There are so many in
London--they take the bread out of each other's mouths. If we had only
had the money to emigrate, he would have married me long since."
"Would he marry you if you had the money now?"
"I am sure he would, ma'am. He could get plenty of work in Australia,
and double and treble the wages he gets here. He is trying hard, and
I am trying hard, to save a little toward it--I put by all I can spare
from my child. But it is so little! If we live for years to come, there
seems no hope for us. I know I have done wrong every way--I know I don't
deserve to be happy. But how could I let my child suffer?--I was obliged
to go to service. My mistress was hard on me, and my health broke down
in trying to live by my needle. I would never have deceived anybody by
a false character, if there had been another chance for me. I was alone
and helpless, ma'am; and I can only ask you to forgive me."
"Ask better women than I am," said Magdalen, sadly. "I am only fit to
feel for you, and I do feel for you with all my heart. In your place I
should have gone into service with a false character, too. Say no more
of the past--you don't know how you hurt me in speaking of it.
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