Thyrza

pursued her way. Her face was graver than before: once o

ance. Its name is Walnut Tree Walk. For the most part it consists of old dwellings, which probably were the houses of people above the working class in days when Lambeth's squal

ort. A bed stood in one corner; in another, a small washhand-stand; between them a low chest of drawers with a looking-glass upon it. The rest was arranged for day use; a cupboard kept

large and full of light; every line of the face was delicate, harmonious, sweet; each thought that passed through her mind reflected itself in a change of expression, produced one knew not how, one phase melting into another like flitting lights upon a stream in woodland. It was a subtly morbid physiognomy, and impressed one with a sense of vague trouble. There was none of the spontaneous pleasure

id, rising as Lydia entered. 'Mrs. Jarme

ia replied. 'It's nearly six o'clock

e, Lydia drew from her pocket a s

. Isaacs?' her

ust take my boots to be done. If it began to rain I

inued presently. 'Mr. Ackroyd was there. He'd come to te

ssented

to tea to-morr

o chapel with her afterwards. She won't be sa

resome,

wants you to go out

an Mr.

out of Mrs. Bower's, and ask

nt for a little

alone, Lyddy. I don't

want,' said her sister, with a

ndow and stood for a while looking at the people that passed, but presently she seated herself, and fell into the brooding which her sister's e

u thinking o

rew a de

t's so hot, I don't fee

ing and thinking. What i

eel

to go out with Mr. A

o much want m

eal of you, and it would be

, never;-I kn

not,

t's any thing else. I'll go out with him if you'll

t to pick up a

n to-morrow co

looked up at the reddening sky. The windows of the other houses were all open; here and there women talked from them with friends across the street. People

r eight o'cl

my boots, and get somethi

yrza said. 'I can't bear

those who clattered pots and pans. Here and there meat was being sold by Dutch auction, a brisk business. Umbrellas, articles of clothing, quack medicines, were disposed of in the same way, giving occasion for much coarse humour. The market-night is the sole out-of-door amusement regularly at hand for London working people, the only one, in truth, for which they show any real capacity. Everywhere was laughter and interchange of good-fellowship. Women sauntered the length of the street and back again for the pleasure of picking out the best and cheapest bundle of rhubarb, or lettuce, the biggest and hardest cabbage, the most appetising rasher; they compared notes, and bantered eac

vileness hourly surrounding them. Of the women, whatsoever their appearance, the great majority carried babies. Wives, themselves scarcely past childhood, balanced shawl-enveloped bantlings against heavy market-baskets. Little girls of nine or ten were going from stall to stall, making purchases with the confidence and acumen

blic-house as a natural incident of the evening's business. The women with the babies grew thirsty in the hot, foul air of the street, and invited each other to refreshment of varying strength, chatting the while of their most intimate affairs, the eternal 'says I,' 'says he,' 'sa

urchase should be for Sunday's dinner, Thyrza caught sight of Totty Nancarrow entering a shop.

ce showed

?' she asked,

tcher's ju

t, Thyrza. I'd ra

n't be late. On

shapely figure, and her features much resembled those of a fairly good-looking boy. Her attire showed little care for personal adornment, but it suited her, because it suggested bodily activity. She wore a plain, tight-fitting grey gown, a small straw hat of the

elessness. Impurity of mind would have repelled her, and there was no trace of it in Totty. Yet Lydia took very ill this recently-grown companionship, holding her friend Mary Bower's view of the girl's character. Her prejudice was enhanced by the jealous care with which, from the time of her own chi

mind. But the other two walked, with gossip and laughter, to Totty's l

o a friendly lead,' Totty sa

p of carpet on the floor, just by the diminutive bed. On a table lay the provisions she had that afternoon brought in from Mrs. Bower's. On the mantel-piece was a small card, whereon was printed an announcement of the friendly lead; at the bead stood the name of a public-house, with that of its proprietor; then followed: 'A meeting will take place at the above on Saturday evening, August 2, for the benefit of Bill Mennie, the well-known barber of George Street, who has been laid up through breaking of his leg, and is quite una

ed this, Totty was

illin's sent me

o b

h him and my aunt, and be made a lady of. Honest, he did! He keeps a shop in Tottenham Court Road. He and father 'd quarrelled, and he never com

nice, Totty?' Thyr

in' to sit proper at a table, afraid to eat an' drink!

