Chapter 40【1 / 3】

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ASTRANGEINTERVIEW,WHICHISASEQUELTOTHELASTCHAMBER

Thegirl'slifehadbeensquanderedinthestreets,andamongthemostnoisomeofthestewsanddensofLondon,buttherewassomethingofthewoman'soriginalnatureleftinherstill;andwhensheheardalightstepapproachingthedooroppositetothatbywhichshehadentered,andthoughtofthewidecontrastwhichthesmallroomwouldinanothermomentcontain,shefeltburdenedwiththesenseofherowndeepshame,andshrunkasthoughshecouldscarcelybearthepresenceofherwithwhomshehadsoughtthisinterview。

Butstrugglingwiththesebetterfeelingswaspride,--theviceofthelowestandmostdebasedcreaturesnolessthanofthehighandself-assured。Themiserablecompanionofthievesandruffians,thefallenoutcastoflowhaunts,theassociateofthescouringsofthejailsandhulks,livingwithintheshadowofthegallowsitself,--eventhisdegradedbeingfelttooproudtobetrayafeeblegleamofthewomanlyfeelingwhichshethoughtaweakness,butwhichaloneconnectedherwiththathumanity,ofwhichherwastinglifehadobliteratedsomany,manytraceswhenaverychild。

Sheraisedhereyessufficientlytoobservethatthefigurewhichpresenteditselfwasthatofaslightandbeautifulgirl;then,bendingthemontheground,shetossedherheadwithaffectedcarelessnessasshesaid:

‘It'sahardmattertogettoseeyou,lady。IfIhadtakenoffence,andgoneaway,asmanywouldhavedone,you'dhavebeensorryforitoneday,andnotwithoutreasoneither。’

‘Iamverysorryifanyonehasbehavedharshlytoyou,’repliedRose。‘Donotthinkofthat。Tellmewhyyouwishedtoseeme。Iamthepersonyouinquiredfor。’

Thekindtoneofthisanswer,thesweetvoice,thegentlemanner,theabsenceofanyaccentofhaughtinessordispleasure,tookthegirlcompletelybysurprise,andsheburstintotears。

‘Oh,lady,lady!’shesaid,claspingherhandspassionatelybeforeherface,‘iftherewasmorelikeyou,therewouldbefewerlikeme,--therewould--therewould!’

‘Sitdown,’saidRose,earnestly。‘IfyouareinpovertyorafflictionIshallbetrulygladtorelieveyouifIcan,--Ishallindeed。Sitdown。’

‘Letmestand,lady,’saidthegirl,stillweeping,‘anddonotspeaktomesokindlytillyouknowmebetter。Itisgrowinglate。Is--is--thatdoorshut?’

‘Yes,’saidRose,recoilingafewsteps,asiftobenearerassistanceincasesheshouldrequireit。‘Why?’

‘Because,’saidthegirl,‘Iamabouttoputmylifeandthelivesofothersinyourhands。IamthegirlthatdraggedlittleOliverbacktooldFagin'sonthenighthewentoutfromthehouseinPentonville。’

‘You!’saidRoseMaylie。

‘I,lady!’repliedthegirl。‘Iamtheinfamouscreatureyouhaveheardof,thatlivesamongthethieves,andthatneverfromthefirstmomentIcanrecollectmyeyesandsensesopeningonLondonstreetshaveknownanybetterlife,orkinderwordsthantheyhavegivenme,sohelpmeGod!Donotmindshrinkingopenlyfromme,lady。Iamyoungerthanyouwouldthink,tolookatme,butIamwellusedtoit。Thepoorestwomenfallback,asImakemywayalongthecrowdedpavement。’

‘Whatdreadfulthingsarethese!’saidRose,involuntarilyfallingfromherstrangecompanion。

‘ThankHeavenuponyourknees,dearlady,’criedthegirl,‘thatyouhadfriendstocareforandkeepyouinyourchildhood,andthatyouwereneverinthemidstofcoldandhunger,andriotanddrunkenness,and--and--somethingworsethanall--asIhavebeenfrommycradle。Imayusetheword,forthealleyandthegutterweremine,astheywillbemydeathbed。’

‘Ipityyou!’saidRose,inabrokenvoice。‘Itwringsmyhearttohearyou!’

‘Heavenblessyouforyourgoodness!’rejoinedthegirl。‘IfyouknewwhatIamsometimes,youwouldpityme,indeed。ButIhavestolenawayfromthosewhowouldsurelymurderme,iftheyknewIhadbeenhere,totellyouwhatIhaveoverheard。DoyouknowamannamedMonks?’

‘No,’saidRose。

‘Heknowsyou,’repliedthegirl;‘andknewyouwerehere,foritwasbyhearinghimtelltheplacethatIfoundyouout。’

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