‘Time!’ shouted some of the men—’Time!’ and Mrs. Blakeston stopped to rest herself.
‘It don’t seem ‘ardly fair to set them two on tergether. Liza’s got no chanst against a big woman like thet,’ said a man among the crowd.
‘Well, it’s er’ own fault,’ answered a woman; ‘she didn’t oughter mess about with ‘er ‘usbind.’
‘Well, I don’t think it’s right,’ added another man. ‘She’s gettin’ it too much.’
‘An’ serve ‘er right too!’ said one of the women. ‘She deserves all she gets an’ a damn sight more inter the bargain.’
‘Quite right,’ put in a third; ‘a woman’s got no right ter tike someone’s ‘usbind from ‘er. An’ if she does she’s bloomin’ lucky if she gits off with a ‘idin’—thet’s wot I think.’
‘So do I. But I wouldn’t ‘ave thought it of Liza. I never thought she was a wrong ‘un.’
‘Pretty specimen she is!’ said a little dark woman, who looked like a Jewess. ‘If she messed abaht with my old man, I’d stick ‘er—I swear I would!’
‘Now she’s been carryin’ on with one, she’ll try an’ git others—you see if she don’t.’
‘She’d better not come round my ‘ouse; I’ll soon give ‘er wot for.’
Meanwhile Liza was standing at one corner of the ring, trembling all over and crying bitterly. One of her eyes was bunged up, and her hair, all dishevelled, was hanging down over her face. Two young fellows, who had constituted themselves her seconds, were standing in front of her, offering rather ironical comfort. One of them had taken the bottom corners of her apron and was fanning her with it, while the other was showing her how to stand and hold her arms.
‘You stand up to ‘er, Liza,’ he was saying; ‘there ain’t no good funkin’ it, you’ll simply get it all the worse. You ‘it ‘er back. Give ‘er one on the boko, like this—see; yer must show a bit of pluck, yer know.’
Liza tried to check her sobs.
‘Yus, ‘it ‘er ‘ard, that’s wot yer’ve got ter do,’ said the other. ‘An’ if yer find she’s gettin’ the better on yer, you close on ‘er and catch ‘old of ‘er ‘air and scratch ‘er.’
‘You’ve marked ‘er with yer nails, Liza. By gosh, you did fly on her when she spat at yer! thet’s the way ter do the job!’
Then turning to his fellow, he said:
‘D’yer remember thet fight as old Mother Cregg ‘ad with another woman in the street last year?’
‘Na,’ he answered, ‘I never saw thet.’
‘It was a cawker; an’ the cops come in and took ‘em both off ter quod.’
Liza wished the policemen would come and take her off; she would willingly have gone to prison to escape the fiend in front of her; but no help came.
‘Time’s up!’ shouted the referee. ‘Fire away!’
‘Tike care of the cops!’ shouted a man.
‘There’s no fear abaht them,’ answered somebody else. ‘They always keeps out of the way when there’s anythin’ goin’ on.’
‘Fire away!’
Mrs. Blakeston attacked Liza madly; but the girl stood up bravely, and as well as she could gave back the blows she received. The spectators grew tremendously excited.
‘Got ‘im again!’ they shouted. ‘Give it ‘er, Liza, thet’s a good ‘un!—’it ‘er ‘ard!’
‘Two ter one on the old ‘un!’ shouted a sporting gentleman; but Liza found no backers.
‘Ain’t she standin’ up well now she’s roused?’ cried someone.
‘Oh, she’s got some pluck in ‘er, she ‘as!’
‘Thet’s a knock-aht!’ they shouted as Mrs. Blakeston brought her fist down on to Liza’s nose; the girl staggered back, and blood began to flow. Then, losing all fear, mad with rage, she made a rush on her enemy, and rained down blows all over her nose and eyes and mouth. The woman recoiled at the sudden violence of the onslaught, and the men cried:
‘By God, the little ‘un’s gettin’ the best of it!’
But quickly recovering herself the woman closed with Liza, and dug her nails into her flesh. Liza caught hold of her hair and pulled with all her might, and turning her teeth on Mrs. Blakeston tried to bite her. And thus for a minute they swayed about, scratching, tearing, biting, sweat and blood pouring down their faces, and their eyes fixed on one another, bloodshot and full of rage. The audience shouted and cheered and clapped their hands.
‘Wot the ‘ell’s up ‘ere?’
‘I sy, look there,’ said some of the women in a whisper. ‘It’s the ‘usbind!’
