" With a great
effort Charlie repressed his tears, and bidding them good morning in a
choking voice, hastened from the room.
"It's an infernal shame!" said Mr. Blatchford, indignantly; "and I shall
think meanly of myself for ever for submitting to it; but I can't help
myself, and must make the best of it."
Charlie walked downstairs with lingering steps, and took the direction of
home. "All because I'm coloured," said he, bitterly, to himself--"all
because I'm coloured! What will mother and Esther say? How it will distress
them--they've so built upon it! I wish," said he, sadly, "that I was dead!"
No longer able to repress the tears that were welling up, he walked towards
the window of a print-store, where he pretended to be deeply interested in
some pictures whilst he stealthily wiped his eyes. Every time he turned to
leave the window, there came a fresh flood of tears; and at last he was
obliged to give way entirely, and sobbed as if his heart would break.
He was thus standing when he felt a hand laid familiarly on his shoulder,
and, on turning round, he beheld the gentleman he had left in Mr.
Blatchford's office. "Come, my little man," said he, "don't take it so much
to heart. Cheer up--you may find some other person willing to employ you.
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