Liza of Lambeth

er at the factory when she herself arrived. The bell rang and all the girls trooped in, but still Sally did not come. Liza could not make it out, and was thinking she woul

'ot!' she said, wiping

u wasn't comi

t; I overslep' myself. I

re

ve never see sich a good ply in my life. Lor'! Why, it mikes yer blood

n-jumbling everything up in her excitement, repeating little scraps of dialogue-all wrong-gesticulating, getting excited and red in the face at t

r been to a theatre in yo

, I can tell yer. You tike my

an' if I did I'd py fo

we set together, 'im with 'is arm round my wiste

yone sprawlin' me abah

id, well, 'e says, "I'll git a licence." "Na," says I, "'ave the banns read aht in church: it seems more reg'lar li

I don'

ng in front of the poster and explaining

Card", you do! I'm goin' 'ome.' And she l

rked Sally to a mutual friend. 'Sh

rmy,' answere

bit dotty sometimes-I do

ng of the play; at length she

ing; an' if I see that there Jim I'l

he had seen her, and as she walked by pretended not to have noticed him. To her disgust, he le

iz

surprise very well imitated. 'I di

ot ter notice me, as y

didn't s

ou ain't shi

got to be sh

ng used to the movement. They went on talking, but Jim did not mention

he ply last night,'

aid, and t

t impa

'm off!'

I want ter talk t

ckler?' She would drag it out

nows on,' he

said, abruptly, tu

forgotten!' she said to hersel

t suddenly struck her that it was the last

't catch Tom doin' sich a thing. Bli'me if I speak to 'im again, the --. Now I shan't see it

h, as she had distinctly refused Jim'

s there. I'll go an' see if 'e is, see if I don't-an' then i

up a passage between some model lodging-house buildings, and in this roundabout way

in' for yer th

nd saw Jim standin

not goin' to the ply with you

er goin' w

oin' a

be a bloomi

eeling ver

shall go 'ome. Why didn't yo

ld me n

ridiculous inepti

say nothin' abah

ou'd come if I di

-- brute!' She felt ve

led her to take their places at the gallery door. Two tears escaped from the corners of her eyes

é, and they were very generous of applause and halfpence at the end of the performance. Then, when the niggers moved to the pit doors, paper boys came along offering Tit-Bits and 'extra specials'; after that three little girls came round and sang sentimental songs and collected more halfpence.

was intent on the scene; she watched the incidents breathlessly, trembling with excitement, almost beside her

she said to Jim, g

!' he remarke

aid, trying to wi

he answered,

idn't, and she really did

c man; and her laughter rang higher than anyone els

enjoyin'

d out as loud as she could to the victim, 'Look aht!' It caused a laugh and slackened the tension, for the whole house was holdi

error threw herself against Jim, who

ide, Liza; it

erers and the murdered man. At last the curtain came down, and the house in relief burst forth into cheers and cheers; the handsome hero in his top hat was greeted thunderously; the murdered

ressing herself quite close to Jim;

er that she was sitting just as Sally had

tomary laughter by undressing and exposing his nether garments to the public view; then m

they had got outside Jim

gargle; let's go on

one,' said Liza;

shed them down with a couple of pots of beer; then Jim lit his pipe and they strolled off. They had got quite ne

e tight,'

hing. 'You ain't got ter go ter work in

if I do then, in for a

door she

e'll be some of the coves from da

nobody there, don'

ter go in fo

us, an' we can go into the private bar, an' y

d, and the

tter, please, mi

an't drink more than '

im. 'You can do with al

and walked down the broa

,' said Jim, pointing to an e

in' lite; I wa

in already;' and he drew her unresisting tow

ation of the melodrama, but Jim only laughed,

curious sensation as if her heart were about to burst, and it choked her-a feeling so oppressive and painful it almost made her feel sick. Her hands began to tremble, and her breathing grew rapid, as though she were suffocating. Almost fainting, she

piness, feeling as if she could laugh aloud hysterically, but restrained by

a, starting, 'there's one

' He pressed her closer to him. 'Yer

got up from the seat, and pulle

in front or behind them. He had not got his arm round her now, and they w

Street the other end, an' I'll go through the passage, so thet no o

answered, 'I'll do j

backs of factories, and it led into the upper end of Vere Street. The entrance to it was gu

an came out into the open road.

, when he had passed out of earsh

is it?'

nswered. 'I dunno 'im, but I know whe

t know 'oo it w

; all the street'll

ain't doin

ut her hand to

th yer along the p

n't; you go s

; p'raps summat'l

plied, and entering the passage, stood facing

e said, stretching out her

n't goin' ter l

and away from his, but he held it firm

es steadily, so that it made her uneasy. She repented having come out wit

he said,

wered, still thumping down

aid a whispe

' she said,

Liza. Sy,

she

er her and

ll

, but kept beatin

s voice growing hoarse an

r a moment, and she, ceasing to thump his hand, looked up at him with half-opened mouth. Sud

on,' h

id down into the dar