Part 19 (1/2)

He longed to ask after Marley of unhappy memory, but the possibilities were too apparent for him to venture, so silence again fell over them.

At this precise juncture of affairs a shrill whistle was heard ascending the stairway, growing momentarily louder and louder till it became earsplitting in intensity as it arrived on landing No. 6. The author of it pulled open the door and the whistle tailed off into a faint ”phew” at sight of the embarra.s.sed group. The new-comer was a thin-faced lad with light sandy hair cropped close to his square head. He had light, undetermined eyes that were keen and lively.

Christopher had beaten him in the matter of size, but there were latent possibilities in his ill-developed form.

Christopher sprang up and rushed forward, then suddenly stopped.

”Ullo, mother, didn't know as 'ow you 'ad swell company this arternoon. I'd 'ave put on my best suit and topper,” he grinned affably as he deposited on the floor a big basket he carried.

”Oh, I say, Sam--don't you know me either?” began poor Christopher.

He wheeled round, stared hard, and a broad smile of recognition spread over his face.

”Why, if it ain't Jim,” he cried and seized his hand with a fervour that set Christopher aglowing and strangely enough set him free from the clinging shadow of his lost ident.i.ty. _This_ was tangible flesh and blood and of the real authentic present.

”Well, I'm blowed,” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sam, stepping back to look at his erstwhile companion, ”to think of you turning up again such a toff. No need to ask what sort of luck came _your_ way. My. Ain't 'e a swell, just.”

But unlike the women, he was unabashed by externals. He demanded ”tea”

of his mother that very moment, ”cos 'e 'adn't no time for dinner and 'is bloke 'ad sent 'im round to get a bit o' somethink now,” at a slack hour.

”Greengrocer business, Clare Street,” he explained. ”Seven s.h.i.+llings a week. Not a bad old cove. What d'yer say about yourself?”

He had the whole history out of Christopher in five minutes.

The women listened and flung in ”Well, I never's,” and ”Who'd 'ave thought it's” from time to time and thawed into ordinary human beings under Sam's convivial example. In the end Sam offered sincere if oddly-expressed congratulations, and disappeared into the back kitchen to wash his hands. Jessie, too, vanished mysteriously, eventually returning minus the curling pins and plus a row of impossible curls and a bright blue blouse bedecked with cheap lace. Mrs. Sartin meanwhile tidied up by kicking the scattered toys under the sofa.

”Them sisters what looks arter the poor is always givin' broken rubbish to the children,” she exclaimed. ”Not but what they mean it kindly, but it makes a heap of muck to clear up.”

Christopher nodded his head comprehendingly, by no means so hurt at her ingrat.i.tude as a real Christopher Aston might have been.

The good woman bustled about, and eventually the family drew up round the tea table. The cloth might have been cleaner, the cups and saucers have borne a longer acquaintance with water, and there was a spoon short, though no one was so ill-mannered as to allude to it. Jessie un.o.btrusively shared hers with her mother under cover of the big tea-pot. There was bread and a yellow compound politely alluded to as b.u.t.ter, and a big pot of jam. The younger Sartins gorged silently on this, all unreproved by a preoccupied mother. Mrs. Sartin, indeed, became quite voluble and told Christopher how she was now first dresser at the Kings Theatre and how Jessie was just taken on in the wardrobe room.

”Which is uncertain _hours_,” Mrs. Sartin explained, ”but it's nice to be together in the same 'ouse, and one couldn't want a kinder gentleman than Mr. X. to do with. I've been there ten years and never 'ad a cross word with 'im. And 'e was that good when Marley was took, and never turned me off as some of 'em do.” She stopped suddenly under the stress of Sam's lowering countenance. Jessie hastily pa.s.sed her bread, ”which I thanks you for, but will say what I was a-goin' to, for all Sam's kicks under the table,” continued the hostess, defiantly regarding her confused offspring.

The confusion spread to Christopher, who looked at his plate and got red. Sam pushed back his chair; there was a very ugly scowl on his face. His undaunted mother addressed herself to their guest.

”No woman ever 'ad a better 'usband than Marley, though I ses it, but Sam here 's that 'ard 'e won't let me speak of my own man if 'e can 'elp 'it. 'Is own father, too. Ah, if 'e 'ad 'ad a bad father, Sam would 'ave know what to be thankful for.”

”I'm thankful 'e's gone,” burst out Sam, with sudden anger. ”I asks you, 'ow's a cove to get on when he's 'itched up to a father wot's done time? Why, old Greenum gave me a s.h.i.+llin' a week less than 'e ought, cos why, 'e knew I couldn't 'old out with a father like that,”

and he eyed his mother wrathfully.

”A better 'usband no woman 'ad,” sobbed Mrs. Sartin. ”When 'e came out 'e didn't seem to get no chance and so....”

”Is he in London?” asked Christopher, nervously gulping down some tea.

”No--sloped,” said Sam, shortly, ”cribbed some other chap's papers I guess--went abroad--we don't know--don't want to, either.”

The fierce hostility and resentment in the boy's voice made it clear to Christopher this was evidently a subject better dropped. He seized the chance of directing Jessie's attention to Master Jim Sartin, who was brandis.h.i.+ng the bread-knife, and plunged hastily into a description of the doings of Charlotte and Max. Mrs. Sartin accepted the diversion, but kept an anxious eye on Sam, who ate hard and seemed to recover some of his ordinary composure with each mouthful, much to Christopher's amazement. By the time tea was finished he was himself again. There was no lingering then. He went back to work. Christopher said he must go too, and bade the family good-bye. The farewell was as cordial as the welcome had been cold and he clattered downstairs after Sam with many promises to come again.

The two boys talked freely of the pa.s.sing world as they went through the streets, in the purely impersonal way of their age, and it was with great diffidence and much hesitation Christopher managed to hint he'd like to buy something for the kiddies.