Sketches by Boz - Penn State University

Sketches by Bozcandles that here and there twinkled in the rooms of ‘Is that you, father?’ said the girl.such of the more fortunate residents as could afford to ‘Who else should it be?’ replied the man gruffly. ‘Whatindulge in so expensive a luxury. A gutter ran down the are you trembling at? It’s little enough that I’ve had tocentre of the alley—all the sluggish odours of which drink to-day, for there’s no drink without money, andhad been called forth by the rain; and as the wind no money without work. What the devil’s the matterwhistled through the old houses, the doors and shutterscreaked upon their hinges, and the windows shook ‘I am not well, father—not at all well,’ said the girl,with the girl?’in their frames, with a violence which every moment bursting into tears.seemed to threaten the destruction of the whole place. ‘Ah!’ replied the man, in the tone of a person who isThe man whom we have followed into this den, walked compelled to admit a very unpleasant fact, to which heon in the darkness, sometimes stumbling into the main would rather remain blind, if he could. ‘You must getgutter, and at others into some branch repositories of better somehow, for we must have money. You must gogarbage which had been formed by the rain, until he to the parish doctor, and make him give you some medicine.They’re paid for it, damn ‘em. What are you stand-reached the last house in the court. The door, or ratherwhat was left of it, stood ajar, for the convenience of ing before the door for? Let me come in, can’t you?’the numerous lodgers; and he proceeded to grope his ‘Father,’ whispered the girl, shutting the door behindway up the old and broken stair, to the attic story. her, and placing herself before it, ‘William has come back.’He was within a step or two of his room door, when it ‘Who!’ said the man with a start.opened, and a girl, whose miserable and emaciated appearancewas only to be equalled by that of the candle ‘And what does he want?’ said the man, with an effort‘Hush,’ replied the girl, ‘William; brother William.’which she shaded with her hand, peeped anxiously out. at composure— ‘money? meat? drink? He’s come to the506