Repentance had commenced. She had begun to forget her greatness and grandeur under the pangs of hunger and neglect, such as she had thought would never fall to her share again, and there was no room in her small mind for any other feeling than self-pity before she went to sleep. She had not wholly given up faith in the fortune-teller yet. To give up such high hopes all at once would be impossible. But she was angry with Mrs. Stanley, and thought she ought to treat one whom she knew was a favourite of the stars with more consideration.
Not one thought of the poor mother, who, even now, was almost wild with grief and dismay at her sudden disappearance, ever crossed Lizzie's mind yet.
She slept for two or three hours, and was rudely awakened by being rolled off the couch on to the floor. She screamed out loudly, thinking something dreadful had happened. But if her screams were heard, no notice was taken of them; and at length Lizzie regained sufficient consciousness of the past, aided by her present surroundings, to understand that they were on the road again. But looking up, the girl saw that there was a change in the aspect of the place. The windows were only half the size they were before she went to sleep; for now only a few inches at the top admitted daylight, and most of the place was in semi-darkness.
She crept across the jolting van, aided by the rattling furniture, until she reached the door, which she tried to open, but found it was still locked as before.
She began to doubt the kind intentions of her supposed friend now, and burst into tears, still rattling the handle of the door to attract the attention of her jailers.
It was some time, however, before anyone came near her. They were journeying at a good pace, faster than they had come along in the morning; and the thought suddenly came to Lizzie that perhaps some one was in pursuit of her, and they were trying to get out of the way.
Miserable as she was, this thought made her drop the handle of the door, for she did not want to be captured and taken home just as the promised fortune was within her grasp. No, no; anything but that. She would bear this hunger that was gnawing her with what patience she could muster, for fear her rattling the door-handle should attract the attention of anyone passing by.
They were passing through a town, she fancied now, by the sounds that met her ears every now and then, for she could see nothing but the sky from the narrow slits of window left unshuttered. She was left to the miserable company of her own thoughts for an hour or two longer, then the whole cavalcade came to a standstill again, and presently the door was opened.
"I suppose you want your dinner now, don't you?" said Mrs. Stanley as she came in. She carried a couple of thick slices of bread and dripping in her not over-clean hands, which she laid upon the table.
The girl put out her hand to take it; for it was nearly twenty-four hours since she had tasted food, and she was ravenously hungry.