T animals which can subsist long with- comes hoarse. Then the eyes flash sure and of exquisite pains, motives The effects of Thirst are first to strenuous endeavour, and servants a dryness of the mouth, palate, to our higher aims. We are all and throat ; the secretions become familiar with them in their gentler less copious; the mouth is covered aspects; may the reader never know with a thick mucus, the tongue either in its dreadful importunicleaves to the palate, the voice be- ties ! BÉRARD : Cours de Physiol., ii. 504. + Longer, Traité de Physiol., 1857. VOL. LXXXIII.-NO, DVII. B The most submissive where they love may be the most stubborn where they do not love -Sophy is stubborn to Mr Rugge—That injured man summons to his side Mrs Crane, imitating the policy of those potentates who would retrieve the failures of force by the successos of diplomacy. MR Rugge has obtained his object. system of centralisation, which not But now comes the question, “ What more paralyses healthful action in a will he do with it?” Question with state, than it does in the individual as many heads as the Hydra ; and no man. Self-indulgence with him was sooner does an Author dispose of one absolute. He was not without power head than up springs another. of keen calculation, not without much Sophy has been bought and paid cunning. He could conceive a profor-she is now, legally, Mr Rugge's. ject for some gain far off in the property But there was a wise future, and concoct, for its realipeer who once bought Punch- sation, schemes subtely woven, asPunch became his property, and was tutely guarded. But he could not brought in triumph to his lordship's secure their success by any longhouse. To my lord's great dismay sustained sacrifices of the caprice of Punch would not talk. To Rugge's one hour or the indolence of the great dismay Sophy would not act. next. If it had been a great object Rendered up to Jasper Losely and to him for life to win Sophy's filial Mrs Crane, they had not lost an hour affection, he would not have bored in removing her from Gatesboro' and himself for five minutes each day to its neighbourhood. They did not, gain that object. Besides, he had however, go back to the village in just enough of shame to render him which they had left Rugge, but uneasy at the sight of the child he returned straight to London, and had deliberately sold. So, after wrote to the manager to join them chucking her under the chin, and there. telling her to be a good girl and be Sophy, once captured, seemed grateful for all that Mrs Crane had stupitied; she evinced no noisy pas- done for her, and meant still to do, sion - she made no violent resist- he consigned her almost solely to that When she was told to love lady's care. and obey a father in Jasper Losely, When Ruggearrived, and Sophy was she lifted her eyes to his face—then informed of her intended destination, turned them away, and shook her she broke silence—her colour went head, mute and incredulous. That and came quickly—she declared, foldman her father! she did not believe ing her arms upon her breast, that it. Indeed, Jasper took no pains to she would never act if separated from convince her of the relationship, or her grandfather. Mrs Crane, struck win her attachment. He was not by her manner, suggested to Rugge unkindly rough - he seemed wholly that it might be as well, now that she indifferent probably he was was legally secured to the manager, For the ruling vice of the man was to humour her wish, and re-engage in his egotism. It was not so much Waife. Whatever the tale with that he had bad principles and bad which, in order to obtain Sophy from feelings, as that he had no principles the Mayor, she had turned that and no feelings at all, except as they worthy magistrate's mind against the began, continued, and ended in that Comedian, she had not gratified Mr ance. SO. Rugge by a similar confidence to menon; placarded the walls with the him. To him she said nothing which name of Juliet Araminta ; got up might operate against renewing en- the piece of the Remorseless Baron, gagements with Waife, if he were so with a new rock scene. As Waife disposed. But Rugge had no faith had had nothing to say in that in a child's firmness, and he had a drama, so any one could act his part. strong spite against Waife, so he ob- The first performance was announstinately refused. He insisted, how- ced for that night—there would be ever, as a peremptory condition of such an audience - the best seats the bargain, that Mr Losely and Mrs even now pre-engaged-first night of Crane should accompany him to the the race week. The clock had struck town to which he had transferred his seven-the performance began at troop, both in order by their presence eight. AND SOPHY WOULD NOT ACT ! to confirm his authority over Sophy, The child was seated in a space and to sanction his claim to her, that served for the green-room, beshould Waife reappear and disputé hind the scenes. The whole comit. For Rugge's profession being pany had been convened to persuade scarcely legitimate, and decidedly or shame her out of her obstinacy. equivocal, his right to bring