english stories-london-第4部分

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〃He　says　as　the　gentleman　can't　be　kept　waiting　for　their　cheese。〃



〃But　William　does　not　go　straight　home　when　he　leaves　the　club？〃



〃That's　the　kid。〃



〃Kid！〃　I　echoed；　scarcely　understanding；　for；　knowing　how　little　the

poor　love　their　children；　I　had　asked　William　no　questions　about　the

baby。



〃Didn't　you　know　his　missis　had　a　kid？〃



〃Yes；　but　that　is　no　excuse　for　William's　staying　away　from　his　sick

wife；〃　I　answered；　sharply。　A　baby　in　such　a　home　as　William's；　I

reflected；　must　be　trying；　but　still　Besides；　his　class　can　sleep

through　any　din。



〃The　kid　ain't　in　our　court；〃　the　girl　explained。　〃He's　in　W。；　he　is；

and　I've　never　been　out　of　W。C。；　leastwise；　not　as　I　knows　on。〃



〃This　is　W。　I　suppose　you　mean　that　the　child　is　at　West　Kensington？

Well；　no　doubt　it　was　better　for　William's　wife　to　get　rid　of　the

child〃



〃Better！〃　interposed　the　girl。　〃　'Tain't　better　for　her　not　to　have

the　kid。　Ain't　her　not　having　him　what　she's　always　thinking　on　when

she　looks　like　a　dead　one？〃



〃How　could　you　know　that？〃



〃Cause；〃　answered　the　girl；　illustrating　her　words　with　a　gesture；　〃I

watches　her；　and　I　sees　her　arms　going　this　way；　just　like　as　she

wanted　to　hug　her　kid。〃



〃Possibly　you　are　right；〃　I　said；　frowning；　〃but　William　had　put　the

child　out　to　nurse　because　it　disturbed　his　night's　rest。　A　man　who

has　his　work　to　do〃



〃You　are　green！〃



〃Then　why　have　the　mother　and　child　been　separated？〃



〃Along　of　that　there　measles。　Near　all　the　young　'uns　in　our　court　has

'em　bad。〃



〃Have　you　had　them？〃



〃I　said　the　young　'uns。〃



〃And　William　sent　the　baby　to　West　Kensington　to　escape　infection？〃



〃Took　him；　he　did。〃



〃Against　his　wife's　wishes？〃



〃Na…o！〃



〃You　said　she　was　dying　for　want　of　the　child？〃



〃Wouldn't　she　rayther　die　than　have　the　kid　die？〃



〃Don't　speak　so　heartlessly；　child。　Why　does　William　not　go　straight

home　from　the　club？　Does　he　go　to　West　Kensington　to　see　it？〃



〃　'Tain't　a　hit；　it's　an　'e。　Course　he　do。〃



〃Then　he　should　not。　His　wife　has　the　first　claim　on　him。〃



〃Ain't　you　green！　It's　his　missis　as　wants　him　to　go。　Do　you　think　she

could　sleep　till　she　knowed　how　the　kid　was？〃



〃But　he　does　not　go　into　the　house　at　West　Kensington？〃



〃Is　he　soft？　Course　he　don't　go　in；　fear　of　taking　the　infection　to

the　kid。　They　just　holds　the　kid　up　at　the　window　to　him；　so　as　he　can

have　a　good　look。　Then　he　comes　home　and　tells　his　missis。　He　sits

foot　of　the　bed　and　tells。〃



〃And　that　takes　place　every　night？　He　can't　have　much　to　tell。〃



〃He　has　just。〃



〃He　can　only　say　whether　the　child　is　well　or　ill。〃



〃My！　He　tells　what　a　difference　there　is　in　the　kid　since　he　seed　him

last。〃



〃There　can　be　no　difference！〃



〃Go　'long！　Ain't　a　kid　always　growing？　Haven't　Mr。　Hicking　to　tell　how

the　hair　is　getting　darker；　and　heaps　of　things　beside？〃



〃Such　as　what？〃



〃Like　whether　he　larfed；　and　if　he　has　her　nose；　and　how　as　he　knowed

him。　He　tells　her　them　things　more　'n　once。〃



〃And　all　this　time　he　is　sitting　at　the　foot　of　the　bed？〃



〃　'Cept　when　he　holds　her　hand。〃



〃But　when　does　he　get　to　bed　himself？〃



〃He　don't　get　much。　He　tells　her　as　he　has　a　sleep　at　the　club。〃



〃He　cannot　say　that。〃



〃Hain't　I　heard　him？　But　he　do　go　to　his　bed　a　bit；　and　then　they　both

lies　quiet；　her　pretending　she　is　sleeping　so　as　he　can　sleep；　and　him

'feard　to　sleep　case　he　shouldn't　wake　up　to　give　her　the　bottle

stuff。〃



〃What　does　the　doctor　say　about　her？〃



〃He's　a　good　one；　the　doctor。　Sometimes　he　says　she　would　get　better

if　she　could　see　the　kid　through　the　window。〃



〃Nonsense！〃



〃And　if　she　was　took　to　the　country。〃



〃Then　why　does　not　William　take　her？〃



〃My！　you　are　green！　And　if　she　drank　port　wines。〃



〃Doesn't　she？〃



〃No；　but　William；　he　tells　her　about　the　gentlemen　drinking　them。〃







On　the　tenth　day　after　my　conversation　with　this　unattractive　child　I

was　in　my　brougham；　with　the　windows　up；　and　I　sat　back；　a　paper

before　my　face　lest　any　one　should　look　in。　Naturally；　I　was　afraid　of

being　seen　in　company　of　William's　wife　and　Jenny；　for　men　about　town

are　uncharitable；　and；　despite　the　explanation　I　had　ready；　might　have

charged　me　with　pitying　William。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　William　was

