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〃Eh？〃
〃Mrs。 Ford as was； thenSimmons now； ain't it？〃
He said this with a furtive leer that Simmons neither liked nor
understood。
〃No；〃 said Simmons； 〃she ain't in now。〃
〃You ain't her 'usband； are ye？〃
〃Yus。〃
The man took his pipe from his mouth and grinned silently and long。
〃Blimy；〃 he said at length； 〃you look like the sort o' bloke she'd like；〃 and
with that he grinned again。 Then； seeing that Simmons made ready to shut
the door； he put a foot on the sill and a hand against the panel。 〃Don't be in
a 'hurry； matey；〃 he said； 〃I come 'ere t' 'ave a little talk with you； man to
man； d' ye see？〃 And he frowned fiercely。
Tommy Simmons felt uncomfortable； but the door would not shut； so
he parleyed。 〃Wotjer want？〃 he asked； 〃I dunno you。〃
〃Then； if you'll excuse the liberty； I'll interdooce meself； in a manner
of speaking。〃 He touched his cap with a bob of mock humility。 〃I'm Bob
Ford；〃 he said； 〃come back out o' kingdom come so to say。 Me as went
down with the /Mooltan/safe dead five year gone。 I come to see my
wife。〃
During this speech Thomas Simmons's jaw was dropping lower and
lower。 At the end of it he poked his fingers up through his hair； looked
down at the mat； then up at the fanlight； then out into the street； then hard
at his visitor。 But he found nothing to say。
〃Come to see my wife；〃 the man repeated。 〃So now we can talk it
over as man to man。〃
Simmons slowly shut his mouth； and led the way upstairs
mechanically； his fingers still in his hair。 A sense of the state of affairs
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sank gradually into his brain； and the small devil woke again。 Suppose this
man /was/ Ford？ Suppose he /did/ claim his wife？ Would it be a knock…
down blow？ Would it hit him out？or not？ He thought of the trousers； the
tea…things； the mangling； the knives； the kettles； and the windows； and he
thought of them in the way of a backslider。
On the landing Ford clutched at his arm； and asked in a hoarse whisper；
〃 'Ow long 'fore she's back？〃
〃 'Bout an hour； I expect；〃 Simmons replied； having first of all repeated
the question in his own mind。 And then he opened the parlour door。
〃Ah；〃 said Ford； looking about him； 〃you've bin pretty comf'table。
Them chairs an' things；〃 jerking his pipe toward them； 〃was hers mine；
that is to say； speakin' straight； and man to man。〃 He sat down； puffing
meditatively at his pipe； and presently； 〃Well；〃 he continued； 〃 'ere I am
agin； ol' Bob Ford； dead an' done forgone down in the /Mooltan/。 On'y I
/ain't/ done for； see？〃 And he pointed the stem of his pipe at Simmons's
waistcoat。 〃I ain't done for； 'cause why？ Cons'kence o' bein' picked up by a
ol' German sailin'…'utch an' took to 'Frisco 'fore the mast。 I've 'ad a few
years o' knockin' about since then； an' now〃looking hard at Simmons
〃I've come back to see my wife。〃
〃Sheshe don't like smoke in 'ere；〃 said Simmons； as it were at
random。
〃No； I bet she don't；〃 Ford answered； taking his pipe from his mouth
and holding it low in his hand。 〃I know 'Anner。 'Ow d' you find 'her？ Do
she make ye clean the winders？〃
〃Well；〃 Simmons admitted； uneasily； 〃II do 'elp 'er sometimes； o'
course。〃
〃Ah！ An' the knives too； I bet； an' the bloomin' kittles。 I know。 W'y〃
he rose and bent to look behind Simmons's head〃s' 'elp me； I b'lieve she
cuts yer 'air！ Well； I'm dammed！ Jes' wot she would do； too。〃
He inspected the blushing Simmons from divers points of vantage。
Then he lifted a leg of the trousers hanging behind the door。 〃I'd bet a
trifle；〃 he said； 〃she made these 'ere trucks。 No…body else 'ud do 'em like
that。 Damme！ they're wuss'n wot you're got on。〃
The small devil began to have the argument all its own way。 If this
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man took his wife back perhaps he'd have to wear those trousers。
〃Ah；〃 Ford pursued； 〃she ain't got no milder。 An'； my davy； wot a
jore！〃
Simmons began to feel that this was no longer his business。 Plainly；
'Anner was this other man's wife； and he was bound in honour to
acknowledge the fact。 The small devil put it to him as a matter of duty。
〃Well；〃 said Ford； suddenly； 〃time's short an' this ain't business。 I won't
be 'ard on you； matey。 I ought prop'ly to stand on my rights； but seein' as
you're a well…meaning young man； so to speak； an' all settled an' a…livin'
'ere quiet an' matrimonual； I'll〃this with a burst of generosity〃damme！
yus； I'll compound the felony an' take me 'ook。 Come； I'll name a figure； as
man to man； fust an' last； no less an' no more。 Five pound does it。〃
Simmons hadn't five pounds；he hadn't even fivepence；and he said
so。 〃An' I wouldn't think to come between a man an' 'is wife；〃 he added；
〃not on no account。 It may be rough on me； but it's a dooty。 /I'll/ 'ook it。〃
〃No；〃 said Ford； hastily； clutching Simmons by the arm； 〃don't do that。
I'll make it a bit cheaper。 Say three quidcome； that's reasonable； ain't it？
Three quid ain't much compensation for me goin' away for everwhere the
stormy winds do blow； so to sayan' never as much as seein' me own wife
agin for better nor wuss。 Between man an' man； now； three quid； an' I'll
shunt。 That's fair； ain't it？〃
〃Of course it's fair；〃 Simmons replied； effusively。 〃It's more'n fair： it's
nobledownright noble； /I/ call it。 But I ain't goin' to take a mean
advantage o' your good…'artedness； Mr。 Ford。 She's your wife； an' I oughtn't
to 'a' come between you。 I apologise。 You stop an' 'ave yer proper rights。
It's me as ought to shunt； an' I will。〃 And he made a step toward the door。
〃 'Old on；〃 quoth Ford； and got between Simmons and the door； 〃don't
do things rash。 Look wot a loss it'll be to you with no 'ome to go to； an'
nobody to look after ye； an' all that。 It'll be dreadful。 Say a couplethere；
we won't quarrel； jest a single quid； between man an' man； an' I'll stand a
pot out o' the money。 You can easy raise a quid the clock 'ud pretty nigh
do it。 A quid does it； an' I'll〃
There was a loud double knock at the front door。 In the East End a
double knock is always for the upstairs lodgers。
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