ound-floorwindows.ItwasthedeadseasoninVereStreetasmuchasinBelgravia,andreallyifithadnotbeenforbabiesjustcomeorjustabouttocome,andanopportunemurderinaneighbouringdoss-house,therewouldhavebeennothingwhatevertotalkabout.Asitwas,thelittlegroupstalkedquietly,discussingtheatrocityorthemeritsofthelocalmidwives,comparingthecircumstancesoftheirvariousconfinements.
'You'llbe'avin'yourlittletroublesoon,eh,Polly?'askedonegoodladyofanother.
'Oh,IreckonI'vegotanothertwomonthstergoyet,'answeredPolly.
'Well,'saidathird.'Iwouldn't'avethoughtyou'dgosolongbythelookofyer!'
'I'opeyou'llhaveiteasierthistime,mydear,'saidaverystoutoldperson,awomanofgreatimportance.
'Shesaidshewasn'tgoin'to'avenomore,whenthelastonecome.'ThisremarkcamefromPolly'shusband.
'Ah,'saidthestoutoldlady,whowasinthebusiness,andboastedvastexperience.'That'swottheyallsaysbut,Lor'blessyer,theydon'tmeanit.'
'Well,I'vegotthree,andI'mnotgoin'to'avenomorebli'meifIwill'tain'tgoodenough—that'swotIsays.'
'You'reabahtrightthere,olegal,'saidPolly,'Myword,'Arry,ifyou'aveanymoreI'llgitadivorce,thatIwill.'
Atthatmomentanorgan-grinderturnedthecornerandcamedownthestreet.
'Goodbiz'ere'sanorgan!'criedhalfadozenpeopleatonce.
Theorgan-manwasanItalian,withashockofblackhairandaferociousmoustache.Drawinghisorgantoafavourablespot,hestopped,releasedhisshoulderfromtheleatherstrapsbywhichhedraggedit,andcockinghislargesofthatonthesideofhishead,beganturningthehandle.Itwasalivelytune,andinlessthannotimealittlecrowdhadgatheredroundtolisten,chieflytheyoungmenandthemaidens,forthemarriedladieswereneverinafitstatetodance,andthereforedisinclinedtotroublethemselvestostandroundtheorgan.Therewasamoment'shesitationatopeningtheballthenonegirlsaidtoanother:
'Comeon,Florrie,youandmeain'tshywe'llbegin,andbustit!'
Thetwogirlstookholdofoneanother,oneactinggentleman,theotherladythreeorfourmorepairsofgirlsimmediatelyjoinedthem,andtheybeganawaltz.Theyheldthemselvesveryuprighta