168 THE COTTAGE ALLOTMENT SYSTEM. 



out to service, which he was sure she would not like ; and, in short, 

 that marrying was the best of all plans under the circumstances. But 

 suppose he got no work ? Oh ! then they must come upon the parish, 

 as many others did nowadays. To this Mary could not at all con- 

 sent ; she felt the greatest dislike to the bare idea of receiving parish 

 aid, and had not Robinson's indifference on the subject ; he pressed 

 her for some time to marry him, and let things take their chance; but 

 she answered every solicitation with a gentle, yet firm refusal. He 

 seemed greatly dejected ; said he should never see her again, when 

 she once went away to service; that it wasn't fair to tie her down to 

 a man, like him, who could never offer her a home ; so the best thing 

 to be done was to part at once, and he would do what he could for 

 himself. In this way he went on expressing his own bitter feelings, 

 and showing how completely he had given way to despair ; it was 

 true, when he saw how much it distressed Mary, he assumed a more 

 cheerful manner; but it was evidently only for her sake, and she 

 dreaded to think what this reckless temper would lead to. Notwith- 

 standing all her efforts to inspire him with better hopes, he went away 

 in the same moody humour, after promising to see her again before 

 her departure ; and, with a heavy heart, poor Mary turned to her 

 preparations for leaving the cottage. Her father's landlord, Mr. 

 Parker, had procured her a situation with a lady at Marlborough, 

 which she had thankfully accepted. 



The next day, after finishing what she had to do, the clear bright 

 evening tempted her abroad ; she put on her straw-bonnet, and step- 

 ped out on the grass-plot before the door, to take one more look r.t the 

 spot where she had lived from childhood. To-morrow she was to go 

 among strange people and strange places ; and to take leave of John, 

 who would be so unhappy ; she wondered whether he would come 

 then, or in the morning ; at last, to divert her thoughts, she set out 

 for a moonlight walk towards the village. Robinson's lodgings were 

 just at the entrance, and, on passing, she looked up to the window of 

 his room ; it was quite dark, so she qontinued her stroll, until the 

 noise from the village alehouse made her turn. There was no one in 

 the street, and she was walking slowly back, thinking of the next day, 

 when she was startled by coming close on a man lying down under a 

 gateway ; she thought he was asleep, for he never stirred as she went 

 by ; but after going a few yards, the idea struck her that he might be 

 ill, and she went back to see ; she stepped cautiously up, and turned 

 back his collar it was John Robinson ! She half screamed, and for 

 a moment leaned back against the wall, drawing her breath hard; the 

 next she was on her knees beside him, trying to make him answer. 

 " John, John, what is the matter with you ? why do you sleep here ? 

 why don't you speak ? don't you know me, John ?" He turned slowly 

 on his back, half opened his eyes, and made a sudden effort to rise ; 

 he threw out his arms and legs, rolled over, and at length got upon 

 his feet, striking her a severe blow in the struggle ; there he stood 

 reeling and wavering about, and Mary could no longer doubt that he 

 was dreadfully intoxicated. She looked round not a soul was to be 

 seen his lodgings were near, if she could but get him safely in ; she 

 took his arm, and tried to force him on ; but a drunken man is always 



