lizzie leigh-第6部分

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was　near　her；　and　by　her；　although　she　was　too　sleepy　to　utter　any　of

her　half…formed　words。



And；　by…and…by；　she　heard　her　father　come　home；　stumbling　uncertain；

trying　first　the　windows；　and　next　the　door　fastenings；　with　many　a

loud　incoherent　murmur。　　The　little　innocent　twined　around　her　seemed

all　the　sweeter　and　more　lovely；　when　she　thought　sadly　of　her　erring

father。　　And　presently　he　called　aloud　for　a　light。　　She　had　left

matches　and　all　arranged　as　usual　on　the　dresser；　but；　fearful　of

some　accident　from　fire；　in　his　unusually　intoxicated　state；　she　now

got　up　softly；　and　putting　on　a　cloak；　went　down　to　his　assistance。



Alas！　the　little　arms　that　were　unclosed　from　her　soft　neck　belonged

to　a　light；　easily　awakened　sleeper。　　Nanny　missed　her　darling　Susy；

and　terrified　at　being　left　alone；　in　the　vast　mysterious　darkness；

which　had　no　bounds　and　seemed　infinite；　she　slipped　out　of　bed；　and

tottered；　in　her　little　nightgown；　towards　the　door。　　There　was　a

light　below；　and　there　was　Susy　and　safety！　　So　she　went　onwards　two

steps　towards　the　steep；　abrupt　stairs；　and　then；　dazzled　by

sleepiness；　she　stood；　she　wavered；　she　fell！　　Down　on　her　head　on

the　stone　floor　she　fell！　　Susan　flew　to　her；　and　spoke　all　soft；

entreating；　loving　words；　but　her　white　lids　covered　up　the　blue

violets　of　eyes；　and　there　was　no　murmur　came　out　of　the　pale　lips。

The　warm　tears　that　rained　down　did　not　awaken　her；　she　lay　stiff；

and　weary　with　her　short　life；　on　Susan's　knee。　　Susan　went　sick　with

terror。　　She　carried　her　upstairs；　and　laid　her　tenderly　in　bed；　she

dressed　herself　most　hastily；　with　her　trembling　fingers。　　Her　father

was　asleep　on　the　settle　downstairs；　and　useless；　and　worse　than

useless；　if　awake。　　But　Susan　flew　out　of　the　door；　and　down　the

quiet　resounding　street；　towards　the　nearest　doctor's　house。　　Quickly

she　went；　but　as　quickly　a　shadow　followed；　as　if　impelled　by　some

sudden　terror。　　Susan　rang　wildly　at　the　night…bellthe　shadow

crouched　near。　　The　doctor　looked　out　from　an　upstairs　window。



〃A　little　child　has　fallen　downstairs；　at　No。　9　Crown　Street；　and　is

very　illdying；　I'm　afraid。　　Please；　for　God's　sake；　sir；　come

directly。　　No。　9　Crown　Street。〃



〃I'll　be　there　directly；〃　said　he；　and　shut　the　window。



〃For　that　God　you　have　just　spoken　aboutfor　His　saketell　me；　are

you　Susan　Palmer？　　Is　it　my　child　that　lies　a…dying？〃　said　the

shadow；　springing　forwards；　and　clutching　poor　Susan's　arm。



〃It　is　a　little　child　of　two　years　old。　　I　do　not　know　whose　it　is；　I

love　it　as　my　own。　　Come　with　me；　whoever　you　are；　come　with　me。〃



The　two　sped　along　the　silent　streetsas　silent　as　the　night　were

they。　　They　entered　the　house；　Susan　snatched　up　the　light；　and

carried　it　upstairs。　　The　other　followed。



She　stood　with　wild；　glaring　eyes　by　the　bedside；　never　looking　at

Susan；　but　hungrily　gazing　at　the　little；　white；　still　child。　　She

stooped　down；　and　put　her　hand　tight　on　her　own　heart；　as　if　to　still

its　beating；　and　bent　her　ear　to　the　pale　lips。　　Whatever　the　result

was；　she　did　not　speak；　but　threw　off　the　bed…clothes　wherewith　Susan

had　tenderly　covered　up　the　little　creature；　and　felt　its　left　side。



