CHAPTER 3

atbroughthermother,myowndearchild,toanearlygrave.Iwouldleaveher—notwithresourceswhichcouldbeeasilyspentorsquanderedaway,butwithwhatwouldplaceherbeyondthereachofwantforever.Youmarkmesir?Sheshallhavenopittance,butafortune—Hush!Icansaynomorethanthat,noworatanyothertime,andsheishereagain!’ Theeagernesswithwhichallthiswaspouredintomyear,thetremblingofthehandwithwhichheclaspedmyarm,thestrainedandstartingeyeshefixeduponme,thewildvehemenceandagitationofhismanner,filledmewithamazement.AllthatIhadheardandseen,andagreatpartofwhathehadsaidhimself,ledmetosupposethathewasawealthyman.Icouldformnocomprehensionofhischaracter,unlesshewereoneofthosemiserablewretcheswho,havingmadegainthesoleendandobjectoftheirlivesandhavingsucceededinamassinggreatriches,areconstantlytorturedbythedreadofpoverty,andbesetbyfearsoflossandruin.ManythingshehadsaidwhichIhadbeenatalosstounderstand,werequitereconcilablewiththeideathuspresentedtome,andatlengthIconcludedthatbeyondalldoubthewasoneofthisunhappyrace. Theopinionwasnottheresultofhastyconsideration,forwhichindeedtherewasnoopportunityatthattime,asthechildcamedirectly,andsoonoccupiedherselfinpreparationsforgivingKitawritinglesson,ofwhichitseemedhehadacoupleeveryweek,andoneregularlyonthatevening,tothegreatmirthandenjoymentbothofhimselfandhisinstructress.Torelatehowitwasalongtimebeforehismodestycouldbesofarprevaileduponasitadmitofhissittingdownintheparlour,inthepresenceofanunknowngentleman—how,whenhedidsetdown,hetuckeduphissleevesandsquaredhiselbowsandputhisfaceclosetothecopy-bookandsquintedhorriblyatthelines—how,fromtheveryfirstmomentofhavingthepeninhishand,hebegantowallowinblots,andtodaubhimselfwithinkuptotheveryrootsofhishair—how,ifhedidbyaccidentformaletterproperly,heimmediatelysmeareditoutagainwithhisarminhispreparationstomakeanother—how,ateveryfreshmistake,therewasafreshburstofmerrimentfromthechildandlouderandnotlessheartylaughfrompoorKithimself—andhowtherewasallthewaythrough,notwithstanding,agentlewishonherparttoteach,andananxiousdesireonhistolearn—torelatealltheseparticularswouldnodoubtoccupymorespaceandtimethantheydeserve.Itwillbesufficienttosaythatthelessonwasgiven—thateveningpassedandnightcameon—thattheoldmanagaingrewrestlessandimpatient—thathequittedthehousesecretlyatthesamehourasbefore—andthatthechildwasoncemoreleftalonewithinitsgloomywalls. AndnowthatIhavecarriedthishistorysofarinmyowncharacterandintroducedthesepersonagestothereader,Ishallfortheconvenienceofthenarrativedetachmyselffromitsfurthercourse,andleavethosewhohaveprominentandnecessarypartsinittospeakandactforthemselves.