It was November. The fine weather had quite gone now, and with it much of the sweet pleasure of Jim and Liza's love. When they came out at night on the Embankment they found it cold and dreary1; sometimes a light fog covered the river-banks, and made the lamps glow out dim and large; a light rain would be falling, which sent a chill into their very souls; foot passengers came along at rare intervals2, holding up umbrellas, and staring straight in front of them as they hurried along in the damp and cold; a cab would pass rapidly by, splashing up the mud on each side. The benches were deserted3, except, perhaps, for some poor homeless wretch5 who could afford no shelter, and, huddled6 up in a corner, with his head buried in his breast, was sleeping heavily, like a dead man. The wet mud made Liza's skirts cling about her feet, and the damp would come in and chill her legs and creep up her body, till she shivered, and for warmth pressed herself close against Jim. Sometimes they would go into the third-class waiting-rooms at Waterloo or Charing7 Cross and sit there, but it was not like the park or the Embankment on summer nights; they had warmth, but the heat made their wet clothes steam and smell, and the gas flared8 in their eyes, and they hated the people perpetually coming in and out, opening the doors and letting in a blast of cold air; they hated the noise of the guards and porters shouting out the departure of the trains, the shrill9 whistling of the steam-engine, the hurry and bustle10 and confusion. About eleven o'clock, when the trains grew less frequent, they got some quietness; but then their minds were troubled, and they felt heavy, sad and miserable11.
One evening they had been sitting at Waterloo Station; it was foggy outside--a thick, yellow November fog, which filled the waiting-room, entering the lungs, and making the mouth taste nasty and the eyes smart. It was about half-past eleven, and the station was unusually quiet; a few passengers, in wraps and overcoats, were walking to and fro, waiting for the last train, and one or two porters were standing12 about yawning. Liza and Jim had remained for an hour in perfect silence, filled with a gloomy unhappiness, as of a great weight on their brains. Liza was sitting forward, with her elbows on her knees, resting her face on her hands.
'I wish I was straight,' she said at last, not looking up.
'Well, why won't yer come along of me altogether, an' you'll be arright then?' he answered.
'Na, that's no go; I can't do thet.' He had often asked her to live with him entirely13, but she had always refused.
'You can come along of me, an' I'll tike a room in a lodgin' 'ouse in 'Olloway, an' we can live there as if we was married.'
'Wot abaht yer work?'
'I can get work over the other side as well as I can 'ere. I'm abaht sick of the wy things is goin' on.'
'So am I; but I can't leave mother.'
'She can come, too.'
'Not when I'm not married. I shouldn't like 'er ter know as I'd--as I'd gone wrong.'
'Well, I'll marry yer. Swop me bob, I wants ter badly enough.'
'Yer can't; yer married already.'
'Thet don't matter! If I give the missus so much a week aht of my screw, she'll sign a piper ter give up all clime ter me, an' then we can get spliced14. One of the men as I works with done thet, an' it was arright.'
Liza shook her head.
'Na, yer can't do thet now; it's bigamy, an' the cop tikes yer, an' yer gits twelve months' 'ard for it.'
'But swop me bob, Liza, I can't go on like this. Yer knows the missus--well, there ain't no bloomin' doubt abaht it, she knows as you an' me are carryin' on, an' she mikes no bones abaht lettin' me see it.'
'She don't do thet?'
'Well, she don't exactly sy it, but she sulks an' won't speak, an' then when I says anythin' she rounds on me an' calls me all the nimes she can think of. I'd give 'er a good 'idin', but some'ow I don't like ter! She mikes the plice a 'ell ter me, an' I'm not goin' ter stand it no longer!'
'You'll ave ter sit it, then; yer can't chuck it.'
'Yus I can, an' I would if you'd come along of me. I don't believe you like me at all, Liza, or you'd come.'
She turned towards him and put her arms round his neck.
'Yer know I do, old cock,' she said. 'I like yer better than anyone else in the world; but I can't go awy an' leave mother.'
'Bli'me me if I see why; she's never been much ter you. She mikes yer slave awy ter pay the rent, an' all the money she earns she boozes.'
'Thet's true, she ain't been wot yer might call a good mother ter me--but some'ow she's my mother, an' I don't like ter leave 'er on 'er own, now she's so old--an' she can't do much with the rheumatics. An' besides, Jim dear, it ain't only mother, but there's yer own kids, yer can't leave them.'
