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“ Broad day or black nightfwhat do I care '1”, was the
kind rejoinder. I I ' ' ‘ '
“ The night pass
up, atalll” , ..,. . ,. .. H .” .. ‘
. “Sit up for me, again, if you dare I‘ growled Jonas, 1
“‘I was .reading,” she proceeded, “'all night 1033- .
began when you went. out, and read till you came hem]:
again. vThe strangest story, Jonas! true the 1100
ed quickly, too." I don’t mind sitting
lsays. 'l’ll'tell it you to-morrowi” "
“ True, was it?” said Jonas, doiggetdlyy , ’ r
‘ “ So the book says.’,’ . .. . ’ ,
“ lV'as there anything-in ‘it, about a mans being de-
;‘e1.m-med to conque,-.1115 wife,‘ break her spirit, bend her
atemper, crush all her humours like 50 many nuisllells.’
'kill her, for aught I know? ” said Jonasz , ‘
‘ “ No. V ' Not a. word,” she answered quickly.
before long - for all the book says nothing about it. It’s
‘alying booli, I see. A fit book for a lying reader. But
you’re deaf. I forgot that.”
was stealing away, when he heard her footstep on the
floor-,'and stopped. She, went [up to liini, as it seemed,
and spoke lovingly : saying that she would defer. to him
‘in everything, and would consult his wishesand obey
‘them, and they might be very happy ifrhe would be gon-
‘tle with her. He answered with an imprecation, and-'-
Not with a blow? Yes. Stern truth against the'base-
'-souled villain : with a blow.‘ I . '
No angry cries’; no loud reproaches. Even her weep.
ing and er sobs were stiiled by’ her clinging around
"him. "She only said, repeatingiit in agony of heart, How
could he,- could he, could he-and -lost utterance in
tears. ’ ' ,
Oh woman, God beloved in old Jerusalem l The best
among us need deal lightly ‘with thy faults, if'only for
the punishment thy nature will endure, inbearing heavy
unxcvidenco against us, on the Day of Judgment l. M
‘I L " ,
Z CHAP'IfE.R XXIX. ,
”.‘ ’”"‘7“'f ‘W ’3ii'5Lii,i'$1i.f’Zi?i5fii1i:I? iiiliailiifiiiio" "1’ “"" ”2"""
IT may have been the restless remembrance of what he
had seen ‘and heard over-night, or it may have been no
deeper mental operation than the ‘discovery that he had
‘nothing to do, which caused Mr. Bailey, on the following
afternoon, to feel particularly disposed for agreeable so.
ciety, and prompted him to pay a. visitto his friend ‘Poll '
Sweedlepipe. . ,
“ On the little bell giving clamorous notice of a visitor’s
approach (for Mr. Bailey came in at the ‘door with a
lnnge, to get as much sound out of the bell as possible),
Poll Sweedlepipe desisted from the contemplation of -a
favourite owl, and-'gave his’ young friend hearty wel-
come. ‘ , - ' ' .v .
‘‘-VVliy, you look smartervby day,” said Poll, “than
you do by candle-light. I never see such a tight young
dasher.” ' v t ' i
' “ Reether so, Polly. , ‘How's our fair friend Sairah ‘2’'.
‘' Oh, she's pretty well,” said Poll. “ She's at home.”
5 " There's therernains of a fine woman about Sairah,
Poll,” observed Mr. Bailey with genteel indifference. ‘
'1; Oh I” thought Poll, “he’s old? He must be very
o !” ‘ ‘ ‘
“Too much crumb, you know,” ‘said Mr. Bailey: “too H
fat, Poll. C l3ut‘there’s many worse at her time of life. .”
-1 “ The very owl's 9. opening his eyes I” thought P011,
“, I don’t wonder at it,'in a bird of his opinions.” '
" lle liapponekl to have been sharpening hisrazors, which
were lying open in 'a row, while a huge ‘strop dangled
from the wall. Glancing at these ‘preparations, Mr.
Bailey stroked his ‘chin, and 'a thought appeared to occur
to him. I ' ’ ' ’ v '
' "‘,Poll,” he said, “ I’uin’t'as neat 2131 could wish about
the gills. Being here, I may as well have a shave, and
get trimmed ciose.” ’ ' v ' V r
The barberlstood aghast-; but Mr. Baileydivested him-
self of his neckcloth, and sat down in the easy shaving
chair with all the dignity and confidence in life.- There
There was another interval of silence; and the ‘boy.
UHARLES DICKENS’ 'W‘0RKS'.
was no resisting his manner. The evidence of sight and
touch became as nothing. His chin wasasysniooth as
a new-laid eggvora scraped Dutch’ cheese; but Poll
Sweedlepipe wouldn’t have ventured to deny, on affidavit,
that he had the heard of a'Jewish Rabbi, ' , .
“ Go m'tI1.‘the‘grain, Poll, all round, pleaseg.” said Mr.
Bailey, screwing up his face for the reception of the
-lather. “ You may do wot you like with the bits of
whisker. I don’t care for ’em..” ' - .
