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396 THE HAUNTED MAN |
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To judge from the dissatisfied expression of her face and manner, Mrs. Tetterby appeared to entertain the same opinions as her husband; but she opposed him, nevertheless, for the gratification of quarrelling with him.
"Oh, you're a consistent man," said Mrs. Tetterby, "an't you ? You, with the screen of your own making there, made of nothing else but bits of newspapers, which you sit and read to the children by the half-hour together ! "
" Say used to, if you please," returned her husband. " You won't find me doing so any more. I'm wiser now."
" Bah! wiser, indeed ! " said Mrs. Tetterby. " Are you better ?"
The question sounded some discordant note in Mr. Tetterby's breast. He ruminated dejectedly, and passed his hand across and across his forehead.
" Better !" murmured Mr. Tetterby. " I don't know as any of us are better, or happier either. Better, is it ?"
He turned to the screen, and traced about it with his finger, until he found a certain paragraph of which he was in quest.
" This used to be one of the family favourites, I recollect," said Tetterby, in a forlorn and stupid way, " and used to draw tears from the children, and make 'em good, if there was any little bickering or discontent among 'em, next to the story of the robin redbreasts in the wood. ' Melancholy case of destitution. Yesterday a small man, with a baby in his arms, and surrounded by half-a-dozen ragged little ones, of various ages between ten and two, the whole of whom were evidently in a famishing condition, appeared before the worthy magistrate, and made the following recital:'—Ha ! I don't understand it, I'm sure," said Tetterby; " I don't see what it has got to do with us."
" How old and shabby he looks," said Mrs. Tetterby, watching him. " I never saw such a change in a man. Ah ! dear me, dear me, dear me, it was a sacrifice ! "
" What was a sacrifice ?" her husband sourly inquired.
Mrs. Tetterby shook her head; and without replying in words, raised a complete sea-storm about the baby, by her violent agitation of the cradle.
" If you mean your marriage was a sacrifice, my good woman ------" said her husband.
" I do mean it," said his wife.
"Why, then I mean to say," pursued Mr. Tetterby, as sulkily and surlily as she, " that there are two sides to that affair; and that I was the sacrifice; and that I wish the sacrifice hadn't been accepted." |
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