第73章

Sheknewhoweachtenantofthecottagespaidorowedhislittlerent。ShesteppedasidewhenMrs。

Rougemonttheactresspassedwithherdubiousfamily。SheflungupherheadwhenMrs。Pestler，theapothecary’slady，drovebyinherhusband’sprofessionalone-horsechaise。ShehadcolloquieswiththegreengroceraboutthepennorthofturnipswhichMr。Sedleyloved；shekeptaneyeuponthemilkmanandthebaker’sboy；andmadevisitationstothebutcher，whosoldhundredsofoxenverylikelywithlessadothanwasmadeaboutMrs。Sedley’sloinofmutton：andshecountedthepotatoesunderthejointonSundays，onwhichdays，dressedinherbest，shewenttochurchtwiceandreadBlair’sSermonsintheevening。

Onthatday，for“business“preventedhimonweekdaysfromtakingsuchapleasure，itwasoldSedley’sdelighttotakeouthislittlegrandsonGeorgytotheneighbouringparksorKensingtonGardens，toseethesoldiersortofeedtheducks。Georgylovedtheredcoats，andhisgrandpapatoldhimhowhisfatherhadbeenafamoussoldier，andintroducedhimtomanysergeantsandotherswithWaterloomedalsontheirbreasts，towhomtheoldgrandfatherpompouslypresentedthechildasthesonofCaptainOsborneofthe——th，whodiedgloriouslyonthegloriouseighteenth。Hehasbeenknowntotreatsomeofthesenon-commissionedgentlementoaglassofporter，and，indeed，intheirfirstSundaywalkswasdisposedtospoillittleGeorgy，sadlygorgingtheboywithapplesandparliament，tothedetrimentofhishealth——

untilAmeliadeclaredthatGeorgeshouldnevergooutwithhisgrandpapaunlessthelatterpromisedsolemnly，andonhishonour，nottogivethechildanycakes，lollipops，orstallproducewhatever。

BetweenMrs。Sedleyandherdaughtertherewasasortofcoolnessaboutthisboy，andasecretjealousy——foroneeveninginGeorge’sveryearlydays，Amelia，whohadbeenseatedatworkintheirlittleparlourscarcelyremarkingthattheoldladyhadquittedtheroom，ranupstairsinstinctivelytothenurseryatthecriesofthechild，whohadbeenasleepuntilthatmoment——andtherefoundMrs。SedleyintheactofsurreptitiouslyadministeringDaffy’sElixirtotheinfant。Amelia，thegentlestandsweetestofeverydaymortals，whenshefoundthismeddlingwithhermaternalauthority，thrilledandtrembledalloverwithanger。Hercheeks，ordinarilypale，nowflushedup，untiltheywereasredastheyusedtobewhenshewasachildoftwelveyearsold。Sheseizedthebabyoutofhermother’sarmsandthengraspedatthebottle，leavingtheoldladygapingather，furious，andholdingtheguiltytea-spoon。

Ameliaflungthebottlecrashingintothefire-place。

“IwillNOThavebabypoisoned，Mamma。”criedEmmy，rockingtheinfantaboutviolentlywithbothherarmsroundhimandturningwithflashingeyesathermother。

“Poisoned，Amelia！”saidtheoldlady；“thislanguagetome？”

“HeshallnothaveanymedicinebutthatwhichMr。

Pestlersendsforhin。HetoldmethatDaffy’sElixirwaspoison。”

“Verygood：youthinkI’mamurderessthen。”repliedMrs。Sedley。”Thisisthelanguageyouusetoyourmother。

Ihavemetwithmisfortunes：Ihavesunklowinlife：I

havekeptmycarriage，andnowwalkonfoot：butIdidnotknowIwasamurderessbefore，andthankyoufortheNEWS。”

“Mamma。”saidthepoorgirl，whowasalwaysreadyfortears——“youshouldn’tbeharduponme。I——Ididn’tmean——Imean，Ididnotwishtosayyouwouldtoanywrongtothisdearchild，only——“

“Oh，no，mylove，——onlythatIwasamurderess；inwhichcaseIhadbettergototheOldBailey。ThoughI

didn’tpoisonYOU，whenyouwereachild，butgaveyouthebestofeducationandthemostexpensivemastersmoneycouldprocure。Yes；I’venursedfivechildrenandburiedthree；andtheoneIlovedthebestofall，andtendedthroughcroup，andteething，andmeasles，andhooping-cough，andbroughtupwithforeignmasters，regardlessofexpense，andwithaccomplishmentsatMinervaHouse——whichIneverhadwhenIwasagirl——whenIwastoogladtohonourmyfatherandmother，thatImightlivelongintheland，andtobeuseful，andnottomopealldayinmyroomandactthefinelady——saysI’mamurderess。Ah，Mrs。Osborne！mayYOUnevernourishaviperinyourbosom，that’sMYprayer。”

“Mamma，Mamma！”criedthebewilderedgirl；andthechildinherarmssetupafranticchorusofshouts。

“Amurderess，indeed！GodownonyourkneesandpraytoGodtocleanseyourwickedungratefulheart，Amelia，andmayHeforgiveyouasIdo。”AndMrs。

Sedleytossedoutoftheroom，hissingoutthewordpoi