Then　she　threw　up　her　arms；　with　a　cry　of　wild　despair。



〃She　is　dead！　she　is　dead！〃



She　looked　so　fierce；　so　mad；　so　haggard；　that；　for　an　instant；　Susan

was　terrified；　the　next；　the　holy　God　had　put　courage　into　her　heart；

and　her　pure　arms　were　round　that　guilty；　wretched　creature；　and　her

tears　were　falling　fast　and　warm　upon　her　breast。　　But　she　was　thrown

off　with　violence。



〃You　killed　heryou　slighted　heryou　let　her　fall　down　those

stairs！　you　killed　her！〃



Susan　cleared　off　the　thick　mist　before　her；　and；　gazing　at　the

mother　with　her　clear；　sweet　angel　eyes；　said；　mournfully〃I　would

have　laid　down　my　own　life　for　her。〃



〃Oh；　the　murder　is　on　my　soul！〃　exclaimed　the　wild；　bereaved　mother；

with　the　fierce　impetuosity　of　one　who　has　none　to　love　her；　and　to

be　beloved；　regard　to　whom　might　teach　self…restraint。



〃Hush！〃　said　Susan；　her　finger　on　her　lips。　　〃Here　is　the　doctor。

God　may　suffer　her　to　live。〃



The　poor　mother　turned　sharp　round。　　The　doctor　mounted　the　stair。

Ah！　that　mother　was　right；　the　little　child　was　really　dead　and　gone。



And　when　he　confirmed　her　judgment；　the　mother　fell　down　in　a　fit。

Susan；　with　her　deep　grief；　had　to　forget　herself；　and　forget　her

darling　（her　charge　for　years）；　and　question　the　doctor　what　she　must

do　with　the　poor　wretch；　who　lay　on　the　floor　in　such　extreme　of

misery。



〃She　is　the　mother！〃　said　she。



〃Why　did　she　not　take　better　care　of　her　child？〃　asked　he；　almost

angrily。



But　Susan　only　said；　〃The　little　child　slept　with　me；　and　it　was　I

that　left　her。〃



〃I　will　go　back　and　make　up　a　composing　draught；　and　while　I　am　away

you　must　get　her　to　bed。〃



Susan　took　out　some　of　her　own　clothes；　and　softly　undressed　the

stiff；　powerless　form。　　There　was　no　other　bed　in　the　house　but　the

one　in　which　her　father　slept。　　So　she　tenderly　lifted　the　body　of

her　darling；　and　was　going　to　take　it　downstairs；　but　the　mother

opened　her　eyes；　and　seeing　what　she　was　about；　she　said〃I　am　not

worthy　to　touch　her；　I　am　so　wicked。　　I　have　spoken　to　you　as　I　never

should　have　spoken；　but　I　think　you　are　very　good。　　May　I　have　my　own

child　to　lie　in　my　arms　for　a　little　while？〃



Her　voice　was　so　strange　a　contrast　to　what　it　had　been　before　she

had　gone　into　the　fit；　that　Susan　hardly　recognised　it：　　it　was　now

so　unspeakably　soft；　so　irresistibly　pleading；　the　features　too　had

lost　their　fierce　expression；　and　were　almost　as　placid　as　death。

Susan　could　not　speak；　but　she　carried　the　little　child；　and　laid　it

in　its　mother's　arms；　then；　as　she　looked　at　them；　something

overpowered　her；　and　she　knelt　down；　crying　aloud〃Oh；　my　God；　my

God；　have　mercy　on　her；　and　forgive　and　comfort　her。〃



But　the　mother　kept　smiling；　and　stroking　the　little　face；　murmuring

soft；　tender　words；　as　if　it　were　alive。　　She　was　going　mad；　Susan

thought；　but　she　prayed　on；　and　on；　and　ever　still　she　prayed　with

streaming　eyes。



The　doctor　came　with　the　draught。　　The　mother　took　it；　with　docile

unconsciousness　of　its　nature　as　medicine。　　The　doctor　sat　by　her；

and　soon　she　fell　asleep。　　Then　he　rose　softly；　and　beckoning　Susan

to　the　door；　he　spoke　to　her　there。



〃You　must　take　the　corpse　out　of　her　arms。　　She　will　not　awake。　　That

draught　will　make　her　sleep　for　many　hours。　　I　will　call　before　noon

again。　　It　is　now　daylight。　　Good…by。〃



