” “It was all Mrs. Bumble. She would do it,” urged Mr. Bumble; first looking | round to ascertain that his partner had left the room. “That is no excuse,” returned Mr. Brownlow. ‘“ You were present on the occasion of the destruction of these trink| ets, and, indeed, are the more guilty of the two in the eye of the law, for the law | supposes that your wife acts under your direction.” “If the law supposes that,” said Mr. | Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, “the law is an ass—an idiot. If that is the eye of the law, the law’s a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is, that his eye may be opened by experience—by experience.” Laying great stress on the repetition of these two words, Mr. Bumble fixed his | hat on very tight, and putting his hands in his pockets, followed his helpmate down stairs. 6 Young lady,” said Mr. Brownlow, turning to Rose, “ give me your hand. | Do not tremble: you need not fear to hear the few remaining words we have to say." “If they have—I do not know how | they can—but if they have any reference to me," said Rose, “pray let me hear them at some other time. I have not strength or spirits now.” “ Nay,” returned the old gentleman, drawing her arm through his, “ you have more fortitude than this, I am sure. Do you know this young lady, sir ?" | “ Yes," replied Monks. s] never saw you before,” said Rose, faintly. “YT have seen you often,” returned Monks, | The father of the unhappy Agnes had two daughters,” said Mr. Brownlow. “What was the fate of the other—the child ?” “The child,” replied Monks, “ when her father died, in a strange place, in a strange name, without a letter, book, or scrap of paper, that yielded the faintest
