"All right, Dent5," said Granger.
Then he turned to his daughter.
"You know Isaac Dent, don't you, Bet? You might ha' the manners to give him a civil word."
Bet's eyes were red and swollen6, for she had been crying bitterly.
"Oh, yes, I know you, Isaac Dent," she said; "but I ain't in no mood to talk now. Good-bye, father."
"I'll be home presently," called out Granger. "Have a bit of dinner ready for Dent and me-we'll be looking in presently;" and Bet, taking a small brother by each hand, walked away at a good pace.
She had not replied to her father, and there was a very dogged, determined7 look on her handsome face. The two small boys chattered9 to one another, looked proudly down at their boots, which had been bought new for the occasion, and often glanced at Bet. She did not pay the slightest heed10 to their shrill11 childish chatter8. Presently she hailed a passing tramcar, and delighted her little brothers by taking them for a ride outside. The three got down at the nearest point to Sparrow Street, which was the name of Bet's old address. They reached the house and went upstairs. The one room where they had all lived for the last couple of years looked deserted12, ugly, desolate13. The bed on which the dead woman had lain was empty, the fire was out in the grate, and the broken cups and saucers, out of which the little party had breakfasted before they started for the funeral, stood unwashed on the deal table.
"Now, boys," said Bet, the minute she had got the two little fellows into the room, "you ha' got to obey me. I'm your mother in future. Do you mind?"
She had seated herself on a low chair, and drew her little brothers in front of her. They looked at her with their impudent14 and bright eyes.
"The Cap'n says," began Nat, glancing in his eager, quick, bird-like way at his brother—"the Cap'n says—"
But Bet put her hand across the eager little mouth.
"Never mind what Thady says now, Nat; we'll have plenty of time to go into that by-and-bye. Now we have a deal to do, and very little time to do it in. But first you two boys ha' got to give me a promise."
"Promises is like pie-crusts," said the Cap'n, drawing himself up to his full tiny height, "I don't mind, nor do the Gen'ral there. Promises is made to be broke."
Bet shook the little speaker impatiently.
"Look here, boys, there's no one loves you two, but me; and I do—yes, I do—with all my heart. There, boys, don't strangle me," for they both fell upon her, covering her face and neck and lips with childish, most affectionate kisses.
"Hurrah15 for Bet! There, Bet—we'll make no pie-crust promises to you. We'll promise, and we'll keep our words. We'd die afore we broke 'em!" concluded the Cap'n, stamping his small newly-shod foot with great effect on the floor.
"There's no one loves you but me," continued Bet. "Mother did, but she's with God—that is ef—ef—oh, yes, mother's with God. He's keeping her comfortable now, and she have forgot us all. Mother's no good from this out; and father—you know what father is, boys. Look me in the face—you know what father is."
It took a great deal to quench16 the spirit of the audacious Granger twins, but they looked subdued17 now. Their thin little faces grew a shade whiter. The two pairs of eyes gave a rapid glance towards the door, and the little figures pressed closer to Bet as if for protection.
"You know, and so do I," she continued, putting her strong arm round them with a most protecting gesture; "and so—and so—boys, I'm going to take you away from father. And the only thing you ha' got to obey me in is when I say 'hide!' you are to hide; and when I ha' to lock you up, as I may have to do now and then, you won't play no larks18 on me, nor try to get away."
"No—no!" they both vociferated eagerly. "We promise, we promise true. Hurrah for Bet—the best gel in Liverpool!"
"That'll do; now let's pack. We must be out of this room in ten minutes."
The three flew about, Bet putting her own small possessions and the boys' scanty19 wardrobe into an old shawl of her mother's. It took far less than ten minutes to make a bundle of the poor possessions. At the last moment Bet went over to the bed, laid her head face downwards20 on her mother's pillow, and reverently21 kissed the place where the dead cold head had rested.
"That's a seal to my promise," she whispered; and then, slinging22 the bundle across her shoulder, she again took the boys' hands and went downstairs.
At the entrance to the house she met her landlord, a man of the name of Bounce.
"Ah, my dear, and where are you off to?" he said, in his most facetious23 voice.
"I am going away, Mr. Bounce," replied Bet, gravely; "you can tell my father—he'll be in presently—as I ain't a-coming back. Neither me nor the boys is a-coming back. Good-bye."
She did not wait for the landlord's surprised answer, but his rude laugh floated after her down the street.
There are slums and slums in Liverpool, as elsewhere, and Sparrow street, which Bet had left, seemed by contrast to Paradise Row, which she presently entered, a thoroughly24 respectable, indeed genteel, place of residence. Paradise Row was not very far from the river. It was entered by a court, court of not more than twenty feet square. Under one of the houses there was an archway, and it was only through this archway that any one could approach Paradise Row, This charming and most suitably-named place of residence consisted of twenty houses at one side of the street and twenty at the other. The houses were high, and the street between was not more than ten feet across. There were no pathways, and no apparent drains of any sort. The houses got closer together as they approached the sky, so that it would not be impossible for an agile25 person in case of pursuit to throw a board across from his window to the one opposite, and so effect an escape. There were not a great many panes26 of glass in the windows—rags and pieces of board taking the place of this precious commodity. It was an evil-looking-place, and the two little boys, accustomed as they were to a very rough life, looked at Bet in some surprise as she led them there.
