Крамка старожитностей

Chapter 45

           Therewasthesamethickair,difficulttobreathe;thesameblightedground,thesamehopelessprospect,thesamemiseryanddistress.Objectsappearedmoredim,thenoiseless,thepathmoreruggedanduneven,forsometimesshestumbled,andbecameroused,asitwere,intheefforttopreventherselffromfalling.Poorchild!thecausewasinhertotteringfeet.

           Towardstheafternoon,hergrandfathercomplainedbitterlyofhunger.Sheapproachedoneofthewretchedhovelsbytheway-side,andknockedwithherhanduponthedoor.

           ‘Whatwouldyouhavehere?’saidagauntman,openingit.

           ‘Charity.Amorselofbread.’

           ‘Doyouseethat?’returnedthemanhoarsely,pointingtoakindofbundleontheground.‘That’sadeadchild.Iandfivehundredothermenwerethrownoutofwork,threemonthsago.Thatismythirddeadchild,andlast.DoyouthinkIhavecharitytobestow,oramorselofbreadtospare?’

           Thechildrecoiledfromthedoor,anditcloseduponher.Impelledbystrongnecessity,sheknockedatanother:aneighbouringone,which,yieldingtotheslightpressureofherhand,flewopen.

           Itseemedthatacoupleofpoorfamilieslivedinthishovel,fortwowomen,eachamongchildrenofherown,occupieddifferentportionsoftheroom.Inthecentre,stoodagravegentlemaninblackwhoappearedtohavejustentered,andwhoheldbythearmaboy.

           ‘Here,woman,’hesaid,‘here’syourdeafanddumbson.Youmaythankmeforrestoringhimtoyou.Hewasbroughtbeforeme,thismorning,chargedwiththeft;andwithanyotherboyitwouldhavegonehard,Iassureyou.

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