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pushed off to chapel ere he could recover his senses。 The things were
not altogether comfortable； he found： the trousers hung tight against
his shins； but hung loose behind his heels； and when he sat； it was on
a wilderness of hard folds and seams。 Also； his waistcoat collar
tickled his nape； but his coat collar went straining across from
shoulder to shoulder； while the main garment bagged generously below
his waist。 Use made a habit of his discomfort； but it never reconciled
him to the chaff of his shopmates； for； as Mrs。 Simmons elaborated
successive suits； each one modelled on the last； the primal accidents
of her design developed into principles； and grew even bolder and more
hideously pronounced。 It was vain for Simmons to hintas hint he did
that he shouldn't like her to overwork herself； tailoring being bad
for the eyes； and there was a new tailor's in the Mile End Road； very
cheap； where 。 。 。 〃Ho yus；〃 she retorted； 〃you're very consid'rit I
dessay sittin' there actin' a livin' lie before your own wife Thomas
Simmons as though I couldn't see through you like a book a lot you
care about overworkin' me as long as /your/ turn's served throwin'
away money like dirt in the street on a lot o' swindlin' tailors an'
me workin' and' slavin' 'ere to save a 'a'penny an' this is my return
for it any one 'ud think you could pick up money in the 'orse…road an'
I b'lieve I'd be thought better of if I laid in bed all day like some
would that I do。〃 So that Thomas Simmons avoided the subject； nor even
murmured when she resolved to cut his hair。
So his placid fortune endured for years。 Then there came a golden
summer evening when Mrs。 Simmons betook herself with a basket to do
some small shopping； and Simmons was left at home。 He washed and put
away the tea…things； and then he fell to meditating on a new pair of
trousers； finished that day； and hanging behind the parlour door。
There they hung； in all their decent innocence of shape in the seat；
and they were shorter of leg； longer of waist； and wilder of pattern
than he had ever worn before。 And as he looked on them the small devil
of Original Sin awoke and clamoured in his breast。 He was ashamed of
it； of course； for well he knew the gratitude he owed his wife for
those same trousers； among other blessings。 Still； there the small
devil was； and the small devil was fertile in base suggestions； and
could not be kept from hinting at the new crop of workshop gibes that
would spring at Tommy's first public appearance in such things。
〃Pitch 'em in the dust…bin！〃 said the small devil at last。 〃It's all
they're fit for。〃
Simmons turned away in sheer horror of his wicked self； and for a
moment thought of washing the tea…things over again by way of
discipline。 Then he made for the back room； but saw from the landing
that the front door was standing open； probably the fault of the child
downstairs。 Now a front door standing open was a thing that Mrs。
Simmons would /not/ abide： it looked low。 So Simmons went down； that
she might not be wroth with him for the thing when she came back； and；
as he shut the door； he looked forth into the street。
A man was loitering on the pavement； and prying curiously about the
door。 His face was tanned； his hands were deep in the pockets of his
unbraced blue trousers； and well back on his head he wore the
high…crowned peaked cap； topped with a knob of wool； which is affected
by Jack ashore about the docks。 He lurched a step nearer to the door；
and 〃Mrs。 Ford ain't in； is she？〃 he said。
Simmons stared at him for a matter of five seconds； and then said；
〃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 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；