The Holly-Tree

scraps of newspapers. In company with the small man, was almost any amount of small children you may please to name-

e, and also to scuffle in and out of bed. The immediate occasion of these predatory dashes at the waking world, was the construction of an oyster-shell wall in a corner, by two other youths of tender age;

another little boy, in another little bed, contributed his mite of confusion to the family stock, by casting his boots upon the waters; in other words, by launching these and se

he weight of a large baby, which he was supposed by a fiction that obtains sometimes in sanguine families, to be hushing to sleep. But oh! the inexhaustible

nd lagged heavily at the rear of troops of juveniles who followed the Tumblers or the Monkey, and came up, all on one side, a little too late for everything that was attractive, from Monday morning until Saturday night. Wherever childhood congregated to play, there was little Moloch making Johnny fag and toil. Wherever Johnny desired to stay, little Moloch became fractious, and would not remain. Whenever Johnny wanted to go out, Moloch was asleep, and must be watche

the family, and the chief of the firm described in the inscription over the little shop front, by the name and title of A. Tetterby and Co., Newsmen. Inde

t several things. It had once made a feeble little dart at the toy business; for, in another lantern, there was a heap of minute wax dolls, all sticking together upside down, in the direst confusion, with their feet on one another's heads, and a precipitate of broken arms and legs at the bottom. It had made a move in the millinery direction, which a few dry, wiry bonnet-shapes remained in a corner of the window to attest. It had fancied that a living might lie hidden in the tobacco trade, and had stuck up a representation of a native of each of the three integral portions of the British Empire, in the act of consuming that fragrant weed; with a poetic legend attached, importing that united in one cause they sat and joked, one chewed tobacco, one took snuff, one smoked

port with the quiet perusal of a newspaper, laid down his paper, wheeled, in his distraction, a few times round the parlour, like an undecided carrier-pigeon, made an ineffectual rush at o

your wicious tricks? Isn't it enough, sir, that your brother 'Dolphus is toiling and moiling in the fog and cold, and you rolling in the lap of luxury with a-with a baby, and everything you can wish for," said Mr. Tetterby, heaping this up as

doing anything, I'm sure, but taking such care

d get the better of me. Oh, Johnny! Isn't it enough that your dear mother has provided you with that sweet sister?" indicating Moloch; "isn't it enough that you were seven boys before without

r and over the bedsteads, and in and out among the intricacies of the chairs, in capturing this infant, whom he condignly punished, and bore to bed. This example had a powerful, and apparently, mesmeric influence on him of the boots, who instantly fell into a deep sleep, though he had been, but a moment before, broad awake, and

s flushed face, "could hardly have done it better! I on

e appropriate to be impressed upon his children'

ve respected them in after life as their best friends.' Think of your own remarkable

the fire, and composed himself,

rted manner, "and astonishment will be the portion of that respected contemporary!"-which expression Mr. Tetterby selected from his

ol, and devotedly crushed himse

enerally known, Johnny,'" he was now referring to the screen again, "'but it is a fact ascertained, by accurate

cried Johnny. "I can't bear

h a profound sense of his trust, wi

fire, "is late to-night, Johnny, and will come home

lphus too, father!" exc

ther, listening. "Yes, that's t

rather remarkable for being robust and portly; but considered with reference to her husband, her dimensions became magnificent. Nor did they assume a less imposing proportion, when studied with reference to the size of her s

shed himself, Master Adolphus Tetterby, who had by this time unwound his torso out of a prismatic comforter, apparently interminable, requested the same favour. Johnny having again complied, and again gone back to his stool, and again crushed himself, Mr. Tetter

by, shaking her head, "take care of her, or

rother," sa

r, Johnny," add

own at Moloch's eyes to see that they were all right, so far, and skilf

" said his father. "Come and ta

himself down with his hands. "I an't very wet,

waxy, my boy," ret

of his jacket. "What with rain, and sleet, and wind, and snow, and fog, my face get

ly application to traffic, but for a fortunate discovery he made of a means of entertaining himself, and of dividing the long day into stages of interest, without neglecting business. This ingenious invention, remarkable, like many great discoveries, for its simplicity, consisted in varying the first vowel in the word "paper," and substituting, in its stead, at different periods of the day, all the other vowels in grammatical succession. Thus, before da

