Julia Kavanagh (1824-1877), Rachel Gray (1855), 1856 Tauchnitz edition

Produced by Daniel FROMONT

COLLECTION OF BRITISH AUTHORS.

VOL. CCCXLIV.

RACHEL GRAY BY JULIA KAVANAGH.

IN ONE VOLUME.

RACHEL GRAY.

A TALE

FOUNDED ON FACT.

BY JULIA KAVANAGH,

AUTHOR or "NATHALIE," "DAISY BURNS," "GRACE LEE."

_COPYRIGHT EDITION_.

LEIPZIG

BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ

1856

PREFACE.

This tale, as the title-page implies, is founded on fact. Its truth is its chief merit, and the Author claims no other share in it, than that of telling it to the best of her power.

I do not mean to aver that every word is a positive and literal truth, that every incident occurred exactly as I have related it, and in no other fashion, but this I mean to say: that I have invented nothing in the character of Rachel Gray, and that the sorrows of Richard Jones are not imaginary sorrows.

My purpose in giving this story to the world is twofold. I have found that my first, and in many respects, most imperfect work "Madeleine," is nevertheless that which has won the greatest share of interest and sympathy; a result which I may, I think, safely attribute to its truth, and which has induced me to believe that on similar grounds, a similar distinction might be awarded to a heroine very different indeed from "Madeleine," but whose silent virtues have perhaps as strong a claim to admiration and respect.

I had also another purpose, and though I mention it last, it was that which mainly contributed to make me intrude on public attention; I wished to show the intellectual, the educated, the fortunate, that minds which they are apt to slight as narrow, that lives which they pity as moving in the straight and gloomy paths of mediocrity, are often blessed and graced beyond the usual lot, with those lovely aspirations towards better deeds and immortal things, without which life is indeed a thing of little worth; cold and dull as a sunless day.

JULIA KAVANAGH.

LONDON: DECEMBER 1855.

RACHEL GRAY.

CHAPTER I.

In one of the many little suburbs which cling to the outskirts of London, there is a silent and grass-grown street, of aspect both quiet and quaint. The houses are crazy, old, and brown, of every height and every size; many are untenanted. Some years ago one was internally destroyed by fire. It was not thought worth rebuilding. There it still stands, gaunt and grim, looking for all the world, with its broken or dust-stained windows, like a town deserted after a sacking.

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: Rachel Gray by Julia Kavanagh
• 2: And still more dingy school room
• 3: The yellow crocuses attracted her attention
• 4: At once Rachel kindly observed Put by your work
• 5: I declare you're as yellow as the crocuses in the pot
• 6: Moxton had been provoked and irritated
• 7: Rachel saw and understood it all the friend of Molly
• 8: Rachel stopped and looked at the books
• 9: Who but Rachel taught Jane to speak
• 10: Aye Rachel knew it well enough
• 11: Rachel ventured to demur meekly
• 12: Rapping soundly at the room door of the two apprentices
• 13: Knew the little world in which moved Rachel Gray
• 14: That Rachel was wholly unlike herself
• 15: They could see Rachel at her window
• 16: Madame Rose stayed in her cellar
• 17: So absorbed was Rachel in looking
• 18: Rachel did her best to abstract herself
• 19: He left Rachel lighted him out
• 20: Sickly young creature of seventeen
• 21: Richard Jones lost his week's wages
• 22: That Jones spent a sleepless night
• 23: I aint in the rag and bottle line
• 24: There were two rooms on the upper and only storey
• 25: They included the poetical works of one John Milton
• 26: I aint slep these three nights with thinking on it
• 27: Who had ever asked Rachel for advice
• 28: Broke on the dream of Rachel Gray
• 29: And settling Mimi in her chair
• 30: Rachel felt as if it touched her honour
• 31: And again Rachel sat up that night
• 32: Rachel remained alone with Mary
• 33: Rachel did not speak she literally could not
• 34: Rachel looked up into his face
• 35: How fondly loved was that peevish child
• 36: Were to Rachel fortitude and consolation
• 37: Jones saw that Rachel had not spoken to her
• 38: On the next morning the Teapot was to open
• 39: Such a Teapot had never been seen before
• 40: A week had passed over the Teapot
• 41: Ingenuously replied Richard Jones
• 42: And thinking she might be unwell
• 43: He went round to Rachel Gray's
• 44: After the little hussy behaving so shamefully
• 45: Yet not unloving or unloved companion of her quiet life
• 46: Rachel sat by her mother's bed
• 47: As zealously replied the young girl
• 48: Brown can't abide the little Frenchwoman
• 49: Rachel was there on sufferance
• 50: Rachel added My mother is dead
• 51: Poor Rachel was literal as truth
• 52: But Rachel pressed her so kindly to speak
• 53: Smithson was airing his pans and dishes
• 54: Smithson too cautious to commit himself
• 55: Joseph Saunders was packing up
• 56: We'll have lots of lodgers lots of lodgers
• 57: The timid Rachel felt above fear
• 58: He stared vacantly in her face
• 59: She repeated all to Rachel Gray
• 60: Will you send him to the workhouse
• 61: Fervently answered Rachel aloud
• 62: Smithson took care that they should not
• 63: And that aint pleasant to think of
• 64: And irefully addressing Rachel
• 65: Smithson and the new shop collectively
• 66: The two Teapots remained vacant
• 67: Poor Rachel looked much pained
• 68: That tea is Joseph Saunders's tea
• 69: He impatiently resolved to settle that Saunders
• 70: Rachel looked at the young girl
• 71: Rachel Gray and her father followed her in
• 72: Rachel promised that she would try
• 73: That strength Rachel now invoked
• 74: That she forgave her enemy that night
• 75: Richard Jones went and opened it
• 76: The eyes of Rachel filled with tears
• 77: He went on and saw a poor leper
• 78: Why don't you take down the shutters
• 79: Cried the bailiff with a second oath
• 80: For thou art powerless to understand
• 81: The man sat down on a neighbouring gravestone
• 82: Exclaimed Saunders a little impatiently
• 83: The humiliation of accepting Joseph Saunders proposal
• 84: Unless when questioned by Rachel
• 85: Richard Jones knocked at Rachel's door