|
||||||||
Mostly afoot, he rejoined; sometimes in carts along with people going to market; sometimes in empty coaches. Many mile a day afoot, and often with some poor soldier or another, travelling to see his friends. I couldnt talk to him, said Mr. Peggotty, nor he to me; but we was company for one another, too, along the dusty roads. I should have known that by his friendly tone. When I come to any town, he pursued, I found the inn, and waited about the yard till some one turned up (some one mostly did) as knowd English. Then I told how that I was on my way to seek my niece, and they told me what manner of gentlefolks was in the house, and I waited to see any as seemed like her, going in or out. When it warnt Emly, I went on agen. By little and little, when I come to a new village or that, among the poor people, I found they knowd about me. They would set me down at their cottage doors, and give me what-not fur to eat and drink, and show me where to sleep; and many a woman, Masr Davy, as has had a daughter of about Emlys age, Ive found a-waiting for me, at Our Saviours Cross outside the village, fur to do me simlar kindnesses. Some has had daughters as was dead. And God only knows how good them mothers was to me! It was Martha at the door. I saw her haggard, listening face distinctly. My dread was lest he should turn his head, and see her too. They would often put their childrenparticlar their little girls, said Mr. Peggotty, upon my knee; and many a time you might have seen me sitting at their doors, when night was coming on, amost as if theyd been my darlings children. Oh my darling! Overpowered by sudden grief, he sobbed aloud. I laid my trembling hand upon the hand he put before his face. Thankee, Sir, he said, doent take no notice. In a very little while he took his hand away and put it in his breast, and went on with his story. They often walked with me, he said, in the morning, maybe a mile or two upon my road; and when we parted, and I said, Im very thankful to you! God bless you! they always seemed to understand, and answered pleasant. At last I come to the sea. It warnt hard, you may suppose, for a seafaring man like me to work his way over to Italy. When I got theer, I wandered on as I had done afore. The people was just as good to me, and I should have gone from town to town, maybe the country through, but that I got news of her being seen among them Swiss mountains yonder. One as knowd his servant see em there, all three, and told me how they travelled, and where they was. I made for them mountains, Masr Davy, day and night. Ever so fur as I went, ever so fur the mountains seemed to shift away from me. But I come up with em, and I crossed em. When I got nigh the place as I had been told of, I began to think within my own self, What shall I do when I see her? The listening face, insensible to the inclement night, still drooped at the door, and the hands begged meprayed menot to cast it forth. I never doubted her, said Mr. Peggotty. No! Not a bit! Ony let her see my faceony let her heer my voiceony let my stanning still afore her bring to her thoughts the home she had fled away from, and the child she had beenand if she had growed to be a royal lady, shed have fell down at my feet! I knowd it well! Many a time in my sleep had I heerd her cry out, Uncle! and seen her fall like death afore me. Many a time in my sleep had I raised her up, and whispered to her, Emly my dear, I am come fur to bring forgiveness, and to take you home! He stopped and shook his head, and went on with a sigh. He was nowt to me now. Emly was all. I bought a country dress to put upon her; and I knowd that, once found, she would walk beside me over them stony roads, go where I would, and never, never leave me more. To put that dress upon her, and to cast off what she woreto take her on my arm again, and |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details. | ||||||||