Page:Adventures of Susan Hopley (Volume 1).pdf/136

Rh ma'am," answered Susan; "and very good ones; and six months ago I never expected to be as badly off as I am now, or to be obliged to look further for a home; but a circumstance happened that threw a suspicion on one of my family, and since that I found people began to look coldly on me."

"Ah," said she, "that's the way of the world; at least, towards the poor," and then she fell into thought and was silent.

As soon as breakfast was over, she put on her bonnet and shawl, and they set off towards Parliament Street, leading the child between them, who, pretty soul, went skipping and prattling along as gay as the morning.

They had walked some distance, and had reached the neighbourhood of Soho, when in passing through a narrow shabby street, Julia requested Susan to take charge of the child a moment whilst she called at a shop, and presently she turned into one that, by the watches and trinkets in the window, Susan concluded was a jeweller's; but a longer acquaintance with London life would have taught her to recognise it as a pawnbroker's. She had a small parcel in her hand when she went but she came out without it; and after walking a few steps, she