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"An'serveyerdamnwellright!"saysI,an'Iwentahtan'left'im.But,Lor'blessyer,Iwouldn'tcharge'im!Iknow'edon'tmeanit'e'sasgentleasalambwhen'e'ssober.'Shesmiledquiteaffectionatelyasshesaidthis. 'Wotdidyerdo,then?'askedLiza. 'Well,asIwostellin'yer,Iwenttothe'orspital,an'thedoctor'esaystome,"Mygoodwoman,"says'e,"youmighthavebeenveryseriouslyinjured."An'menotbeenmarriedeighteenmonths!An'asIwastellin'thedoctorallaboutit,"Missus,"'esaysterme,lookin'atmestraightintheeyeball."Missus,"says'e,"'aveyoubeendrinkin'?""Drinkin'?"saysI"no!I've'adalittledrop,butasfordrinkin'!Mind,"saysI,"Idon'tsayI'mateetotaller—I'mnot,I'avemyglassofbeer,andIlikeit.Icouldn'tdowithahtit,wotwiththeworkI'ave,Imust'avesomethin'terkeepmetergether.Butasfordrinkin''eavily!Well!Icansaythis,thereain'tasobererwomanthanmyselfinallLondon.Why,myfirst'usbandnevertouchedadrop.Ah,myfirst'usband,'ewasabeauty,'ewas."' ShestoppedtherepetitionofherconversationandaddressedherselftoLiza. ''Ewasthetdifferentterthisone.'Ewasamanas'adseenbetterdays.'Ewasagentleman!'Shemouthedthewordandemphasizeditwithanexpressivenod. ''EwasagentlemanandaChristian.'E'dbeeningoodcircumstancesin'istimean''ewasamanofeducationandateetotaller,fortwenty-twoyears.' AtthatmomentLiza'smotherappearedonthescene. 'Goodevenin',Mrs.Stanley,'shesaid,politely. 'Thesimeteryou,Mrs.Kemp.'repliedthatlady,withequalcourtesy. 'An''owisyourpoor'ead?'askedLiza'smother,withsympathy. 'Oh,it'sbeenachin'cruel.I'vehardlyknownwotterdowithmyself.' 'I'msure'eoughtterbeashimedof'imselffortreatin'yerlikethet.' 'Oh,itwasn't'isblowsImindedsomuch,Mrs.Kemp,'repliedMrs.Stanley,'an'don'tyouthinkit.Itwaswot'esaidterme.Icanstandablowaswellasanywoman.Idon'tmindthet,an'when'edon'ttikeameanadvantageofmeIcanstandupformyselfan'giveasgoodasItikean'many'sthetimeIgivemyfusthusbandablackeye.Butthelanguage'eused,an'thethings'ecalledme!Itmademeblushtotherootsofmy'airI'mnotusedterbein'spokenterlikethet.Iwasingoodcircumstanceswhenmyfust'usbandwasalive,'eearnedbetweentwoan'threepoundaweek,'edid.AsIsaidto'imthismornin',"'Owagentlemancanusesichlanguage,Idunno."' ''Usbandsiscautions,'owevergoodtheyare,'saidMrs.Kemp,aphoristically.'ButImustn'tstayaht'ereinthenightair.' ''Asyerrheumatismbeentroublin'yerlitely?'askedMrs.Stanley. 'Oh,cruel.Lizarubsmewithembrocationeverynight,butittormentsmecruel.' Mrs.Kempthenwentintothehouse,andLizaremainedtalkingtoMrs.Stanley,she,too,hadtogoin,andLizawasleftalone.Somewhileshespentthinkingofnothing,staringvacantlyinfrontofher,enjoyingthecoolandquietoftheevening.ButLizacouldnotbeleftalonelong,severalboyscamealongwithabatandaball,andfixedupontheroadjustinfrontofherforthei