english stories-london-第24部分

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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　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　called；　though　his　own　name　was　the　aristocratic　and

singularly　inappropriate　one　of　James　Douglas。　He　was　more　like　an

animal　than　a　human　creature；　with　his　straggling　gray　hair；　bushy

beard；　and　sharp　teeth　protruding　like　fangs　from　beneath　his　upper

lip。　His　profession　was　that　of　an　area　thief；　and　he　considered　it　a

sufficiently　respectable　calling。



〃Mother　Mawks　has　got　it　this　time；〃　he　said；　with　a　grin　which　was

more　like　a　snarl。　〃Joe's　blood　was　up；　and　he　pounded　her　nigh　into　a

jelly。　She'll　leave　ye　quiet　now；　so　long　as　ye　pay　the　hire　reg'lar

ye'll　have　Joe　on　yer　side。　If　so　be　as　there's　a　bad　day；　ye'd　better

not　come　home　at　all。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Liz；　〃but　she's　always　had　the　money　for　the　child；　and

surely　it　wasn't　much　to　ask　her　to　let　me　keep　it　warm　on　such　a　cold

night　as　this。〃



Jim　Duds　looked　meditative。　〃Wot　makes　yer　care　for　that　babby　so

much？〃　he　asked。　〃　'T　ain't　yourn。〃



Liz　sighed。



〃No；〃　she　said；　sadly。　〃That's　true。　But　it　seems　something　to　hold　on

to；　like。　See　what　my　life　has　been！〃　She　stopped；　and　a　wave　of

colour　flushed　her　pallid　features。　〃From　a　little　girl；　nothing　but

the　streetsthe　long；　cruel　streets！　and　I　just　a　bit　of　dirt　on　the

pavementno　more；　flung　here；　flung　there；　and　at　last　swept　into　the

gutter。　All　darkall　useless！〃　She　laughed　a　little。　〃Fancy；　Jim！

I've　never　seen　the　country！〃



〃Nor　I；〃　said　Jim；　biting　a　piece　of　straw　reflectively。　〃It　must　be

powerful　fine；　with　naught　but　green　trees　an'　posies　a…　blowin'　an'　a

growin'　everywheres。　There　ain't　many　kitching　areas　there；　though；

I'm　told。〃



Liz　went　on；　scarcely　heeding　him：　〃The　baby　seems　to　me　like　what　the

country　must　beall　harmless　and　sweet　and　quiet；　when　I　hold　it　so；

my　heart　gets　peaceful　somehowI　don't　know　why。〃



Again　Jim　looked　speculative。　He　waved　his　bitten　straw　expressively。



〃Ye've　had　'sperience；　Liz。　Hain't　ye　met　no　man　like　wot　ye　could

care　fur？〃



Liz　trembled；　and　her　eyes　grew　wild。。



〃Men！〃　she　cried；　with　bitterest　scorn〃no　men　have　come　my　way；　only

brutes！〃



Jim　stared；　but　was　silent；　he　had　no　fit　answer　ready。　Presently　Liz

spoke　again；　more　softly：



〃Jim；　do　you　know　I　went　into　a　great　church　to…day？〃



〃Worse　luck！〃　said　Jim；　sententiously。　〃Church　ain't　no　use　nohow　as

far　as　I　can　see。〃



〃There　was　a　figure　there；　Jim；〃　went　on　Liz；　earnestly；　〃of　a　Woman

holding　up　a　Baby；　and　people　knelt　down　before　it。　What　do　you　s'pose

it　was？〃



〃Can't　say！〃　replied　the　puzzled　Jim。　〃Are　ye　sure　't　was　a　church？

Most　like　't　was　a　mooseum。〃



〃No；　no！〃　said　Liz。　〃　'T　was　a　church　for　certain；　there　were　folks

praying　in　it。〃



〃Ah；　well；〃　growled　Jim；　gruffly；　〃much　good　it　may　do　'em！　I'm　not　of

the　prayin'　sort。　A　woman　an'　a　babby；　did　ye　say？　Don't　ye　get　such

cranky　notions　into　yer　head；　Liz！　Women　an'　babbies　are　common　enough

too　common；　by　a　long　chalk；　an'　as　for　prayin'　to　'em〃　Jim's

utter　contempt　and　incredulity　were　too　great　for　further　expression；

and　he　turned　away；　wishing　her　a　curt　〃Good…night！〃



〃Good…night！〃　said　Liz；　softly；　and　long　after　he　had　left　her　she

still　sat　silent；　thinking；　thinking；　with　the　baby　asleep　in　her

arms；　listening　to　the　rain　as　it　dripped；　dripped　heavily；　like　clods

falling　on　a　coffin　lid。　She　was　not　a　good　womanfar　from　it。　Her

very　motive　in　hiring　the　infant　at　so　much　a　day　was　entirely

inexcusable；　it　was　simply　to　gain　money　upon　false　pretencesby

exciting　more　pity　than　would　otherwise　have　been　bestowed　on　her　had

