A House to Let by Charles Dickens Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Charles Dickens
went away.
A minute afterwards Openshaw made as though he were going out of the
room; but his wife laid her hand on his arm:
"Do not speak to her before the children," she said, in her low, quiet
voice. "I will go up and question her."
"No! I must speak to her. You must know," said he, turning to his uncle
and aunt, "my missus has an old servant, as faithful as ever woman was, I
do believe, as far as love goes,—but, at the same time, who does not
always speak truth, as even the missus must allow. Now, my notion is,
that this Norah of ours has been come over by some good-for-nothin chap
(for she's at the time o' life when they say women pray for
husbands—'any, good Lord, any,') and has let him into our house, and the
chap has made off with your brooch, and m'appen many another thing
beside. It's only saying that Norah is soft-hearted, and does not stick
at a white lie—that's all, missus."
It was curious to notice how his tone, his eyes, his whole face changed
as he spoke to his wife; but he was the resolute man through all. She
knew better than to oppose him; so she went up-stairs, and told Norah her
master wanted to speak to her, and that she would take care of the
children in the meanwhile.
Norah rose to go without a word. Her thoughts were these:
"If they tear me to pieces they shall never know through me. He may
come,—and then just Lord have mercy upon us all: for some of us are dead
folk to a certainty. But he shall do it; not me."
You may fancy, now, her look of determination as she faced her master
alone in the dining-room; Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick having left the affair in
their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
"Norah! Who was that man that came to my house last night?"
"Man, sir!" As if infinitely; surprised but it was only to gain time.
"Yes; the man whom Mary let in; whom she went up-stairs to the nursery to
tell you about; whom you came down to speak to; the same chap, I make no
doubt, whom you took into the nursery to have your talk out with; whom
Ailsie saw, and afterwards dreamed about; thinking, poor wench! she saw
him say his prayers, when nothing, I'll be bound, was farther from his
thoughts; who took Mrs. Chadwick's brooch, value ten pounds. Now, Norah!
Don't go off! I am as sure as that my name's Thomas Openshaw, that you
knew nothing of this robbery. But I do think you've been imposed on, and
that's the truth. Some good-for-nothing chap has been making up to you,
and you've been just like all other women, and have turned a soft place
in your heart to him; and he came last night a-lovyering, and you had him
up in the nursery, and he made use of his opportunities, and made off
with a few things on his way down! Come, now, Norah: it's no blame to
you, only you must not be such a fool again. Tell us," he continued,
"what name he gave you, Norah? I'll be bound it was not the right one;
but it will be a clue for the police."
Norah drew herself up. "You may ask that question, and taunt me with my
being single, and with my credulity, as you will, Master Openshaw. You'll
get no answer from me. As for the brooch, and the story of theft and
burglary; if any friend ever came to see me (which I defy you to prove,
and deny), he'd be just as much above doing such a thing as you yourself,
Mr. Openshaw, and more so, too; for I'm not at all sure as everything you
have is rightly come by, or would be yours long, if every man had his
own." She meant, of course, his wife; but he understood her to refer to
his property in goods and chattels.
"Now, my good woman," said he, "I'll just tell you truly, I never trusted
you out and out; but my wife liked you, and I thought you had many a good
point about you. If you once begin to sauce me, I'll have the police to
you, and get out the truth in a court of justice, if you'll not tell it
me quietly and civilly here. Now the best thing you can do is quietly to
tell me who the fellow is. Look here! a man comes to my house; asks for
you; you
A minute afterwards Openshaw made as though he were going out of the
room; but his wife laid her hand on his arm:
"Do not speak to her before the children," she said, in her low, quiet
voice. "I will go up and question her."
"No! I must speak to her. You must know," said he, turning to his uncle
and aunt, "my missus has an old servant, as faithful as ever woman was, I
do believe, as far as love goes,—but, at the same time, who does not
always speak truth, as even the missus must allow. Now, my notion is,
that this Norah of ours has been come over by some good-for-nothin chap
(for she's at the time o' life when they say women pray for
husbands—'any, good Lord, any,') and has let him into our house, and the
chap has made off with your brooch, and m'appen many another thing
beside. It's only saying that Norah is soft-hearted, and does not stick
at a white lie—that's all, missus."
It was curious to notice how his tone, his eyes, his whole face changed
as he spoke to his wife; but he was the resolute man through all. She
knew better than to oppose him; so she went up-stairs, and told Norah her
master wanted to speak to her, and that she would take care of the
children in the meanwhile.
Norah rose to go without a word. Her thoughts were these:
"If they tear me to pieces they shall never know through me. He may
come,—and then just Lord have mercy upon us all: for some of us are dead
folk to a certainty. But he shall do it; not me."
You may fancy, now, her look of determination as she faced her master
alone in the dining-room; Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick having left the affair in
their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
"Norah! Who was that man that came to my house last night?"
"Man, sir!" As if infinitely; surprised but it was only to gain time.
"Yes; the man whom Mary let in; whom she went up-stairs to the nursery to
tell you about; whom you came down to speak to; the same chap, I make no
doubt, whom you took into the nursery to have your talk out with; whom
Ailsie saw, and afterwards dreamed about; thinking, poor wench! she saw
him say his prayers, when nothing, I'll be bound, was farther from his
thoughts; who took Mrs. Chadwick's brooch, value ten pounds. Now, Norah!
Don't go off! I am as sure as that my name's Thomas Openshaw, that you
knew nothing of this robbery. But I do think you've been imposed on, and
that's the truth. Some good-for-nothing chap has been making up to you,
and you've been just like all other women, and have turned a soft place
in your heart to him; and he came last night a-lovyering, and you had him
up in the nursery, and he made use of his opportunities, and made off
with a few things on his way down! Come, now, Norah: it's no blame to
you, only you must not be such a fool again. Tell us," he continued,
"what name he gave you, Norah? I'll be bound it was not the right one;
but it will be a clue for the police."
Norah drew herself up. "You may ask that question, and taunt me with my
being single, and with my credulity, as you will, Master Openshaw. You'll
get no answer from me. As for the brooch, and the story of theft and
burglary; if any friend ever came to see me (which I defy you to prove,
and deny), he'd be just as much above doing such a thing as you yourself,
Mr. Openshaw, and more so, too; for I'm not at all sure as everything you
have is rightly come by, or would be yours long, if every man had his
own." She meant, of course, his wife; but he understood her to refer to
his property in goods and chattels.
"Now, my good woman," said he, "I'll just tell you truly, I never trusted
you out and out; but my wife liked you, and I thought you had many a good
point about you. If you once begin to sauce me, I'll have the police to
you, and get out the truth in a court of justice, if you'll not tell it
me quietly and civilly here. Now the best thing you can do is quietly to
tell me who the fellow is. Look here! a man comes to my house; asks for
you; you