Thereby Hangs a Tale Part 11

He caught up a little china mug from a side table, and ran out, nearly upsetting Mrs Sturt on the landing and Barney at the foot of the stairs, to return at the end of a few minutes, and find the pa.s.sage vacant; so he hastily ran up, to see that Mrs Lane had come to in his absence, though she looked deadly pale.

"Here, mum," he said, earnestly, "drink this; don't be afeard, it's port wine. A drop wouldn't do you no harm neither, Miss," he added, as he glanced at the pale, thin face and delicate aspect of the girl.

Mrs Lane put the mug to her lips, and then made an effort, and sat up.

"You was hurt, then, mum?" said the cabman, anxiously.

"Only shaken--frightened," she said, in a feeble voice.

"And my coming brought it all up again, and upset you. It's jest like me, mum, I'm allus a-doing something; ask my missus if I ain't."

"It did startle me," said Mrs Lane, recovering herself. "But you wished to see me. I am better now, Netta," she said to the girl, who clung to her. "Place a chair."

"No, no, arter you, Miss," said the cabman; "I'm n.o.body;" and he persisted in standing. "'Scuse me, but I knows a real lady when I sees one; I'll stand, thanky. You see, it was like this: I saw Tommy Runce on the stand--him, you know, as brought you home from the front of the club there--and I ast him, and he told me where he brought you. And when I was talking to the missus last night, she says, says she, 'Well, Sam,' she says, 'the least you can do is to drive up and see how the poor woman is, even if you lose half a day.' 'Well,' I says, 'that's just what I was a thinking,' I says, 'only I wanted to hear you say it too.' So you see, mum, thinking it was only decent like, I made bold to come and tell you how sorry I am, and how it was all Ratty's fault; for he's that beast of a horse--begging your pardon, mum, and yours too, Miss--as it's impossible to drive. He oughter ha' been called Gunpowder, for you never know when he's going off."

"It was _very_ kind and very thoughtful of you, and--and your wife,"

said Mrs Lane; "and indeed I thank you; but I was not hurt, only shaken."

"Then it shook all the colour outer your face, mum, and outer yours too, Miss," he said, awkwardly. "You'll excuse me, but you look as if you wanted a ride every day out in the country."

As he spoke, the girl glanced at a bundle of violets in a broken gla.s.s of water in the window; then the tears gathered in her eyes. She seemed to struggle for a moment against her emotion, and then started up and burst into a pa.s.sion of weeping.

"My darling!" whispered Mrs Lane, catching her in her arms, and trying to soothe her, "pray--pray don't give way."

"I've done it again," muttered Jenkles--"I'm allus a-doing it--it is my natur' to."

The girl made a brave effort, dashed away the tears, shook back her long dark hair, and tried to smile in the speaker's face, but so piteous and sad a smile that Jenkles gave a gulp; for he had been glancing round the room, and in that glance had seen a lady and her daughter living in a state of semi-starvation, keeping life together evidently by sewing the hard, toilsome slop-work which he saw scattered upon the table and chairs.

"She has been ill," said Mrs Lane, apologetically, "and has not quite recovered. We are very much obliged to you for calling."

"Well, you see, mum," said Jenkles, "it was to set both of us right, like--you as I didn't mean to do it, and me and my missus that you warn't hurt. And now I'm here, mum, if you and the young lady there would like a drive once or twice out into the country, why, mum, you've only got to say the word, and--"

"You'll excuse me, ma'am," said the sharp voice of Mrs Sturt, laying great stress on the "ma'am," "but my 'usban' is below, and going out on business, and he'd be much obliged if you'd pay us the rent."

The girl looked in a frightened way at her mother, who rose, and said, quietly--

"Mrs Sturt, you might have spared me this--and before a stranger, too."

"I don't know nothing about no strangers, ma'am," said Mrs Sturt, defiantly. "I only know that my master sent me up for the rent; for he says if people can afford to come home in cabs, and order cabs, and drink port wine, they can afford to pay their rent; so, if you please, ma'am, if you'll be kind--"

"Why, them two cabs warn't nothing to do with the lady at all," said Jenkles, indignantly; "and as for the wine, why, that was mine--and--and I paid for it."

"And drunk it too, I dessay," said Mrs Sturt. "Which it's four weeks at seven-and-six, if you please, ma'am--thirty s.h.i.+llings, if you please." The girl stood up, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng, and a deep flush in her cheeks; but at a sign from her mother she was silent.

"Mrs Sturt," she said, "I cannot pay you now; give me till Sat.u.r.day."

"That won't do for my master, ma'am; he won't be put off."

"But the work I have in hand, Mrs Sturt, will half pay you--you shall receive that."

"I'm tired on it," said Mrs Sturt, turning to the door; "p'r'aps I'd better send him up."

"Oh, mamma," said the girl, in a low, frightened voice, and she turned of a waxen pallor, "don't let him come here."

And she clung trembling to her arm as the retreating footsteps of Mrs Sturt were heard, and, directly after, her vinegary voice in colloquy with her husband.

"Here, I'll soon let 'em know," he was heard to say, roughly.

The trembling girl hid her face on her mother's shoulder; but only to start up directly, very pale and firm, as Barney's heavy step was heard.

"Blame me if I can stand this," muttered Jenkles.

Then without a word he stuck his hat on his head and walked out of the room, in time to meet the master of the house on the stairs.

"Now, then?" said Barney, as Jenkles stopped short.

"Now, then," said Jenkles, "where are you going?"

"In there," said Barney, savagely; and he nodded towards the room.

"No, you ain't," said Jenkles; "you're a-going downstairs."

"Oh, am I? I'll just show you about that."

He rushed up two more of the stairs; but Jenkles did not budge an inch-- only met the brute with such a firm, unflinching look in his ugly eyes that the bully was cowed, puzzled at the opposition.

"You're a-going downstairs to send yer missus up; and jest you tell her to go and take a spoonful o' treacle out o' the shop afore she does come up, so as she'll be a little bit sweeter when the ladies pays her."

Then Jenkles walked back into the room, rammed his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a dirty canvas bag, out of which he fished a piece of rag tied tightly, in one corner of which was a sovereign, which had to be set free with his teeth. From another corner he tried to extricate a half-sovereign, but it would not come, the knot was too tight.

"Here, lends a pair o' scissors," he exclaimed, angrily.

"What are you going to do?" said Mrs Lane.

"To cut this here out," said Jenkles; "there, that's it. Here's a sov and a arf, mum, as was saved up for our rent. I never did such a thing afore, but that's nothing to you. I'll lend it you, and you'll pay me again when you can. There's my name on that dirty envelope, and you'll send it, I know."

"No," exclaimed Mrs Lane, in a choking voice, "I--"

At this moment Mrs Sturt entered the room, looking very grim; but no sooner did she see the money lying upon the table than she walked up, took it, said "Thanky," shortly, and jerked a letter upon the table.

Jenkles was following her, when Mrs Lane cried "Stop!" seized the letter, tore it open, and read it.

It was in reply to the second she had written, both of which had reached Captain Vanleigh, though she believed the first had been lost.

Her letter had been brief--

"Help us--we are dest.i.tute.