stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第22章
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Don't say it don'tyer know it do。 Yer'll not find such a sickly kid
anywheres； an' it's the sickly kids wot pays an' moves the 'arts of the kyind
ladies an' good gentlemen〃this with an imitative whine that excited the
laughter and applause of her hearers。 〃Yer've got it cheap； I kin tell yer； an'
if yer don't pay up reg'lar； there's others that'll take the chance； an' thankful
too！〃
She stopped for lack of breath； and Liz spoke quietly：
〃It's all right； Mother Mawks；〃 she said； with an attempt at a smile；
〃here's your shilling； here's the four pennies for the gin。 I don't owe you
anything for the child now。〃 She stopped and hesitated； looking down
tenderly at the frail creature in her arms； then added； almost pleadingly；
〃It's asleep now。 May I take it with me to…night？〃
Mother Mawks； who had been testing the coins Liz had given her by
biting them ferociously with her large yellow teeth； broke into a loud
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