, as aforesaid, thoughtfully turning her wedding-ring round and round upon her finger, now

me!" said Mrs. Tetterby. "Th

d goes, my dear?" asked Mr

g," said Mr

fresh, and carried his eyes up it, and down it, and across

n preparing the family supper; hitting it unnecessarily hard with the knives and forks, slapping i

me!" said Mrs. Tetterby. "Th

king round again, "you said that bef

g!" said Mr

d her husband, "you s

tterby. "Oh nothing-there! And again if you like, oh no

ear upon the partner of his bosom

man, what has

orted. "Don't ask me. Who said I

cross the room, with his hands behind him, and his shoulders raised-his gait according pe

, to the cook's shop, to buy it. It was very good of your mother so to do. You shall get some supper too,

n being uncovered, sent forth an odour so agreeable, that the three pair of eyes in the two beds opened wide and fixed themselves upon the banquet. Mr. Tetterby, without regarding this tacit invitation to be seated, stood repeating slowly, "Yes, yes, your supper

s. Tetterby, "how coul

a dismal cry, which had the effect of immediately shutting up the round eyes in the beds, and utterly routing the two

. Tetterby, "coming home, I had n

his figure of speech, and observ

be killed, and then you'll die in agonies of a broken heart, and serve you right.-No more idea I hadn't than that darling, of being cr

er! Dolf, my man," continued Mr. Tetterby, exploring the basin with a fork, "here's your mother been and bought, at the cook's shop, besides pease pudding, a whole knuckle of a

r stool, fell upon his supper tooth and nail. Johnny was not forgotten, but received his rations on bread, lest he should, in a flush o

in respect of the nightingale, if they were not absolutely pork, had lived near it; so, upon the whole, there was the flavour of a middle-sized pig. It was irresistible to the Tetterbys in bed, who, though professing to slumber peacefully, crawled out when unseen by their parents, and silently appealed to their brothers for any gastronomic token of fraternal af

one time she laughed without reason, and at another time she cried without reason, and at last

if the world goes that way, it appears

uggling with herself, "and don't speak to me for t

e baby, that the sight of her might revive his mother. Johnny immediately approached, borne down by its weight; but Mrs. Tetterby holding out her hand to signify that she was not in a condition to bear that try

erby said she was better

"are you quite sure you're better? Or are you, S

elf." With that, settling her hair, and pressing the

Mrs. Tetterby. "Come nearer, 'Dolphus, and let me ease my m

oser, Mrs. Tetterby laughed again,

s single, I might have given myself away in several directions. A

my dear," said Mr. Tett

eplied his wife, "I me

id Mr. T

, to regret them; and I'm sure I've got as good a husband,

e world," said Mr. Tetterb

consideration for Mrs. Tetterby's fairy-like stature; and if Mrs. Tetterby h

I was in the streets just now. There were so many things to be sold-such delicious things to eat, such fine things to look at, such delightful things to have-and there was so much calculating and calculating necessary

said Mr. Tett

bout in the cold, and when I saw a lot of other calculating faces and large baskets trudging about, too, that I began to think whether I mightn'

"if you hadn't married at all, or

That's really what I thought.

etterby. "I don't fi

e him a thankful

I was, but I couldn't call up anything that seemed to bind us to each other, or to reconcile me to my fortune. All the pleasures and enjoyments we had ever had-they seemed

hand encouragingly, "that's truth, after all. We are

l our struggles for a livelihood, all our cares and wants since we have been married, all the times of sickness, all the hours of watching, we have ever had, by one another, or by the children, seemed to speak to me, and say that they had made us one, and that I never might have been, or could have been, or would have been, any other

h a scream, and ran behind her husband. Her cry was so terrified, that the children started from their sleep and from their beds

n! Look there! W

I'll ask him if you'll let me go.

