Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/89

 Opposite, the shapes of poverty-eaten houses and grimy workshops stood huddling in the obscurity. From near at hand came shrill voices of children chasing each other about—children playing at midnight between slum and gaol!

"We're not likely to see much of each other after to-night," said Sidney, stopping.

"The less the better, I should say, if this is how you're going to talk to me."

"The less the better, perhaps,—at all events for a time. But there's one or two things on my mind, and I'll say them now. I don't know whether you think anything about it, but you must have seen that things are getting worse and worse at home. Your mother"

"She's no mother of mine! " broke in Clara angrily.

"She's been a mother to you in kindness, that's certain, and you've repaid her almost as ill as you could have done. Another girl would have made her hard life a bit easier. No; you've only thought of yourself. Your