otherendand,unobserved,slipintoherhouse,whichwasthenquiteclosebutshedarednotriskitimmediatelyforfearMrs.Blakestonshouldstillbetheresoshewaitedaboutforhalfanhour.Itseemedanage.Finally,takinghercourageinbothhands,sheturnedthecornerandenteredVereStreet.ShenearlyranintothearmsofMrs.Blakeston,whowasstandingclosetothepublic-housedoor.
Lizagavealittlecry,andthewomansaid,withasneer:
'Yerdidn'texpectterseeme,didyer?'
Lizadidnotanswer,buttriedtowalkpasther.Mrs.Blakestonsteppedforwardandblockedherway.
'Yerseemterbeinamightyfine'urry,'shesaid.
'Yus,I'vegottergit'ome,'saidLiza,againtryingtopass.
'Butsupposin'Idon'tletyer?'remarkedMrs.Blakeston,preventingherfrommoving.
'Whydon'tyerleavemealone?'Lizasaid.'Iain'tinterferin'withyou!'
'Notinterferin'withme,aren'tyer?Ilikethet!'
'Letmegoby,'saidLiza.'Idon'twanttertalkteryou.'
'Na,Iknowthet,'saidtheother'butIwanttertalkteryou,an'Ishan'tletyergountilI'vesaidwotIwantstersy.'
Lizalookedroundforhelp.Atthebeginningofthealtercationtheloafersaboutthepublic-househadlookedupwithinterest,andgraduallygatheredroundinalittlecircle.Passers-byhadjoinedin,andanumberofotherpeopleinthestreet,seeingthecrowd,addedthemselvestoittoseewhatwasgoingon.Lizasawthatalleyeswerefixedonher,themenamusedandexcited,thewomenunsympathetic,rathervirtuouslyindignant.Lizawantedtoaskforhelp,butthereweresomanypeople,andtheyallseemedsomuchagainsther,thatshehadnotthecourageto.So,havingsurveyedthecrowd,sheturnedhereyestoMrs.Blakeston,andstoodinfrontofher,tremblingalittle,andverywhite.
'Na,'eain'tthere,'saidMrs.Blakeston,sneeringly,'soyerneedn'tlookfor'im.'
'Idunnowotyermean,'answeredLiza,'an'Iwanttergoawy.Iain'tdonenothin'teryou.'
'Notdonenothin'terme?'furiouslyrepeatedthewoman.'I'lltellyerwotyer'vedoneterme—you'verobbedmeofmy'usbind,you'ave.Inever'adawordwithmy'usbinduntilyoutook'imfromme.An'nowit'sallyouwith'im.'E'sgotnotimefor'iswifean'family—it'sallyou.An''ismoney,too.Inevergitapennyofitifitweren'tforthelittlebitI'adsavedupinthesiving-bank,mean'mychildren'udbestarvin'now!An'allthroughyou!'Sheshookherfistather.
'Inever'adanymoneyfromanyone.'
'Don'talktermeIknowyerdid.Yerdirtybitch!Yououghterbeishimedofyourselftikin'amarriedmanfrom'isfamily,an''imoldenoughterbeyerfather.'
'She'srightthere!'saidoneortwooftheonlookingwomen.'Therecan'tbenogoodin'erifshetikessomebodyelse's'usbind.'
'I'llgiveityer!'proceededMrs.Blakeston,gettingmorehotandexcited,brandishingherfist,andspeakinginaloudvoice,hoarsewithrage.'Oh,I'vebeentryin'tergit'oldonyerthisfourweeks.Why,you'reaprostitute—that'swotyouare!'
'I'mnot!'answeredLizaindignantly.
'Yus,youare,'repeatedMrs.Blakeston,advancingmenacingly,sothatLizashrankback