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ourweresilent.ThenslowlyshefeltTom'sarmstealroundherwaist,cautiously,asthoughitwereafraidofbeingtherethistimebothsheandTomwerehappy.Butsuddenlytherewasamovementontheothersideofher,ahandwasadvancedalongherleg,andherhandwasgraspedandgentlypressed.ItwasJimBlakeston.ShestartedalittleandbegantremblingsothatTomnoticedit,andwhispered: 'You'recold,Liza.' 'Na,I'mnot,Tomit'sonlyasortofshiverthetwentthroughme.' Hisarmgaveherwaistasqueeze,andatthesametimethebigroughhandpressedherlittleone.Andsoshesatbetweenthemtilltheyreachedthe'RedLion'intheWestminsterBridgeRoad,andTomsaidtohimself:'Ibelieveshedoescareformeafterall.' Whentheygotdowntheyallsaidgoodnight,andSallyandLiza,withtheirrespectiveslavesandtheBlakestons,marchedoffhomewards.AtthecornerofVereStreetHarrysaidtoTomandBlakeston: 'Isay,youblokes,let'sgoan''aveanotherdrinkbeforeclosin'time.' 'Idon'tmind,'saidTom,'afterwe'vetookthegals'ome.' 'Thenweshan't'avetime,it'sjustonclosin'timenow.'answeredHarry. 'Well,wecan'tleave'em'ere.' 'Yus,youcan,'saidSally.'Noone'llrunawywithus.' TomdidnotwanttopartfromLiza,butshebrokeinwith: 'Yus,goon,Tom.Sallyan'me'llgitalongarright,an'youain'tgottoomuchtime.' 'Yus,goodnight,'Arry,'saidSallytosettlethematter. 'Goodnight,oldgal,'heanswered,'giveusanotherslobber.' Andshe,notatallunwilling,surrenderedherselftohim,whileheimprintedtwosoundingkissesonhercheeks. 'Goodnight,Tom,'saidLiza,holdingoutherhand. 'Goodnight,Liza,'heanswered,takingit,butlookingverywistfullyather. Sheunderstood,andwithakindlysmileliftedupherfacetohim.Hebentdownand,takingherinhisarms,kissedherpassionately. 'Youdokissnice,Liza,'hesaid,makingtheotherslaugh. 'Thanksfortikin'meaht,oldman,'shesaidastheyparted. 'Arright,Liza,'heanswered,andadded,almosttohimself:'Godblessyer!' ''Ulloa,Blakeston,ain'tyoucomin'?'saidHarry,seeingthatJimwaswalkingoffwithhiswifeinsteadofjoininghimandTom. 'Na,'heanswered,'I'mgoin''ome.I'vegotterbeupatfiveter-morrer.' 'Youareachap!'saidHarry,disgustedly,strollingoffwithTomtothepub,whiletheothersmadetheirwaydownthesleepingstreet. ThehousewhereSallylivedcamefirst,andsheleftthemthen,walkingafewyardsmore,theycametotheBlakestons',andafteralittletalkatthedoorLizabadethecouplegoodnight,andwaslefttowalktherestofthewayhome.Thestreetwasperfectlysilent,andthelamp-posts,farapart,threwadimlightwhichonlyservedtomakeLisarealizehersolitude.Therewassuchadifferencebetweenthestreetatmidday,withitsswarmsofpeople,andnow,whentherewasneithersoundnorsoulbesidesherself,thatevenshewasstruckbyit.Theregularlineofhousesoneitherside,withtheevenpavementsandstraight,cementedroad,seemedtoherlikesomedesertplace,asifeveryoneweredead,orafirehadragedandleftitalldesolate.Suddenlysheheardafootstep,shestartedandlookedback.Itwasamanhurryingbehindher,andinamomentshehadrecognizedJim.Hebeckonedtoher,andinalowvoicecalled: 'Liza!' Shestoppedtillhehadcomeuptoher. 'Wot'aveyercomeahtagainfor?'shesaid. 'I'vecomeahttersaygoodnighttoyou,Liza,'heanswered. 'Butyersaidgoodnightamomentago.' 'Iwantedtosayitagain—properly.' 'Where'syermissus?' 'Oh,she'sgonein.IsaidIwasdryandwasgoin'ter'aveadrinkafterall.' 'Butshe'llknowyerdidn'tgoterthepub.' 'Na,shewon't,she'sgonestraightupstairstoseeafterthekid.Iwantedterseeyeralone,Liza.' 'Why?' Hedidn'tanswer,buttriedtotakeholdofherhand.Shedrewitawayquickly.TheywalkedinsilencetilltheycametoLiza'shouse. 'Goodnight,'saidLiza. 'Won'tyoucomeforalittlewalk,Liza?' 'Tikecarenoone'earsyou,'sheadded,inawhisper,thoughwhyshewhisperedshedidnotknow. 'Willyer?'heaskedagain. 'Na—you'vegottogetupatfive.' 'Oh,Ionlysaidthetnottergointerthepubwiththem.' 'Soasyermightcome'erewithme?'askedLiza. 'Yus!' 'No,I'mnotcomin'.Goodnight.' 'Well,saygoodnightnicely.' 'Wotd'yermean?' 'Tomsaidyoudidkissnice.' Shelookedathimwithoutspeaking,andinamomenthehadclaspedhisarmsroundher,almostliftingheroffherfeet,andkissedher.Sheturnedherfaceaway. 'Giveusyerlips,Liza,'hewhispered—'giveusyerlips.' Heturnedherfacewithoutresistanceandkissedheronthemouth. Atlastshetoreherselffromhim,andopeningthedoorslidawayintothehouse.