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Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son (1848)
Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son - 1848 Author:Charles Dickens Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: free? They talk to me of my penitence. Who's penitent for the wrongs that have been done to me !" She rose up, bound her handkerchief about her head, and turn... more »ed to move away. " Where are you going ?" said Harriet. "Yonder," she answered, pointing with her hand. " To London." " Have you any home to go to ?" " I think I have a mother. She's as much a mother, as her dwelling is a home," she answered with a bitter laugh. " Take this," cried Harriet, putting money in her hand. " Try to do well. It is very little, but for one day it may -keep you from harm." " Are you married ?" said the other, faintly, as she took it. " No. I live here with my brother. We have not much to spare, or I would give you more." ' Will you let me kiss you ?" Seeing no scorn or repugnance in her face, the object of her charity bent over her as she asked the question, and pressed her lips against her cheek. Once more she caught her arm, and covered her eyes with it; and then was gone. Gone into the deepening night, and howling wind, and pelting rain ; urging her way on, towards the mist-enshrouded city where the blurred lights gleamed; and with her black hair, and disordered head-gear, fluttering round her reckless face. CHAPTER XXXIV. Another Mother and Daughter. In an ugly and dark room, an old woman, ugly and dark too, sat listening to the wind and rain, and crouching over a meagre fire. More constant to the last-named occupation than the first, she never changed her attitude, unless, when any stray drops of rain fell hissing on the smouldering embers, to raise her head with an awakened attention to the whistling and pattering outside, and gradually to let it fall again lower and lower and lower as she sunk into a brooding state of thought, in which the noises of the...« less