Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. II, 1889.djvu/237

 nether and the upper world are purely superficial.

Whenever Jack came to spend an hour with Mr. and Mrs. Hewett, he was sure sooner or later to indulge the misery that preyed upon him and give way to sheer weeping. He did so this evening, almost as soon as he entered.

“I ain’t had a mouthful past my lips since last night, I ain’t!” he sobbed. “It’s ’ard on a feller as used to have his meals regular. I’ll murder Suke yet, see if I don’t! I’ll have her life! She met me last night and gave me this black eye as you see,—she did! It’s ’ard on a feller.”

“You mean to say as she ’it you?” cried Pennyloaf.

Bob chuckled, thrust his hands into his pockets, spread himself out. His own superiority was so gloriously manifest.

“Suppose you try it on with me, Penny!” he cried.

“You’d give me something as I should remember,” she answered, smirking, the good little slavey.