stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第4节
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while William was looking in vain for it （I had forgotten the title） I said to
him：
〃By the way； William； Mr。 Myddleton Finch is to tell the committee
that he was mistaken in the charge he brought against you； so you will
doubtless be restored to the dining…room to…morrow。〃
The two members were still in their chairs； probably sleeping lightly；
yet he had the effrontery to thank me。
〃Don't thank me；〃 I said； blushing at the imputation。 〃Remember your
place； William！〃
〃But Mr。 Myddleton Finch knew I swore；〃 he insisted。
〃A gentleman；〃 I replied； stiffly； 〃cannot remember for twenty…four
hours what a waiter has said to him。〃
〃No； sir； but〃
To stop him I had to say： 〃And； ah； William； your wife is a little better。
She has eaten the tapiocaall of it。〃
〃How can your know； sir？〃
〃By an accident。〃
〃Jenny signed to the window？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then you saw her； and went out； and〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃Oh； sir； to do that for me！ May God bl〃
〃William！〃
〃Forgive me； sir； butwhen I tell my missis； she will say it was
thought of your own wife as made you do it。〃
He wrung my hand。 I dared not withdraw it； lest we should waken the
sleepers。
William returned to the dining…room； and I had to show him that if he
did not cease looking gratefully at me I must change my waiter。 I also
ordered him to stop telling me nightly how his wife was； but I continued to
know； as I could not help seeing the girl Jenny from the window。 Twice in
a week I learned from this objectionable child that the ailing woman had
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STORIES
again eaten all the tapioca。 Then I became suspicious of William。 I will tell
why。
It began with a remark of Captain Upjohn's。 We had been speaking of
the inconvenience of not being able to get a hot dish served after 1 A。M。；
and he said：
〃It is because these lazy waiters would strike。 If the beggars had a love
of their work they would not rush away from the club the moment one
o'clock strikes。 That glum fellow who often waits on you takes to his heels
the moment he is clear of the club steps。 He ran into me the other night at
the top of the street； and was off without apologising。〃
〃You mean the foot of the street； Upjohn；〃 I said； for such is the way to
Drury Lane。
〃No； I mean the top。 The man was running west。〃
〃East。〃
〃West。〃
I smiled； which so annoyed him that he bet me two to one in
sovereigns。 The bet could have been decided most quickly by asking
William a question； but I thought； foolishly doubtless； that it might hurt his
feelings； so I watched him leave the club。 The possibility of Upjohn's
winning the bet had seemed remote to me。 Conceive my surprise；
therefore when William went westward。
Amazed； I pursued him along two streets without realising that I was
doing so。 Then curiosity put me into a hansom。 We followed William； and
it proved to be a three…shilling fare； for； running when he was in breath
and walking when he was out of it； he took me to West Kensington。
I discharged my cab； and from across the street watched William's
incomprehensible behaviour。 He had stopped at a dingy row of workmen's
houses； and knocked at the darkened window of one of them。 Presently a
light showed。 So far as I could see； some one pulled up the blind and for
ten minutes talked to William。 I was uncertain whether they talked； for the
window was not opened； and I felt that； had William spoken through the
glass loud enough to be heard inside； I must have heard him too。 Yet he
nodded and beckoned。 I was still bewildered when； by setting off the way
he had come； he gave me the opportunity of going home。
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STORIES
Knowing from the talk of the club what the lower orders are； could I
doubt that this was some discreditable love…affair of William's？ His
solicitude for his wife had been mere pretence； so far as it was genuine； it
meant that he feared she might recover。 He probably told her that he was
detained nightly in the club till three。
I was miserable next day； and blamed the deviled kidneys for it。
Whether William was unfaithful to his wife was nothing to me； but I had
two plain reasons for insisting on his going straight home from his club：
the one that； as he had made me lose a bet； I must punish him； the other
that he could wait upon me better if he went to bed betimes。
Yet I did not question him。 There was something in his face that Well；
I seemed to see his dying wife in it。
I was so out of sorts that I could eat no dinner。 I left the club。
Happening to stand for some time at the foot of the street； I chanced to see
the girl Jenny coming； and No； let me tell the truth； though the whole
club reads： I was waiting for her。
〃How is William's wife to…day？〃 I asked。
〃She told me to nod three times；〃 the little slattern replied； 〃but she
looked like nothink but a dead one till she got the brandy。
〃Hush； child！〃 I said； shocked。 〃You don't know how the dead look。〃
〃Bless yer；〃 she answered； 〃don't I just！ Why； I've helped to lay 'em out。
I'm going on seven。〃
〃Is William good to his wife？〃
〃Course he is。 Ain't she his missis？〃
〃Why should that make him good to her？〃 I asked； cynically； out of
my knowledge of the poor。 But the girl； precocious in many ways； had
never had any opportunities of studying the lower classes in the
newspapers； fiction； and club talk。 She shut one eye； and； looking up
wonderingly； said：
〃Ain't you greenjust！〃
〃When does William reach home at night？〃
〃 'Tain't night； it's morning。 When I wakes up at half dark and half
light； and hears a door shutting； I know as it's either father going off to his
work or Mr。 Hicking come home from his。〃
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〃Who is Mr。 Hicking？〃
〃Him as we've been speaking onWilliam。 We calls him mister； 'cause
he's a toff。 Father's just doing jobs in Covent Gardens； but Mr。 Hicking；
he's a waiter； and a clean shirt every day。 The old woman would like father
to be a waiter； but he hain't got the 'ristocratic look。〃
〃What old woman？〃
〃Go 'long！ that's my mother。 Is it true there's a waiter in the club just
for to open the door？〃
〃Yes； but〃
〃And another just for to lick the stamps？ My！〃
〃William leaves the club at one o'clock？〃 I said； interrogatively。
She nodded。 〃My mother；〃 she said； 〃is one to talk； and she says Mr。
Hicking as he should get away at twelve； 'cause his missis needs him
more'n the gentlemen need him。 The old woman do talk。〃
〃And what does William answer to that？〃
〃He says as the gentleman can't be kept waiting for their cheese。〃
〃But William does not go straight home when he leaves the club？〃
〃That's the kid。〃
〃Kid！〃 I echoed； scarcely understanding； for； knowing how little the
poor love their children； I had asked William no questions about the baby。
〃Didn't you know his missis had a kid？〃
〃Yes； but that is no excuse for William's staying away from his sick
wife；〃 I answered； sharply。 A baby in such a home as William's； I reflected；
must be trying； but still Besides； his class can sleep through any din。
〃The kid ain't in our court；〃 the girl explained。 〃He's in W。； he is； and
I've never been out of W。C。； leastwise； not as I knows on。〃
〃This is W。 I suppose you mean that the child is at West Kensington？
Well； no doubt it was better for William's wife to get rid of the child〃
〃Better！〃 interposed the girl。 〃 'Tain't better for her not to have the kid。
Ain't her not having him what she's always thinking on when she looks
like a dead one？〃
〃How could you know that？〃
〃Cause；〃 answered the girl； illustrating her words with a gesture； 〃I
watches her； and I sees her arms going this way； just like as she wanted to
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