Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. II, 1889.djvu/241

 patience could endure through five minutes’ perusal. Realise it, however, and you grasp the conditions of what is called the social problem. As regards Robert Hewett in particular, it would help you to understand the momentous change in his life which was just coming to pass. On his reaching home at eleven o’clock, Pennyloaf met him with the news that Jack Bartley had looked in twice and seemed very anxious to see him. To-morrow being Saturday, Jack would call again early in the afternoon. When the time came, he presented himself, hungry and dirty as ever, but with an unwonted liveliness in his eye.

“I’ve got something to say to you,” he began, in a low voice, nodding significantly towards Pennyloaf.

“Go and buy what you want for to-morrow,” said Bob to his wife, giving her some money out of his wages. “Take the kids.”

Disappointed in being thus excluded from confidence, but obedient as ever, Pennyloaf speedily prepared herself and the children, the