Adela Cathcart, Volume 3
MacDonald, George, 1824-1905
English
We will print you a perfectly bound paperback of your selected title and send it to you at your nominated address
Below is a summary of Adela Cathcart, Volume 3
ADELA CATHCART
Volume Three
By George MacDonald
CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
CHAPTER
I. MY UNCLE PETER.--CONTINUED
II. THE GIANT'S HEART
III. A CHILD'S HOLIDAY
IV. INTERRUPTION
V. PERCY
VI. THE CRUEL PAINTER
VII. THE CASTLE
VIII. WHAT NEXT?
XI. GENERALSHIP
X. AN UNFORESEEN FORESIGHT
CHAPTER I.
MY UNCLE PETER.--CONTINUED.
"It was resolved that on the same evening, Chrissy should tell my uncle
her story. We went out for a walk together; and though she was not afraid
to go, the least thing startled her. A voice behind her would make her
turn pale and look hurriedly round. Then she would smile again, even
before the colour had had time to come back to her cheeks, and say--'What
a goose I am! But it is no wonder.' I could see too that she looked down
at her nice clothes now and then with satisfaction. She does not like me
to say so, but she does not deny it either, for Chrissy can't tell a story
even about her own feelings. My uncle had given us five pounds each to
spend, and that was jolly. We bought each other such a lot of things,
besides some for other people. And then we came home and had dinner
_tete-a-tete_ in my uncle's dining-room; after which we went up to my
uncle's room, and sat over the fire in the twilight till his afternoon-nap
was over, and he was ready for his tea. This was ready for him by the time
he awoke. Chrissy got up on the bed beside him; I got up at the foot of
the bed, facing her, and we had the tea-tray and plenty of _etceteras_
between us.
"'Oh! I _am_ happy!' said Chrissy, and began to cry.
"'So am I, my darling!' rejoined Uncle Peter, and followed her example.
"'So am I,' said I, 'but I don't mean to cry about it.' And then I did.
"We all had one cup of tea, and some bread and butter in silence after
this. But when Chrissy had poured out the second cup for Uncle Peter, she
began of her own accord to tell us her story.
"'It was very foggy when we came out of school that afternoon, as you may
remember, dear uncle.'
"'Indeed I do,' answered Uncle Peter with a sigh.
"'I was coming along the way home with Bessie--you know Bessie, uncle--and
we stopped to look in at a bookseller's window where the gas was lighted.
It was full of Christmas things already. One of them I thought very
pretty, and I was standing staring at it, when all at once I saw that a
big drabby woman had poked herself in between Bessie and me. She was
staring in at the window too. She was so nasty that I moved away a little
from her, but I wanted to have one more look at the picture. The woman
came close to me. I moved again. Again she pushed up to me. I looked in
her face, for I was rather cross by this time. A horrid feeling, I cannot
tell you what it was like, came over me as soon as I saw her. I know how
it was now, but I did not know then why I was frightened. I think she saw
I was frightened; for she instantly walked against me, and shoved and
hustled me round the corner--it was a corner-shop--and before I knew, I
was in another street. It was dark and narrow. Just at the moment a man
came from the opposite side and joined the woman. Then they caught hold of
my hands, and before my fright would let me speak, I was deep into the
narrow lane, for they ran with me as fast as they could. Then I began to
scream, but they said such horrid words that I was forced to hold my
tongue; and in a minute more they had me inside a dreadful house, where
the plaster was dropping away from the walls, and the skeleton-ribs of the
house were looking through. I was nearly dead with terror and disgust. I
don't think it was a bit less dreadful to me from having dim recollections
Back