A curse on you! You
who have five senses may be wicked at your pleasure; we who have four,
and want the most important, are to live and be moral on our affliction.
The true charity and justice of rich to poor, all the world over!'
He paused a moment when he had said these words, and caught the sound of
money, jingling in her hand.
'Well?' he cried, quickly resuming his former manner. 'That should lead
to something. The point, widow?'
'First answer me one question,' she replied. 'You say he is close at
hand. Has he left London?'
'Being close at hand, widow, it would seem he has,' returned the blind
man.
'I mean, for good? You know that.'
'Yes, for good. The truth is, widow, that his making a longer stay there
might have had disagreeable consequences. He has come away for that
reason.'
'Listen,' said the widow, telling some money out, upon a bench beside
them. 'Count.'
'Six,' said the blind man, listening attentively. 'Any more?'
'They are the savings,' she answered, 'of five years. Six guineas.'
He put out his hand for one of the coins; felt it carefully, put it
between his teeth, rung it on the bench; and nodded to her to proceed.
'These have been scraped together and laid by, lest sickness or death
should separate my son and me.
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