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.' 'Shedon'tdothet?' 'Well,shedon'texactlysyit,butshesulksan'won'tspeak,an'thenwhenIsaysanythin'sheroundsonmean'callsmeallthenimesshecanthinkof.I'dgive'eragood'idin',butsome'owIdon'tliketer!Shemikestheplicea'ellterme,an'I'mnotgoin'terstanditnolonger!' 'You'llavetersitit,thenyercan'tchuckit.' 'YusIcan,an'Iwouldifyou'dcomealongofme.Idon'tbelieveyoulikemeatall,Liza,oryou'dcome.' Sheturnedtowardshimandputherarmsroundhisneck. 'YerknowIdo,oldcock,'shesaid.'IlikeyerbetterthananyoneelseintheworldbutIcan'tgoawyan'leavemother.' 'Bli'memeifIseewhyshe'sneverbeenmuchteryou.Shemikesyerslaveawyterpaytherent,an'allthemoneysheearnssheboozes.' 'Thet'strue,sheain'tbeenwotyermightcallagoodmotherterme—butsome'owshe'smymother,an'Idon'tliketerleave'eron'erown,nowshe'ssoold—an'shecan'tdomuchwiththerheumatics.An'besides,Jimdear,itain'tonlymother,butthere'syerownkids,yercan'tleavethem.' Hethoughtforawhile,andthensaid: 'You'reabahtrightthere,LizaIdunnoifIcouldgetonwithoutthekids.IfIcouldonlytiketheman'youtoo,swopmebob,Ishouldbe'appy.' Lizasmiledsadly. 'Soyersee,Jim,we'reinabloomin''ole,an'thereain'tnowayahtofitthetIcansee.' Hetookheronhisknees,andpressinghertohim,kissedherverylongandverylovingly. 'Well,wemusttrustterluck,'shesaidagain,'p'rapssomethin''ll'appensoon,an'everythin''llcomerightintheend—whenwegetsfourballsofworstedforapenny.' Itwaspasttwelve,andseparating,theywentbydifferentwaysalongthedreary,wet,desertedroadstilltheycametoVereStreet. ThestreetseemedquitedifferenttoLizafromwhatithadbeenthreemonthsbefore.Tom,thehumbleadorer,hadquitedisappearedfromherlife.Oneday,threeorfourweeksaftertheAugustBankHoliday,shesawhimdawdlingalongthepavement,anditsuddenlystruckherthatshehadnotseenhimforalongtimebutshehadbeensofullofherhappinessthatshehadbeenunabletothinkofanyonebutJim.Shewonderedathisabsence,sincebeforewherevershehadbeentherewashecertaintobealso.Shepassedhim,buttoherastonishmenthedidnotspeaktoher.Shethoughtbysomewonderhehadnotseenher,butshefelthisgazerestinguponher.Sheturnedback,andsuddenlyhedroppedhiseyesandlookeddown,walkingonasifhehadnotseenher,butblushingfuriously. 'Tom,'shesaid,'whydon'tyerspeakterme.' Hestartedandblushedmorethanever. 'Ididn'tknowyerwasthere,'hestuttered. 'Don'ttellme,'shesaid,'wot'sup?' 'Nothin'asIknowsof,'heanswereduneasily. 'Iain'toffendedyer,'aveI,Tom?' 'Na,notasIknowsof,'hereplied,lookingveryunhappy. 'Youdon'tevercomemywaynow,'shesaid. 'Ididn'tknowasyerwantedterseeme.' 'Garn!YerknowsIlikesyouaswellasanybody.' 'Yerlikessomanypeople,Liza,'hesaid,flushing. 'Whatd'yermean?'saidLizaindignantly,butveryredshewasafraidheknewnow,anditwasfromhimespeciallyshewouldhavebeensogladtohideit. 'Nothin','heanswered. 'Onedoesn'tsaythingslikethetwithoutanymeanin',unlessone'sablimedfool.' 'You'rerightthere,Liza,'heanswered.'Iamablimedfool.'Helookedatheralittlereproachfully,shethought,andthenhesaid'Good-bye,'andturnedaway. Atfirstshewashorrifiedthatheshouldknowofherl