Poor Miss Finch by Wilkie Collins
page 34 of 593 (05%)
page 34 of 593 (05%)
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"Where did they go to, when they got here?" "To the Cross-Hands--the little public-house in the village. The landlord told Zillah he was perfectly astonished at the resemblance between them. It was impossible to know which was which--it was wonderful, even for twins. They arrived early in the day, when the tap-room was empty; and they had a long talk together in private. At the end of it, they rang for the landlord, and asked if he had a bed-room to let in the house. You must have seen for yourself that The Cross-Hands is a mere beer-shop. The landlord had a room that he could spare--a wretched place, not fit for a gentleman to sleep in. One of the brothers took the room for all that." "What became of the other brother?" "He went away the same day--very unwillingly. The parting between them was most affecting. The brother who spoke to us to-night insisted on it--or the other would have refused to leave him. They both shed tears----" "They did worse than that," said old Zillah, re-entering the room at the moment. "I have made all the doors and windows fast, downstairs; he can't get in now, my dear, if he tries." "What did they do that was worse than crying?" I inquired. "Kissed each other!" said Zillah, with a look of profound disgust. "Two men! Foreigners, of course." "Our man is no foreigner," I said. "Did they give themselves a name?" |
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