5

Just then the man who had been sent to look for the spoon
enter'd, declaring he could not find it. Upon this his mistress
flew into a perfect rage--declar'd she would have them all
soundly whipped; when turning all at once on poor Becky
["Who knows but you may have stolen it," cried she, "Beggars
are generaly thieves," and catching her by the arm, shook her
violently, to try if the spoon would fall from her clothes.
Becky quickly extricated herself from her grasp, and losing
all her timidity and respect, in the indignation of insulted honesty,
["Thief madam!" said she--"I am no more a thief than
you are, and as for beggar, I had rather be a beggar than
such a hard-hearted woman as you are--So let me go
I tell you; Thanks God, I am no slave of yours, and if you go
for to strike me, who am as free as your own proud self,
I'll have the law of you so I will!" [This was past bearing,
the enraged lady thrust poor Becky out of the room, slamb'd
the door on her, and told her, if she darken'd her door, another
minute, she would send a Constable after her.--
It was after her return from this worse than useless
expedition, that Richard on his going home, found
Becky, sulking and out of humour--He himself, was not in a
much better plight, for not one cent had he been paid
for his days hard work. Lucy was laying
in a kind of stupour; the children had gone supperless to
bed; Becky was moping in the chimney corner, when Richard
came in with a bundle of faggots, part of which he put on
the fire, then hanging up his cap, he drew his seat near to
dry his feet. ["And whats the matter now, Mammy," said he
"whats put you so out of humour tonight?" ["Matter enough,"
replied she--"more than any christian soul, can put up with--
[It must be a weighty matter indeed then, so do lets hear it"
["To be call'd a thief!--did you ever know as how your wife
was a thief?" ["And who call'd you so?" ["Oh some of your
grand quality, that you speak up so for--Just becase, I axed
for a little help for that poor dying soul there--to be treated