Lucy (Chapter_18)

From this time, all Lucy's comfort was gone; studiously confined herself to her own room, and altho Miss Blyth's company was very disagreeable to her, she encouraged her coming up stairs, by sewing for her, assisting her to dress and in every way seeking to oblige her, and when the family were out, she kept her door constantly locked. Hetty was equally vigilant on her side, so that Capt. Day found it impossible to gain access to the nursery.--When Lucy went into the kitchen, she soon perceived by the increased familiarity and impertinence of the servants, that however well Hetty had kept her secret from the ladies, that she had betrayed it to her fellow servants. Hints of the most offensive kind, were continually thrown out, and she soon saw that it was to the fear of losing her place, rather than to honesty, that they attributed her resistance. rest of lines on page crossed out

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From the impertence of the servants, the wretched Lucy retreated to her solitary chamber, now became an absolute prison. Here, harrassed with new terrors, and humiliations and distresses she knew not what to do; whether to turn for rest or safety. One day, the loud and repeated ringings of the door bell and the sound of carriage after carriage driving to the door, awaken'd her ---------------------------?

carriage after carriage driving to the door, awaken'd her curiosity, and she went to the front window to see what could be the cause of such a bustle, for in addition she heard the running to and fro of servants and ringing of the parlour bell. On looking out of the window she saw six or seven hackney-coaches standing before the door. She could not imagine the reason, when presently afterwards, Hetty came up, exclaiming as she entered. "Here's a fine to do to be sure!" "Why what is the matter?" said Lucy "Matter enough, and more than enough--why them rascally hack drivers have the impudence to drive up here to our door and declares they'll not stir an inch till the Captain pays them, and its going on two hundred dollars that his owing 'em, and where's the two hundred dollars to come from, when to my belief the poor Captain has'nt two hundred cents!" "How can that possibly be," said Lucy, when he and his lady dress so fine and go out so much and have such grand entertainments at home--How could be do all this without

money? "Oh thats a secret, more gentlemen then him, knows very well. Thereis nothing easier in the world, why it is all along of their living in such style, that they can make out to do it, because it makes the tradesmen and shop keepers think they're rich in reality and so do you see, they credits them, and one can get just what they please in Washington for credit. but now as the poor Madam says, that sits there most crying her eyes out, now that those impudent hack-drivers comes and makes such an out any, every body that they owes any thing to, will hear of it and will all take the alarm and come in a body en'em." "And what will be done?" "Dear heart, I can't tell, but they've sent off for the Captain ----------?----------

Captain. and Mrs Day sent me out with some whiskey to pacify 'em--but no not they, not a drop would they touch money, money, they said they wanted and nothing else would they take--then she made me tear up some old cambrick into hat bands and take it out and ask em just to be so good as to tie it round their hats, so folks as they passed by might think it was a funeral--But dear heart this made them worse yet--how they did swear and curse and said it would be arrant wickedness to be making sham funerals, and if the Captain and his Lady chose to cheat people, it was more than they would do.--but theres the Captain's voice--I hear him storming, I'll run and see how he settles matters." and away she ran. It was not until the evening, that Hetty returned to tell Lucy how the Captain got out of his difficulty. "Well to be sure its a fine thing to have friends--a friend in needs, a friend indeed, they say, and sure the Captain found it so today. He was in a dreadful takin when he came home and wanted his wife to give up her pearl necklace, but when the truth came out, it wasn't hers as a body might say, for she had never paid for it, and the jeweller kept his right to it, only letting her wear