s out just now. He looked at me, an

of him

! husband!" for he was g

east; and there was a peculiar fluttering all over her, and a h

u ill,

gain?" she muttered, in a low voice

? No, I am quite well," and stoo

hom the present strangeness of her manner did not tend to reassure, addressed himself to the

pleasure, sir," he

returned the visitor, "has alarmed you;

ay it," returned Mr. Tetterby, "that it's not

rved her, for a few moments only, in the st

extraordinary to see what dread she had of him, and with

old college hard by. A young gentleman who is a

am?" said

es

across his forehead, and looked quickly round the room, as though he were sensible of some change in its atmosphere. The Chemi

as you have come in here, it will save your going out into the cold, if you'll take this little staircase,

m," said the Chemist.

kened it, seemed to trouble Mr. Tetterby. He paused; and looking fixedly at

I'll light you, sir,

ced to him. He does not expect me. I would rather go alone. Please

ing his hand hastily, almost as though he had wounded him by accident (for he did not know in what part of himself his new power res

nd round upon her finger. The husband, with his head bent forward on his breast, was musing heavily and sullenly. The child

roughly. "There's enough

small enough," the mother add

rom her the fragments of their meal, stopped on the threshold of her task of clearing the table, and sat down, pondering idly and dejectedly. The father betoo

like a thief; looking back upon the change be

e said, confusedly. "

f mankind," he thought

ge now shutting out the little parlour from his view, he

l things are strange to me. I am strange to myself. I am here, as in a dream. What interest ha

knocked at it. Being invited, by a

voice. "But I need not ask her.

ds the door. A meagre scanty stove, pinched and hollowed like a sick man's cheeks, and bricked into the centre of a hearth that it could scarcely warm, contain

e not coffins, but purses. I shall be well and rich yet, some day, if it please God, and shall live perh

but, being weakened, he lay still, with his face

-of-door attire that hung idle on the wall;-at those remembrances of other and less solitary scenes, the little miniatures upon the chimney-piece, and the drawing of home;-at that token of his emulation, perhaps, in some sort, of his personal attachment too, the framed engraving of himself, the looker-on. The time had

h had remained so long untouched, raised

he exclaimed,

put out

e. I will sit here. Rem

at the young man standing leaning with his hand upon th

s ill and solitary. I received no other description of him, than that he lived i

m, "but am greatly better. An attack of fever-of the brain, I believe-has weakened me, but I am much better. I

of the keeper's

is head, as if he rendere

ad started from his dinner yesterday at the first mention of this student's case, than the breathing man himself, glanced again at

to me down stairs, just now; and I recollect your face. We

y li

hdrawn from me, more than

nt signif

riosity. "Why? How comes it that you have sought to keep especially from me, the knowledge of your remaining

aised his downcast eyes to his face, and clasping his hands t

ve discovered me. Y

the Chemist, ha

straint there is in everything you say, and in your looks," replied the student, "warn me that you know me. That you would con

emptuous laugh, w

, think how innocent I am, except in name and descent, of participa

, laughing. "Wrong! W

ange you like this, sir! Let me pass again from your knowledge and notice. Let me occupy my old reserved and dis

" exclaime

he young man his own intelligent and thoughtful face. But the light pas

omething not remote from the truth. I am the child of a marriage that has not proved itself a well-assorted or a happy one. From infancy, I have heard you spoken of with honour and respect-with something that was almost reverence. I have heard of such devotio

looking at him with a staring fr

stomed to regard you from a distance, that I wonder at my own presumption when I touch, however lightly, on that theme. But to one who-I may say, who felt no common interest in my mother once-it may be something to hear, now that all is past, with what indescribable feelings of affection I have, in my obscurity, regarded him; with what pain and reluctance I have kept aloof f

