Dickens's Christmas Books - complete online versions

The Christmas Carol, The Chimes, Cricket On the Hearth, Battle Of Life
& The Haunted Man & the Ghosts's Bargain with Illustrations.

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276
THE BATTLE OF LIFE.
and those grounds, and many an acre besides, will come back to me one day, as you know and say; and Marion will probably be richer—on your showing, who are never sanguine—ten years hence as my wife, than as the wife of Alfred Heathfield, whose return she dreads (remember that), and in whom or in any man, my passion is not surpassed. Who is injured yet ? It is a fair case throughout. My right is as good as his, if she decide in my favour; and I will try my right by her alone. You will like to know no more after this, and I will tell you no more. Now you know my purpose, and wants. When must I leave here ?"
"In a week," said Snitchey. "Mr. Craggs ?—"
" In something less, I should say," responded Craggs.
"In a month," said the client, after attentively watching the two faces. " This day month. To-day is Thursday. Succeed or fail, on this day month I go."
" It's too long a delay," said Snitchey; " much too long. But let it be so. I thought he'd have stipulated for three," he mur­mured to himself. "Are you going ? Good night, Sir."
"Good night!" returned the client, shaking hands with "the Firm. "You'll live to see me making a good use of riches yet. Henceforth, the star of my destiny is, Marion !"
" Take care of the stairs, Sir," replied Snitchey; " for she don't shine there. Good night! "
" Good night!"
So they both stood at the stair-head with a pair of office-candles, watching him down; and when he had gone away, stood looking at each other.
" What do you think of all this, Mr. Craggs ?" said Snitchey.
Mr. Craggs shook his head.
"It was our opinion, on the day when that release was executed, that there was something curious in the parting of that pair, I recollect," said Snitchey.
" It was," said Mr. Craggs.
" Perhaps he deceives himself altogether," pursued Mr. Snitchey, locking up the fireproof box, and putting it away; " or if he don't, a little bit of fickleness and perfidy is not a miracle, Mr. Craggs. And yet I thought that pretty face was very true. I thought," said Mr. Snitchey, putting on his great-coat (for the weather was very cold), drawing on his gloves, and snuffing out one candle, "that I had even seen her character becoming stronger and more resolved of late. More like her sister's."
" Mrs. Craggs was of the same opinion," returned Craggs.
" I'd really give a trifle to-night," observed Mr. Snitchey, who-vras a good-aatured man, " if I could believe that Mr. Warden was
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