FORSAKEN AGAIN.
The next three days were a season of unmixed happiness to old Oliver.
The little child was so merry, yet withal so gentle and
sweet-tempered, that she kept him in a state of unwearied delight,
without any alloy of anxiety or trouble. She trotted at his side
with short, running footsteps, when he went out early in the morning
to fetch his daily stock of newspapers. She watched him set his room
tidy, and made believe to help him by dusting the lees and seats of
his two chairs. She stood with folded hands and serious face,
looking on as he was busy with his cooking. When she was not thus
engaged she played contentedly with Beppo, prattling to him in such a
manner, that Oliver often forgot what he was about while listening to
her. She played with him, too, frolicsome little games of
hide-and-seek, in which he grew as eager as herself; and sometimes
she stole his spectacles, or handkerchief, or anything she could lay
her mischievous fingers upon to hide away in some unthought-of spot;
while her shrewd, cunning little face put on an expression of
profound gravity as old Oliver sought everywhere for them.
As Friday evening drew near, the old man's gladness took a shade of
anxiety. His daughter was coming home to him, and his heart was full
of unutterable joy and gratitude; but he did not know exactly how
they should go on in the future. He was averse to change; yet this
little house, with its single room, to which he had moved when she
forsook him, was too scanty in its accommodation. He had made up a
rude sort of bed for himself under the counter in the shop, and was
quite ready to give up his own to Susan and his little love, as he
called Dolly; but would Susan let him have his own way in this, and
many other things? He provided a sumptuous tea, and added a fresh
salad to it from the greengrocer's next door; but though he and Dolly
waited and watched till long after the child's bed-time, taking
occasional snatches of bread and butter, still Susan did not arrive.
At length a postman entered the little shop with a noise which made
Oliver's heart beat violently, and tossed a letter down upon the
counter. He carried it to the door, where there was still light
enough to read it, and saw that it was in Susan's handwriting.
"MY DEAR AND DEAREST FATHER,
"My heart is almost broke, betwixt one thing and another. His
regiment is to set sail immediate, and the colonel's lady has offered
me very handsome wages to go out with her as lady's maid, her own
having disappointed her at the last moment; which I could do very
well, knowing the dressmaking. He said, 'Do come, Susan, and I'll
never get drunk again, so help me God; and if you don't, I shall go
to the bad altogether; for I do love you, Susan.' I said, 'Oh my
child!' And the colonel's lady said, 'She's safe with her
grandfather; and if he's a good man, as you say he is, he'll take the
best of care of her. I'll give you three pounds to send him from
here, and we'll send more from Calcutta.' So they overpersuaded me,
and there isn't even time to come back to London, for we are going in
a few hours. You'll take care of my little dear, I know, you and
aunt Charlotte. I've sent a little box of clothes for her by the
railway, and what more she wants aunt Charlotte will see to, I'm
sure, and do her mending, and see to her manners till I come home.
Oh! if I could only hear you say 'Susan, my dear, I forgive you, and
love you almost as much as ever,' I'd go with a lighter heart, and be
almost glad to leave Dolly to be a comfort to you, She will be a
comfort to you, though she is so little, I'm sure. Tell her mammy
says she must be a good girl always till mammy comes back. A hundred
thousand kisses for my dear father and my little girl. We shall come
home as soon as ever we can; but I don't rightly know where India is.
I think it's my bounden duty to go with him, as things have turned
out. Pray God take care of us all.
"Your loving, sorrowful daughter,
"SUSAN RALEIGH."