"Well," I continued, "we will talk of this by and by. I am determined to make a strict enquiry, for your own sakes as well as my own. But you are starving now, it seems, and I sha'n't enquire whether you deserve a loaf of bread. Here," said I, giving, them a sovereign, "get something to eat, for God's sake, and put a little colour, if you can, into those little faces when they wake again." The man started suddenly from his chair, and walked quickly to the window. His wife followed him, alarmed, and took the infant from his arms, whilst he himself pressed his hand to his heart, as though he would prevent its bursting. His face grew deathly pale. The female watched him earnestly, and the hitherto silent and morose man, convulsed by excess of feeling, quivered in every limb, whilst he said with difficulty-- "Anna, I shall die--I am suffocated--air--air--my heart beats like a hammer." I threw the window open, and the man drooped on the sill, and wept fearfully. "What does this mean?" I asked, speaking in a low tone to the wife. "Your sudden kindness, sir. He is not able to bear it. He is proof against cruelty and persecution--he has grown reckless to them, but constant illness has made him so weak, that any thing unusual quite overcomes him." "Well, there, take the money, and get some food as quickly as you can. I will not wait to distress him now. I will call again to-morrow; he will be quieter then, and we'll see what can be done for you. Those children must be cold. Have you no blankets?" "None, sir. We have nothing in the world. What, you see here, even to the straw, belongs, to the landlord of the house, who has been charitable enough to give us shelter." "Well, never mind--don't despond--don't give way--keep the poor fellow's sprits up. Here's another crown. Let him have a glass of wine, it will strengthen him; and do you take a glass too. I shall see you again to-morrow. There, good-by." And, fool and woman that I was, on I went, and stood for some minutes, ashamed of myself, in the passage below, because, forsooth, I had been talking and exciting myself until my eyes had filled uncomfortably with water. It was impossible for me to go to sleep again until I had purchased blankets for these people, and so I resolved at once to get them. I was leaving the house for that purpose, when a porter with a bundle entered it. "Whom do you want, my man?" said I. "One Warton, sir", said he. "Top of the house," said I again--"back room--to the right. What have you got there?" "Some sheets and blankets, sir." "From whom?" "My master sir, here's his card."