english stories-london-第21部分

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laugh。



〃Take　it　with　yer！　I　like　that！　Wot　imperence！　Take　it　with　yer！〃

Then；　with　her　huge　red　arms　akimbo；　she　added；　with　a　grin；　〃Tell　yer

wot；　if　yer　likes　to　pay　me　'arf　a　crown；　yer　can　'ave　it　to　cuddle；

an'　welcome！〃



Another　shout　of　approving　merriment　burst　from　the　drink…sodden

spectators　of　the　little　scene；　and　the　girl　crouched　on　the　ground

removed　her　encircling　hands　from　her　knees　to　clap　them　loudly；　as

she　exclaimed：



〃Well　done；　Mother　Mawks！　One　doesn't　let　out　kids　at　night　for

nothing！　'T　ought　to　be　more　expensive　than　daytime！〃



The　face　of　Liz　had　grown　white　and　rigid。



〃You　know　I　can't　give　you　that　money；〃　she　said；　slowly。　〃I　have　not

tasted　bit　or　drop　all　day。　I　must　live；　though　it　doesn't　seem　worth

while。　The　child〃and　her　voice　softened　involuntarily〃is　fast

asleep；　it's　a　pity　to　wake　it；　that's　all。　It　will　cry　and　fret　all

night；　andand　I　will　make　it　warm　and　comfortable　if　you'd　let　me。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　hopefully　and　anxiously。　〃Will　you？〃



Mother　Mawks　was　evidently　a　lady　of　an　excitable　disposition。　The

simple　request　seemed　to　drive　her　nearly　frantic。　She　raised　her

voice　to　an　absolute　scream；　thrusting　her　dirty　hands　through　her

still　dirtier　hair　as　the　proper　accompanying　gesture　to　her

vituperative　oratory。



〃Will　I！　Will　I！〃　she　screeched。　〃Will　I　let　out　my　hown　babby　for　the

night　for　nuthin'？　Will　I？　No；　I　won't！　I'll　see　yer　blowed　into　the

middle　of　next　week　fust！　Lor'　'a'　mussey！　'ow　'igh　an'　mighty　we　are

gittin'；　to　be　sure！　The　babby'll　be　quiet　with　you；　Miss　Liz；　will

it；　hindeed！　An'　it　will　cry　an'　fret　with　its　hown　mother；　will　it；

hindeed！〃　And　at　every　sentence　she　approached　Liz　more　nearly；

increasing　in　fury　as　she　advanced。　〃Yer　low　hussy！　D'ye　think　I'd　let

ye　'ave　my　babby　for　a　hour　unless　yer　paid　for　'it？　As　it　is；　yer

pays　far　too　little。　I'm　an　honest　woman　as　works　for　my　livin'　an'