she　begged　for　herself　alone；　without　a　child　in　her　arms。　At　first

she　had　carried　the　baby　about　to　serve　as　a　mere　trick　of　her　trade；

but　the　warm　feel　of　its　little　helpless　body　against　her　bosom　day

after　day　had　softened　her　heart　toward　its　innocence　and　pitiful

weakness；　and　at　last　she　had　grown　to　love　it　with　a　strange；　intense

passionso　much　that　she　would　willingly　have　sacrificed　her　life　for

its　sake。　She　knew　that　its　own　parents　cared　nothing　for　it；　except

for　the　money　it　brought　them　through　her　hands；　and　often　wild　plans

would　form　in　her　poor　tired　brainplans　of　running　away　with　it

altogether　from　the　roaring；　devouring　city；　to　some　sweet；　humble

country　village；　there　to　obtain　work　and　devote　herself　to　making

this　little　child　happy。　Poor　Liz！　Poor；　bewildered；　heart…broken　Liz！

Ignorant　London　heathen　as　she　was；　there　was　one　fragrant　flower

blossoming　in　the　desert　of　her　soiled　and　wasted　existencethe

flower　of　a　pure　and　guileless　love　for　one　of　those　〃little　ones；〃　of

whom　it　hath　been　said　by　an　all…pitying　Divinity　unknown　to　her；

〃Suffer　them　to　come　unto　Me；　and　forbid　them　not：　for　of　such　is　the

kingdom　of　heaven。〃



The　dreary　winter　days　crept　on　apace；　and；　as　they　drew　near

Christmas；　dwellers　in　the　streets　leading　off　the　Strand　grew

accustomed　of　nights　to　hear　the　plaintive　voice　of　a　woman；　singing

in　a　peculiarly　thrilling　and　pathetic　manner　some　of　the　old　songs

and　ballads　familiar　and　dear　to　the　heart　of　every　Englishman〃The

Banks　of　Allan　Water；〃　〃The　Bailiff's　Daughter；〃　〃Sally　in　our　Alley；〃

〃The　Last　Rose　of　Summer。〃　All　these　well…loved　ditties　she　sang　one

after　the　other；　and；　though　her　notes　were　neither　fresh　nor

powerful；　they　were　true　and　often　tender；　more　particularly　in　the

hackneyed；　but　still　captivating；　melody　of　〃Home；　Sweet　Home。〃

Windows　were　opened；　and　pennies　freely　showered　on　the　street

vocalist；　who　was　accompanied　in　all　her　wanderings　by　a　fragile

infant；　which　she　seemed　to　carry　with　especial　care　and　tenderness。

Sometimes；　too；　in　the　bleak　afternoons；　she　would　be　seen　wending　her

way　through　mud　and　mire；　setting　her　weary　face　against　the　bitter

east　wind；　and　patiently　singing　on；　and　motherly　women；　coming　from

the　gay　shops　and　stores；　where　they　had　been　purchasing　Christmas

toys　for　their　own　children；　would　often　stop　to　look　at　the　baby's

pinched；　white　features　with　pity；　and　would　say；　while　giving　their

spare　pennies；　〃Poor　little　thing！　Is　it　not　very　ill？〃　And　Liz；　her

heart　freezing　with　sudden　terror；　would　exclaim；　hurriedly；　〃Oh；　no；

no！　It　is　always　pale；　it　is　just　a　little　bit　weak；　that's　all！〃　And

the　kindly　questioners；　touched　by　the　large　despair　of　her　dark　eyes；

would　pass　on　and　say　no　more。　And　Christmas　camethe　birthday　of　the

Child　Christa　feast　the　sacred　meaning　of　which　was　unknown　to　Liz；

she　only　recognized　it　as　a　sort　of　large　and　somewhat　dull　bank…

holiday；　when　all　London　devoted　itself　to　church…going　and　the　eating

of　roast　beef　and　plum…pudding。　The　whole　thing　was　incomprehensible

to　her　mind；　but　even　her　sad　countenance　was　brighter　than　usual　on

Christmas　eve；　and　she　felt　almost　gay；　for　had　she　not；　by　means　of　a

little　extra　starvation　on　her　own　part；　been　able　to　buy　a　wondrous

gold…and…crimson　worsted　bird　suspended　from　an　elastic　string；　a　bird

which　bobbed　up　and　down　to　command　in　the　most　lively　and　artistic

manner？　And　had　not　her　hired　baby　actually　laughed　at　the　clumsy　toy

laughed　an　elfish　and　weird　laugh；　the　first　it　had　ever　indulged

in？　And　Liz　had　laughed　too；　for　pure　gladness　in　the　child's　mirth；

and　the　worsted　bird　became　a　sort　of　uncouth　charm　to　make　them　both

merry。