sending　his　wife　into　Surrey　to　stay　with　an　old　nurse　of　mine；　and　I

was　driving　her　down　because　my　horses　needed　an　outing。　Besides；　I

was　going　that　way　at　any　rate。



I　had　arranged　that　the　girl　Jenny；　who　was　wearing　an　outrageous

bonnet；　should　accompany　us；　because；　knowing　the　greed　of　her　class；

I　feared　she　might　blackmail　me　at　the　club。



William　joined　us　in　the　suburbs；　bringing　the　baby　with　him；　as　I　had

foreseen　they　would　all　be　occupied　with　it；　and　to　save　me　the

trouble　of　conversing　with　them。　Mrs。　Hicking　I　found　too　pale　and

fragile　for　a　workingman's　wife；　and　I　formed　a　mean　opinion　of　her

intelligence　from　her　pride　in　the　baby；　which　was　a　very　ordinary

one。　She　created　quite　a　vulgar　scene　when　it　was　brought　to　her；

though　she　had　given　me　her　word　not　to　do　so；　what　irritated　me　even

more　than　her　tears　being　her　ill…bred　apology　that　she　〃had　been

'feared　baby　wouldn't　know　her　again。〃　I　would　have　told　her　they

didn't　know　any　one　for　years　had　I　not　been　afraid　of　the　girl　Jenny；

who　dandled　the　infant　on　her　knees　and　talked　to　it　as　if　it

understood。　She　kept　me　on　tenter…hooks　by　asking　it　offensive

questions；　such　as；　〃　'Oo　know　who　give　me　that　bonnet？〃　and　answering

them　herself；　〃It　was　the　pretty　gentleman　there；〃　and　several　times　I

had　to　affect　sleep　because　she　announced；　〃Kiddy　wants　to　kiss　the

pretty　gentleman。〃



Irksome　as　all　this　necessarily　was　to　a　man　of　taste；　I　suffered　even

more　when　we　reached　our　destination。　As　we　drove　through　the　village

the　girl　Jenny　uttered　shrieks　of　delight　at　the　sight　of　flowers

growing　up　the　cottage　walls；　and　declared　they　were　〃just　like　a

music…'all　without　the　drink　license。〃　As　my　horses　required　a　rest；　I

was　forced　to　abandon　my　intention　of　dropping　these　persons　at　their

lodgings　and　returning　to　town　at　once；　and　I　could　not　go　to　the　inn

lest　I　should　meet　inquisitive　acquaintances。　Disagreeable

circumstances；　therefore；　compelled　me　to　take　tea　with　a　waiter's

familyclose　to　a　window　too；　through　which　I　could　see　the　girl

Jenny　talking　excitedly　to　the　villagers；　and　telling　them；　I　felt

certain；　that　I　had　been　good　to　William。　I　had　a　desire　to　go　out　and

put　myself　right　with　those　people。



William's　long　connection　with　the　club　should　have　given　him　some

manners；　but　apparently　his　class　cannot　take　them　on；　for；　though　he

knew　I　regarded　his　thanks　as　an　insult；　he　looked　them　when　he　was

not　speaking　them；　and　hardly　had　he　sat　down；　by　my　orders；　than　he

remembered　that　I　was　a　member　of　the　club；　and　jumped　up。　Nothing　is

in　worse　form　than　whispering；　yet　again　and　again；　when　he　thought　I

was　not　listening；　he　whispered　to　Mrs。　Hicking；　〃You　don't　feel

