The Matador of the Five Towns and Other Stories

mmoning knocks were repeated. The early sun was shining through the red blind. I sat up and straightened my hair, involuntarily comp

with shelves rising behind it and the upright handles of a beer-engine at one end. Someone whom I could not see was evide

, Jos

man, Charlie, who had spoken wi

's cowd [cold]," said the v

e mile as I've walked, and thou knows

d again and a

to prevent his upper and his lower garments from flying apart. Jos Myatt was extremely dishevelled. In the little man's demeanour towards the big one there was now none of the self-conscious

what lu

ference, by either of

ished pouring out th

wo on 'em,

What mean's

as it'

I were equal

ys!" he murmur

both sorts

repeated, holding his glass

en five and six. I had for fetch old woman Eardley to help

should have slept

ally. I think this appearance of casualness was cause

," said Jo

s luck." He sipped the gin, savouring it on his tongue like a connoisseur, a

seen

r Susannah wouldna' let me stop

ssi

A

bbies-hast

of 'em. Mrs Eardley says as

tor

ight, in his shirt-sleeves. I give him a stiff glass

his gin. The pa

'd ha'thought it? Jos, lad, thou mayst be thankful as it isna' triplets. Never did

t half quid i

d?" said Charl

over!" said Jos, sudden

as it 'ud be a wench,"

said Jos. "Thou laidst half

Charlie sh

it is!" Jos

a wench, I wins." In his accents and his gestures I could discern the mean soul, who on principl

a lad," Jos almost shouted. "

aid Charlie; the

es of his own argument. I was very glad that Jos did not know me to be a witness of th

ie suggested at length. "That'll

all it off. Thou owes me half a q

"I'll tell thee what'll settle it. Which

itted, with resentful reluctance, dul

t, Jos lad? Us was betting about thy eldest and no other. I'll admit as I laid it wasna' a la

d at the fath

Nodding to me curtly, he unlocked the bookcase and took two crown pieces from a leathern purse wh

t thou'rt a damned shark, Charlie, and if anybody 'ud giv

contentedly as he

bet," sai

ear. But he was wrong in feeling no fear. He had not allowed, in his estimate of the situation

inkles and his hand seized Charlie b

y, repenting his na?ve hon

me swiftly and scarce heard into the parlour,

nah?" Jos demande

said the woman. "Shouting a

emanded again, loo

ddenness. Then she burst into wild sobs and rushed madly back whence she had come, and the sound of he

ooked at

n-pieces to the counter a

e murmure

ely to the ground. A

voice saturated with feeling, "as God is my witness

him sadly, plaintively, f

eague, then, for Knype!" he t