He stood on tiptoe and looked over the crowd.
‘My Gawd,’ he said, ‘it’s Liza!’
Then roughly pushing the people aside, he made his way through the crowd into the centre, and thrusting himself between the two women, tore them apart. He turned furiously on his wife.
‘By Gawd, I’ll give yer somethin’ for this!’
And for a moment they all three stood silently looking at one another.
Another man had been attracted by the crowd, and he, too, pushed his way through.
‘Come ‘ome, Liza,’ he said.
‘Tom!’
He took hold of her arm, and led her through the people, who gave way to let her pass. They walked silently through the street, Tom very grave, Liza weeping bitterly.
‘Oh, Tom,’ she sobbed after a while, ‘I couldn’t ‘elp it!’ Then, when her tears permitted, ‘I did love ‘im so!’
When they got to the door she plaintively said: ‘Come in,’ and he followed her to her room. Here she sank on to a chair, and gave herself up to her tears.
Tom wetted the end of a towel and began wiping her face, grimy with blood and tears. She let him do it, just moaning amid her sobs:
‘You are good ter me, Tom.’
‘Cheer up, old gal,’ he said kindly, ‘it’s all over now.’
After a while the excess of crying brought its cessation. She drank some water, and then taking up a broken handglass she looked at herself, saying:
‘I am a sight!’ and proceeded to wind up her hair. ‘You ‘ave been good ter me, Tom,’ she repeated, her voice still broken with sobs; and as he sat down beside her she took his hand.
‘Na, I ain’t,’ he answered; ‘it’s only wot anybody ‘ud ‘ave done.’
‘Yer know, Tom,’ she said, after a little silence, ‘I’m so sorry I spoke cross like when I met yer in the street; you ain’t spoke ter me since.’
‘Oh, thet’s all over now, old lidy, we needn’t think of thet.’
‘Oh, but I ‘ave treated yer bad. I’m a regular wrong ‘un, I am.’
He pressed her hand without speaking.
‘I say, Tom,’ she began, after another pause. ‘Did yer know thet—well, you know—before ter-day?’
He blushed as he answered:
‘Yus.’
She spoke very sadly and slowly.
‘I thought yer did; yer seemed so cut up like when I used to meet yer. Yer did love me then, Tom, didn’t yer?’
‘I do now, dearie,’ he answered.
‘Ah, it’s too lite now,’ she sighed.
‘D’yer know, Liza,’ he said, ‘I just abaht kicked the life aht of a feller ‘cause ‘e said you was messin’ abaht with—with ‘im.’
‘An’ yer knew I was?’
‘Yus—but I wasn’t goin’ ter ‘ave anyone say it before me.’
‘They’ve all rounded on me except you, Tom. I’d ‘ave done better if I’d tiken you when you arst me; I shouldn’t be where I am now, if I ‘ad.’
‘Well, won’t yer now? Won’t yer ‘ave me now?’
‘Me? After wot’s ‘appened?’
‘Oh, I don’t mind abaht thet. Thet don’t matter ter me if you’ll marry me. I fair can’t live without yer, Liza—won’t yer?’
She groaned.
‘Na, I can’t, Tom, it wouldn’t be right.’
‘Why, not, if I don’t mind?’
‘Tom,’ she said, looking down, almost whispering, ‘I’m li
ke that—you know!’
‘Wot d’yer mean?’
She could scarcely utter the words—
‘I think I’m in the family wy.’
He paused a moment; then spoke again.
‘Well—I don’t mind, if yer’ll only marry me.’
‘Na, I can’t, Tom,’ she said, bursting into tears; ‘I can’t, but you are so good ter me; I’d do anythin’ ter mike it up ter you.’
She put her arms round his neck and slid on to his knees.
‘Yer know, Tom, I couldn’t marry yer now; but anythin’ else—if yer wants me ter do anythin’ else, I’ll do it if it’ll mike you ‘appy.’
He did not understand, but only said:
‘You’re a good gal, Liza,’ and bending down he kissed her gravely on the forehead.
Then with a sigh he lifted her down, and getting up left her alone. For a while she sat where he left her, but as she thought of all she had gone through her loneliness and misery overcame her, the tears welled forth, and throwing herself on the bed she buried her face in the pillows.
Jim stood looking at Liza as she went off with Tom, and his wife watched him jealously.
‘It’s ‘er you’re thinkin’ abaht. Of course you’d ‘ave liked ter tike ‘er ‘ome yerself, I know, an’ leave me to shift for myself.’
