Liza of Lambeth Read online

  'Wot are you shiverin' for, Liza?' asked one of the girls. 'You ain't cold.'

  'Not much,' answered Liza, blushing awkwardly on her meditations being broken into. 'Why, I'm sweatin' so--I'm drippin' wet.'

  'I expect yer caught cold in the Faurest yesterday.'

  'I see your mash as I was comin' along this mornin'.'

  Liza stared a little.

  'I ain't got one, 'oo d'yer mean, ay?'

  'Yer only Tom, of course. 'E did look washed aht. Wot was yer doin' with 'im yesterday?'

  ''E ain't got nothin' ter do with me, 'e ain't.'

  'Garn, don't you tell me!'

  The bell rang, and, throwing over their work, the girls trooped off, and after chattering in groups outside the factory gates for a while, made their way in different directions to their respective homes. Liza and Sally went along together.

  'I sy, we are comin' aht!' cried Sally, seeing the advertisement of a play being acted at the neighbouring theatre.

  'I should like ter see thet!' said Liza, as they stood arm-in-arm in front of the flaring poster. It represented two rooms and a passage in between; in one room a dead man was lying on the floor, while two others were standing horror-stricken, listening to a youth who was in the passage, knocking at the door.

  'You see, they've 'killed im,' said Sally, excitedly.

  'Yus, any fool can see thet! an' the one ahtside, wot's 'e doin' of?'

  'Ain't 'e beautiful? I'll git my 'Arry ter tike me, I will. I should like ter see it. 'E said 'e'd tike me to the ply.'

  They strolled on again, and Liza, leaving Sally, made her way to her mother's. She knew she must pass Jim's house, and wondered whether she would see him. But as she walked along the street she saw Tom coming the opposite way; with a sudden impulse she turned back so as not to meet him, and began walking the way she had come. Then thinking herself a fool for what she had done, she turned again and walked towards him. She wondered if she had seen her or noticed her movement, but when she looked down the street he was nowhere to be seen; he had not caught sight of her, and had evidently gone in to see a mate in one or other of the houses. She quickened her step, and passing the house where lived Jim, could not help looking up; he was standing at the door watching her, with a smile on his lips.

  'I didn't see yer, Mr. Blakeston,' she said, as he came up to her.

  'Didn't yer? Well, I knew yer would; an' I was witin' for yer ter look up. I see yer before ter-day.'

  'Na, when?'

  'I passed be'ind yer as you an' thet other girl was lookin' at the advertisement of thet ply.'

  'I never see yer.'

  'Na, I know yer didn't. I 'ear yer say, you says: "I should like to see thet."'

  'Yus, an' I should too.'

  'Well, I'll tike yer.'

  'You?'

  'Yus; why not?'

  'I like thet; wot would yer missus sy?'

  'She wouldn't know.'

  'But the neighbours would!'

  'No they wouldn't, no one 'd see us.'

  He was speaking in a low voice so that people could not hear.

  'You could meet me ahtside the theatre,' he went on.

  'Na, I couldn't go with you; you're a married man.'

  'Garn! wot's the matter--jest ter go ter the ply? An' besides, my missus can't come if she wanted, she's got the kids ter look after.'

  'I should like ter see it,' said Liza meditatively.

  They had reached her house, and Jim said:

  'Well, come aht this evenin' and tell me if yer will--eh, Liza?'

  'Na, I'm not comin' aht this evening.'

  'Thet won't 'urt yer. I shall wite for yer.'

  ''Tain't a bit of good your witing', 'cause I shan't come.'

  'Well, then, look 'ere, Liza; next Saturday night's the last night, an' I shall go to the theatre, any'ow. An' if you'll come, you just come to the door at 'alf-past six, an' you'll find me there. See?'

  'Na, I don't,' said Liza, firmly.

  'Well, I shall expect yer.'

  'I shan't come, so you needn't expect.' And with that she walked into the house and slammed the door behind her.

  Her mother had not come in from her day's charing, and Liza set about getting her tea. She thought it would be rather lonely eating it alone, so pouring out a cup of tea and putting a little condensed milk into it, she cut a huge piece of bread-and-butter, and sat herself down outside on the doorstep. Another woman came downstairs, and seeing Liza, sat down by her side and began to talk.