er expression until the student, with these words, advanced toward

ome near

s recoil, and by the sternness of his repulsion; and

ve I to do with your distempered dreams? If you want money, here it is. I came to offer it; and that is all I came for. There can b

fell into this dim cogitation with himself,

ot angrily. "I wish you could take from me, wi

, with a wild light i

d

rst time, and took the purse, and turned

e in sickness, is there not

g student an

ain of physical and mental miseries?" said the Chemist, with a

confusedly, across his forehead. Redlaw still held hi

, dear. Father and mother will be comfortable again, to-morrow,

ed his hold,

her. There is a steady quality of goodness in her, that I dread to influe

nocking a

reboding, or still avoid her?" he

cking at th

a hoarse alarmed voice, turning to his companion, "th

re the garret-roof began to slope towards the floor, with a sm

is place upon the couch, a

, looking round, "they told m

no one h

as been

here has bee

if to take the extended hand-but it was not there. A little surprised, in her q

night? Your head is not so

dent, petulantly, "

second thoughts, and going noiselessly about the room, set everything exactly in its place, and in the neatest order; even to the cushions on the couch, which she touched with so light a hand, that he h

k very clean and nice, though it costs very little, and will save your eyes, too, from the light. My William say

and impatient in his change of position, that her qu

she said, laying down her work and

red. "Leave them alone, pray.

himself down again, she stood timidly pausing. However, she resumed her seat, and her needle

ll be more precious to you, after this illness, than it has ever been. And years hence, when this time of year comes round, and you remember the days when you lay here sick,

and quiet altogether, to be on the watch for any look he might direct towards her i

n't know how to think properly-this view of such things has made a great impression, since you have been lying ill. When I have seen you so touched by the kindness and attention of the poor people down stairs, I have felt tha

uch, interrupted her, or s

wn stairs will be paid in good time I dare say, for any little extra service they may

opped, and she

e case," he said. "I am sensible that you have been interested in

ooked at him walking to and fro with an

ue in obligation, by preferring enormous claims upon me? Trouble, sorrow, aff

I spoke of the poor people of the house, with any reference to myself? To me?"

n indisposition, which your solicitude-observe! I say solicitude-makes a gre

book, and sat d

her smile was quite gone, and then, retu

would you rat

why I should detain

ly, hesitating, an

, with a supercilious laugh. "

et. Then, standing before him with such an air of patient e

I should not have been, indeed. I should have come no longer than your weakness and confinement lasted. You owe me nothing; but it is right that you should deal as justly by me as if I was a lady-even the very lady tha

k as she was gentle, as loud of tone as she was low and clear, she might have left no sense of he

ere she had been, when Redlaw came out o

n," he said, looking fiercely back at hi

his cloak. "What change have you wrought in me? What

inds of all mankind. Where I felt interest, compassion, sympathy, I am turning into stone. Selfishness and ingratitude spring up in my blig

, the snow falling, the cloud-drift sweeping on, the moon dimly shining; and where, blowing in the wind, falling with the snow, drifting with the clouds, sh

their manifold endurances and ways of life, a mighty waste of sand, which the winds tossed into unintelligible heaps and made a ruinous confusion of. Those traces in his breast which the

o had rushed into his room. And then he recollected, that of those with whom he had communi

seek it out, and prove if this were really so; and also to seek it w

k to the old college, and to that part of it where the general porch was,

w he could look in at the window of their ordinary room, and see who was within. The iron gates were shut, but his hand was familiar with the fastening, and drawing i

going round it, he looked in at the window. At first, he thought that there was no one there, and that the blaze was reddening only the old beams in the ceiling and th

was touched, the boy, not half awake, clutching his rags together with the instinct of flight upon him, half rolled an

Chemist. "You hav

ned the boy. "This is the

ewhat, or inspired him with enough submissi

ere they were bruised and cracked?" asked t

woman

has made you cleane

the

and threw his wild hair back, though he loathed to touch him. The boy watched his eyes keenly, as if he thought it

they?" he

oman's

s the old man with the

and, d'ye mean?"