He thought for a while, and then said:
'You're abaht right there, Liza; I dunno if I could get on without the kids. If I could only tike them an' you too, swop me bob, I should be 'appy.'
Liza smiled sadly.
'So yer see, Jim, we're in a bloomin' 'ole, an' there ain't no way aht of it thet I can see.'
He took her on his knees, and pressing her to him, kissed her very long and very lovingly.
'Well, we must trust ter luck,' she said again, 'p'raps somethin' 'll 'appen soon, an' everythin' 'll come right in the end--when we gets four balls of worsted for a penny.'
It was past twelve, and separating, they went by different ways along the dreary, wet, deserted roads till they came to Vere Street.
The street seemed quite different to Liza from what it had been three months before. Tom, the humble15 adorer, had quite disappeared from her life. One day, three or four weeks after the August Bank Holiday, she saw him dawdling16 along the pavement, and it suddenly struck her that she had not seen him for a long time; but she had been so full of her happiness that she had been unable to think of anyone but Jim. She wondered at his absence, since before wherever she had been there was he certain to be also. She passed him, but to her astonishment17 he did not speak to her. She thought by some wonder he had not seen her, but she felt his gaze resting upon her. She turned back, and suddenly he dropped his eyes and looked down, walking on as if he had not seen her, but blushing furiously.
'Tom,' she said, 'why don't yer speak ter me.'
He started and blushed more than ever.
'I didn't know yer was there,' he stuttered.
'Don't tell me,' she said, 'wot's up?'
'Nothin' as I knows of,' he answered uneasily.
'I ain't offended yer, 'ave I, Tom?'
'Na, not as I knows of,' he replied, looking very unhappy.
'You don't ever come my way now,' she said.
'I didn't know as yer wanted ter see me.'
'Garn! Yer knows I likes you as well as anybody.'
'Yer likes so many people, Liza,' he said, flushing.
'What d'yer mean?' said Liza indignantly, but very red; she was afraid he knew now, and it was from him especially she would have been so glad to hide it.
'Nothin',' he answered.
'One doesn't say things like thet without any meanin', unless one's a blimed fool.'
'You're right there, Liza,' he answered. 'I am a blimed fool.' He looked at her a little reproachfully, she thought, and then he said 'Good-bye,' and turned away.
At first she was horrified18 that he should know of her love for Jim, but then she did not care. After all, it was nobody's business, and what did anything matter as long as she loved Jim and Jim loved her? Then she grew angry that Tom should suspect her; he could know nothing but that some of the men had seen her with Jim near Vauxhall, and it seemed mean that he should condemn19 her for that. Thenceforward, when she ran against Tom, she cut him; he never tried to speak to her, but as she passed him, pretending to look in front of her, she could see that he always blushed, and she fancied his eyes were very sorrowful. Then several weeks went by, and as she began to feel more and more lonely in the street she regretted the quarrel; she cried a little as she thought that she had lost his faithful gentle love and she would have much liked to be friends with him again. If he had only made some advance she would have welcomed him so cordially, but she was too proud to go to him herself and beg him to forgive her--and then how could he forgive her?
She had lost Sally too, for on her marriage Harry20 had made her give up the factory; he was a young man with principles worthy21 of a Member of Parliament, and he had said:
'A woman's plice is 'er 'ome, an' if 'er old man can't afford ter keep 'er without 'er workin' in a factory--well, all I can say is thet 'e'd better go an' git single.'
'Quite right, too,' agreed his mother-in-law; 'an' wot's more, she'll 'ave a baby ter look after soon, an' thet'll tike 'er all 'er time, an' there's no one as knows thet better than me, for I've 'ad twelve, ter sy nothin' of two stills an' one miss.'
Liza quite envied Sally her happiness, for the bride was brimming over with song and laughter; her happiness overwhelmed her.
'I am 'appy,' she said to Liza one day a few weeks after her marriage. 'You dunno wot a good sort 'Arry is. 'E's just a darlin', an' there's no mistikin' it. I don't care wot other people sy, but wot I says is, there's nothin' like marriage. Never a cross word passes his lips, an' mother 'as all 'er meals with us an' 'e says all the better. Well I'm thet 'appy I simply dunno if I'm standin' on my 'ead or on my 'eels22.'
But alas23! it did not last too long. Sally was not so full of joy when next Liza met her, and one day her eyes looked very much as if she had been crying.
'Wot's the matter?' asked Liza, looking at her. 'Wot 'ave yer been blubberin' abaht?'
