Notwithstanding his every argument to the contrary, enforced by many burning references to the pleasures of their late encounter, she determined to leave the house without delay; and as shame prevented her from meeting any member of the family, she penned a letter to her mistress, giving as a reason for her sudden departure the illness of her father; and before the family returned she had removed to apartments taken for her by her seducer, who continued his visits of seeming affection for nearly six months, when after remaining in anxious expectations for three tedious days she received a letter containing a bank note for one hundred pounds and a statement that, having been compelled, in compliance with the wishes of his mother, to select the hand of a young lady, he had availed himself of the present method of bidding her an eternal farewell, advising her with the enclosed sum to endeavour to get into some way of business as he could not, consistently with honour to his intended bride, continue an intimacy of such a nature as that which had so long existed between them.
It was a long time before she recovered from the shock which this unfeeling letter inflicted, but when she did her first resolve was to remove immediately to less expensive lodgings, fully determined to lead a virtuous life and gain a living by honest industry. But a stranger, as she was, in the midst of a populous city like London, to whom could she apply? And even if successful in hearing of a situation, to whom could she refer for a character? She could not think of sending them to Lady C-, after quitting her service so abruptly.
Nothwithstanding the strictest economy her little capital was gradually diminishing, and to what could she have recourse when it was entirely exhausted? At length she determined upon writing her father, explaining to him without disguise her unfortunate situation and trusting to his parental feeling for pity and forgiveness. But how can I describe her grief and horror when upon inquiry she learned that her father had died suddenly and insolvent, the sale of his effects having been insufficient to satisfy his creditors.
She now felt herself entirely destitute, and after much consideration determined to apply at one of those establishments where they profess themselves both able and willing, for a trifling consideration, to procure situations for servants of every description; and should she be so fortunate as to hear of anything likely to suit her, be it ever so laborious, it was her resolve candidly and truly to relate to the master or mistress the story of her sufferings, trusting to their humanity to rescue her from destruction.
She accordingly waited upon the office keeper, who, upon the payment of half a crown, informed her that he believed he knew of a situation at that very moment which would exactly meet her wishes; her only employment, should she succeed in her application, would be to wait upon an elderly gentleman and his daughter; that she would in fact be considered as a member of the family, "and," he added with an arch look, "should you be lucky enough to please the old gent-who was once a schoolfellow of mine-it will be the making of you. And, by the by, I have no doubt but the mention of my name, which you are at perfect liberty to use, will be considered as a sufficient recommendation; in which case you may enter on your service immediately."
Thanking the friendly office keeper for his disinterested kindness, she received the direction and without further delay proceeded on her mission.
After walking for nearly an hour, she arrived at the house, and while her heart swelled high with hope knocked at the door, which was instantly opened by a middle-aged woman of rather forbidding aspect, her whole appearance bespeaking her to belong to that laborious class termed charwomen, who may at any time be hired for a day or longer, in the absence of a regular servant.
On inquiring for Miss B-she was answered in a strong Irish brogue,
"And is it the young mistress you're speaking of? Och! then, just be sitting there awhile and I'll be after bringing ye to the fore in a jiffy, me darlin'."
She ascended the stairs and shortly returning continued in the same strain.
"Ye'll jist mount them stairs, and ye'll see thecreature herself. Faith, and it's no bad quarters ye'll be getting, an ye can manage to palaver the mistress."
Delia, following the woman's direction, entered a neat drawing room and beheld a young lady of exquisite form seated on a sofa, engaged in poring over the contents of a volume she held in her hand; but as she raised her head at thesound of the opening door, what was Delia's surprise when her astonished eyes rested on the well-known features of one of her most intimate playfellows in infant days-the daughter of a poor cottager formerly in the employment of her late father!
She started a few paces back and exclaimed involuntarily, "Good God! is it possible? Do I really behold Rebecca T-?"
"Delia L-s!" cried the other as the book fell from her hands. "Heavens! how is it that I see you here? But tarry not a moment, fly from this hateful spot; for should the arch destroyer once behold those dazzling charms you are lost!"
And as Delia was about to speak, she placed her hand upon her mouth to prevent reply and continued: "Waste not the precious moments in useless inquiries, which now I cannot answer; in a few minutes he will be here-tell me only where you can be found and I will shortly pay you a visit."
Having obtained the necessary directions, she almost thrust the astonished Delia down stairs in her anxiety to see her once more safely in the street; this done, the door was quickly closed and Delia, pondering on the singular behaviour of her old acquaintance, was slowly and sorrowfully proceeding towards her humble lodgings; she had scarcely turned the corner of the street, however, when someone touched her shoulder; upon turning her head she beheld a most benign looking old gentleman, apparently between sixty and seventy years of age; he was very respectably attired in a suit of black, wore powder, and his general appearance was that of a clergyman of the established church.
He begged pardon for the liberty he had taken but begged to inquire if he was mistaken in his belief that she was the same person who had a minute before quitted the house, No. 29, in the next street. Upon her answering in the affirmative he informed her that he was the owner of the house, and having from some distance perceived her leaving it he had hastened to overtake her, and he now very politely begged she would inform him to what circumstance he was indebted for the intended honour of such a visit.
As she gazed upon his venerable countenance, so different in appearance from what her alarmed imagination had pictured from the few words which had fallen from Rebecca in alluding to him, she found it impossible to reconcile the idea of the reverend looking gentleman before her being the arch destroyer from whose sight her friend had appeared so very anxious to conceal her. She even began to suspect the motives of the latter and that she might have some secret object in view in thus preventing their meeting, so greatly was she interested by the respectful, nay, almost paternal, look with which he regarded her while speaking.
After truly stating to him the motive with which she had sought his house that morning (concealing only the singular recognition between herself and his reputed daughter), he expressed his regret that one so young and beautiful should be reduced to a state of servitude so much beneath her deserts; adding that it was quite evident nature had intended her for a very different sphere of life; for his own part, he was satisfied that she had seen better days and begged so earnestly that she would acquaint him with the story of her misfortunes that shame alone prevented her from fully gratifying his curiosity; again and again did he solicit her full confidence, urging, as a reason, that when he knew all it might probably be in his power to procure for her a situation more worthy of her acceptance than the humble one that she had that day applied for.