[A Rogue’s Life by Wilkie Collins]@TWC D-Link book
A Rogue’s Life

CHAPTER VI
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The salary is fifty pounds a year, with apartments on the attic-floor of the building.
The duties are various, and will be explained to you by the local committee, if you choose to present yourself to them with the inclosed letter of introduction.

After the unscrupulous manner in which you have imposed on my liberality by deceiving me into giving you fifty pounds for an audacious caricature of myself, which it is impossible to hang up in any room of the house, I think this instance of my forgiving disposition still to befriend you, after all that has happened, ought to appeal to any better feelings that you may still have left, and revive the long dormant emotions of repentance and self-reproach, when you think on your obedient servant, "DANIEL BATTERBURY." Bless me! What A long-winded style, and what a fuss about fifty pounds a year, and a bed in an attic! These were naturally the first emotions which Mr.Batterbury's letter produced in me.

What was his real motive for writing it?
I hope nobody will do me so great an injustice as to suppose that I hesitated for one instant about the way of finding _that_ out.

Of course I started off directly to inquire if Lady Malkinshaw had had another narrow escape of dying before me.
"Much better, sir," answered my grandmother's venerable butler, wiping his lips carefully before he spoke; "her ladyship's health has been much improved since her accident." "Accident!" I exclaimed.

"What, another?
Lately?
Stairs again ?" "No, sir; the drawing-room window this time," answered the butler, with semi-tipsy gravity.


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