[Eve’s Ransom by George Gissing]@TWC D-Link book
Eve’s Ransom

CHAPTER IV
19/20

He was not quite sure that he desired to know Miss Madeley's address.
But later in the evening, when, after walking for two or three hours about the cold, dark roads, he came in to have his supper and go to bed, Mrs.Brewer smilingly offered him a scrap of paper.
"There," she said, "that's where she's living.

London's a big place, and you mayn't be anywhere near, but if you happened to walk that way, we should take it kindly if you'd just leave word that we're always glad to hear from her, and hope she's well." With a mixture of reluctance and satisfaction the young man took the paper, glanced at it, and folded it to put in his pocket.

Mrs.Brewer was regarding him, and he felt that his silence must seem ungracious.
"I will certainly call and leave your message," he said.
Up in his bed-room lie sat for a long time with the paper lying open before him.

And when he slept his rest was troubled with dreams of an anxious search about the highways and byways of London for that half-sad, half-smiling face which had so wrought upon his imagination.
Long before daylight he awoke at the sound of bells, and hootings, and whistlings, which summoned the Dudley workfolk to their labour.

For the first time in his life he heard these hideous noises with pleasure: they told him that the day of his escape had come.


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