WORKERS IN DAWN (Victorian fiction : Novels of faith and doubt)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1880. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIII. EMANCIPATION. The journey home that night, as Mr. "Whiffle had suggested, was travelled in the company of the divinity student, who, as soon as he had succeeded in vanquishing to some degree his awkward bashfulness, entertained the young ladies with descriptions of sundry adventures which he had at various times experienced in the company of congenial spirits, always denominated as "fellows." Maud listened with a well-affected interest, partly because she was in reality amused by the character being displayed before her, partly because Maud always paid deference to the convenances, and would not even have appeared rude to a chimney-sweep. Helen sat with her veil lowered, in absolute silence. She was unwilling to betray the disgust which she felt, but at the same time quite incapable of affecting an interest which she did not feel. "I say, Miss Norman," exclaimed Augustus, at one point in the conversation, or rather monologue, "it seems an awful time since we used to know each other so well, don't it?" VOL. I. W "It does indeed seem a long time since I left Blooniford," replied Helen. The quiet, ladylike tone of her voice, having nothing in the least childish about it, somewhat repressed the young man's conversational ardour. He gnawed the top of his cane for a moment, then renewed the attack. "I say, Miss Norman, you remember the old parrot and the cat we used to laugh at?" "Very well," replied Helen. "The parrot still lives. I have brought her back to London with me." "I say, now! Think of that! It 'ud puzzle a fellow's brains now to calculate that old beast's age; wouldn't it, Miss Norman?" "The bird must be very old." "I say, Miss Norman," pursued the undaunted Augustus, after a little more gnawing of his cane, "do you remember that rum...