want of food,
God knows, and wish but to purchase shelter. What companion have you
below?'

'None.'

'Then fasten your grate there, and show me the way. Quick!'

The blind man complied after a moment's hesitation, and they descended
together. The dialogue had passed as hurriedly as the words could be
spoken, and they stood in his wretched room before he had had time to
recover from his first surprise.

'May I see where that door leads to, and what is beyond?' said the man,
glancing keenly round. 'You will not mind that?'

'I will show you myself. Follow me, or go before. Take your choice.'

He bade him lead the way, and, by the light of the torch which his
conductor held up for the purpose, inspected all three cellars narrowly.
Assured that the blind man had spoken truth, and that he lived there
alone, the visitor returned with him to the first, in which a fire was
burning, and flung himself with a deep groan upon the ground before it.

His host pursued his usual occupation without seeming to heed him any
further. But directly he fell asleep--and he noted his falling into a
slumber, as readily as the keenest-sighted man could have done--he knelt
down beside him, and passed his hand lightly but carefully over his face
and person.

His sleep was checkered with starts and moans, and sometimes with a
muttered word or two. His hands were clenched, his brow bent, and his
mouth firmly set. All this, the blind man accurately marked; and as if
his curiosity were strongly awakened, and he had already some inkling
of his mystery, he sat watching him, if the expression may be used, and
listening, until it was broad day.

Chapter 19

Dolly Varden's pretty little head was yet bewildered by various
recollections of the party, and her bright eyes were yet dazzled by a
crowd of images, dancing before them like motes in the sunbeams, among
which the effigy of one partner in particular did especially figure, the
same being a young coachmaker (a master in his own right) who had given
her to understand, when he handed her into the chair at parting, that
it was his fixed resolve to neglect his business from that time, and die
slowly for the love of her--Dolly's head, and eyes, and thoughts, and
seven senses, were all in a state of flutter and confusion for which the
party was accountable, although it was now three days old, when, as
she was sitting listlessly at breakfast, reading all manner of fortunes
(that is to say, o