Part 18 (2/2)
”I'm not so sure of that. What are you doing here?”
”What do you mean, what am I doing here?”
”I thought you'd gone back to London long ago.”
”Then you're wrong, because I haven't; and what's more, I'm not likely to go. I've been having a real bad time, that's what I've been having.”
”Haven't those rich friends of yours sent that remittance you were always ga.s.sing about?”
”No, they haven't.” After a pause, he added, sullenly, ”My old mother's allowing me a pound a week, and I'm living on that. So now you know.”
”Honest?”
”It's the gospel truth. So you'll be able to judge for yourself how likely I am to be able to get back to London on that, especially as she won't let me have a penny in advance.”
”A nice sort you are!--after the lies you told me about the tons of money you'd got yourself, and the other tons your friends had got!--a pound a week!”
”Anyhow I'm not a thief.”
”And I shouldn't have been a thief if I hadn't listened to your lies; and very well you know it. I've had enough of you; take yourself off!”
”Take myself off?”
”Yes, take yourself off, before I tell some one to take you.”
”Well! you've got a face! If I do go I'll put the police on to you, and then you'll sing a different song.”
”You dare!”
”Dare!” he laughed, not pleasantly. ”What is there to dare? I'd think as little of putting the police on to you as I would of putting a dog on to a cat. They'd soon show you your place, you thief!”
There was an interval of silence, during which she looked at him over the intervening bracken. If looks could kill he would have dropped dead where he stood.
”Well, are you going to take yourself off, or am I to tell them to take you?”
”Who's them?--tell away! I think that when I tell them you're my wife, and that the police have been looking for you for quite a while, they--whoever they may be!--won't be so keen to interfere with me as you perhaps fancy. There's another thing: you seem to be forgetting that you're my wife. When I do go you'll go with me.”
”Will I? We'll see.”
”We will see; or, if you prefer it, it shall be the other way about, I'll go with you.”
”Will you?”
”It'll have to be one or the other, you may take it from me.
Well, are you going to call those friends of yours? Are you coming with me, or am I to go with you? Which is it to be? I'm in no hurry; take your time. I'll have a pipe while you're thinking it over.”
He filled a pipe which he took from his pocket, while she glared at him.
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