A House to Let by Charles Dickens Read Free Book Online Page B

take him up-stairs, a valuable brooch is missing next day; we
know that you, and Mary, and cook, are honest; but you refuse to tell us
who the man is. Indeed you've told one lie already about him, saying no
one was here last night. Now I just put it to you, what do you think a
policeman would say to this, or a magistrate? A magistrate would soon
make you tell the truth, my good woman."
    "There's never the creature born that should get it out of me," said
Norah. "Not unless I choose to tell."
    "I've a great mind to see," said Mr. Openshaw, growing angry at the
defiance. Then, checking himself, he thought before he spoke again:
    "Norah, for your missus's sake I don't want to go to extremities. Be a
sensible woman, if you can. It's no great disgrace, after all, to have
been taken in. I ask you once more—as a friend—who was this man whom
you let into my house last night?"
    No answer. He repeated the question in an impatient tone. Still no
answer. Norah's lips were set in determination not to speak.
    "Then there is but one thing to be done. I shall send for a policeman."
    "You will not," said Norah, starting forwards. "You shall not, sir! No
policeman shall touch me. I know nothing of the brooch, but I know this:
ever since I was four-and-twenty I have thought more of your wife than of
myself: ever since I saw her, a poor motherless girl put upon in her
uncle's house, I have thought more of serving her than of serving myself!
I have cared for her and her child, as nobody ever cared for me. I don't
cast blame on you, sir, but I say it's ill giving up one's life to any
one; for, at the end, they will turn round upon you, and forsake you. Why
does not my missus come herself to suspect me? Maybe she is gone for the
police? But I don't stay here, either for police, or magistrate, or
master. You're an unlucky lot. I believe there's a curse on you. I'll
leave you this very day. Yes! I leave that poor Ailsie, too. I will!
No good will ever come to you!"
    Mr. Openshaw was utterly astonished at this speech; most of which was
completely unintelligible to him, as may easily be supposed. Before he
could make up his mind what to say, or what to do, Norah had left the
room. I do not think he had ever really intended to send for the police
to this old servant of his wife's; for he had never for a moment doubted
her perfect honesty. But he had intended to compel her to tell him who
the man was, and in this he was baffled. He was, consequently, much
irritated. He returned to his uncle and aunt in a state of great
annoyance and perplexity, and told them he could get nothing out of the
woman; that some man had been in the house the night before; but that she
refused to tell who he was. At this moment his wife came in, greatly
agitated, and asked what had happened to Norah; for that she had put on
her things in passionate haste, and had left the house.
    "This looks suspicious," said Mr. Chadwick. "It is not the way in which
an honest person would have acted."
    Mr. Openshaw kept silence. He was sorely perplexed. But Mrs. Openshaw
turned round on Mr. Chadwick with a sudden fierceness no one ever saw in
her before.
    "You don't know Norah, uncle! She is gone because she is deeply hurt at
being suspected. O, I wish I had seen her—that I had spoken to her
myself. She would have told me anything." Alice wrung her hands.
    "I must confess," continued Mr. Chadwick to his nephew, in a lower voice,
"I can't make you out. You used to be a word and a blow, and oftenest
the blow first; and now, when there is every cause for suspicion, you
just do nought. Your missus is a very good woman, I grant; but she may
have been put upon as well as other folk, I suppose. If you don't send
for the police, I shall."
    "Very well," replied Mr. Openshaw, surlily. "I can't clear Norah. She
won't clear herself, as I believe she might if she would. Only I wash my
hands of it; for I am sure the woman herself is honest, and she's lived a
long time with my wife, and I don't like her