Robert Falconer

false magnanimity and real meanness, imported from Paris in the shape of a melodrama, for the delectation of the London public. I had turned northwards, and was walking up one of the streets near Cov

, white, wasted baby was looking over her shoulder with the s

s as God sees them,' mur

nothing of him, standing almost at my elbow, with his eyes fixed on the woman and the child, and a s

vile upholding and ministering to the life of the pure, the gracious, the fearless. Aware from his tone more

cht. It's the cake o

harply, thought a

en you stopped. I will wa

o be done abo

hat?' he

hild there,'

mother,' he repl

nce does that

f God has given her that child, wha

from the look of the c

e children. To take her child from her, w

ok much like s

th God's thousand years a

she is the mot

ave left the child

it? Got it into some orphan asy

ched inventions for escape from the right way. Ther

you put them

ould, if I could, ma

ld you d

he hearts of childless peop

ch a

others to the father

more of them did not adop

could be their own! That a child is God's is of rather more consequence than whether it is born of this or that couple. Their hearts would surely be glad when they wen

t the passage you

mean something, if He sai

atics and poetry, shown up the back sta

ce, if I may

usiasm in the sons and daughter

me and see m

, as I have given you an

d

adopted

N

ave some of

N

why the warmth of your

point, if we draw to each other. Meantime I mu

plea

ed. I saw him walk into a low

om on the first-floor-poorly furnished, and with many signs of bachelor-carelessness. Mr. Falconer rose from an

rge, and finely, though not delicately, modelled. His nostrils were remarkably large and flexile, with a tendency to slight motion: I found on further acquaintance that when he was excited, they expanded in a wild equine manner. The expression of his mouth was of tender power, crossed with humour. He kept his lips a little compressed, which gave a c

wered-'at least, of a social kind. I

ld not mind going out

most happy,'

very few friends; and there was besides something odd, almost romantic

pper first,' said Mr. Fa

e ate o

that without the least claim on your acquaintance,

pped,

rdon-Archie Go

have a design upon you. But you will

ke first

id

not have ventured to make the remark I did make, if I ha

ourse. Now take a glass of

d my companion led the way towards the

r, 'than a walk in the twilight through a c

I replied. 'But I perfectly understand

nite adventure and result are floating around you like a snow-storm. You do not know what may arise in a moment and colour all yo

give a suppressed cry, and saw him run up against a heavy drayman who was on the edge of the path, guiding his horses with his long whip. He begged the man's pardon, put his hand to his head

rounding light. He was as certain of the truth of the presentation as if a gradual revival of memory had brought with it the clear conviction of its own accuracy. His explanation of the phenomenon was, that, in some cases, all that prevents a vivid conception from assuming objectivity

minuteness of detail, surpassing, you

ision, it caught at its own past, as it were, and suddenly recalled that which it had forgotten.

ive of my first evening

n was to the grandeur of the storm. While the thun

' bawled a man from the gutter, w

n ear-splitting urchin in my very fac

t only widens the crack between him an

' I said. 'I wo

execrating a policeman, who had taken a woman into custody, and was trea

tone of expostulation. 'You're rather rou

specimen of the force at that time at all events, and shook t

ted the crowd, and

e her to the station, if you like,

the policeman; 'I know you, a

elled to give you a l

r was a shake that m

ner to her. 'Will you promise me, on your word, to go

will,' said

r to the policeman; 'for I'm g

and made a blow at Falconer. In another mome

man, come along,

gently. Two other

woman in charge, Mr. Fal

agonist, who had just scrambled to his feet. 'A

n the wrong box, and that you'll find. You

old of the woman-you two, and we

nod which meant come along. Before we reached Bow Street, however, the offending policeman, who had been walking a little behi

heard, however, as he left the crowd and rej

but the streets were rather more c

d Falconer. 'What a beautiful outline of face

th a woman's face, like that of a beautiful corpse.

human faces gleaming past

he stump. There was a woman, pale with hunger and gin, three match-boxes in one extended hand, and the other holding a baby to her brea

