“It was with much difficulty I found her out: she lived in one of those deplorable places to be met with in all great cities, where the workers of iniquity seek to hide themselves. At last, I was directed to a little room at the back of a very dirty old iron-shop. On entering, I saw a very large woman standing in the room, her arms resting on her hips, her red face and bloodshot eyes telling their own sad tale. She did not speak, but stared at me with the bold look of defiance. I said—
“‘I think your name is Alice R—?’ She replied—
“‘I should like to know what the likes of you have to do with the likes of me?’ I said—
“‘You have a daughter, I believe, named Esther?’
“‘I wonder what business that is of yours?’ she rejoined, with a terrible oath, and clenching her fist. I said—
“‘Just now, that _is_ business of mine.’ Then taking a seat, dirty as it was, by way of assuring her I was not going to be frightened from her presence, I looked steadily at her, and said quietly—‘Alice, if you had trusted me with your money to keep for you for a certain purpose, and, when you applied to me for it, you found it had been used by others, in ways never intended, what would you say to me?’
“‘Why, say you ought to look sharper after it, to be sure,’ she replied.
“I then explained what was the object of my coming to her. She did not attempt to deny what she had done; but said it was very well for the likes of me, who never knew the want of anything, to come and preach to poor folks about honesty. But still, though she kept up this kind of bravado, I saw that, as we talked on, she softened a little. I looked round the dark, dirty room, and said—
“‘Alice, this room is very dark, and perhaps you think what passes in it is little noticed; but, indeed, there is a day coming, when everything that has been done or said, or even thought here, will be brought to light, and you will have to give an account to God for it all.’
“She clasped her hands together, and said—
“‘Then that will be a dreadful day to me. I was born and brought up in the midst of curses and blows; and I have grown up to give curses and blows. You think it is quiet enough here now; but come here an hour or two later, and you would see what you never saw before. Why, bless you, I don’t think no more of knocking a man down, than I should of knocking that ere candlestick off the table;’ and as she suited ‘the action to the word,’ and raised her powerful arm, I could well believe this to be true. I said—