A governess, I decided: for her dress, though neat, and even elegant,
was by no means costly; moreover, there was an expression of settled
melancholy about her features, and further, she carried a roll, which
looked like music, in her hand. In less time than it has taken me to
write this paragraph, I had settled all about her to my own
satisfaction.
Father bankrupt. Mother delicate. Young brothers and sisters, probably,
all crying aloud for the pittance she was able to earn by giving lessons
at so much an hour.
She had not been long at her present occupation, I felt satisfied,
for she was evidently unaccustomed to being out in the streets alone
on a wet day.
I would have offered to see her across the road, but for two reasons:
one, because I felt shy about proffering my services; the other, because
I was exceedingly doubtful whether I might not give offence by speaking.
After the fashion of so many of her sex, she made about half a dozen
false starts, advancing as some friendly cabby made signs for her to
venture the passage, retreating as she caught sight of some coming
vehicle still yards distant.
At last, imagining the way clear, she made a sudden rush, and had just
got well off the curb, when a mail phaeton turned the corner, and in one
second she was down in the middle of the road, and I struggling with the
horses and swearing at the driver, who, in his turn, very heartily
anathematized me.
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