God, finds its heaven where no one else would. The devil could drive woman out

nt, my eye fell upon a row of little children, from

ently carrying on some game, as happ

ittle grubby things, and put them in a

ike spiders,' r

not fight

's glue-lizards, and that man's three-foot rules, and that man's dog-collars and chains, at three times their value, that they might get more drink than usual, and do nothing a

t reply

rdon,' he resumed;

to answer you. They would be no worse after all t

at would be gained thereby? Is there no truth in the words "Blessed are the poor"? A deeper truth than most Christians da

have the

ct. The Bible is full enough of the

care for thei

w comply with it, and find it not altogether unfriendly. The Laplander will prefer his wastes to the rich fields of England, not merely from ignorance, but for the sake of certain blessings amongst which he has been born and brought up. The blessedness of life depends

was represented as an ev

anxiety by destroying its cause: God would remove it by lifting them above it, by teaching them to trust in

ot say it doe

from it by any deed of yours would be to do them the greatest injury you could. Probably their want of foresight

, although you may adopt it at first for refuge from the misery the sight of their conditi

o works without believing that God is doing the best, the absolute good for them, is, must be, more or less, thwarting God. He would take the poor out of God's hands. For others, as for ourselves, we must trust him. If we could thoroughly understand anything, that would be enough to prove it undivine; and that which is but one st

for the poor? How is he

endless human relations to them. Whatever you do for them, let your own being, that is you in relation to them, be the b

ander, till at last it absolutely shone. I felt th

and Plato, even that it is not understanding the Gospel of St. John! If there is one thing evident in the world's history, it is that God hasteneth not. All haste implies weakness. Time is as cheap as space and matter. What they call the church militant is only at drill yet, and a good many of the officers too not out of the awkward squad. I am sure I, for a private, am not. In the dril

tly,' I

laces blazing with lights and mirrors, crowded with dancers, billowing with music, close an

ke a glimmering twilight on the borders of moonrise; and there is a passion that wraps itself in the vapours of patchouli and coffins, an

take less time to make a woman than to make a world? Is not the woman the greater? She

ike all thos

alas! which always

em looked q

r the last remnants of a soiled and ragged modesty. It has moved me almost to tears to see such a one hanging her head i

hing be do

ood: that is all you can do in such cases. If the horrors of their life do not d

ou going now

business,' he ad

be nobody th

you were the beadle of a

I do not know where it is. A slatternly

Falco

at her for

you come to this

told me to expect. You knowed him better

Sarah; and be

dyin' up-stairs; and I'm afeard it'll go hard with her, fo

e to see me? I

a sort of a reader, readin'

arm in just looking in,'

to follow you-anyw

or summat,' said Sarah, as she l

t a chapter in the Bible. We paused for a moment to hear what she was reading. Had the book been opened by chance, or by design? It was the story of Dav

nd did not inter

he side of the chimney: 'the saint, you see

l worse just then,' said F

' said another woman, rising, an

re's a chance for old Moll and me yet. Ki

o, if you were as sorry for y

Where's the harm in turning an honest penny? I ha' took no man's wife, no

pered something no one could hear but herse

d. 'I'll read you something better than that. I'll

ch a man,' said the previous reader, a

ist himself?'

t know as yo

nt him. There ne

elf, sir-as how he didn't come down up

and the woman that was a sinner. When he ceased, the silence that followed was brok

ease, sir. Lilywhite will rea

e disfigured by the small-pox, and, save for the tearful look it w

r come again

asked F

rd tell, I think, that he w

do yo

ollowed unintelligible. But she recovered herself in a few moments, and, as if fi

long enough to

would say to you, my

ay to me? He would s

Thy sins are

h! I forgot. He's dead. But he will come again, won't he? He was crucified four times,

laugh at him, shake their heads at what he told them, as much as to sa

've been ve

on't be so

I won't, I wo

coarse old woman tapped her forehead with

your name

el

t mo

ing m

lly,' sai

y!' interrupted the poor girl. '