‘Shut up!’ said Jim, angrily turning upon her.
‘I shan’t shut up,’ she answered, raising her voice. ‘Nice ‘usbind you are. Go’ lumme, as good as they mike ‘em! Nice thing ter go an’ leave yer wife and children for a thing like thet! At your age, too! You oughter be ashimed of yerself. Why, it’s like messin’ abaht with your own daughter!’
‘By God!’—he ground his teeth with rage—’if yer don’t leave me alone, I’ll kick the life aht of yer!’
‘There!’ she said, turning to the crowd—’there, see ‘ow ‘e treats me! Listen ter that! I’ve been ‘is wife for twenty years, an’ yer couldn’t ‘ave ‘ad a better wife, an’ I’ve bore ‘im nine children, yet say nothin’ of a miscarriage, an’ I’ve got another comin’, an’ thet’s ‘ow ‘e treats me! Nice ‘usbind, ain’t it?’ She looked at him scornfully, then again at the surrounders as if for their opinion.
‘Well, I ain’t goin’ ter stay ‘ere all night; get aht of the light!’ He pushed aside the people who barred his way, and the one or two who growled a little at his roughness, looking at his angry face, were afraid to complain.
‘Look at ‘im!’ said his wife. ‘’E’s afraid, ‘e is. See ‘im slinkin’ awy like a bloomin’ mongrel with ‘is tail between ‘is legs. Ugh!’ She walked just behind him, shouting and brandishing her arms.
‘Yer dirty beast, you,’ she yelled, ‘ter go foolin’ abaht with a little girl! Ugh! I wish yer wasn’t my ‘usbind; I wouldn’t be seen drowned with yer, if I could ‘elp it. Yer mike me sick ter look at yer.’
The crowd followed them on both sides of the road, keeping at a discreet distance, but still eagerly listening.
Jim turned on her once or twice and said:
‘Shut up!’
But it only made her more angry. ‘I tell yer I shan’t shut up. I don’t care ‘oo knows it, you’re a ——, you are! I’m ashimed the children should ‘ave such a father as you. D’yer think I didn’t know wot you was up ter them nights you was awy—courtin’, yus, courtin’? You’re a nice man, you are!’
Jim did not answer her, but walked on. At last he turned round to the people who were following and said:
‘Na then, wot d’you want ‘ere? You jolly well clear, or I’ll give some of you somethin’!’
They were mostly boys and women, and at his words they shrank back.
‘’E’s afraid ter sy anythin’ ter me,’ jeered Mrs. Blakeston. ‘’E’s a beauty!’
Jim entered his house, and she followed him till they came up into their room. Polly was giving the children their tea. They all started up as they saw their mother with her hair and clothes in disorder, blotches of dried blood on her face, and the long scratch-marks.
‘Oh, mother,’ said Polly, ‘wot is the matter?’
‘’E’s the matter.’ she answered, pointing to her husband. ‘It’s through ‘im I’ve got all this. Look at yer father, children; e’s a father to be proud of, leavin’ yer ter starve an’ spendin’ ‘is week’s money on a dirty little strumper.’
Jim felt easier now he had not got so many strange eyes on him.
‘Now, look ‘ere,’ he said, ‘I’m not goin’ ter stand this much longer, so just you tike care.’
‘I ain’t frightened of yer. I know yer’d like ter kill me, but yer’ll get strung up if you do.’
‘Na, I won’t kill yer, but if I ‘ave any more of your sauce I’ll do the next thing to it.’
‘Touch me if yer dare,’ she said, ‘I’ll ‘ave the law on you. An’ I shouldn’t mind ‘ow many month’s ‘ard you got.’
‘Be quiet!’ he said, and, closing his hand, gave her a heavy blow in the chest that made her stagger.
‘Oh, you ——!’ she screamed.
She seized the poker, and in a fury of rage rushed at him.
‘Would yer?’ he said, catching hold of it and wrenching it from her grasp. He threw it to the end of the room and grappled with her. For a moment they swayed about from side to side, then with an effort he lifted her off her feet and threw her to the ground; but she caught hold of him and he came down on the top of her. She screamed as her head thumped down on the floor, and the children, who were standing huddled up in a corner, terrified, screamed too.
Jim caught hold of his wife’s head and began beating it against the floor.
She cried out: ‘You’re killing me! Help! help!’
Polly in terror ran up to her father and tried to pull him off.
‘Father, don’t ‘it ‘er! Anythin’ but thet—for God’s sike!’
