The story which I have to tell is more than strange. It is so terrible,so incredible, so entirely contrary to all that any ordinary reader ofthe London Journal or the "penny dreadfuls" has ever heard of, thateven now I have some doubt in telling it. I happen, however, to know itis true, and so does my husband. My husband will come in presently withhis narrative. There! that ought to make you curious. A very goodcommencement.
My early life was uneventful. I was a foundling. I was left with two oldladies (I fancy I may work them up some day into "character" sketches)by a perfect gentleman, who, after giving them £200, went away the nextmorning to Vienna for ever. He left with these two old ladies a littlewardrobe full of clothes, but there was not a mark, nor so much as aninitial, upon a single thing. They had all been cut out with a sharppair of scissors.
This again ought to excite your curiosity. Bear it in mind. Mysteriousparentage—no mother, no marks, and father gone to Vienna for ever.
The two old ladies kept a school, in which I first was a scholar, then ateacher. There I remained until I was seventeen, when I was tall andstrong for my age, and looked more like three or four and twenty. Oneday one of the old ladies said to me—
"Now, my dear, I will tell you what we are going to do. We are going tosell the school, and buy a little cottage at Bognor. It doesn't face thesea, and just holds two. So, as we have considered you more or less ourown daughter, we are going to kick you out. Now don't let's talk anymore about it to-day, but tell us to-morrow at breakfast, like a deargood girl, that we are going to do what you wish."
"I shall tell you to-morrow," I answered, firmly. "I'll pretend to thinkthe matter over with all my might and main, until to-morrow morning, andthen give you an answer as solemnly weighed, and as carefully set out,as a Saturday afternoon essay."
So I was kicked out.
I became a governess in the household of Mrs. Cowstream. That householdconsisted of the master, whose manner was what old ladies inLincolnshire call "rampageous," the children, who were, beyond doubt,hopelessly dull, and the mistress, who was colourless.
Nothing particularly happened save my dismissal (after receiving asalary of about a thousand to twelve-hundred a year) within six months.With about four-hundred pounds in hand I went to the Charing CrossHotel.
I feel I am a little plot-less. So far: foundling, old ladies at Bognor,aimless engagement by Mrs. Cowstream and advertisement for the CharingCross Hotel. All good in their way, but not quite enough. I want anincident. I have it.
Having untold gold, I thought I would buy some gloves in the TottenhamCourt Road. I entered an omnibus, was much struck by an old woman whosat next me, bought the gloves, was arrested as a thief for passingfalse money and saved from penal servitude for life by old woman. Come,there's action for you! Still, I don't know why it is, but we don't seemto get much "forrader."
The old woman hurried me about from place to place feeding me simply ongrapes and bonbons. For some reason I was not allowed to know where Iwas. I didn't want to, and not caring a brass-farthing for the selfishold ladie