As a matter of fact,I didn't know the lady was in this condition till the barman sent me in to see what could be done.""You're a liar,an'a fat liar.I hate fat liars--I don't know why--an'if yer tell another,I'll ram yer teeth down yer throat.She's been comin''ere for months,an'you've been sending her home drunk for the sake of a few shillings,to poison my life and make her name a byword in the neighbourhood.Now,listen to me!You'll not serve that woman again with drink under any pretext whatever.""I should be glad to oblige you;but this is a public house,as I said before."He stopped as Jonah took a step forward,his fists clenched,transformed in a moment into Jonah the larrikin,king of the Cardigan Street Push.
"D'ye remember me,Cassidy?"he cried."I've sent better men than you to the 'orspital in a cab.D'ye remember w'en yer were a cop with one stripe,an'we smashed every window in Flanagan's pub for laggin'?D'ye remember the time yer used ter turn fer safety down a side street w'en yer saw us comin'?"Cassidy's face stiffened for a moment,the old policeman coming to life again at the sight of his natural enemy,the larrikin.But years of ease had buried the guardian of the law under layers of fat.He stepped hastily back from Jonah's fists.
"No,I won't hit yer;yer might splash,"cried Jonah bitterly.
And Cassidy,forgetting that the dreaded Push was scattered to the winds,and trembling for the safety of his windows,spoke in a changed voice.
"I'll do anything to meet your wishes,Mr Jones.There's no call to rake up old times.We've both got on since then,and it won't pay us to be enemies.I promise you faithfully that your wife shan't be served with drink here.""I'm glad to 'ear it,"said Jonah;"an'now yer better 'elp me ter git 'er 'ome."He looked round the room.There were only himself,Cassidy,and Ada.
Mrs Herring,who had been paralysed by the sight of the devil in the shape of a hunchback,had found herself on the footpath,sober as a judge,without very well knowing how she got there.
Ada,stupefied with brandy,and tired over the long conversation,had fallen asleep on the table.Jonah went to the door and called Joe,who was listening dismally to the hum of voices raised in argument and the pleasant clink of glasses in the bar,now filled with workmen carrying their bags of tools,their faces covered with the sweat and grime of the day.
"Fetch me a cab,Smacker,"he said."My wife's been taken ill.She fainted in the street,and they brought her here to recover.""Right y'are,boss,"cried Joe."She turned giddy as she was walkin'past,an'yer tried to pull 'er round with a drop of brandy."He repeated the words like a boy reciting a lesson,feeling anxiously with his thumb as he spoke,wondering if the coin Jonah had pushed into his hand was a florin or a half-dollar.
Cassidy and Joe,one on each side,helped Ada into the cab.Her feet scraped helplessly over the flagged pavement her head lolled on her shoulder,and the baleful white gleam of the huge electric lamps fell like limelight on her face contracted in an atrocious leer.
The "Silver Shoe"was closed and in darkness,and Jonah drew a breath of relief.The neighbours were at their tea,and he could get his shameful burden in unseen.Prendergast,the cabman,helped him to drag Ada across the shop to the foot of the stairs,where with an oath he threw her across his shoulder,and ran up the winding staircase as if he were carrying a bag of chaff.
Suddenly the door on the landing opened,throwing a flood of light on their faces,and Jonah was astonished to see Miss Grimes,trim and neat,looking in alarm from him to the cabman and his burden.As Prendergast dropped Ada on the couch,she took a step forward.
"What has happened?Is she hurt?"she asked,bending over Ada;but the next moment she turned away.
This unconscious movement of disgust maddened Jonah.What was she doing there to see his humiliation?
"No,she's not hurt,"said Jonah dryly."But wot are you doing 'ere?"he added.
His tone nettled the young woman,and she coloured.
"I'm sorry I'm in the way,"she said stiffly,"but Mr Johnson locked up,and was anxious to get away,and as I was giving Ray his lesson,I offered to stay with him till someone came.""I beg yer pardon,"said Jonah."I'm much obliged to yer fer mindin'the kid,but I didn't want yer to see this.""I've known it all the time,"said Clara,quietly.
"Ah,"said Jonah,understanding many things in a flash.
He caught sight of Ray,staring open-mouthed at his mother lying so strangely huddled on the couch.
"Yer mother's tired,Ray,"he said."Go an'boil the kettle;she'll want some tea when she wakes up.""That's 'ow I 'ave ter lie to everybody;an'I suppose they all know the truth,an'nod an'wink behind my back,"he cried bitterly."I've tried all I know;but now 'er mother's gone,I'm fair beat.People envy me because I've got on,but they little know wot a millstone I've got round my neck."He lifted his head,and look steadily at Ada snoring in a drunken sleep on the couch.And to Clara's surprise,his face suddenly changed;tears stood in his eyes.
"Poor devil!I don't know that she's to blame altogether.It's in her blood.Her father went the same way.My money's done 'er no good.She'd 'ave been better off in Cardigan Street on two pounds a week."Clara was surprised at the pity in his voice.She thought that he loathed and despised his wife.Suddenly Jonah looked up at her.
"Will yer meet me to-morrow afternoon?"he asked abruptly.
"Why?"said Clara,alarmed and surprised.
"I want yer to 'elp me.Since 'er mother died,she's gone from bad to worse.I've got no one to 'elp me,an'I feel I'll burst if I don't talk it over with somebody.""I hardly know,"replied Clara,taken by surprise.
"Say the Mosman boat at half past two,an'I'll be there,"said Jonah brusquely.
"Very well,"said Clara.