up The king's lieutenant, the seductive a female child to the same calling personage of the troop, was on one might be called into question before knee to her, like a lover. He was a magistrate, and necessitate the accustomed to lovers' parts, both on production of her father in order to the stage and off it. Off it, he had substantiate the special contract. one favoured phrase, hackneyed, but In return, the manager handsomely effective. “You are too pretty to offered to Mr Losely and Mrs Crane to be so cruel.” Thrice he now repeatpay their expenses in the excursion-- ed that phrase, with a simper that a liberality haughtily rejected by Mrs might have melted a heart of stone Crane for herself, though she agreed between each repetition. Behind at her own charge to accompany Sophy's chair, and sticking calicoLosely if he decided on complying with flowers into the child's tresses, stood the manager's request. Losely at first the senior matron of the establishraised objections, but hearing that ment-not a bad sort of woman-who a there would be races in the neigh- kept the dresses, nursed the sick, rebourhood, and having a peculiar vered Rugge, told fortunes on a pack passion for betting and all kinds of of cards which she always kept in gambling, as well as an ardent her pocket, and acted occasionally in desire to enjoy his £100 in so parts where age was no drawback fashionable a manner, he consented and ugliness desirable — such as a to delay his return to the Continent, witch, or duenna, or whatever in the and attend Arabella Crane to the dialogue was poetically called “Hag." provincial Elis. Rugge carried off Indeed, Hag was the name she usiSophy to her fellow" orphans.” ally took from Rugge--that which ASD SOPHY WOULD NOT ACT! she bore from her defunct husband In vain shewas coaxed-in vain she was Gormerick. This lady, as she was threatened-in vain she was de- braided the garland, was also bent prived of food-in vain shut up in a on the soothing system, saying, with dark hole-in vain was the lash held great sweetness, considering that her over her. Rugge, tyrant though he was, mouth was full of pins, “Now, deary did not suffer the lash to fall. His now, dovey - look at ooself in self-restraint there might be humanity the glass; we could beat oo, and -might be fear of the consequences. pinch oo, and stick pins into oo, For the state of her health began to dovey, but we won't. Dovey will be alarm him- she might die— there good, I know;" and a great pat of might be an inquest. He wished rouge came on the child's pale cheeks. now that he had taken Mrs Crane's The clown therewith squatting besuggestion, and re-engaged Waife. fore her with his hands on his knees, But where was Waife ? Meanwhile grinned lustily, and shrieked outhe had advertised the Young Pheno- * My eyes, what a beauty!” Rugge, meanwhile, one hand thrust will either bring your grandfather in his bosom, contemplated the diplo- here, or I will order it so that you matic efforts of his ministers, and shall be restored to him. If you resaw, by Sophy's compressed lips and fuse, I make no threat, but I shall unwinking eyes, that their cajoleries leave this place ; and my belief is were unsuccessful. He approached, that you will be your grandfather's and hissed into her ear “Don't death." madden me! don't !-you will act, “ His death-- his death-I!” eh?” “ By first dying yourself. Oh, you "No," said Sophy, suddenly rising; smile; you think it would be hapand, tearing the wreath from her piness to die. What matter that hair, she set her small foot on it the old man you profess to care for with force. “No! not if you killed is broken-hearted? Brat, leave selfme !" ishness to boys-you are a girl ! “Gods !" faltered Rugge. “ And Suffer !” the sum I have paid ! I am diddled ! “Selfish !” murmured Sophy, “selWho has gone for Mrs Crane ?" fish! that was said of me before. “Tom," said the clown. Selfish !--ah, I understand. No, I The word was scarcely out of the ought not to wish to die – what clown's mouth ere Mrs Crane herself would become of him?” She fell emerged from a side scene, and, put- on her knees, and, raising both her ting off her bonnet, laid both hands clasped hands, prayed inly, silentlyon the child's shoulders, and looked an instant, not more. She rose. "If her in the face without speaking. I do act, then—it is a promise--you The child as firmly returned the gaze. will keep it. I shall see him-he Give that child a martyr's cause, and shall know where I am-we shall in that frail body there would have meet !” been a martyr's soul. Arabella Crane, A promise-sacred. I will keep not inexperienced in children, recog- it. oh, girl, how much you will nised a power of will, stronger than love some day-how your heart will the power of brute force, in that tran- ache ! and when you are my age, quillity of eye- the spark of calm look at that heart, then at your light in its tender blue-blue, pure as glass--perhaps you may be, within the sky; light, steadfast as the star. and without, like me.' “Leave her to me, all of you," Sophy-innocent Sophy - stared, said Mrs Crane. “I will take her awestricken, but