Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/124

 she went to the same as my own Clem,—that's Clemintiner,—understand?—'if you'll keep Janey with you,' he says, 'for a year, or maybe two years, or maybe three years,—'cause that depends on cirkinstances,'—understand?—'I'm ready,' he says, 'to pay you what it's right that pay I should, an' I'm sure,' he says, 'as we shouldn't misunderstand one another.' Well, of course I had my own girl to bring up, an' my own son to look after too. A nice sort o' son; just when he was beginnin' to do well, an' ought to a paid me back for all the expense I was at in puttin' him to a business, what must he do but take his 'ook to Australia."

Her scrutiny discerned something in the listener's face which led her to ask:

"Perhaps you've been in Australia yourself, mister? "

"I have."

The woman paused, speculation at work in her eyes.

"Do you know in what part of the country your son is?" inquired the old man absently.