'Me?' said Sally, getting very red. 'Oh, I've got a bit of a toothache, an'--well, I'm rather a fool like, an' it 'urt so much that I couldn't 'elp cryin'.'
Liza was not satisfied, but could get nothing further out of her. Then one day it came out. It was a Saturday night, the time when women in Vere Street weep. Liza went up into Sally's room for a few minutes on her way to the Westminster Bridge Road, where she was to meet Jim. Harry had taken the top back room, and Liza, climbing up the second flight of stairs, called out as usual.
'Wot ho, Sally!'
The door remained shut, although Liza could see that there was a light in the room; but on getting to the door she stood still, for she heard the sound of sobbing26. She listened for a minute and then knocked: there was a little flurry inside, and someone called out:
''Oo's there?'
'Only me,' said Liza, opening the door. As she did so she saw Sally rapidly wipe her eyes and put her handkerchief away. Her mother was sitting by her side, evidently comforting her.
'Wot's up, Sal?' asked Liza.
'Nothin',' answered Sally, with a brave little gasp27 to stop the crying, turning her face downwards28 so that Liza should not see the tears in her eyes; but they were too strong for her, and, quickly taking out her handkerchief, she hid her face in it and began to sob25 broken-heartedly. Liza looked at the mother in interrogation.
'Oh, it's thet man again!' said the lady, snorting and tossing her head.
'Not 'Arry?' asked Liza, in surprise.
'Not 'Arry--'oo is it if it ain't 'Arry? The villin!'
'Wot's 'e been doin', then?' asked Liza again.
'Beatin' 'er, that's wot 'e's been doin'! Oh, the villin, 'e oughter be ashimed of 'isself 'e ought!'
'I didn't know 'e was like that!' said Liza.
'Didn't yer? I thought the 'ole street knew it by now,' said Mrs. Cooper indignantly. 'Oh, 'e's a wrong 'un, 'e is.'
'It wasn't 'is fault,' put in Sally, amidst her sobs29; 'it's only because 'e's 'ad a little drop too much. 'E's arright when 'e's sober.'
'A little drop too much! I should just think 'e'd 'ad, the beast! I'd give it 'im if I was a man. They're all like thet--'usbinds is all alike; they're arright when they're sober--sometimes--but when they've got the liquor in 'em, they're beasts, an' no mistike. I 'ad a 'usbind myself for five-an'-twenty years, an' I know 'em.'
'Well, mother,' sobbed30 Sally, 'it was all my fault. I should 'ave come 'ome earlier.'
'Na, it wasn't your fault at all. Just you look 'ere, Liza: this is wot 'e done an' call 'isself a man. Just because Sally'd gone aht to 'ave a chat with Mrs. McLeod in the next 'ouse, when she come in 'e start bangin' 'er abaht. An' me, too, wot d'yer think of that!' Mrs. Cooper was quite purple with indignation.
'Yus,' she went on, 'thet's a man for yer. Of course, I wasn't goin' ter stand there an' see my daughter bein' knocked abaht; it wasn't likely--was it? An' 'e rounds on me, an' 'e 'its me with 'is fist. Look 'ere.' She pulled up her sleeves and showed two red and brawny31 arms. ''E's bruised32 my arms; I thought 'e'd broken it at fust. If I 'adn't put my arm up, 'e'd 'ave got me on the 'ead, an' 'e might 'ave killed me. An' I says to 'im, "If you touch me again, I'll go ter the police-station, thet I will!" Well, that frightened 'im a bit, an' then didn't I let 'im 'ave it! "You call yerself a man," says I, "an' you ain't fit ter clean the drains aht." You should 'ave 'eard the language 'e used. "You dirty old woman," says 'e, "you go away; you're always interferin' with me." Well, I don't like ter repeat wot 'e said, and thet's the truth. An' I says ter 'im, "I wish yer'd never married my daughter, an' if I'd known you was like this I'd 'ave died sooner than let yer."'
'Well, I didn't know 'e was like thet!' said Liza.
''E was arright at fust,' said Sally.
'Yus, they're always arright at fust! But ter think it should 'ave come to this now, when they ain't been married three months, an' the first child not born yet! I think it's disgraceful.'
Liza stayed a little while longer, helping33 to comfort Sally, who kept pathetically taking to herself all the blame of the dispute; and then, bidding her good night and better luck, she slid off to meet Jim.
When she reached the appointed spot he was not to be found. She waited for some time, and at last saw him come out of the neighbouring pub.