uncomprehending. to your private room, Mr Rugge;' Mrs Crane led her back passive. and she led, the child away to a sort “There, she will act. Put on the of recess, room it could not be rightly wreath. Trick her out. called, fenced round with boxes and Mr Rugge. This is for one night. crates, and containing the manager's I have made conditions with her : desk and two stools. either you must take back her grandSophy," then said Mrs Crane, father, or-she must return to him." you say you will not act unless “And my £100 ?” your grandfather be with you. Now, “In the latter case ought to be rehear me, You know that I have paid you.” been always stern and hard with “Am I never to have the Royal you. I never professed to love you York theatre ? Ambition of my life, --nor do I. But you have not found Ma'am! Dreamed of it thrice! Ha! me untruthful. When I say a thing but she will act, and succeed. But to I seriously, as I am speaking now, you take back the old vagabond-a bitter may believe me. Act to-night, and pill! He shall halve it with me! I will promise you faithfully that I Ma'am, I'm your grateful—” 66 Hark ye, 66 2 а CHAPTER VI. Thread bare is the simile which compares the world to a stage. Schiller, less compli mentary than Shakespeare, lowers the illustration from a stage to a puppet-show. But ever between realities and shows there is a secret communication, an undetected interchange-sometimes a stern reality in the heart of the ostensible actor, a fantastic stage-play in the brain of the unpoticed spectator. The Bandit's Child on the proscenium is still poor little Sophy, in spite of garlands and rouge. But that honest rough-looking fellow to whom, in respect for services to Sovereign and Country, the apprentice yields way-may he not be-the crafty Comedian ? a Taran - tarantara — rub-a-dub-dub mens of their several species than the -play up horn-roll drum—a quar- blind man and his black dog. He ter to eight; and the crowd already had rough red hair and a red beard, thick before Rugge's Grand Exhibi- his face had a sort of twist that made tion—“ Remorseless Baron and Ban- every feature seem crooked. His dit's Child! Young Phenomenon- eyes were not bandaged, but the lids Juliet Araminta-Patronised by the were closed, and he lifted them up Nobility in general, and expecting piteously as if seeking for light. He daily to be summoned to perform be- did not seem, however, like a common fore the Queen-Vivat Regina !”- beggar; had rather the appearance Rub-a-dub-dub. The company issue of a reduced sailor. Yes, you would from the curtain-range in front of have bet ten to one he had been a the proscenium. Splendid dresses. sailor, not that his dress belonged The Phenomenon !—'tis she ! to that noble calling, but his build, “My eyes, there's a beauty !” cries the roll of his walk, the tie of his crathe clown. vat, a blue anchor tattooed on that The days have already grown some- great brown hand-certainly a sailor what shorter : but it is not yet dusk. -a British tar ! poor man. How charmingly pretty she still is, The dog was hideous enough to despite that horrid paint; but how have been exhibited as a lusus nawasted those poor bare snowy arms! turæ,-evidently very aged—for its A most doleful lugubrious dirge face and ears were grey, the rest of it a mingles with the drum and horn. rusty reddish black; it had immenseA man has forced his way close by ly long ears, pricked up like horns ; the stage-a man with a confound- it was a dog that must have been ed cracked hurdy-gurdy. Whine- brought from foreign parts ; it might whine — creaks the hurdy-gurdy have come from Acheron, sire by Cer“Stop that stop that mu-zeek,” berus, so portentous, and (if not ircries a delicate apprentice, clapping reverent the epithet) so infernal was his hands to his ears. its aspect, with that grey face, those “ Pity a poor blind—” answers the antlered ears, and its ineffably weird man with the hurdy-gurdy. demeanour altogether. A big dog, “Oh you are blind, are you ? but too, and evidently a strong one. All we are not deaf. There's a penny prudent folks would have made way not to play. What black thing have for a man led by that dog. Whine you got there by a string ?” creaked the hurdy-gurdy, and bowMy dog, sir !" wow all of a sudden barked the dog. “Devilish ugly one-not like a Sophy stifled a cry, pressed her hand dog-more like a bear-with horns!” to her breast, and such a ray of joy I say, master,” cries the clown, flashed over her face, that it would " Here's a blind man come to see the have warmed your heart for a month Phenomenon !” to have seen it. The crowd laugh; they make way But do you mean to say, Mr for the blind man's black dog. They Author, that that British Tar (galsuspect, from the clown's address, lant, no doubt, but hideous) is that the blind man has something to Gentleman Waife, or that Stygian do with the company. animal the snowly.curled Sir Isaac ? You never saw two uglier speci- Upon my word, when I look at a |
0 Opiniones Las opiniones no están verificadas, pero Google revisa que no haya contenido falso y lo quita si lo identifica Escribir un comentario |