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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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