'Good night, Jim,' she said as she came up to him.
'So you've turned up, 'ave yer?' he answered roughly, turning round.
'Wot's the matter, Jim?' she asked in a frightened way, for he had never spoken to her in that manner.
'Nice thing ter keep me witin' all night for yer to come aht.'
She saw that he had been drinking, and answered humbly34.
'I'm very sorry, Jim, but I went in to Sally, an' 'er bloke 'ad been knockin' 'er abaht, an' so I sat with 'er a bit.'
'Knockin' 'er abaht, 'ad 'e? and serve 'er damn well right too; an' there's many more as could do with a good 'idin'!'
Liza did not answer. He looked at her, and then suddenly said:
'Come in an' 'ave a drink.'
'Na, I'm not thirsty; I don't want a drink,' she answered.
'Come on,' he said angrily.
'Na, Jim, you've had quite enough already.'
''Oo are you talkin' ter?' he said. 'Don't come if yer don't want ter; I'll go an' 'ave one by myself.'
'Na, Jim, don't.' She caught hold of his arm.
'Yus, I shall,' he said, going towards the pub, while she held him back. 'Let me go, can't yer! Let me go!' He roughly pulled his arm away from her. As she tried to catch hold of it again, he pushed her back, and in the little scuffle caught her a blow over the face.
'Oh!' she cried, 'you did 'urt!'
He was sobered at once.
'Liza,' he said. 'I ain't 'urt yer?' She didn't answer, and he took her in his arms. 'Liza, I ain't 'urt you, 'ave I? Say I ain't 'urt yer. I'm so sorry, I beg your pardon, Liza.'
'Arright, old chap,' she said, smiling charmingly on him. 'It wasn't the blow that 'urt me much; it was the wy you was talkin'.'
'I didn't mean it, Liza.' He was so contrite35, he could not humble himself enough. 'I 'ad another bloomin' row with the missus ter-night, an' then when I didn't find you 'ere, an' I kept witin' an' witin'--well, I fair downright lost my 'air. An' I 'ad two or three pints36 of four 'alf, an'--well, I dunno--'
'Never mind, old cock. I can stand more than thet as long as yer loves me.'
He kissed her and they were quite friends again. But the little quarrel had another effect which was worse for Liza. When she woke up next morning she noticed a slight soreness over the ridge24 of bone under the left eye, and on looking in the glass saw that it was black and blue and green. She bathed it, but it remained, and seemed to get more marked. She was terrified lest people should see it, and kept indoors all day; but next morning it was blacker than ever. She went to the factory with her hat over her eyes and her head bent37 down; she escaped observation, but on the way home she was not so lucky. The sharp eyes of some girls noticed it first.
'Wot's the matter with yer eye?' asked one of them.
'Me?' answered Liza, putting her hand up as if in ignorance. 'Nothin' thet I knows of.'
Two or three young men were standing by, and hearing the girl, looked up.
'Why, yer've got a black eye, Liza!'
'Me? I ain't got no black eye!'
'Yus you 'ave; 'ow d'yer get it?'
'I dunno,' said Liza. 'I didn't know I 'ad one.'
'Garn! tell us another!' was the answer. 'One doesn't git a black eye without knowin' 'ow they got it.'
'Well, I did fall against the chest of drawers yesterday; I suppose I must 'ave got it then.'
'Oh yes, we believe thet, don't we?'
'I didn't know 'e was so 'andy with 'is dukes, did you, Ted4?' asked one man of another.
Liza felt herself grow red to the tips of her toes.
'Who?' she asked.
'Never you mind; nobody you know.'
At that moment Jim's wife passed and looked at her with a scowl38. Liza wished herself a hundred miles away, and blushed more violently than ever.
'Wot are yer blushin' abaht?' ingenuously39 asked one of the girls.
And they all looked from her to Mrs. Blakeston and back again. Someone said: ''Ow abaht our Sunday boots on now?' And a titter went through them. Liza's nerve deserted her; she could think of nothing to say, and a sob burst from her. To hide the tears which were coming from her eyes she turned away and walked homewards. Immediately a great shout of laughter broke from the group, and she heard them positively40 screaming till she got into her own house.
