Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. VVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. V
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
"I don't understand you. Go on before! I will give you more money
than you ever had in your life."
Jo screws up his mouth into a whistle, gives his ragged head a rub,
takes his broom under his arm, and leads the way; passing deftly,
with his bare feet, over the hard stones, and through the mud and
mire.
Cook's Court. Jo stops. A pause.
"Who lives here?"
"Him wot give him his writing, and give me half a bull," says Jo in
a whisper, without looking over his shoulder.
"Go on to the next."
Krook's house. Jo stops again. A longer pause.
"Who lives here!"
"_He_ lived here," Jo answers as before.
After a silence, he is asked "In which room?"
"In the back room up there. You can see the winder from this corner.
Up there! That's where I see him stritched out. This is the public
ouse where I was took to."
"Go on to the next!"
It is a longer walk to the next; but, Jo relieved of his first
suspicions, sticks to the terms imposed upon him, and does not look
round. By many devious ways, reeking with offense of many kinds,
they come to the little tunnel of a court, and to the gas-lamp
(lighted now), and to the iron gate.
"He was put there," says Jo, holding to the bars and looking in.
"Where? O, what a scene of horror!"
"There!" says Jo, pointing. "Over yinder. Among them piles of bones,
and close to that there kitchin winder! They put him very nigh the
top. They was obliged to stamp upon it to git it in. I could unkiver
it for you, with my broom, if the gate was open. That's why they
locks it, I s'pose," giving it a shake. "It's always locked. Look at
the rat!" cries Jo, excited. "Hi! Look! There he goes! Ho! Into the
ground!"
The servant shrinks into a corner--into a corner of that hideous
archway, with its deadly stains contaminating her dress; and putting
out her two hands, and passionately telling him to keep away from
her, for he is loathsome to her, so remains for some moments. Jo
stands staring, and is still staring when she recovers herself.
[Illustration: CONSECRATED GROUND.]
"Is this place of abomination, consecrated ground?"
"I don't know nothink of consequential ground," says Jo, still
staring.
"Is it blessed?"
"WHICH?" says Jo, in the last degree amazed.
"Is it blessed?"
"I'm blest if I know," says Jo, staring more than ever; "but I
shouldn't think it warn't. Blest?" repeats Jo, something troubled in
his mind. "It an't done it much good if it is. Blest? I should think
it was t'othered myself. But _I_ don't know nothink!"
The servant takes as little heed of what he says, as she seems to
take of what she has said herself. She draws off her glove, to get
some money from her purse. Jo silently notices how white and small
her hand is, and what a jolly servant she must be to wear such
sparkling rings.
She drops a piece of money in his hand, without touching it, and
shuddering as their hands approach. "Now," she adds, "show me the
spot again!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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