es,restingherfaceonherhands.
'IwishIwasstraight,'shesaidatlast,notlookingup.
'Well,whywon'tyercomealongofmealtogether,an'you'llbearrightthen?'heanswered.
'Na,that'snogoIcan'tdothet.'Hehadoftenaskedhertolivewithhimentirely,butshehadalwaysrefused.
'Youcancomealongofme,an'I'lltikearoominalodgin''ousein'Olloway,an'wecanlivethereasifwewasmarried.'
'Wotabahtyerwork?'
'IcangetworkovertheothersideaswellasIcan'ere.I'mabahtsickofthewythingsisgoin'on.'
'SoamIbutIcan'tleavemother.'
'Shecancome,too.'
'NotwhenI'mnotmarried.Ishouldn'tlike'erterknowasI'd—asI'dgonewrong.'
'Well,I'llmarryyer.Swopmebob,Iwantsterbadlyenough.'
'Yercan'tyermarriedalready.'
'Thetdon'tmatter!IfIgivethemissussomuchaweekahtofmyscrew,she'llsignapipertergiveupallclimeterme,an'thenwecangetspliced.OneofthemenasIworkswithdonethet,an'itwasarright.'
Lizashookherhead.
'Na,yercan'tdothetnowit'sbigamy,an'thecoptikesyer,an'yergitstwelvemonths''ardforit.'
'Butswopmebob,Liza,Ican'tgoonlikethis.Yerknowsthemissus—well,thereain'tnobloomin'doubtabahtit,sheknowsasyouan'mearecarryin'on,an'shemikesnobonesabahtlettin'meseeit.'
'Shedon'tdothet?'
'Well,shedon'texactlysyit,butshesulksan'won'tspeak,an'thenwhenIsaysanythin'sheroundsonmean'callsmeallthenimesshecanthinkof.I'dgive'eragood'idin',butsome'owIdon'tliketer!Shemikestheplicea'ellterme,an'I'mnotgoin'terstanditnolonger!'
'You'llavetersitit,thenyercan'tchuckit.'
'YusIcan,an'Iwouldifyou'dcomealongofme.Idon'tbelieveyoulikemeatall,Liza,oryou'dcome.'
Sheturnedtowardshimandputherarmsroundhisneck.
'YerknowIdo,oldcock,'shesaid.'IlikeyerbetterthananyoneelseintheworldbutIcan'tgoawyan'leavemother.'
'Bli'memeifIseewhyshe'sneverbeenmuchteryou.Shemikesyerslaveawyterpaytherent,an'allthemoneysheearnssheboozes.'
'Thet'strue,sheain'tbeenwotyermightcallagoodmotherterme—butsome'owshe'smymother,an'Idon'tlik