十一月。风和日丽的季节过去了，随之而去的是吉姆和丽莎的爱情的欢乐。
他们夜里来到亚尔培堤，只觉得阴沉寒冷；有时薄雾笼罩着河岸，使一盏盏灯光朦朦胧胧地化成一个个大光圈；又时常下着小雨，阴冷入骨。路上偶有行人，撑着伞，眼睛直盯着前方，匆匆在阴湿和寒冷中走过；时而一辆出租马车很快地经过，两边泥浆飞溅。
那些凳子都空着没人坐，除了或许有个把无家可归、又没钱找个地方投宿的可怜人，蜷缩在角落里，头钻在胸窝里，死人般地沉睡着。
湿的泥浆把丽莎的裙子粘住在她腿上，潮气从腿上渐渐侵袭到全身，终于使她噤战不止，为了得到一点暖气，紧紧贴着吉姆。
有时候他们跑进滑铁卢注或查林广场车站的三等车候车室，坐在那里。但那儿不象夏夜的公园和河堤。那儿暖和，可是热使他们潮湿的农服蒸发出难闻的味儿，煤气灯耀眼睛，而且他们讨厌那穿流不息地出出进进的人，一开门就是一阵冷风．他们讨厌车站管理员和脚夫们叫喊“开车了”的喧嚷和机车刺耳的气笛声，讨厌那一片忙乱、嘈杂和烦嚣。
到十一点钟光景，来往火车少了，他们可以安静一点，可是他们心情不宁，感到烦闷、忧伤、痛苦。
有一天晚上，他们坐在滑铁卢车站的候车室里。外面是大雾——十一月份的黄色的浓雾弥漫着整个候车室，直往肺里钻，它叫人嘴里苦涩，眼睛刺痛。此刻是十一点半左右，车站上异常地清静：几个乘客穿着大衣、围着围巾，踱来踱去，在等待末班火车，一两个脚夫站在那里打呵欠。
丽莎和吉姆在那儿闷坐了一个钟头，彼此没说过一句话；两个人都抑郁不欢，好似头脑里压着沉重的铅块。
丽莎身子向前倾着，臂肘撑在膝盖上，双手捧着脸。
“我能堂堂正正地做人该多好，”她终于说，眼睛也不抬一抬。
“是啊，你为什么不跟我在一起？那样你不就好了吗？”他回答。
“不．那不行，我不能那样做。”
他几次三番要求她干脆跟他住一起去，然而她始终不答应。
“你可以跟我一起住，我到霍洛韦注去租间屋子，我们在那里一起住，就象结了婚的一样。”
“你的工作怎么办？”
“我能这里找到工作，也能在那边找到工作。我对现在的情况实在受不了啦。”
“我也是，可我不能把我妈丢下。”
“她可以一起去嘛。”
“我没有结婚．不能叫她去。我不愿意让她知道——知道我走错了路。”
“我跟你结婚。天啊，我是日思夜想正要跟你结婚呀。”
“你不能；你已经结婚了。”
“那没有关系！要是我每个月工钱里拿出一点给我老婆，她会签字立凭据，放弃她对我的一切要求的，那样我们就好结婚了。有个和我在一起干活的人就是那样做的，什么都解决。”
丽莎摇摇头。
“不，我现在不能这样做；这要犯重婚罪，警察把你抓去，你要吃官司，服一年苦役。”
“但是，天晓得，丽莎，我没法一直这样下去。你知道我那老婆——该死的，她毫无疑问知道你和我搅在一起，她都在我面前说穿了。”
“她不会说穿吧？”
“嗯，她并不明说，可她发脾气，不睬我，而当我说了什么的时候，她就跟我吵，什么都挖空心思地骂得出来。我要狠狠揍她一顿，可我又不大想动手！她把一个家闹得变成了我的地狱．我实在忍受不下去啊！”
“你只好忍耐I你没有办法。”
“有办法，我有办法，那就是你跟我走。我看你根本不喜欢我，否则你准跟我走了。”
她转身向他，双臂抱着他的脖子。
“你知道我喜欢你的，我亲爱的．”她说。“你是我天下最喜欢的人，但是我不能丢下我妈走掉呀。"
“我真不懂为什么；她从没有好好待过你。她要你做死做活给她付房租，而她挣的钱全部喝酒喝掉。”
“的确，她对我从来不是个你说的好妈妈——可是她总是我的妈妈，我不愿把她一个人丢下不管，而且她年纪这么大，患着风湿又不能多做什么事。再说，亲爱的吉姆，不光是我妈，还有你自己的孩子们，你不能丢了他们。”
他想了想，然后说——
“你这话也对，丽莎；我恐怕是丢不下他们。要是我能带着他们，也带着你，一起走，老天爷，我才开心哪。”
丽莎苦笑了一下。
“所以你瞧，吉姆，我们的处境真糟透，我竟毫无办法。”
他把她抱在膝盖上，紧紧搂住她，长长地热情地吻着她。
“唉，我们只得听天由命，”她又说，“或许就会有什么转机，最后一切都好——到时候一个铜币买四团绒线。”
时间已过十二点，他们分手了，各自沿着阴暗、潮湿、阒无人影的道路，分头回到维尔街去。
丽莎觉得这条小街似乎跟三个月前完全两样了，谦卑地爱慕她的汤姆已经在她生命中消失了。
还是在八月公假日过后三、四个星期的某一天，她曾经看见汤姆徘徊在人行道上，她顿觉好久没有见他了。只是当时她满怀欢乐，除了吉姆之外，谁都不在心上。她不知汤姆到哪儿去了，因为在过去，无论她到哪里，汤姆总也在那里。
她经过他身边，可是他并不理她，这使她大为惊异。