  'Why, Mrs. Stanley, wot 'ave yer done to your 'ead?' asked Liza, noticing a bandage round her forehead.

  'I 'ad an accident last night,' answered the woman, blushing uneasily.

  'Oh, I am sorry! Wot did yer do to yerself?'

  'I fell against the coal-scuttle and cut my 'ead open.'

  'Well, I never!'

  'To tell yer the truth, I 'ad a few words with my old man. But one doesn't like them things to get abaht; yer won't tell anyone, will yer?'

  'Not me!' answered Liza. 'I didn't know yer husband was like thet.'

  'Oh, 'e's as gentle as a lamb when 'e's sober,' said Mrs. Stanley, apologetically. 'But, Lor' bless yer, when 'e's 'ad a drop too much 'e's a demond, an' there's no two ways abaht it.'

  'An' you ain't been married long neither?' said Liza.

  'Na, not above eighteen months; ain't it disgriceful? Thet's wot the doctor at the 'orspital says ter me. I 'ad ter go ter the 'orspital. You should have seen 'ow it bled!--it bled all dahn' my fice, and went streamin' like a bust waterpipe. Well, it fair frightened my old man, an' I says ter 'im, "I'll charge yer," an' although I was bleedin' like a bloomin' pig I shook my fist at 'im, an' I says, "I'll charge ye--see if I don't!" An' 'e says, "Na," says 'e, "don't do thet, for God's sike, Kitie, I'll git three months." "An' serve yer damn well right!" says I, an' I went aht an' left 'im. But, Lor' bless yer, I wouldn't charge 'im! I know 'e don't mean it; 'e's as gentle as a lamb when 'e's sober.' She smiled quite affectionately as she said this.

  'Wot did yer do, then?' asked Liza.

  'Well, as I wos tellin' yer, I went to the 'orspital, an' the doctor 'e says to me, "My good woman," says 'e, "you might have been very seriously injured." An' me not been married eighteen months! An' as I was tellin' the doctor all about it, "Missus," 'e says ter me, lookin' at me straight in the eyeball. "Missus," says 'e, "'ave you been drinkin'?" "Drinkin'?" says I; "no! I've 'ad a little drop, but as for drinkin'! Mind," says I, "I don't say I'm a teetotaller--I'm not, I 'ave my glass of beer, and I like it. I couldn't do withaht it, wot with the work I 'ave, I must 'ave somethin' ter keep me tergether. But as for drinkin' 'eavily! Well! I can say this, there ain't a soberer woman than myself in all London. Why, my first 'usband never touched a drop. Ah, my first 'usband, 'e was a beauty, 'e was."'

  She stopped the repetition of her conversation and addressed herself to Liza.

  ''E was thet different ter this one. 'E was a man as 'ad seen better days. 'E was a gentleman!' She mouthed the word and emphasized it with an expressive nod.

  ''E was a gentleman and a Christian. 'E'd been in good circumstances in 'is time; an' 'e was a man of education and a teetotaller, for twenty-two years.'

  At that moment Liza's mother appeared on the scene.

  'Good evenin', Mrs. Stanley,' she said, politely.

  'The sime ter you, Mrs. Kemp.' replied that lady, with equal courtesy.

  'An' 'ow is your poor 'ead?' asked Liza's mother, with sympathy.

  'Oh, it's been achin' cruel. I've hardly known wot ter do with myself.'

  'I'm sure 'e ought ter be ashimed of 'imself for treatin' yer like thet.'

  'Oh, it wasn't 'is blows I minded so much, Mrs. Kemp,' replied Mrs. Stanley, 'an' don't you think it. It was wot 'e said ter me. I can stand a blow as well as any woman. I don't mind thet, an' when 'e don't tike a mean advantage of me I can stand up for myself an' give as good as I tike; an' many's the time I give my fust husband a black eye. But the language 'e used, an' the things 'e called me! It
made me blush to the roots of my 'air; I'm not used ter bein' spoken ter like thet. I was in good circumstances when my fust 'usband was alive, 'e earned between two an' three pound a week, 'e did. As I said to 'im this mornin', "'Ow a gentleman can use sich language, I dunno."'

  ''Usbands is cautions, 'owever good they are,' said Mrs. Kemp, aphoristically. 'But I mustn't stay aht 'ere in the night air.'

  ''As yer rheumatism been troublin' yer litely?' asked Mrs. Stanley.