‘Leave me alone,’ he said, ‘or I’ll give you somethin’ too.’
She caught hold of his arm, but Jim, still kneeling on his wife, gave Polly a backhanded blow which sent her staggering back.
‘Tike that!’
Polly ran out of the room, downstairs to the first-floor front, where two men and two women were sitting at tea.
‘Oh, come an’ stop father!’ she cried. ‘’E’s killin’ mother!’
‘Why, wot’s ‘e doin’?’
‘Oh, ‘e’s got ‘er on the floor, an’ ‘e’s bangin’ ‘er ‘ead. ‘E’s payin’ ‘er aht for givin’ Liza Kemp a ‘idin’.’
One of the women started up and said to her husband:
‘Come on, John, you go an’ stop it.’
‘Don’t you, John,’ said the other man. ‘When a man’s givin’ ‘is wife socks it’s best not ter interfere.’
‘But ‘e’s killin’ ‘er,’ repeated Polly, trembling with fright.
‘Garn!’ rejoined the man, ‘she’ll git over it; an’ p’raps she deserves it, for all you know.’
John sat undecided, looking now at Polly, now at his wife, and now at the other man.
‘Oh, do be quick—for God’s sike!’ said Polly.
At that moment a sound as of something smashing was heard upstairs, and a woman’s shriek. Mrs. Blakeston, in an effort to tear herself away from her husband, had knocked up against the wash-hand stand, and the whole thing had crashed down.
‘Go on, John,’ said the wife.
‘No, I ain’t goin’; I shan’t do no good, an’ ‘e’ll only round on me.’
‘Well, you are a bloomin’ lot of cowards, thet’s all I can say,’ indignantly answered the wife. ‘But I ain’t goin’ ter see a woman murdered; I’ll go an’ stop ‘im.’
With that she ran upstairs and threw open the door. Jim was still kneeling on his wife, hitting her furiously, while she was trying to protect her head and face with her hands.
‘Leave off!’ shouted the woman.
Jim looked up. ‘’Oo the devil are you?’ he said.
‘Leave off, I tell yer. Aren’t yer ashimed of y
erself, knockin’ a woman abaht like that?’ And she sprang at him, seizing his fist.
‘Let go,’ he said, ‘or I’ll give you a bit.’
‘Yer’d better not touch me,’ she said. ‘Yer dirty coward! Why, look at ‘er, she’s almost senseless.’
Jim stopped and gazed at his wife. He got up and gave her a kick.
‘Git up!’ he said; but she remained huddled up on the floor, moaning feebly. The woman from downstairs went on her knees and took her head in her arms.
‘Never mind, Mrs. Blakeston. ‘E’s not goin’ ter touch yer. ‘Ere, drink this little drop of water.’ Then turning to Jim, with infinite disdain: ‘Yer dirty blackguard, you! If I was a man I’d give you something for this.’
Jim put on his hat and went out, slamming the door, while the woman shouted after him: ‘Good riddance!’
‘Lord love yer,’ said Mrs. Kemp, ‘wot is the matter?’
She had just come in, and opening the door had started back in surprise at seeing Liza on the bed, all tears. Liza made no answer, but cried as if her heart were breaking. Mrs. Kemp went up to her and tried to look at her face.
‘Don’t cry, dearie; tell us wot it is.’
Liza sat up and dried her eyes.
‘I am so un’appy!’
‘Wot ‘ave yer been doin’ ter yer fice? My!’
‘Nothin’.’
‘Garn! Yer can’t ‘ave got a fice like thet all by itself.’
‘I ‘ad a bit of a scrimmage with a woman dahn the street,’ sobbed out Liza.
‘She ‘as give yer a doin’; an’ yer all upset—an’ look at yer eye! I brought in a little bit of stike for ter-morrer’s dinner; you just cut a bit off an’ put it over yer optic, that’ll soon put it right. I always used ter do thet myself when me an’ your poor father ‘ad words.’
‘Oh, I’m all over in a tremble, an’ my ‘ead, oo, my ‘ead does feel bad!’
‘I know wot yer want,’ remarked Mrs. Kemp, nodding her head, ‘an’ it so ‘appens as I’ve got the very thing with me.’ She pulled a medicine bottle out of her pocket, and taking out the cork smelt it. ‘Thet’s good stuff, none of your firewater or your methylated spirit. I don’t often indulge in sich things, but when I do I likes to ‘ave the best.’
She handed the bottle to Liza, who took a mouthful and gave it her back; she had a drink herself, and smacked her lips.