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ASTRANGEINTERVIEW，WHICHISASEQUELTOTHELASTCHAMBER
Thegirl'slifehadbeensquanderedinthestreets，andamongthemostnoisomeofthestewsanddensofLondon，buttherewassomethingofthewoman'soriginalnatureleftinherstill；andwhensheheardalightstepapproachingthedooroppositetothatbywhichshehadentered，andthoughtofthewidecontrastwhichthesmallroomwouldinanothermomentcontain，shefeltburdenedwiththesenseofherowndeepshame，andshrunkasthoughshecouldscarcelybearthepresenceofherwithwhomshehadsoughtthisinterview。
Butstrugglingwiththesebetterfeelingswaspride，--theviceofthelowestandmostdebasedcreaturesnolessthanofthehighandself-assured。Themiserablecompanionofthievesandruffians，thefallenoutcastoflowhaunts，theassociateofthescouringsofthejailsandhulks，livingwithintheshadowofthegallowsitself，--eventhisdegradedbeingfelttooproudtobetrayafeeblegleamofthewomanlyfeelingwhichshethoughtaweakness，butwhichaloneconnectedherwiththathumanity，ofwhichherwastinglifehadobliteratedsomany，manytraceswhenaverychild。
Sheraisedhereyessufficientlytoobservethatthefigurewhichpresenteditselfwasthatofaslightandbeautifulgirl；then，bendingthemontheground，shetossedherheadwithaffectedcarelessnessasshesaid：
‘It'sahardmattertogettoseeyou，lady。IfIhadtakenoffence，andgoneaway，asmanywouldhavedone，you'dhavebeensorryforitoneday，andnotwithoutreasoneither。’
‘Iamverysorryifanyonehasbehavedharshlytoyou，’repliedRose。‘Donotthinkofthat。Tellmewhyyouwishedtoseeme。Iamthepersonyouinquiredfor。’
Thekindtoneofthisanswer，thesweetvoice，thegentlemanner，theabsenceofanyaccentofhaughtinessordispleasure，tookthegirlcompletelybysurprise，andsheburstintotears。
‘Oh，lady，lady！’shesaid，claspingherhandspassionatelybeforeherface，‘iftherewasmorelikeyou，therewouldbefewerlikeme，--therewould--therewould！’
‘Sitdown，’saidRose，earnestly。‘IfyouareinpovertyorafflictionIshallbetrulygladtorelieveyouifIcan，--Ishallindeed。Sitdown。’
‘Letmestand，lady，’saidthegirl，stillweeping，‘anddonotspeaktomesokindlytillyouknowmebetter。Itisgrowinglate。Is--is--thatdoorshut？’
‘Yes，’saidRose，recoilingafewsteps，asiftobenearerassistanceincasesheshouldrequireit。‘Why？’
‘Because，’saidthegirl，‘Iamabouttoputmylifeandthelivesofothersinyourhands。IamthegirlthatdraggedlittleOliverbacktooldFagin'sonthenighthewentoutfromthehouseinPentonville。’
‘You！’saidRoseMaylie。
‘I，lady！’repliedthegirl。‘Iamtheinfamouscreatureyouhaveheardof，thatlivesamongthethieves，andthatneverfromthefirstmomentIcanrecollectmyeyesandsensesopeningonLondonstreetshaveknownanybetterlife，orkinderwordsthantheyhavegivenme，sohelpmeGod！Donotmindshrinkingopenlyfromme，lady。Iamyoungerthanyouwouldthink，tolookatme，butIamwellusedtoit。Thepoorestwomenfallback，asImakemywayalongthecrowdedpavement。’
‘Whatdreadfulthingsarethese！’saidRose，involuntarilyfallingfromherstrangecompanion。
‘ThankHeavenuponyourknees，dearlady，’criedthegirl，‘thatyouhadfriendstocareforandkeepyouinyourchildhood，andthatyouwereneverinthemidstofcoldandhunger，andriotanddrunkenness，and--and--somethingworsethanall--asIhavebeenfrommycradle。Imayusetheword，forthealleyandthegutterweremine，astheywillbemydeathbed。’
‘Ipityyou！’saidRose，inabrokenvoice。‘Itwringsmyhearttohearyou！’
‘Heavenblessyouforyourgoodness！’rejoinedthegirl。‘IfyouknewwhatIamsometimes，youwouldpityme，indeed。ButIhavestolenawayfromthosewhowouldsurelymurderme，iftheyknewIhadbeenhere，totellyouwhatIhaveoverheard。DoyouknowamannamedMonks？’
‘No，’saidRose。
‘Heknowsyou，’repliedthegirl；‘andknewyouwerehere，foritwasbyhearinghimtelltheplacethatIfoundyouout。’
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