her hand flew open it seemed that a couple of poor families lived in this for two women each among children of her own occupied different portions of the room in the centre stood a grave gentleman in black who appeared to have just entered and who held by the arm a boy here woman he said here s your deaf and dumb son you may thank me for restoring him to you he was brought before me this morning charged with and with any other boy it would have gone hard i assure you but as i had compassion on his and thought he might have learnt no better i have managed to bring him back to you take more care of him for the and won t you give me back my son said the other woman hastily rising and him won t you give me back my son sir who was transported for the same was he deaf and dumb woman asked the gentleman sternly was he not sir you know he was not he was cried the woman he was deaf dumb and blind to all that was good and right from his cradle her boy may have learnt no better where did mine learn better where could he who was there to teach him better or where was it to be learnt peace woman said the gentleman your boy was in possession of all his senses he was cried the mother and he was the more easy to be led astray because he had them if you save this boy because he may not know right from wrong why did you not save mine who was never taught the you gentlemen have as good a right to punish her boy that god has kept in ignorance of sound and speech a a a i the old shop mine you kept in ignorance how many o the girls and boys � ah men and women too � are brought before you and you don t are deaf and dumb in their minds and go wrong in that state and are punished in that state body and soul while you gentlemen are quarrelling among yourselves whether they ought to learn this or that � be a just man sir and give me back my son you are desperate said the gentleman taking out his snuff box and i am sorry for you i am desperate returned the woman and you have made me give me back my son to work for these helpless children be a just man sir and as you have had mercy upon this boy give me back my son the child had seen and heard enough to know that this was not a place at which to ask for she led the old man softly from the door and they pursued their journey with less and less of hope or strength as they went on but with an resolution not to betray by any word or sign her sinking state so long as she had energy to move the child throughout the remainder of that hard day compelled herself to proceed not even stopping to rest as frequently as usual to in some measure for the pace at which she was obliged to walk evening was drawing on but had not closed in when � still travelling among the same dismal objects � they came to a busy town faint and as they were its streets were after humbly asking for relief at some few doors and being they agreed to make their way out of it as speedily as they could and try if the inmates of any lone house beyond would have more pity on their exhausted state they were dragging themselves along through the last street and the child felt that the time was close at hand when her powers would bear no more there appeared before them at this juncture going in the same direction as themselves a traveller on foot who with a to his back leaned upon a stout stick as he walked and read from a book which he held in his other hand it was not an easy matter to come up with him and his aid for he walked fast and was a little distance in at length he stopped k ot i ti the old curiosity shop in his book animated with a ray of hope the child shot on before her grandfather and going dose to the stranger without rousing him by the sound of her footsteps began in a few faint words to his help he turned his head the clapped h hands together uttered a wild shriek and senseless at his feet thb u shop chapter it the poor no other than the poor scarcely less moved and surprised by the sight of the child than she had been on him he stood for a moment silent and confounded by this unexpected apparition without even the presence of mind to raise her m the ground but quickly recovering his self possession he threw down his stick and book and dropping on one knee beside her endeavoured by such simple means a� occurred to him to restore her to herself while her grandfather standing by wrung his hands and implored her with many to speak to him were it only a word she is quite exhausted said the glancing upward into his face you have her powers too far friend she is of want rejoined the old man i never thought how weak and ill she was till now casting a look upon him half and half compassionate the took the child in his arms and bidding the old man gather up her little basket and follow him directly bore her away at his utmost speed there was a small inn within sight to which it would seem he had been directing his steps when so unexpectedly overtaken towards this place 