  'Oh, cruel. Liza rubs me with embrocation every night, but it torments me cruel.'

  Mrs. Kemp then went into the house, and Liza remained talking to Mrs. Stanley, she, too, had to go in, and Liza was left alone. Some while she spent thinking of nothing, staring vacantly in front of her, enjoying the cool and quiet of the evening. But Liza could not be left alone long, several boys came along with a bat and a ball, and fixed upon the road just in front of her for their pitch. Taking off their coats they piled them up at the two ends, and were ready to begin.

  'I say, old gal,' said one of them to Liza, 'come an' have a gime of cricket, will yer?'

  'Na, Bob, I'm tired.'

  'Come on!'

  'Na, I tell you I won't.'

  'She was on the booze yesterday, an' she ain't got over it,' cried another boy.

  'I'll swipe yer over the snitch!' replied Liza to him, and then on being asked again, said:

  'Leave me alone, won't yer?'

  'Liza's got the needle ter-night, thet's flat,' commented a third member of the team.

  'I wouldn't drink if I was you, Liza,' added another, with mock gravity. 'It's a bad 'abit ter git into,' and he began rolling and swaying about like a drunken man.

  If Liza had been 'in form' she would have gone straight away and given the whole lot of them a sample of her strength; but she was only rather bored and vexed that they should disturb her quietness, so she let them talk. They saw she was not to be drawn, and leaving her, set to their game. She watched them for some time, but her thoughts gradually lost themselves, and insensibly her mind was filled with a burly form, and she was again thinking of Jim.

  ''E is a good sort ter want ter tike me ter the ply,' she said to herself. 'Tom never arst me!'

  Jim had said he would come out in the evening; he ought to be here soon, she thought. Of course she wasn't going to the theatre with him, but she didn't mind talking to him; she rather enjoyed being asked to do a thing and refusing, and she would have liked another opportunity of doing so. But he didn't come and he had said he would!

  'I say, Bill,' she said at last to one of the boys who was fielding close beside her, 'that there Blakeston--d'you know 'im?'

  'Yes, rather; why, he works at the sime plice as me.'

  'Wot's 'e do with 'isself in the evening; I never see 'im abaht?'

  'I dunno. I see 'im this evenin' go into the "Red Lion". I suppose 'e's there, but I dunno.'

  Then he wasn't coming. Of course she had told him she was going to stay indoors, but he might have come all the same--just to see.

  'I know Tom 'ud 'ave come,' she said to herself, rather sulkily.

  'Liza! Liza!' she heard her mother's voice calling her.

  'Arright, I'm comin',' said Liza.

  'I've been witin' for you this last 'alf-hour ter rub me.'

  'Why didn't yer call?' asked Liza.

  'I did call. I've been callin' this last I dunno 'ow long; it's give me quite a sore throat.'

  'I never 'eard yer.'

  'Na, yer didn't want ter 'ear me, did yer? Yer don't mind if I dies with rheumatics, do yer? I know.'

  Liza did not answer, but took the bottle, and, pouring some of the liniment on her hand, began to rub it into Mrs. Kemp's rheumatic joints, while the invalid kept complaining and grumbling at everything Liza did.

  'Don't rub so 'ard, Liza, you'll rub all the skin off.'

  Then when Liza did it as gently as she could, she grumbled again.

  'If yer do it like thet, it won't do no good at all. You want ter sive yerself trouble--I know yer. When I was young girls didn't mind a little bit of 'ard work--but, law bless yer, you don't care abaht my rheumatics, do yer?'

  At last she finished, and Liza went to bed by her mother's side.

  7

  Two days passed, and it was Friday morning. Liza had got up early and strolled off to her work in good time, but she did not meet her faithful Sally on the way, nor find her 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 would be shut out, when just as the man who gave out the tokens for the day's work was pulling down the shutter in front of his window, Sally arrived, breathless and perspiring.

  'Whew! Go' lumme, I am 'ot!' she said, wiping her face with her apron.

  'I thought you wasn't comin',' said Liza.

  'Well, I only just did it; I overslep' myself. I was aht lite last night.'

  'Were yer?'

  'Me an' 'Arry went ter see the ply. Oh, Liza, it's simply spiffin'! I've never see sich a good ply in my life. Lor'! Why, it mikes yer blood run cold: they 'ang a man on the stige; oh, it mide me creep all over!'

