The Midnight Queen [69]
of ugliness you ever saw or heard of, Sir
Norman Kingsley, do tell me if there ever was one of them half so
repulsive or disgusting as that thing?"
"Really," said Sir Norman, in a subdued tone, "he is not the most
prepossessing little man in the world; but, madame, you do look
and speak in a manner quite dreadful. Do let me prevail on you
to calm yourself, and tell me your story, as you promised."
"Calm myself!" repeated the gentle lady, in a tone half snappish,
half harsh, "do you think I am made of iron, to tell you my story
and be calm? I hate him! I hate him! I would kill him if I
could: and if you, Sir Norman, are half the man I take you to be,
you will rid the world of the horrible monster before morning
dawns!"
"My dear lady, you seem to forget that the case is reversed, and
that he is going to rid the world of me,", said Sir Norman, with
a sigh.
"No, not if you do as I tell you; and when I have told you how
much cause I have to abhor him, you will agree with me that
killing him will be no murder! Oh, if there is One above who
rules this world, and will judge us all, why, why does He permit
such monsters to live?"
"Because He is more merciful than his creatures," replied Sir
Norman, with calm reverence, - though His avenging hand is heavy
on this doomed city. But, madame, time is on the wing, and the
headsman will be here before your story is told."
"Ah, that story! How am I to tell it, I wonder, two words will
comprise it all - sin and misery - misery and sin! For, buried
alive here, as I am - buried alive, as I've always been - I know
what both words mean; they have been branded on heart and brain
in letters of fire. And that horrible monstrosity is the cause
of all - that loathsome, misshapen, hideous abortion has banned
and cursed my whole life! He is my first recollection. As far
back as I can look through the dim eye of childhood's years, that
horrible face, that gnarled and twisted trunk, those devilish
eyes glare at me like the eyes and face of a wild beast. As
memory grows stronger and more vivid, I can see that same face
still - the dwarf! the dwarf! the dwarf! - Satan's true
representative on earth, darkening and blighting ever passing
year. I do not know where we lived, but I imagine it to have
been one of the vilest and lowest dens in London, though the
rooms I occupied were, for that matter, decent and orderly
enough. Those rooms the daylight never entered, the windows were
boarded up within, and fastened by shutters without, so that of
the world beyond I was as ignorant as a child of two hours old.
I saw but two human faces, his" - she seemed to hate him too much
even to pronounce his name - "and his housekeeper's, a creature
almost as vile as himself, and who is now a servant here; and
with this precious pair to guard me I grew up to be fifteen years
old. My outer life consisted of eating, sleeping, reading - for
the wretch taught me to read - playing with my dogs and birds,
and listening to old Margery's stories. But there was an inward
life, fierce and strong, as it was rank and morbid, lived and
brooded over alone, when Margery and her master fancied me
sleeping in idiotic content. How were they to know that the
creature they had reared and made ever had a thought of her own -
ever wondered who she was, where she came from, what she was
destined to be, and what lay in the great world beyond? The
crooked little monster made a great mistake in teaching me to
read, he should have known that books sow seed that grow up and
flourish tall and green, till they become giants in strength. I
knew enough to be certain there was a bright and glad world
without, from which they shut me in and debarred me; and I knew
enough to hate them both for it, with a strong and heartfelt
hatred, only second to what I feel now."
She stopped for a moment, and fixed her dark, gloomy eyes
Norman Kingsley, do tell me if there ever was one of them half so
repulsive or disgusting as that thing?"
"Really," said Sir Norman, in a subdued tone, "he is not the most
prepossessing little man in the world; but, madame, you do look
and speak in a manner quite dreadful. Do let me prevail on you
to calm yourself, and tell me your story, as you promised."
"Calm myself!" repeated the gentle lady, in a tone half snappish,
half harsh, "do you think I am made of iron, to tell you my story
and be calm? I hate him! I hate him! I would kill him if I
could: and if you, Sir Norman, are half the man I take you to be,
you will rid the world of the horrible monster before morning
dawns!"
"My dear lady, you seem to forget that the case is reversed, and
that he is going to rid the world of me,", said Sir Norman, with
a sigh.
"No, not if you do as I tell you; and when I have told you how
much cause I have to abhor him, you will agree with me that
killing him will be no murder! Oh, if there is One above who
rules this world, and will judge us all, why, why does He permit
such monsters to live?"
"Because He is more merciful than his creatures," replied Sir
Norman, with calm reverence, - though His avenging hand is heavy
on this doomed city. But, madame, time is on the wing, and the
headsman will be here before your story is told."
"Ah, that story! How am I to tell it, I wonder, two words will
comprise it all - sin and misery - misery and sin! For, buried
alive here, as I am - buried alive, as I've always been - I know
what both words mean; they have been branded on heart and brain
in letters of fire. And that horrible monstrosity is the cause
of all - that loathsome, misshapen, hideous abortion has banned
and cursed my whole life! He is my first recollection. As far
back as I can look through the dim eye of childhood's years, that
horrible face, that gnarled and twisted trunk, those devilish
eyes glare at me like the eyes and face of a wild beast. As
memory grows stronger and more vivid, I can see that same face
still - the dwarf! the dwarf! the dwarf! - Satan's true
representative on earth, darkening and blighting ever passing
year. I do not know where we lived, but I imagine it to have
been one of the vilest and lowest dens in London, though the
rooms I occupied were, for that matter, decent and orderly
enough. Those rooms the daylight never entered, the windows were
boarded up within, and fastened by shutters without, so that of
the world beyond I was as ignorant as a child of two hours old.
I saw but two human faces, his" - she seemed to hate him too much
even to pronounce his name - "and his housekeeper's, a creature
almost as vile as himself, and who is now a servant here; and
with this precious pair to guard me I grew up to be fifteen years
old. My outer life consisted of eating, sleeping, reading - for
the wretch taught me to read - playing with my dogs and birds,
and listening to old Margery's stories. But there was an inward
life, fierce and strong, as it was rank and morbid, lived and
brooded over alone, when Margery and her master fancied me
sleeping in idiotic content. How were they to know that the
creature they had reared and made ever had a thought of her own -
ever wondered who she was, where she came from, what she was
destined to be, and what lay in the great world beyond? The
crooked little monster made a great mistake in teaching me to
read, he should have known that books sow seed that grow up and
flourish tall and green, till they become giants in strength. I
knew enough to be certain there was a bright and glad world
without, from which they shut me in and debarred me; and I knew
enough to hate them both for it, with a strong and heartfelt
hatred, only second to what I feel now."
She stopped for a moment, and fixed her dark, gloomy eyes