wot　drinks　reasonable；　better　than　you　by　a　long　sight；　with　yer

stuck…up　airs！　A　pretty　drab　you　are！　Gi'　me　the　babby；　ye　'a'n't　no

business　to　keep　it　a　minit　longer。〃　And　she　made　a　grab　at　Liz's

sheltering　shawl。



〃Oh；　don't　hurt　it！〃　pleaded　Liz；　tremblingly。　〃Such　a　little　thing

don't　hurt　it！〃



Mother　Mawks　stared　so　wildly　that　her　blood…shot　eyes　seemed

protruding　from　her　head。



〃　'Urt　it！　Hain't　I　a　right　to　do　wot　I　likes　with　my　hown　babby？　'Urt

it！　Well；　I　never！　Look　'ere！〃and　she　turned　round　on　the　assembled

neighbours〃hain't　she　a　reg'lar　one？　She　don't　care　for　the　law；　not

she！　She's　keepin'　back　a　child　from　its　hown　mother！〃　And　with　that

she　made　a　fierce　attack　on　the　shawl；　and　succeeded　in　dragging　the

infant　from　Liz's　reluctant　arms。　Wakened　thus　roughly　from　its

slumbers；　the　poor　mite　set　up　a　feeble　wailing；　its　mother；　enraged

at　the　sound；　shook　it　violently　till　it　gasped　for　breath。



〃Drat　the　little　beast！〃　she　cried。　〃Why　don't　it　choke　an'　'ave　done

with　it！〃



And；　without　heeding　the　terrified　remonstrances　of　Liz；　she　flung　the

child　roughly；　as　though　it　were　a　ball；　through　the　open　door　of　her

lodgings；　where　it　fell　on　a　heap　of　dirty　clothes；　and　lay


motionless；　its　wailing　had　ceased。



〃Oh；　baby；　baby！〃　exclaimed　Liz；　in　accents　of　poignant　distress。　〃Oh；

you　have　killed　it；　I　am　sure！　Oh；　you　are　cruel；　cruel！　Oh；　baby；

baby！〃



And　she　broke　into　a　tempestuous　passion　of　sobs　and　tears。　The

bystanders　looked　on　in　unmoved　silence。　Mother　Mawks　gathered　her

torn　garments　round　her　with　a　gesture　of　defiance；　and　sniffed　the

air　as　though　she　said；　〃Any　one　who　wants　to　meddle　with　me　will　get

the　worst　of　it。〃　There　was　a　brief　pause；　suddenly　a　man　staggered

out　of　the　gin…shop；　smearing　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　mouth　as