她想会不会碰巧他没有看见她，不过她明明觉得他的目光注视着她。
她回过头来，他突然低头往下看，仿佛没看见她似地向前走去，可是面孔涨得通红。
“汤姆，”她招呼他，“你怎么不理我？’’
他愣了一下，面孔涨得更红了。
“我没看到你，”他回答。
“别对我装蒜，”她说；“到底怎么回事？’’
“我也不知道，”他勉强地说。
“我没有得罪你吧，汤姆？”
“不，我没有觉得，”他回答，很沮丧的样子。
“你这一阵子一直不来接近我，”她说。
“我不知道你要和我见面。”
“去！你知道我同喜欢别人一样喜欢你。”
“你喜欢的人太多了，丽莎，”他涨红着脸说。
“你这是什么意思？”丽莎气愤地说，但是脸也涨得很红；她怕他这会儿都知道了，她是特别不愿意让他知道的。
“没有什么，”他答道。
“一个人说这话不会没有意思，除非他是该死的傻子。”
“你说对了，丽莎，”他回答，“我是个该死的傻子。”
他对她瞥了一眼，她觉得他目光里带有责骂的意思。他接着说了声“再见’’，转身就走了。
开始她很怕他知道了她对吉姆的爱情；后来她觉得也无所谓。毕竟，这不关别人的事，只要她爱吉姆、吉姆爱她，有什么关系？
然后她又恼恨汤姆怀疑她；他除了有几个人曾经在沃克斯霍尔附近看见她和吉姆在一起之外，别的什么也不会知道。她以为他凭这一点对她大惊小怪，十分可恶。
从那一回之后，她遇上汤姆就回避他。他从不想对她说话，但是她经过他身边的时候，尽管他装着看在她前面的样子，她看得出他每次都脸红，同时总觉得他眼睛里流露着非常悲伤的神色。
过了几个星期，她越来越感觉到在小街上怪孤寂的。她懊悔那回跟汤姆吵嘴。她想到失去了他的忠实而温柔的爱情，哭泣起来，她真想跟他重归于好。
当时只要他主动有些表示，她马上就热情欢迎他了，而她又是那么高傲，不肯自己去要求他原谅她——不过，他怎么能原谅她呢？
她也失去了萨莉，因为她一结婚，哈利就叫她放弃了厂里的工作。他是个足以当国会议员讲一篇大道理的人，他说一
“女人的位置是在家庭里。．如果一个男人不能养活老婆，非要她到厂里去做工——那末，我只能认为他还是做光棍的好。”
“这也对，”他的丈母娘同意；“而且她很快就有孩子要照顾，这我是比什么人都体会，我生过十二个孩子，还不算两个死胎和一次流产。”
丽莎很羡慕萨莉的幸福，因为新娘快活得又是唱歌，又是欢笑，简直乐不可支。
“我很幸福．”她在结婚的几个星期后有一天对丽莎说。“你不知道哈利多好。他真是个宝贝，没错的。我不管人家怎么说，我说没有比结婚更幸福的。他嘴里从没有一句恼火的话。我妈三顿都在我们这儿吃，他说这再好也没有。嗳，我真是快活得东南西北也分不清了。”
奈何好景不常！
后来丽莎碰到她，萨莉可就不是那么喜满胸怀了。有一天她眼睛很象是哭过的样子。
“怎么啦？”丽莎瞧着她。“怎么你眼睛都哭肿了？”
“我？”萨莉说，一阵脸红。“噢，我有点牙痛——我真有点傻，牙痛得厉害，我不禁哭了。”
丽莎对这回答不满意，可也没法再问出什么来。
后来另有一天，这才真相大白。
那是个星期六的夜晚，是维尔街上女人哭泣的时候。
丽莎在到威斯敏斯特桥大道去碰头吉姆的路上，顺便到萨莉屋里去看看她。哈利租的是间顶层的后房，丽莎爬到第二座楼梯时，照例叫道——
“喂，嗬，萨莉！”
房门不开，虽然丽莎看得出房间里面灯亮着。她听见呜咽的声音，所以她到房门口，站停了脚。她听了一会，然后敲敲房门，里面一阵慌张，接着有人叫着答应——
“谁啊？”
“就是我，”丽莎说，推门进去。她踏进房门，只见萨莉急忙揩揩眼睛，把手帕塞开。她母亲坐在她旁边，显然在安慰她。
“发生什么事啦？”丽莎问。
“没事，”萨莉回答，拚命屏住了哭泣，低下了头，不让丽莎看见她眼眶里的泪水。但是泪水还是直涌而出，她迅速拿出手帕，掩着面孔，伤心地抽噎起来。丽莎向她母亲疑问地望望。
“啊，又是那个家伙！”老太太说着，仰天长叹。
“不是哈利吧！”丽莎惊异地说。
“不是哈利？一一不是哈利又是准！那个流氓!”
“他干出了什么来啦？”丽莎又问。
“打她，这就是他干出来的！啊，这个流氓，他改为自己害臊——应该害臊！”
“我原先不知道他是那样的人！”丽莎说。
“你不知道？我想现在整条街上都知道了，”库柏老太太愤恨地说。“唉，他真不是个东西！”
“这不是他的错，”萨莉抽抽搭搭地哭着插嘴说，“他只是因为多喝了一口。他不喝醉的时候是好好的。”
“多喝了一口！我看他也确实是多喝了一口，这畜生！我要是个男的，我要好好教训他一顿。他们都是那个样子——做丈夫的都是一样；有时候他们不喝醉，确是好好的；可一喝醉就是畜生，没错的。过去我也有丈夫，一起生活了二十五年，所以我懂得他们。”
