The Magician's Show Box, and Other Stories Part 9

SARAH. Only a fence, Catharine, you know.

CATHARINE. You never stole a watch, or picked a pocket, or took a drink or two. O, no! How very young we are! Well, stay with us a while, and you'll soon be old. We can give you the best instructors.

EDWARD, (_entering._) Where is she? Here, among these women!

Edith, look up. I have come to take you home.

EDITH. Home! O Edward, I have heard such things!

EDWARD. Never mind the things; come quick as you can. Mother is in the greatest distress.

EDITH. Is Lisa there?

EDWARD. No, we sent her off, fast enough. I met her in the road looking for the jail and her mother.

EDITH. And you showed her the way?

EDWARD. No, I left her there; I was in haste to find you. I would not have any one know you are here for the world; the whole village would be talking about it to-morrow.

EDITH. Edward, I will not stir from this place until you bring Lisa here. If you knew to what dangers she is exposed, you would not have left her.

EDWARD. Are the bears coming to eat her? What dangers are you talking about?

EDITH. I cannot tell you now. Go--will you not? and bring her. She must not be left with these wretched people; she must not be taught to be wicked. She must go, with us, and be taken care of.

EDWARD. But let me carry you home first.

EDITH. No, Edward; I will not go until Lisa goes with me.

EDWARD. How obstinate you have become, all of a sudden! But I suppose I must go; I shall find her somewhere, crying, in the road. Hide yourself away; pray do not let any one see you. (_Goes out._)

EDITH. Hide! I should like to hide a thousand miles under the ground. Is this the beautiful world I have dreamed so much about? It cannot be--such things cannot be true! Yes, I see them written on the faces of these women--how dreadful they are! O, what can we do?

SARAH. How could you talk to her so, Catharine? See how you have made her feel.

CATHARINE. She'll get used to it soon; that's the way with us all at first. She'll harden to it.

SARAH. It makes me almost cry to see her. Poor child! It was just so with me once; but that's all over now.

EDITH. You are not so bad as you seem. There is something good in you.

SARAH. Once there was.

EDITH. And is now. I am sure you would be good if you could come out, and live where people would love you, and be kind to you.

SARAH. That can never be.

EDITH. O, yes. You shall come and let me take care of you; I am not so poor as I seem. My mother is rich, and you shall come and live in one of her houses, and have books to read, and a little garden, and every thing pleasant.

SARAH. Your mother will never let me come. She will tell you, you must not speak to me, and send me away if I go near her.

EDITH. No, she will not. I will tell her the temptations you are led into; she knows nothing about it now. When she does, she will do all she can for you.

SARAH. O, if it might be so!

EDITH. And you too; I can forgive you, although you have made me so unhappy. I do not believe you are entirely wicked.

CATHARINE. I am wicked enough. Let me alone.

EDITH. But have you no one in the world who loves you--no mother, no sister, or brother?

CATHARINE. I have a child. I shall never see her again!

EDITH. Never see her again! Why not?

CATHARINE. I sent her away from me; I do not want her to lead the life I lead.

EDITH. But if you could lead a good life,--if she could be with you all day, and love you, and sleep all night with her little arms round you,--then should you not be happy?

CATHARINE. And scorn me, and jeer at me, as all the others do.

EDITH. But she will not; she will call you her own mother, and love you dearly. You will become good, and she will never know you have done wrong. Will you not come?

CATHARINE. O, yes, I will, I will!

_Enter LISA and EDWARD._

EDITH. I am so glad you are found, Lisa; now you shall go home with me.

LISA. O, no; my mother is in prison; I must go to her--she'll want me so much. Do let me go.

EDITH. Edward, we must carry her there before we go home.

EDWARD. It will be useless; we cannot get into the jail at this hour of the evening.

EDITH. To-morrow, Lisa, early in the morning.

LISA. It is so long till then!

EDITH. Tell me your names before I go. "Catharine Hall." "Sarah Munn." "You will not forget."

CATHARINE. And my child--you will not forget her.

EDITH. I will remember you all, and come to-morrow. Good night.

_She holds out her hand; CATHARINE draws back, then takes it. SARAH kisses it._

SCENE 6. _Garden, as before. MRS. LANDOR, EDITH, f.a.n.n.y, LISA, EDWARD, and Children._