Page:Adventures of Susan Hopley (Volume 1).pdf/50

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
SUSAN HOPLEY.
37

little knows Mabel that looks to see her married to a footman. Mabel comes of a proud family-they were gentry once, as I've heard-howbeit, they never knew themselves nor their stations. Mabel was rocked in the cradle of pride, and she fed upon the bread of pride-and she'll have a fall, as all such pride has.'

"'Well, she'll fall to Andrew,' said the coachman, 'that'll be a fall.'

"'No, no,' said Mr. Jeremy, 'it'll be a worse fall than falling to an honest young fellow like Andrew. Mark my words. I was never deceived in no man, nor woman neither; and I ar'nt now.'

"Just as the butler had said those words, came the ring I spoke of; and as I happened to be going up stairs to look at my fires, I said I would see who it was.

"When I opened the door, I saw by the light of the candle I held in my hand, a stout man in a drab coat with his hat slouched over his eyes, and a red handkerchief round his throat, that covered a good deal of the lower part of his face; so that between the hat and the handkerchief, I saw very little of his features except his nose, but that was very remarkable. It was a good deal raised in the bridge and very much on one side; and it was easy to see that what-