re are t

ewhere. They were fetched out in

the Chemist, "and I

and how much

ever saw, and bring you back soon. Do y

ng out of his grasp. "I'm not a going to take you

y, with his savage little hand,

ly equal to the cold vague terror with which he saw this baby-monster put it at defiance. It chilled his blood to look on the immovable im

rable or very wicked. I want to do them good, and not to harm them. You shall have money, as I have told you, a

r yet touch me?" said the boy, slowly withdrawing the

wil

efore, behind, or

wil

money first,

y's knowledge, but he said "one," every time, and avariciously looked at each as it was given, and

; and laying it on the table, signed to him to follow. Keeping his rags together, as usua

t led the way, through some of those passages among which the boy had lost himself, and by that portion of the building where he lived, to a small d

ake. Redlaw going on at once, he followed, something less suspiciously; shifting his money from his mouth into his

they stopped, being side by side. Three times the Chemist glanced

, and Redlaw stopped among the graves, utterly at a loss how to

surrounded by a host of stars he still knew by the names and histories which human science has appended to them; but where

the dry mechanism of the instruments and his own ears, with no address to any mystery within him, without a whisper in it of

tellectual distance between them, and their being unlike each other in all phy

guide, but generally finding him within his shadow on his other side; now by ways so quiet, that he could have counted his short,

ere shattered lights in the windows, and a dim lantern in

t of some neighbouring viaduct or bridge with which it was surrounded, and which lessened gradually towards them, until the last but one was a mere kennel for a dog, the last a plundered little heap of bricks; from that, to the child, close to him, c

oy, pointing out the h

et me in?" a

e answered with a nod. "

ithin the shelter of the smallest arch, as if he were a rat. He had no pity for the thing, but he

t at some more distinct remembrance, "at least haunt this place dark

e pushed the yieldi

without treading on her, and as she was perfectly regardless of his near approach, he stopped, and touched her on the shoulder. Looking up, she

his account, she moved nearer to th

w, pausing, with his hand

m?" she answered, show

h a true compassion for such miseries has its rise, were dried up in his breast-but which was nearer to it, for the moment, than any feeling

ef, if I can," he said. "Are

ugh prolonged itself into a shivering sigh, as she dr

g of a wrong?" h

ife," she said, with a

any, and that he saw the type of thousand

ur parents?"

My father was a gardener,

he d

o me. You a gentleman, and not know that!" S

ut, was there no wrong done to you? In spite of all that you can do, does no remembra

stood amazed. But he was more amazed, and much disquieted, to note that in her awakened recollecti

o, observed that her arms were black

nd has hurt you

t myself!" she a

impos

o myself in a passion, and threw myself down here

e saw enough of the last perversion and distortion of good surviving in that

gaze away. "All that connects her with the state from which she

aving sundered the last thread by which she held upon the mercy of Hea

man with a candle in his hand, came forward from within to shut. But this man, on seeing him, dre

lect the wan and startled face. He had no time to consider it, for, to his yet

s like you, sir! you have heard of it, and have come afte

led into the room. A man lay there, on a truck

king wistfully into the Chemist's fac

"That's where it is, exactly. To keep as quiet as ever we can wh

igour of his life, but on whom it was not likely the sun would ever shine again. The vices of his forty or fifty years' career had so branded him, th

sked the Chemist

wringing his hands. "My eldest son, George, who

emotest corner of the room. He seemed to be about his own age; and although he knew no such hopeless decay and broken man as he appeared to be, there was so

in a gloomy whisper

. Why should a man ever go and gamble, and the like of that, and let

w, glancing after him with th

other that you see here," Mr. William passed his coat-sleeve across his eyes, "and being lodging up stairs for the night-what I say, you see, is that strange companions come

the spell he carried with him-which his surprise had obscured-retired a little, h

ich it seemed to be a part of his condition

of sorrow and trouble, and shall I be afraid, to-night, to shake it? Are such remembrances as