faint？〃　or　〃How　are　you　now？〃　He　was　also　in　extravagant　glee　because

she　ate　two　cakes　（it　takes　so　little　to　put　these　people　in　good

spirits）；　and　when　she　said　she　felt　like　another　being　already　the

fellow's　face　charged　me　with　the　change。　I　could　not　but　conclude；

from　the　way　Mrs。　Hicking　let　the　baby　pound　her；　that　she　was

stronger　than　she　had　pretended。



I　remained　longer　than　was　necessary；　because　I　had　something　to　say

to　William　which　I　knew　he　would　misunderstand；　and　so　I　put　off

saying　it。　But　when　he　announced　that　it　was　time　for　him　to　return　to

London；at　which　his　wife　suddenly　paled；　so　that　he　had　to　sign　to

her　not　to　break　down；I　delivered　the　message。



〃William；〃　I　said；　〃the　head　waiter　asked　me　to　say　that　you　could

take　a　fortnight's　holiday　just　now。　Your　wages　will　be　paid　as

usual。〃



Confound　them！　William　had　me　by　the　hand；　and　his　wife　was　in　tears

before　I　could　reach　the　door。



〃Is　it　your　doing　again；　sir？〃　William　cried。



〃William！〃　I　said；　fiercely。



〃We　owe　everything　to　you；〃　he　insisted。　〃The　port　wine〃



〃Because　I　had　no　room　for　it　in　my　cellar。〃



〃The　money　for　the　nurse　in　London〃



〃Because　I　objected　to　being　waited　on　by　a　man　who　got　no　sleep。〃



〃These　lodgings〃



〃Because　I　wanted　to　do　something　for　my　old　nurse。〃



〃And　now；　sir；　a　fortnight's　holiday！〃



〃Good…bye；　William！〃　I　said；　in　a　fury。



But　before　I　could　get　away　Mrs。　Hicking　signed　to　William　to　leave

the　room；　and　then　she　kissed　my　hand。　She　said　something　to　me。　It

was　about　my　wife。　Somehow　I　What　business　had　William　to　tell　her

about　my　wife？







They　are　all　back　in　Drury　Lane　now；　and　William　tells　me　that　his

wife　sings　at　her　work　just　as　she　did　eight　years　ago。　I　have　no

interest　in　this；　and　try　to　check　his　talk　of　it；　but　such　people

have　no　sense　of　propriety；　and　he　even　speaks　of　the　girl　Jenny；　who

sent　me　lately　a　gaudy　pair　of　worsted　gloves　worked　by　her　own　hand。

The　meanest　advantage　they　took　of　my　weakness；　however；　was　in

calling　their　baby　after　me。　I　have　an　uncomfortable　suspicion；　too；

that　William　has　given　the　other　waiters　his　version　of　the　affair；

but　I　feel　safe　so　long　as　it　does　not　reach　the　committee。







THE　BLACK　POODLE



BY



F。　ANSTEY







I　have　set　myself　the　task　of　relating　in　the　course　of　this　story；

without　suppressing　or　altering　a　single　detail；　the　most　painful　and

humiliating　episode　of　my　life。



I　do　this；　not　because　it　will　give　me　the　least　pleasure；　but　simply

because　it　affords　me　an　opportunity　of　extenuating　myself；　which　has

hitherto　been　wholly　denied　to　me。



As　a　general　rule；　I　am　quite　aware　that　to　publish　a　lengthy

explanation　of　one's　conduct　in　any　quest