Alone on a Wide Wide Sea, Vol. 2 (of 3)Russell, William Clark
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Alone on a Wide Wide Sea, Vol. 2 (of 3)
Russell, William Clark
English fiction -- 19th century; Sea stories
‘I am astonished,’ said Mrs. Lee, ‘that you should be able to remember
all these circumstances, whilst you cannot recollect anything that
happened before.’
‘But does not that mean that there will be something for me to work
upon?’ said Miss Lee.
Her mother arose and, coming to my side, gently laid her hand upon my
arm, and, looking into my face, said, ‘Alice and I know that there must
be many things which you stand in need of. It could not be otherwise.
Were you a princess it would be the same. You and my daughter are about
of the same figure; you, perhaps, are a little stouter.’ She again
caught her breath to arrest a sigh. ‘For so long a voyage as this we
naturally brought a great deal of luggage with us, and I wish you to
allow us to lend you anything that you may require.’ I thanked her.
‘Most of our luggage is in the hold,’ she continued. ‘I will ask Mrs.
Richards to get some of our boxes brought on deck, and Alice shall
select what she thinks you want. There is nothing of mine, I fear, that
would be of any use,’ and she looked down her figure with a smile.
‘But we must let others have the pleasure of helping, too, mother,’
said Miss Lee. ‘Mrs. Richards says there are several ladies who desire
to be of use.’
‘They shall lend what they like,’ said Mrs. Lee.
‘I am tiring you, Miss Lee,’ said I, rising. ‘I have made a long visit.’
‘Have you been on deck?’ said Mrs. Lee.
I answered that I had not yet been on deck.
‘Will you come with me for a little turn,’ she exclaimed. ‘I will
introduce you to some of the passengers. I know most of them now.’
‘I will accompany you with pleasure,’ said I, then faltered, and felt
some colour in my cheeks as I glanced at a looking-glass opposite.
‘You are welcome to my hat and jacket,’ said Miss Lee; ‘will you wear
them?’ she added, with a sweet look of eagerness.
I took off the cap, and put on the hat, and then the jacket; but the
jacket did not fit me--it was too tight, and it would not button.
‘Here is a warm shawl,’ said Mrs. Lee.
‘Does not Miss C---- remind you of Edith?’ exclaimed the daughter.
Mrs. Lee looked hard at me, and, opening the door, passed out.
‘You will come and see me again soon?’ said Miss Lee.
‘I will come,’ I answered, ‘as often as you care to send for me.’
When we had walked a few paces down the saloon towards the aftermost
stairs Mrs. Lee stopped, and, putting her hand on my arm, exclaimed,
‘Oh, my poor child!’ I imagined for the moment that the exclamation
referred to me. She continued: ‘She is the only one that is left to me
now. My heart breaks when I look at her. I try to be composed, and talk
lightly on indifferent matters, but the effort is often more than I
can bear. Do you think she looks very ill?’
‘She looks ill,’ I answered, ‘but not very ill.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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