The visits to the play ceased, the maid was discharged, the
hairdresser was no more brought into requisition. Their fall to
destitution was worthy of the harebrained design, the bungling
conduct, of Ned; the childish inexperience, the blind confidence, of
Madge. 'Twas a fall as progressive as a series of prints by Hogarth.
The brother was perpetually in liquor; he no longer took Madge out
with him. Often he stayed away nights and days at a time.
She resolved to entrust nothing further to him, but to dispose of her
ornaments herself, and to devote the proceeds to necessities alone, as
he had wasted them in drink and gaming. When she acted upon this
resolution, he behaved like a madman. Fearful quarrels ensued. He
blamed her for defeating his plans, she upbraided him for alluring her
to London. Recriminations and threats filled the hours when he was
with her; loneliness and despondency occupied the periods of his
absence. Finally, while she slept, he robbed her of money she had got
upon a bracelet; then of some of the jewelry itself. She dared no
longer sleep soundly, lest he might take away her last means of
subsistence. She was in daily and nightly terror of him.
She made up her mind, at last, to flee to some other part of the town,
and hide from him; that her few resources left might be devoted to
herself alone, and thus postpone the day of destruction to the
furthest possible time.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280