"This is a rum go," whispered the general under his breath; but the little blue-eyed captain was silent, drawing himself up very erect27, and trying to imitate his sister's stately carriage.
Presently Bet paused at a door, and went in.
"Is Mother Bunch in her room?" she asked a red-haired unkempt-looking boy, who, with a short pipe in his mouth, was leaning against the doorway28. He did not trouble himself to remove the pipe, but pointed29 in the direction of a certain door. Bet went forward, and opened it without knocking. A very stout30 woman of between fifty and sixty was standing31 before a wash-tub. Her arms were bare to the elbows, and covered with suds. Her blue winsey petticoat was tucked up above her ankles; her large feet were destitute32 of shoes and stockings. She had a broad face, a snub nose, and two twinkling good-humored eyes. Notwithstanding her dirt-and she was very dirty-the first glance into her face gave one a certain feeling of comfort and confidence. This was curious; for Mother Bunch had the loudest tongue and the most stalwart arm in Paradise Row; she was, in short, the terror of the place and the adjacent neighborhood. Bet, however, approached her without a particle of fear; she knew that Mother Bunch was a good friend as well as a good foe33.
"I ha' come," she said, going straight up to her. "And here are the boys. This one is Cap'n, and this one is Gen'ral. They're rare 'uns for fighting, poor lads; and they ain't cowards. Have you got the room for us, Mother Bunch?"
"To be sure, honey," replied Mother Bunch, wiping her arms, and smiling broadly at Bet. "And indeed, and indeed, it's the truth I'm telling you, love, when I say that not a purtier or nicer little room could be found in the whole of the Row. You come along o' me, me dears-oh, and it's chape as dirt you're getting it, love!"
The burly Irishwoman panted and rolled her-self upstairs. Bet came next, carrying her bundle, and the boys followed in the rear. The stairs were slippery, and dark, and broken—full of dangers and pitfalls34 to all but the most wary35.
"Jump across here, love," said Mother Bunch; "there's a hole two feet wide just by this corner, and you'd drop into the cellar ef you worn't careful. Oh, glory! but my breath's nearly gone—I'm bate36 entirely37. I'm letting you the room chape as dirt, Bet Granger, 'cos I've took a fancy to you, honey; and that's as true as my name is Molly O'Flaherty. 'Tis the Irish you have about you here, love—'tis them as is thrue to the backbone38 as is your neighbors, dear. Fight for you! honey,—oh, yes, we'll fight. Them boys, why they're Mother Bunch's boys now. There, honey, there's your room, and as purty an attic39 as heart could wish. A shilling a week! Why, it's chaper than dirt! Now then, I must go back to hang up my bits of duds. There's the kay of the room, love, and Molly O'Flaherty's blessings40 on all three of yez."
Mother Bunch turned, and thumped41 and bumped herself downstairs; and Bet, her eyes bright, and a spot of intense color on each of her cheeks, turned round to the boys.
"Look here," she said excitedly—"we're as safe here as if we was in London. Do you think father will come to Paradise Row? and do you think he'll face Mother Bunch? Yes, laddies, the room is small and close, and horrid42 and dirty; and I hate it, but I won't give way, and I won't cry. I've got soap in this bundle, and washing soda43, and an old brush, and we'll clean it up—you two and me—and make it fit for mother's boys to live in."
The little fellows, who were really frightened, cheered up at these words. The dreadful attic, with its slanting44 roof and its tiny skylight window, was illuminated45 by brave, handsome Bet's presence, and by the comforting knowledge that the wretched man who called himself their father could give them no blows nor kicks here. A miserable46 neighbor in an opposite attic presently heard the three laughing as they worked.
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1
subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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2
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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3
cemetery
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| n.坟墓，墓地，坟场 | |
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4
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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5
dent
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| n.凹痕，凹坑；初步进展 | |
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6
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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7
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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8
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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9
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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10
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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11
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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12
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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13
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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14
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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15
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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16
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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17
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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18
larks
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| n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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19
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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20
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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21
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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22
slinging
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| 抛( sling的现在分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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23
facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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24
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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25
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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26
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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27
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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28
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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29
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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31
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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32
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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33
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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34
pitfalls
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| （捕猎野兽用的）陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 )； 意想不到的困难，易犯的错误 | |
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35
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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36
bate
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| v.压制；减弱；n.（制革用的）软化剂 | |
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37
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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38
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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39
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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40
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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41
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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43
soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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44
slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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45
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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46
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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