“ The meek little barber stoodvgazing at him with the
v brush and soap-dish in his hand, stirringthern round
and round in a ludicrous -uncertainty, asif he were dis-
abled by some fascination from beginning. At last he
made a dash at Mr.’Bailey’s cheek. Then he stopped
again, as if the ghost ‘of ‘a vbeardliad suddenly receded
‘ .y from this touch ; but receiving mild encouragement from
“ Ah I ”'he returned. “ That’ll be a true story though
Mr. -Bailey in the form'of ‘an adjuration to .“.Go',in and
win,’.’he'1athered him, bountifully. FMr.‘ Bailey smlled
through the suds in his satisfaction. ‘, ‘ g
“ Gently over the stones, Poll. -' Go 'a‘-iiptoe over the
‘pimple-s'l" 1: , . , ' A-‘ ; A
Poll Sweedlepipe obeyed, and scraped the ‘lather off
‘again with particular care. V Mr. Bailey squinted nt'6"9.T.Y
successive dab, as it was depositedon ‘alcloth on his leit
shoulder, and seemed, witlra microscopic eye, 10 (101905
some bristles in it; for he"murmured.more,.thau once,
“'Reethei' redder than‘ I could wish, Poll.” The OP?“
ationlieing concluded, Paul felllbzick and stared atthlm
again, while Mr. ‘Bailey, wiping his face 0ll.'i.ll6 jack-
t0VV8l,‘T6lI1ill‘k6d, “that arter late hours nothing fr?S11-
ened up aman so much as a easy shave." . .,
‘ He was,in‘the act of tying liisicravat at the glass, “'“‘1“
out his coat, and P011 had wiped his'rnzor,‘ready for the
next customer, when Mrs. iGamp, coining d0'f"I1-513,1";
looked in at the sliop-door to give the barber neiglrbourl)
good day. Feeling for'her unfortunate situation, in liai-
ing conceived a regard for himself which it was not 111
thenature of things that he could -return, Mr. .Baile)'
hastened to soothe her with words of kindness.
“ Hallo I” he said, “ Sairali'l I needn't ask you 110“
you’ye beeitthisvlong time, for.you're in-lfullbloom. All
a blowin’ and a growin’, ; rain’t she, Polly‘)? ' on ,
. “ lVhy, drnt tlio‘Bragian boldness of that boyl cried
Mrs. Gamp, though not displeased. “ ‘Willi 9- 1mP‘3‘em
young sparrow itis l I wouldn’t be that creetnr’sm0lvh9’
not for fifty poundl " '
-Mr. Bailey regarded this asn delicate confession of her
attachment, and a hint thatno pecuniary gain could 109'
ompensehcr for ‘its being rendered -hopeless. 1.19 f9,“
flattered. ‘Disinterested affection isalways flattering-
“Ali dear i”, moaned .Mrs. Gamp. sinking "Into “lo
shaving-‘chair, “That there blessed Bull, Mr SW99dlC'
Pipe. has done his wery best to conker me. Of all the
‘Wing inwnlieges in’this walley of the shadow,‘ that 099
beats ’eiii black and blue. " ‘ p , -.
It was the practice of Mrs. Gzimp and her frzciidsuf
the profession, to say this of all the easy’customers ; ‘)5
having at once the effect of discouraging comP9t,‘“,”S for
office, and accountingfor the-necessity‘of high llVlllg.0n
the part of the nurses. V . ' ' ‘ I , v ,3
t “Talk of constitooshiin l ”Mrs.:Ganip observed.“ , ‘(ll
person's Eonstitooshun need be made of Bricks’ to ‘S19-Y‘
it.. Mrs. Harris jestly says to me, but t’0t1ICl' day; loll!
Sairey Garnp,’ she says, ‘ how is it done 1’ .‘ M,YS- Harmi
mnfam,’ I says toiher, ‘ we gives no trust ourselves’, 1",“
puts a deal 0’ trust elsevcre ; these is our religous
feelins, and we finds ’eni answer.’ ‘ Sairey,’ S333 Mrsi
. nrris, ‘ sech- is life. "Vichlikewisc ‘is the head Of 91
tliingsl”’ V V‘ ' , .
The ‘barber gave a soft nzurmur as much as to say 913‘
Mrs. Harris’s remark. though perlinpsnotsoint;-ll1g1bl%
as could be desired from such an 1l111l10I'ilry,'d1d'C‘],1>m7
honour to her head and to her heart. ' g f I
‘ “And here,"'continiied'Mrs.VGamp, “and here am‘
a gain twenty ‘mile in distant, on ashventersome a cliance
as ever anY;.0ue as montlilied' ever’ run, 1130 ib91‘'“:,-e'
Says Mrs. Harris, with a woman's and a inotlier's aft F;
beatin in her human breast, says she to me,‘ ‘ Y0“ 1'9 "9
goingviirs. Harris?’ 1 replies. , "Mrs. oii1,’”i1'5=1>'5-
‘ wos never wrong with six : and is it lil:c.ly,.nia’t,lI1:'-1‘
ast you as a mother-thatshe will begin to be‘ unwb at
a goin, Sairey, Lord forgive you 1"‘ ‘ VV11)’ <“m ‘Idiot 3. v