  And then she began telling Liza all about it--the blood and thunder, the shooting, the railway train, the murder, the bomb, the hero, the funny man--jumbling everything up in her excitement, repeating little scraps of dialogue--all wrong--gesticulating, getting excited and red in the face at the recollection. Liza listened rather crossly, feeling bored at the detail into which Sally was going: the piece really didn't much interest her.

  'One 'ud think yer'd never been to a theatre in your life before,' she said.

  'I never seen anything so good, I can tell yer. You tike my tip, and git Tom ter tike yer.'

  'I don't want ter go; an' if I did I'd py for myself an' go alone.'

  'Cheese it! That ain't 'alf so good. Me an' 'Arry, we set together, 'im with 'is arm round my wiste and me oldin' 'is 'and. It was jam, I can tell yer!'

  'Well, I don't want anyone sprawlin' me abaht, thet ain't my mark!'

  'But I do like 'Arry; you dunno the little ways 'e 'as; an' we're goin' ter be married in three weeks now. 'Arry said, well, 'e says, "I'll git a licence." "Na," says I, "'ave the banns read aht in church: it seems more reg'lar like to 'ave banns; so they're goin' ter be read aht next Sunday. You'll come with me 'an 'ear them, won't yer, Liza?"'

  'Yus, I don't mind.'

  On the way home Sally insisted on stopping in front of the poster and explaining to Liza all about the scene represented.

  'Oh, you give me the sick with your "Fital Card", you do! I'm goin' 'ome.' And she left Sally in the midst of her explanation.

  'I dunno wot's up with Liza,' remarked Sally to a mutual friend. 'She's always got the needle, some'ow.'

  'Oh, she's barmy,' answered the friend.

  'Well, I do think she's a bit dotty sometimes--I do really,' rejoined Sally.

  Liza walked homewards, thinking of the play; at length she tossed her head impatiently.

  'I don't want ter see the blasted thing; an' if I see that there Jim I'll tell 'im so; swop me bob, I will.'

  She did see him; he was leaning with his back against the wall of his house, smoking. Liza knew he had seen her, and as she walked by pretended not to have noticed him. To her disgust, he let her pass, and she was thinking he hadn't seen her after all, when she heard him call her name.

  'Liza!'

  She turned round and started with surprise very well imitated. 'I didn't see you was there!' she said.

  'Why did yer pretend not ter notice me, as yer went past--eh, Liza?'

  'Why, I didn't see yer.'

  'Garn! But you ain't shirty with me?'

  'Wot 'ave I got to be shirty abaht?'

  He tried to take her hand, but she drew it away quickly. She was getting used to the movement. They went on talking, but Jim did not mention the theatre; Liza was surprised, and wondered whether he had forgotten.

  'Er--Sally went to the ply last
night,' she said, at last.

  'Oh!' he said, and that was all.

  She got impatient.

  'Well, I'm off!' she said.

  'Na, don't go yet; I want ter talk ter yer,' he replied.

  'Wot abaht? anythin' in partickler?' She would drag it out of him if she possibly could.

  'Not thet I knows on,' he said, smiling.

  'Good night!' she said, abruptly, turning away from him.

  'Well, I'm damned if 'e ain't forgotten!' she said to herself, sulkily, as she marched home.

  The following evening about six o'clock, it suddenly struck her that it was the last night of the 'New and Sensational Drama'.

  'I do like thet Jim Blakeston,' she said to herself; 'fancy treatin' me like thet! You wouldn't catch Tom doin' sich a thing. Bli'me if I speak to 'im again, the ----. Now I shan't see it at all. I've a good mind ter go on my own 'ook. Fancy 'is forgettin' all abaht it, like thet!'

  She was really quite indignant; though, as she had distinctly refused Jim's offer, it was rather hard to see why.

  ''E said 'e'd wite for me ahtside the doors; I wonder if 'e's there. I'll go an' see if 'e is, see if I don't--an' then if 'e's there, I'll go in on my own 'ook, jist ter spite 'im!'

  She dressed herself in her best, and, so that the neighbours shouldn't see her, went up a passage between some model lodging-house buildings, and in this roundabout way got into the Westminster Bridge Road, and soon found herself in front of the theatre.