he　camea　massively　built；　ill…favoured　brute；　with　a　shock　of

uncombed　red　hair　and　small　ferret…like　eyes。　He　stared　stupidly　at

the　weeping　Liz；　then　at　Mother　Mawks；　finally　from　one　to　the　other

of　the　loafers　who　stood　by。　〃Wot's　the　row？〃　he　demanded；　quickly。

〃Wot's　up？　'Ave　it　out　fair！　Joe　Mawks　'll　stand　by　and　see　fair　game。

Fire　away；　my　hearties！　fire；　fire　away！〃　And；　with　a　chuckling　idiot

laugh；　he　dived　into　the　pocket　of　his　torn　corduroy　trousers　and

produced　a　pipe。　Filling　this　leisurely　from　a　greasy　pouch；　with　such

unsteady　fingers　that　the　tobacco　dropped　all　over　him；　he　lighted　it；

repeating；　with　increased　thickness　of　utterance；　〃Wot's　the　row！　'Ave

it　out　fair！〃



〃It's　about　your　babby；　Joe！〃　cried　the　girl　before　mentioned；　jumping

up　from　her　seat　on　the　ground　with　such　force　that　her　hair　came

tumbling　all　about　her　in　a　dark；　dank　mist；　through　which　her　thin；

eager　face　spitefully　peered。　〃Liz　has　gone　crazy！　She　wants　your

babby　to　cuddle！〃　And　she　screamed　with　sudden　laughter。　〃Eh；　eh；

fancy！　Wants　a　babby　to　cuddle！〃



The　stupefied　Joe　blinked　drowsily　and　sucked　the　stem　of　his　pipe

with　apparent　relish。　Them；　as　if　he　had　been　engaged　in　deep

meditation　on　the　subject；　he　removed　his　smoky　consoler　from　his

mouth；　and　said；　〃W'y　not？　Wants　a　babby　to　cuddle？　All　right！　Let　'er

'ave　itw'y　not？〃



At　these　words　Liz　looked　up　hopefully　through　her　tears；　but　Mother

Mawks　darted　forward　in　raving　indignation。



〃Yer　great　drunken　fool！〃　she　yelled　to　her　besotted　spouse；　〃aren't

yer　ashamed　of　yerself？　Wot！　let　out　babby　for　a　whole　night　for

nuthin'？　It's　lucky　I've　my　wits　about　me；　an'　I　say　Liz　sha'n't　'ave

it！　There；　now！〃



The　man　looked　at　her；　and　a　dogged　resolution　darkened　his　repulsive

countenance。　He　raised　his　big　fist；　clinched　it；　and　hit　straight

out；　giving　his　infuriated　wife　a　black　eye　in　much　less　than　a

minute。　〃An'　I　say　she　shall　'ave　it。　Where　are　ye　now？〃



In　answer　to　the　query　Mother　Mawks　might　have　said　that　she　was　〃all

there；〃　for　she　returned　her　husband's　blow　with　interest　and　force；

and　in　a　couple　of　seconds　the　happy　pair　were　engaged　in　a　〃stand…up〃

fight；　to　the　intense　admiration　and　excitement　of　all　the　inhabitants

of　the　little　alley。　Every　one　in　the　place　thronged　to　watch　the

combatants；　and　to　hear　the　blasphemous　oaths　and　curses　with　which

the　battle　was　accompanied。



In　the　midst　of　the　affray　a　wizened；　bent　old　man；　who　had　been

sitting　at　his　door　sorting　rags　in　a　basket；　and　apparently　taking　no

heed　of　the　clamour　around　him；　made　a　sign　to　Liz。



〃Take　the　kid　now；〃　he　whispered。　〃Nobody'll　notice。　I'll　see　they

don't　cry　arter　ye。〃



Liz　thanked　him　mutely　by　a　look；　and　rushing　to　the　house　where　the

child　still　lay；　seemingly　inanimate；　on　the　floor　among　the　soiled

clothes；　she　caught　it　up　eagerly；　and　hurried　away　to　her　own　poor

garret　in　a　tumble…down　tenement　at　the　farthest　end　of　the　alley。　The

infant　had　been　stunned　by　its　fall；　but　under　her　tender　care；　and

rocked　in　the　warmth　of　her　caressing　arms；　it　soon　recovered；　though

when　its　blue　eyes　opened　they　were　full　of　a　bewildered　pain；　such　as

may　be　seen　in　the　eyes　of　a　shot　bird。



〃My　pet！　my　poor　little　darling！〃　she　murmured　over　and　over　again；

kissing　its　wee　white　face　and　soft　hands；　I　wish　I　was　your　mother

Lord　knows　I　do！　As　it　is；　you're　all　I've　got　to　care　for。　And　you　do

love　me；　baby；　don't　you？　just　a　little；　little　bit！〃　And　as　she

renewed　her　fondling　embraces；　the　tiny；　sad…visaged　creature　uttered

a　low；　crooning　sound　of　baby　satisfaction　in　response　to　her

endearmentsa　sound　more　sweet　to　her　ears　than　the　most　exquisite

music；　and　which　brought　a　smile　to　her　mouth　and　a　pathos　to　her　dark

eyes；　rendering　her　face　for　the　moment　almost　beautiful。　Holding　the

child　closely　to　her　breast；　she　looked　cautiously　out　of　her　narrow

window；　and　perceived　that　the　connubial　fight　was　over。　From　the

shouts　of　laughter　and　plaudits　that　reached　her　ears；　Joe　Mawks　had

evidently　won　the　day；　his　wife　had　disappeared　from　the　field。　She

saw　the　little　crowd　dispersing；　most　of　those　who　composed　it　entered

the　gin…shop；　and　very　soon　the　alley　was　comparatively　quiet　and

deserted。　By…and…bye　she　heard　her　name　called　in　a　low　voice：　〃Liz！

Liz！〃



She　looked　down　and　saw　the　old　man　who　had　promised　her　his

protection　in　case　Mother　Mawks　should　persecute　her。　〃Is　that　you；

Jim？　Come　upstairs；　it's　better　than　talking　out　there。〃　He　obeyed；

and　stood　before　her　in　the　wretched　room；　looking　curiously　both　at

her　and　the　baby。　A　wiry；　wolfish…faced　being　was　Jim　Duds；　as　he　was

familiarly　called；　though　his　own　name　was　the　aristocratic　and

singularly　inappropriate　one　of　James　Douglas。　He　was　more　like　an

animal　than　a　human　creature；　with　his　straggling　gray　hair；　bushy

beard；　and　sharp　teeth　protruding　like　fangs　from　beneath　his　upper

lip。　His　profession　was　that　of　an　area　thief；　and　he　considered　it　a

sufficiently　respectable　calling。



〃Mother　Mawks　has　got　it　this　time；〃　he　said；　with　a　grin　which　was

more　like　a　snarl。　〃Joe's　blood　was　up；　and　he　pounded　her　nigh　into　a

jelly。　She'll　leave　ye　quiet　now；　so　long　as　ye　pay　the　hire　reg'lar

ye'll　have　Joe　on　yer　side。　If　so　be　as　there's　a　bad　day；　ye'd　better

not　come　home　at　all。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Liz；　〃but　she's　always　had　the　money　for　the　child；　and

surely　it　wasn't　much　to　ask　her　to　let　me　keep　it　warm　on　such　a　cold

night　as　this。〃



Jim　Duds　looked　meditative。　〃Wot　makes　yer　care　for　that　babby　so

much？〃　he　asked。　〃　'T　ain't　yourn。〃



Liz　sighed。



〃No；〃　she　said；　sadly。　〃That's　true。　But　it　seems　something　to　hold　on

to；　like。　See　what　my　life　has　been！〃　She　stopped；　and　a　wave　of

colour　flushed　her　pallid　features。　〃From　a　little　girl；　nothing　but

the　streetsthe　long；　cruel　streets！　and　I　just　a　bit　of　dirt　on　the

pavementno　more；　flung　here；　flung　there；　and　at　last　swept　into　the

gutter。　All　darkall　useless！〃　She　laughed　a　little。　〃Fancy；　Jim！

I've　never　seen　the　country！〃



〃Nor　I；〃　said　Jim；　biting　a