"There"s no fear abaht them," answered somebody else. "They always keeps out of the way when there"s anythin" goin" on."
"Fire away!"
Mrs. Blakeston attacked Liza madly; but the girl stood up bravely, and as well as she could gave back the blows she received. The spectators grew tremendously excited.
"Got "im again!" they shouted. "Give it "er, Liza, thet"s a good "un!--"it "er "ard!"
"Two ter one on the old "un!" shouted a sporting gentleman; but Liza found no backers.
"Ain"t she standin" up well now she"s roused?" cried someone.
"Oh, she"s got some pluck in "er, she "as!"
"Thet"s a knock-aht!" they shouted as Mrs. Blakeston brought her fist down on to Liza"s nose; the girl staggered back, and blood began to flow. Then, losing all fear, mad with rage, she made a rush on her enemy, and rained down blows all over her nose and eyes and mouth. The woman recoiled at the sudden violence of the onslaught, and the men cried:
"By G.o.d, the little "un"s gettin" the best of it!"
But quickly recovering herself the woman closed with Liza, and dug her nails into her flesh. Liza caught hold of her hair and pulled with all her might, and turning her teeth on Mrs. Blakeston tried to bite her.
And thus for a minute they swayed about, scratching, tearing, biting, sweat and blood pouring down their faces, and their eyes fixed on one another, bloodshot and full of rage. The audience shouted and cheered and clapped their hands.
"Wot the "ell"s up "ere?"
"I sy, look there," said some of the women in a whisper. "It"s the "usbind!"
He stood on tiptoe and looked over the crowd.
"My Gawd," he said, "it"s Liza!"
Then roughly pushing the people aside, he made his way through the crowd into the centre, and thrusting himself between the two women, tore them apart. He turned furiously on his wife.
"By Gawd, I"ll give yer somethin" for this!"
And for a moment they all three stood silently looking at one another.
Another man had been attracted by the crowd, and he, too, pushed his way through.
"Come "ome, Liza," he said.
"Tom!"
He took hold of her arm, and led her through the people, who gave way to let her pa.s.s. They walked silently through the street, Tom very grave, Liza weeping bitterly.
"Oh, Tom," she sobbed after a while, "I couldn"t "elp it!" Then, when her tears permitted, "I did love "im so!"
When they got to the door she plaintively said: "Come in," and he followed her to her room. Here she sank on to a chair, and gave herself up to her tears.
Tom wetted the end of a towel and began wiping her face, grimy with blood and tears. She let him do it, just moaning amid her sobs:
"You are good ter me, Tom."
"Cheer up, old gal," he said kindly, "it"s all over now."
After a while the excess of crying brought its cessation. She drank some water, and then taking up a broken handgla.s.s she looked at herself, saying:
"I am a sight!" and proceeded to wind up her hair. "You "ave been good ter me, Tom," she repeated, her voice still broken with sobs; and as he sat down beside her she took his hand.
"Na, I ain"t," he answered; "it"s only wot anybody "ud "ave done."
"Yer know, Tom," she said, after a little silence, "I"m so sorry I spoke cross like when I met yer in the street; you ain"t spoke ter me since."
"Oh, thet"s all over now, old lidy, we needn"t think of thet."
"Oh, but I "ave treated yer bad. I"m a regular wrong "un, I am."
He pressed her hand without speaking.
"I say, Tom," she began, after another pause. "Did yer know thet--well, you know--before ter-day?"
He blushed as he answered:
"Yus."
She spoke very sadly and slowly.
"I thought yer did; yer seemed so cut up like when I used to meet yer.
Yer did love me then, Tom, didn"t yer?"
"I do now, dearie," he answered.
"Ah, it"s too lite now," she sighed.
"D"yer know, Liza," he said, "I just abaht kicked the life aht of a feller "cause "e said you was messin" abaht with--with "im."
"An" yer knew I was?"
"Yus--but I wasn"t goin" ter "ave anyone say it before me."
"They"ve all rounded on me except you, Tom. I"d "ave done better if I"d tiken you when you arst me; I shouldn"t be where I am now, if I "ad."
"Well, won"t yer now? Won"t yer "ave me now?"
"Me? After wot"s "appened?"
"Oh, I don"t mind abaht thet. Thet don"t matter ter me if you"ll marry me. I fair can"t live without yer, Liza--won"t yer?"
She groaned.
"Na, I can"t, Tom, it wouldn"t be right."