"I am a fiend, am I?" cries the lady. "You hear, Mr. Pendennis, this is
the language to which I am accustomed; I am a widow, and I trusted my
child and my all to that old man; he robbed me and my darling of almost
every farthing we had; and what has been my return for such baseness? I
have lived in this house and toiled like a slave; I have acted as servant
to my blessed child; night after night I have sat with her; and month
after month, when her husband has been away, I have nursed that poor
innocent; and the father having robbed me, the son turns me out of
doors!"
A sad thing it was to witness, and a painful proof how frequent were
these battles, that, as this one raged, the poor little boy sat almost
careless, whilst his bewildered grandfather stroked his golden head. "It
is quite clear to me, madam," I said, turning to Mrs. Mackenzie, "that
you and your son-in-law are better apart; and I came to tell him to-day
of a most fortunate legacy, which has been left to him, and which will
enable him to pay you to-morrow morning every shilling, every shilling
which he does NOT owe you?"
"I will not leave this house until I am paid every shilling of which I
have been robbed," hissed out Mrs.
Pages:
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842