Susan　shut　him　out；　and　then；　gently　extricating　the　dead　child　from

its　mother's　arms；　she　could　not　resist　making　her　own　quiet　moan

over　her　darling。　　She　tried　to　learn　off　its　little　placid　face；

dumb　and　pale　before　her。





Not　all　the　scalding　tears　of　care

Shall　wash　away　that　vision　fair；

Not　all　the　thousand　thoughts　that　rise；

Not　all　the　sights　that　dim　her　eyes；

Shall　e'er　usurp　the　place

Of　that　little　angel…face。





And　then　she　remembered　what　remained　to　be　done。　　She　saw　that　all

was　right　in　the　house；　her　father　was　still　dead　asleep　on　the

settle；　in　spite　of　all　the　noise　of　the　night。　　She　went　out　through

the　quiet　streets；　deserted　still；　although　it　was　broad　daylight；

and　to　where　the　Leighs　lived。　　Mrs。　Leigh；　who　kept　her　country

hours；　was　opening　her　window…shutters。　　Susan　took　her　by　the　arm；

and；　without　speaking；　went　into　the　house…place。　　There　she　knelt

down　before　the　astonished　Mrs。　Leigh；　and　cried　as　she　had　never

done　before；　but　the　miserable　night　had　overpowered　her；　and　she　who

had　gone　through　so　much　calmly；　now　that　the　pressure　seemed　removed

could　not　find　the　power　to　speak。



〃My　poor　dear！　　What　has　made　thy　heart　so　sore　as　to　come　and　cry　a…

this…ons？　　Speak　and　tell　me。　　Nay；　cry　on；　poor　wench；　if　thou　canst

not　speak　yet。　　It　will　ease　the　heart；　and　then　thou　canst　tell　me。〃



〃Nanny　is　dead！〃　said　Susan。　　〃I　left　her　to　go　to　father；　and　she

fell　downstairs；　and　never　breathed　again。　　Oh；　that's　my　sorrow！

But　I've　more　to　tell。　　Her　mother　is　comeis　in　our　house！　　Come

and　see　if　it's　your　Lizzie。〃



Mrs。　Leigh　could　not　speak；　but；　trembling；　put　on　her　things　and

went　with　Susan　in　dizzy　haste　back　to　Crown　Street。







CHAPTER　IV。







As　they　entered　the　house　in　Crown　Street；　they　perceived　that　the

door　would　not　open　freely　on　its　hinges；　and　Susan　instinctively

looked　behind　to　see　the　cause　of　the　obstruction。　　She　immediately

recognised　the　appearance　of　a　little　parcel；　wrapped　in　a　scrap　of

newspaper；　and　evidently　containing　money。　　She　stooped　and　picked　it

up。　　〃Look！〃　said　she；　sorrowfully；　〃the　mother　was　bringing　this　for

her　child　last　night。〃



But　Mrs。　Leigh　did　not　answer。　　So　near　to　the　ascertaining　if　it

were　her　lost　child　or　no；　she　could　not　be　arrested；　but　pressed

onwards　with　trembling　steps　and　a　beating；　fluttering　heart。　　She

entered　the　bedroom；　dark　and　still。　　She　took　no　heed　of　the　little

corpse　over　which　Susan　paused；　but　she　went　straight　to　the　bed；

and；　withdrawing　the　curtain；　saw　Lizzie；　but　not　the　former　Lizzie；

bright；　gay；　buoyant；　and　undimmed。　　This　Lizzie　was　old　before　her

time；　her　beauty　was　gone；　deep　lines　of　care；　and；　alas！　of　want　（or

thus　the　mother　imagined）　were　printed　on　the　cheek；　so　round；　and

fair；　and　smooth；　when　last　she　gladdened　her　mother's　eyes。　　Even　in

her　sleep　she　bore　the　look　of　woe　and　despair　which　was　the

prevalent　expression　of　her　face　by　day；　even　in　her　sleep　she　had

forgotten　how　to　smile。　　But　all　these　marks　of　the　sin　and　sorrow

she　had　passed　through　only　made　her　mother　love　her　the　more。　　She

stood　looking　at　her　with　greedy　eyes；　which　seemed　as　though　no

gazing　could　satisfy　their　longing；　and　at　last　she　stooped　down　and

kissed　the　pale；　wor