"
"She is probably poor, and wants me to help her," replied Mrs.
Ellsworthy. "I hate seeing beggars, for I find it absolutely
impossible to say _no_ to them. Show her up, Henry, and give her a
hint that I'm going out to dinner, and can only spare her a very few
moments."
Hannah could not certainly be accused when she entered Mrs.
Ellsworthy's room, of any want of nerves. Her hands were shaking, her
lips were tremulous, and her face, as she entered the room, became
perfectly white.
"You'll excuse me, ma'am," she said. "I'm most sorry to trouble you,
but I'm that anxious, I scarce know what I'm doing. I undertook a
railway journey--which I don't think right--and I came here through
most crowded streets in a dreadful vehicle, for I just wanted to ask
you a single question, ma'am."
"Sit down, my poor woman," said Mrs. Ellsworthy, who, the moment she
looked at Hannah, began to have a dim sort of idea that she had seen
her before, and also became full of pity for her. "Sit down. How you
tremble! I am sorry to see you are so nervous."
"Nervous, ma'am!" echoed Hannah. "That I should hear that said of me!
No, ma'am, it ain't nervous I am, but I'm rather worried with the
tremblings during the last few hours.
Pages:
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425