ded in his black cloak with his face turned from them, stood away from the be

e sick man, rallying

on George!" s

her's favourite, long ago. It's a dre

"Think of it. Don't say it's dreadfu

father." For the old man'

k of it too, and your heart will be softened more and more! Where's my son William? William, my boy, your mother loved him dearly to the last, and with her

am so far gone, that I can hardly speak, even of what my m

laimed, clasping his hands and looking up, "I was thankful, only yesterday, that I could remember this unhappy son whe

s upon his face, and s

n the bed. "The waste since the

y his head upon her breast, and kiss him. Sorrowful as it was to her and me, to think of this, when he went so wrong, and when our hopes and plans for him were all broken, this gave him still a hold upon us, that nothing else could have given.

e made the supplication, laid his sinking head against him for su

, in the silence that ensued! He knew it must

nd with the other groping in the air, "and I remember there is something on my mind concerning the

s real," said h

it a

erposed his brother, bending kin

reamed of him. Ask

appeared before him. Obedient to the m

which the mute, imploring agony of his condition was concentrated, "by the sight of my poor old father, and t

ad come, or was it the dawning of

nning on so much, so fast, I'll try to do.

gn he knew so well now, of the wandering hand upon the forehead,

beaten down, and has no resource at all. Look after him! L

ace was changing, hardening, deepening in

er? Don't you kno

hat again wandered over his forehead, and then it

ave you been doing to me here! I have lived bold

ver his head and ears, as resolute from that time to

e with a more tremendous shock. But the old man, who had left the bed while his son

e old man hurriedly. "William, co

William. "Are you going

n son?" replie

? why,

, has any claim on me. My children are pleasant to look at, and they wait upon me, and g

m grudgingly, with his hands in his pockets. "I don't know what goo

The boy talking to me of my son! Why, what has he ever

ever done to give me any ple

m place, and never had to come out in the cold night air; and have made good cheer, without b

ng Redlaw, with an impatience and irritation that were quite new, "I'm whipped if I can see anything in him bu

alls my son. He's not my son. I've had a power of pleasant times. I recollect once-no I don't-no, it's broken off. It was something about a game of cricket and a friend of mine, but

into his waistcoat pockets. In one of them he found a bit of holly (l

walking with?-no, I don't remember how that was. I don't remember as I ever walked with any one particular, or cared for any one, or any one for me. Berries, eh? There's good cheer whe

ith which his youngest son (so changed) regarded him; the determined apathy with which his eldest son lay hardened in his sin; impressed themse

his place of refuge, and was ready

e woman's?"

wered Redlaw. "Stop

ides. Shrinking from all who passed, shrouded in his cloak, and keeping it drawn closely about him, as though there were mortal contagion in any fluttering touch of his garments, he mad

he door fast, and withdrew behin

ouch me! You've not brought m

ted by his lamp, with his face hidden in his hands, began furtively to pick it up. When he had done so, he crept near the fire, and, sitting down in a great chair before it, took from h

th increased repugnance and fear, "is the

ded so-whether half-an-hour, or half the night-he knew not. But the stillness of the room w

oman coming!"

m on his way, at the m

her, will you?

"Stay here. Nobody must pass in o

ied Milly. "Pray,

r the world

. Redlaw, pray,

tter?" he said,

William's father has turned childish in a moment, William himself is changed. The shock has been too su

No!" he

tering, in his doze, about the man you saw

uld do it, tha

ined father of a student here-my mind misgives me, of the young gentleman who has been ill. What is to b

boy, who was half-mad to

now is there, shine up and show my misery! In the material world as I have long taught, nothing can be spared; no step or atom in the wondrous structure could be lost,

elp me, help me, let me in!" and

with me, deprive me of the dreadful power of giving it to others. Undo what I have done. Leave me benighted, but restore the day to those whom I have cursed. As I have

increasing in its energy, "Help! let me in. He was your friend once, how shall he be followed, ho