“不过，妈，”萨莉抽噎着说，“这回全是我不好。我该早些回家的。”
“不，这根本不是你的过错。你瞧瞧这里，丽莎：这是他干的，还自己算是个男子汉。就只因为萨莉出去和隔壁麦克劳德太太聊了会天，回到屋里，他就把她乱打。还打我，你倒想想看！”库柏太太气愤得脸都发了紫。
“是的，”她继续说，“这叫是男子汉。当然我总不见得站在那里，眼看我女儿被乱踢乱打吧？他又骂我，用拳头打我。瞧这里。”
她撩起袖子，露出两条又红又强壮的．臂膊。
“他打伤了我的手臂；我起初还当打断了呢。要不是我举起臂膀来，他会打我头上，甚至把我打死了的。
“我对他说，‘你敢再碰碰我，我报警察局去，我报局去！’
“嗨，这一下他可有点害怕了，我就这样放过他吗！
“‘你还自己算是个男子汉，’我说，‘你还不配去通阴沟呢。’
“你没听到他说的下流话。‘你这肮脏的老太婆，’他说，‘你滚开；你老是跟我缠不清。’我实在不高兴重复他说的话。
“我对他说，‘我女儿不做你老婆多好，我早知道你是这个样子，我死也不会让她嫁给你。”’
“唉，我也想不到他是这样的！”丽莎说。
“开始的时候，他很好的，”萨莉说。
“是啊，他们开始的时候总是很好的！可是你想想看，现在他们结婚还不到三个月，第一个孩子还没生下，已经闹到这个地步！真丢人哪！”
丽莎继续待了一会，帮着安慰安慰萨莉，可怜她始终把这回吵架的过错拉在自己身上。
最后她向萨莉道了晚安，祝她今后幸福，自己赶去会见吉姆了。
她到了约好的地点，不看见他。她等了好一会，才看见他从附近一家小酒店里出来。
“晚上好，吉姆，”她跑到他面前招呼他。
“你到底来了，是不是？”他回过头来，粗暴地说。
“怎么了，吉姆？”她怯声怯气地问，因为他以前从来没有这样对她说话过。
“你好哇，叫我整夜地等着你出来！”
她知道他喝了酒，她用歉疚的口气回答说——
“对不起，吉姆，我到萨莉那里去弯了弯。她男人打了她一顿，所以我陪她坐了一会。”
“打了一顿吗？也是活该；该好好打的女人多着呢！”
丽莎不响。他朝她看看，然后忽然说——
“一起去喝一杯。”
“不，我不渴，我不想喝，”她回答。
“一起去”，他凶狠狠地说。
“不要去了，吉姆，你已经喝得够多了。"
“你在对谁说话？”他说。“你不去就不去，我一个人去喝一杯。”
“不，吉姆，不要去。’’她拖着他的手臂。
“我要去，”他说着，往小酒店走去，丽莎拖住他。
“让我去，你让我！让我去！”他猛力把丽莎甩开。她还想去拖住他，他推开她，在你拉我扯的当儿，他给她j：卜面一拳。
“噢！”她说，“你打得我好痛！”
他顿时清醒了过来。
“丽莎．”他说。“我没有打痛你吧？”
她不作声，他把她抱在怀里。
“丽莎，我没有打痛你吧，没有吧？说我没有打痛你。我很遗憾，我求你原谅我，丽莎。”
“好，亲爱的，”她说，对他温柔地微笑着。“这一拳倒没什么，你说话的口气和态度叫我心痛。”
“我是无心的，丽莎，’’他很后悔，尽量低声下气地说。“今夜我跟老太婆又大吵了一场，跑到这里又不看见你，尽等着等着——唉，我实在恼火了。因此我去喝了两、三品脱四便士半的啤酒——我自己也不知道——”
“不要紧，亲爱的，只要你爱我，更厉害的我也受得了。”
他吻她，他们又完全和好了。
不过，这一场小吵架对丽莎有更坏的影响。
当她第二天醒来的时候，她觉得左眼底下的面颊骨上有点痛．朝镜子里一看，原来是又黑、又青、又绿的一块。她把它洗刷也洗刷不掉，而且似乎反而更加显著。她深怕人家看到，所以在家里躲了一整天，可是第二天这一块更黑得厉害。
她到厂里去的时候，把帽子盖着眼睛，把头沉得低低的，总算没被人发觉。但是她在回家的路上，没有这样运气。有几个姑娘目光锐利，首先发现。
“你的眼睛怎么了？”一个姑娘问。
“我？’’丽莎应道，假装糊涂，伸手摸摸。“我不知道嘛。”
有两三个年轻小伙子站在旁边，听到了那姑娘说的话，也注意到了。
“呀，你眼睛青肿了，丽莎！”
“我？我眼睛没有青肿！”
“青肿了；怎么会青肿了的？”
“我不知道，”丽莎说。“我不知道我眼睛青肿。”
“得了！你再说谎吧！”这是她得到的回答。“没有人会眼睛青肿了而不知怎么青肿的。”
“哦，我昨天确实在五斗橱上撞过一下，准是那一撞撞出来的。”
“原来如此，我们才相信哪，相信吗？”
“我倒不知道他的拳头有这么厉害，你本来知道吗，特德？”一个男的问另一个男的。
丽莎觉得从脸上一直红到了脚趾尖。
“你们说谁？”她问。
“你别管，你不认识的。”
这时候，吉姆的妻子走过，她对丽莎恶狠狠地看看。丽莎恨不得自己远在一百英里外，脸涨得更红了。
“你为什么脸红了？”那些姑娘中的一个爽快地问。
他们的目光从丽莎身上移到布莱克斯顿太太身上，又重新移回来。
有一个人说，“这下我们该穿起节日的皮靴，庆祝我们胜利了吧？”大伙嗤嗤地窃笑。
丽莎的神经支持不住了；她一句对答的话也想不出来，突然哽咽起来。为了不让人看见她夺眶而出的眼泪，转身就朝家里走。
人群中立即爆发出一阵叫笑，直到她走进屋里，还清清楚楚听得见他们的尖叫。
收听单词发音 |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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ted
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| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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charing
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| n.炭化v.把…烧成炭，把…烧焦( char的现在分词 )；烧成炭，烧焦；做杂役女佣 | |
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Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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spliced
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| adj.（针织品）加固的n.叠接v.绞接( splice的过去式和过去分词 )；捻接（两段绳子）；胶接；粘接（胶片、磁带等） | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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dawdling
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| adj.闲逛的，懒散的v.混（时间）( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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eels
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| abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system） | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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contrite
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| adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的 | |
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pints
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| n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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ingenuously
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| adv.率直地，正直地 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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