o take you away with her, if you like, and tell you how you must

had not spoken since he whispered to her, no

lconer-'ticing her away from her home. Everybody knows my

ed the girl, passionately

tood looking on with his eyes shining, but

won't forget to s

on't,' he

rds the woman, and snappe

she cried. 'You dare to tou

, you mustn't be r

s to nobody but she. It's she makes

in her face again, and

' said Falconer. 'She knows it will be

bade them a general good-night. When we reached the street, I was

er known it before, that women like some of th

e understood him any more

d bad amongst them as in every class. But one thing is clear to me, that no indulg

get society to agree wit

to do so upon the worst of principles. It is better that society should be cruel, t

e, Falconer went, and I went with him. I will not linger on this part of our wanderings. Where I saw only dreadful darkness, Falconer always would see some glimmer of light. All the people in

be going home, Mr. Gord

But it doesn't matter, for I

ab, I dare say, b

o tired, but that I wou

returned. 'Whe

old

e you the n

London mar

ll now,' h

ch side of the door of a public-house. They could not have been more than two and three. They were sobbing a little-not much. The

said, 'that makes me doubt wh

e him. There is not a gin-palace, or yet lower hell in London, in which a man or woman can be out of God. The

them, but all we could make out was that mammie was in there. One of them could not speak at all. F

crying at your door,

in's! they wan

know her

d very kind to the childher; but oncet she smells the dhrop o' gin, her head's gone intirely. T

king what would be best. The shrie

ake don't let her get a hould o' the darlints. Sh

which she yet sought a defiant expression. Her head was uncovered, and her hair flying in tangles; her sleeves were torn, and her gaunt arms looked awful in the

the elder of the child

ild. The woman gave a howl and rushed towards the other. I caught up that one. With a last shriek

in his arms, and carried it into the house. The face

ried woman?' F

r,' the Irishwoman answered. '

ow where s

ot far off, though. T

, and we could get nothing out of them

he spoke, he took the eldest in his arms. Then, turning to the woman, he gave her a card, sayin

raversing a few streets, we found a cab, and

There we stood in the middle of the night, in a silent, empty square, each with a child in his arms. In a few minute

ies, Miss St. John,' said F

swered, and turned to lead

, and went straight to the cupboard, whence she brought a sponge

he said, smiling, as if she rejoiced in the idea of taming the little wild angelets. 'Don't you stop.

the door, when

orgetting. Could you go down to No. 13

Quite

plain, pock-marked young gir

shall

shall be in. Don't go ti

leave with

an to be the matron o

gave a li

ylum. It is a

the l

Bloomsbury to Belgravia, because it is easier to do no

e do with tho

wash them and p

after

ad and milk in

after

. We'll see. There's onl

is t

hem out

llowed, I

ety, then?' I a

word. And certainly no other

re you,

anything, so long

e is some affectation

e belongs to you

im to no epithe

urch, if you

your cle

bod

do yo

whe

your rul

ave n

kes you

ne Se

you mean

hing you have

s your

st Je

you believe

st-better than any belief about him-the greatest-or

ou manage

itting

t unders

relations with each other naturally, through one attractive force-love for hum

have some rule

ose that are most in earnest, draw most together; those that are on the outskirts have only to

o are t

twenty others-and a great many more I don't know, for every one

t stops you dr

d body, left behind to simulate life, and corrupt, and work no end of disease. We go to ashes at once, and l

won't la

ughtn't to

f the world cou

can and will send out more and better labourers into his harvest

urch must be other

et: I said we were a c

g to the Chur

ons, our obligations to her are infinite. And to leave her would be to quarrel, and start a thousand vermicu

the Church of En

at is constituted just like ours, with th

take me fo

N

you no

ot speak a word to gain you. I have shown you wo

ting very weary in body, and indeed in mind, though I h

Forgive my presumption, but you seemed to seek acquainta

answered in the words o

t that his

man that mu

y tale I

and left me. Weary as I was, I stood in the st