owed by the appearance of Annie West, a less whole

o the "Prince Albert,"

s the answer; 'but I'll

e it, and a round-backed chair at each end; other seats were ranged along the walls. At the upper end of the room an arrangement of dirty red hangings-in the form of a canopy, surmounted by a lion and unicorn, of pasteboard

a portly person with a face of high satisfaction, sat near the chairman, and by him were two girls of decent appearance, his daughters. The president puffed at a churchwarden and exchanged genial banter with those who came up to deposit offerings. Mr. Dick Perkins, the Vice, was encouraging a spirit of conviviality at th

nd the songs that were sung that made it a shame for her to be present. Plebeian good-humour does not often degenerate into brutality at meetings of this kind until a late hour of the evening. The girls who sat with glasses of beer before them, and carried on primitive flirtations with their neighbours, were honest wage-earners of factory and worksh

e wore a bright-blue necktie, and had a geranium flower in his button-hole; his hair was cut as short as scissors could make it, and as he stood regarding the assembly he twisted th

em!' was the delighted

f the most sentimental character, telling of the disappearance of a young

little footprin

little footprin

e'er forg

ny lost

r little footprin

e great Sam.' A second song was called for and granted; a third-but Mr. Coppock intimated that it did not become him to keep other talent in the background. The ch

r,' then gave melodious account of a romantic meeting with a damsel who

a lov-e-l

end flowe

n the henvirons

rman succeeded at length in overcoming the diffidence of one. She was a pale, unhealthy thing, and wore an ugly-shaped hat with a gruesome green

the May-t

wandered,

the mill-stre

eam soft-g

ted toilers, to struggle on as long as any one would employ her, then to fall among the forgotten wretched. And she sang of May-bloom and love; of love t

ow was whispe

, old girl! Why

also at hand, u

real singing, Thyrz

of song. She had never known what it was to sing before a number of people; the prospect of applause tempted her. Yet she

plied nervously. 'I can't s

o its being passed from one to another that she was a good singer. The la

as a little 'un. In those days I had the "Green Man" in the Cut; your father often enough gave us

bled violently, and her heart beat with a strange pain. She h

ered distractedly to Totty, whilst

nny for you

tle piece in the form of a dialogue between husband and wife, a true expression of the

emand for accompaniment; Totty hummed the air t

rred. At the second verse she had grown in confidence, and rose more boldly to the upper notes. At the end she was singing her best-better than she had ever sung at home, bet

the back. 'Have a drink out of my glass. It's only ginger-beer

e with eyes in which jealousy strove against admiration. There were rem

Thyrza still suffered from the sense that she was doing wrong, but the praise was so sweet to

l worthy of cultivation, excellent in compass, with rare sweet power. Again the rapturous applause, and again the demand for more. Another

,' she whispered.

ten,' was the reply. '

Oh, I must

but a feeling of faintness was creeping upon her, and she could think of nothing but the desire to breathe fresh air. Already she

landlady was attending to her, and the door had been shut a

urmured, looking at him imp

drop and you'll be all right. I'll see

she was able to walk, and longed to hasten away. The landlad

are and glad I happened to be there. I heard you singing from downstairs, and I asked, Who in the world's t

ed. 'I'd no business to be there, Mr. Ackroyd.

with Totty Nancarrow, I suppose? Oh, it'll be all right. B

t street where the only light came from the gas-la

ut to-morrow?' h

better to tell you at once, isn't it? I don't mind with my sister, because the

We are friends, aren't we? I

l never come. I mean it; I shall ne

' he asked, s

ooked

at I couldn't n

been as steady a fellow as I ought to be, but that was before I came to know you. It's no good, whatever you say-I can't give up

as si

become of me if I think of that. The only thing I car

ne much better for you than me. But I can't stop. It'

elf. The nearest lamp showe

yrza. Is there rea

hat doesn'

the shops lit up, the stalls flaring with naphtha lamps, the odour of fried fish everywhere predominant. He led her through the crowd and a short distance

out with he

romise. Go