The Widow in the Bye Street Part 7

Nothing at first, except a guttering candle Shaking amazing shadows on the ceiling, Then Anna's voice upon a bar of 'Randal, Where have you been:' and voice and music reeling, Trembling, as though she sang with flooding feeling.

The singing stopped midway upon the stair, Then Anna showed in white with loosened hair.

Her back was towards him, and she stood awhile, Like a wild creature tossing back her mane, And then her head went back, he saw a smile On the half face half turned towards the pane; Her eyes closed, and her arms went out again.

Jim gritted teeth, and called upon his Maker, She drooped into a man's arms there to take her.

Agony first, sharp, sudden, like a knife, Then down the tree to batter at the door; 'Open there. Let me in. I'll have your life.

You Jezebel of h.e.l.l, you painted wh.o.r.e, Talk about faith, I'll give you faith galore.'

The window creaked, a jug of water came Over his head and neck with certain aim.

'Clear out,' said Ern; 'I'm here, not you, to-night, Clear out. We whip young puppies when they yap.'

'If you're a man,' said Jim, 'Come down and fight, I'll put a stopper on your ugly chap.'

'Go home,' said Ern; 'Go home and get your pap.

To kennel, pup, and bid your mother bake Some soothing syrup in your puppy cake.'

There was a dibble sticking in the bed, Jim wrenched it out and swung it swiftly round, And sent it flying at the shepherd's head: 'I'll give you puppy-cake. Take that, you hound.'

The broken gla.s.s went clinking to the ground, The dibble balanced, checked, and followed flat.

'My G.o.d,' said Ern, 'I'll give you h.e.l.l for that.'

He flung the door ajar with 'Now, my pup-- Hold up the candle, Anna--now, we'll see.'

'By crimes, come on,' said Jimmy; 'Put them up.

Come, put them up, you coward, here I be.'

And Jim, eleven stone, what chance had he Against fourteen? but what he could he did; Ern swung his right: 'That settles you, my kid.'

Jimmy went down and out: 'The kid,' said Ern.

'A kid, a sucking puppy; hold the light.'

And Anna smiled: 'It gave me such a turn, You look so splendid, Ernie, when you fight.'

She looked at Jim with: 'Ern, is he all right?'

'He's coming to.' She shuddered, 'Pah, the brute.

What things he said'; she stirred him with her foot.

'You go inside,' said Ern, 'and bolt the door, I'll deal with him.' She went and Jimmy stood.

'Now, pup,' said Ern, 'don't come round here no more.

I'm here, not you, let that be understood.

I tell you frankly, pup, for your own good.'

'Give me my hat,' said Jim. He pa.s.sed the gate, And as he tottered off he called, 'You wait.'

'Thanks, I don't have to,' Shepherd Ern replied; 'You'll do whatever waiting's being done.'

The door closed gently as he went inside, The bolts jarred in the channels one by one.

'I'll give you throwing bats about, my son.

Anna.' 'My dear?' 'Where are you?' 'Come and find.'

The light went out, the windows stared out blind.

Blind as blind eyes forever seeing dark.

And in the dim the lovers went upstairs, Her eyes fast closed, the shepherd's burning stark, His lips entangled in her straying hairs, Breath coming short as in a convert's prayers, Her stealthy face all drowsy in the dim And full of shudders as she yearned to him.

Jim crossed the water, cursing in his tears, 'By cripes, you wait. My G.o.d, he's with her now And all her hair pulled down over her ears; Loving the blaggard like a filthy sow, I saw her kiss him from the apple bough.

They say a wh.o.r.e is always full of wiles, O G.o.d, how sweet her eyes are when she smiles.

Curse her and curse her. No, my G.o.d, she's sweet, It's all a h.e.l.ly nightmare. I shall wake.

If it were all a dream I'd kiss her feet, I wish it were a dream for Jesus' sake.

One thing: I bet I made his guzzle ache, I cop it fair before he sent me down, I'll cop him yet some evening on the crown.

O G.o.d, O G.o.d, what pretty ways she had, He's kissing all her skin, so white and soft.

She's kissing back. I think I'm going mad.

Like rutting rattens in the apple loft.

She held that light she carried high aloft Full in my eyes for him to hit me by, I had the light all dazzling in my eye.

She had her dress all clutched up to her shoulder, And all her naked arm was all one gleam.

It's going to freeze to-night, it's turning colder, I wish there was more water in the stream, I'd drownd myself. Perhaps it's all a dream, And bye and bye I'll wake and find it stuff; By crimes, the pain I suffer's real enough.'

About two hundred yards from Gunder Loss He stopped to shudder, leaning on the gate, He bit the touchwood underneath the moss; 'Rotten, like her,' he muttered in his hate; He spat it out again with 'But, you wait, We'll see again, before to-morrow's past, In this life he laughs longest who laughs last.'

All through the night the stream ran to the sea, The different water always saying the same, Cat-like, and then a tinkle, never glee, A lonely little child alone in shame.

An otter snapped a thorn twig when he came, It drifted down, it pa.s.sed the Hazel Mill, It pa.s.sed the Springs; but Jimmy stayed there still.

Over the pointed hill-top came the light Out of the mists on Ercall came the sun, Red like a huntsman halloing after night, Blowing a horn to rouse up everyone; Through many glittering cities he had run, Splas.h.i.+ng the wind vanes on the dewy roofs With golden sparks struck by his horses' hoofs.

The watchman rose, rubbing his rusty eyes, He stirred the pot of cocoa for his mate; The fireman watched his head of power rise.

'What time?' he asked. 'You haven't long to wait.'

'Now, is it time?' 'Yes. Let her ripple.' Straight The whistle shrieked its message, 'Up to work!

Up, or be fined a quarter if you s.h.i.+rk.'

Hearing the whistle, Jimmy raised his head, 'The warning call, and me in Sunday clo'es; I'd better go; I've time. The sun looks red, I feel so stiff' I'm very nearly froze.'

So over brook and through the fields he goes, And up the line among the navvies' smiles, 'Young Jimmy Gurney's been upon the tiles.'

The second whistle blew and work began, Jimmy worked too, not knowing what he did, He tripped and stumbled like a drunken man; He muddled all, whatever he was bid, The foreman cursed, 'Good G.o.d, what ails the kid?

Hi! Gurney. You. We'll have you crocking soon, You take a lie down till the afternoon.'

'I won't,' he answered. 'Why the devil should I?

I'm here, I mean to work. I do my piece, Or would do if a man could, but how could I Then you come nagging round and never cease?

Well, take the job and give me my release, I want the sack, now give it, there's my pick; Give me the sack.' The sack was given quick.

V

Dully he got his time-check from the keeper.

'Curse her,' he said; 'and that's the end of wh.o.r.es'-- He stumbled drunkenly across a sleeper-- 'Give all you have and get kicked out a-doors.'

He cashed his time-check at the station stores.

'Bett'ring yourself, I hope, Jim,' said the master; 'That's it,' said Jim; 'and so I will do, blast her.'

Beyond the bridge, a sharp turn to the right Leads to 'The Bull and Boar,' the carters' rest; An inn so hidden it is out of sight To anyone not coming from the west.

The high embankment hides it with its crest.

Far up above the Chester trains go by, The drinkers see them sweep against the sky.

Ca.n.a.l men used it when the barges came, The navvies used it when the line was making; The pigeons strut and sidle, ruffling, tame, The chuckling brook in front sets shadows shaking.

Cider and beer for thirsty workers' slaking, A quiet house; like all that G.o.d controls, It is Fate's instrument on human souls.