heywalkedarm-in-armtotheWestminsterBridgeRoad.ThentheywentalongtilltheycametoastallwhereanItalianwassellingtherequiredcommodity,andhavinghadatasteapiecetoseeiftheylikedit,Pollyplankeddownsixpenceandhadherbasinfilledwithapoisonous-lookingmixtureofredandwhiteice-cream.
Onthewayback,lookingupthestreet,Pollycried:
'There'sfather!'
Liza'sheartbeatrapidlyandsheturnedredbutsuddenlyasenseofshamecameoverher,andcastingdownherheadsothatshemightnotseehim,shesaid:
'IthinkI'llbeoff'omean'see'owmother'sgettin'on.'AndbeforePollycouldsayanythingshehadslippedawayandenteredherownhouse.
Motherwasnotgettingonatallwell.
'You'vecomeinatlast,you——,you!'snarledMrs.Kemp,asLizaenteredtheroom.
'Wot'sthematter,mother?'
'Matter!Ilikethet—matterindeed!Goan'matteryerselfan'bemattered!Nicewaytertreatanoldwomanlikeme—an'yerownmother,too!'
'Wot'supnow?'
'Don'ttalktermeIdon'twantterlistenteryou.Leavin'meallalone,mewithmyrheumatics,an'theneuralgy!I've'adtheneuralgyallthemornin',andmy'ead'sbeensimplysplittin',sothetIthoughtthebones'udcomeapartandallmybrainsgostreamin'onthefloor.An'whenIwakeupthere'snoonetergitmyteaforme,an'Ilaytherewitin'an'witin',an'atlastI'adtergitupandmikeitmyself.And,my'eadsimplycruel!Why,Imight'avebeenburntterdeathwiththefirealightan'measleep.'
'Well,Iamsorry,motherbutIwentahtjustforabit,an'didn'tthinkyou'dwike.An'besides,thefirewasn'talight.'
'Garnwithyer!Ididn'ttreatmymotherlikethet.Oh,you'vebeenabaddaughterterme—an'I'admoreillnesscarryin'youthanwithalltheotherchildrenputtogither.Youwasacrossatyerbirth,an'you'vebeenacrosseversince.An'nowinmyoldage,whenI'veworkedmyselfterthebone,yerleavesmetostarveandburntodeath.'Hereshebegantocry,andtherestofherutteranceswaslostinsobs.
Theduskhaddarkenedintonight,andMrs.Kemphadretiredtorestwiththedicky-birds.LizawasthinkingofmanythingsshewonderedwhyshehadbeenunwillingtomeetJiminthemorning.
'Iwasaballyfool,'shesaidtoherself.
Itreallyseemedanagesincethepreviousnight,andallthat