Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/255

Rh know what your business may be, but if you can’t behave yourself, you’ll please to go away a bit quicker than you came. The idea! Did any one ever hear!”

“I shan’t go till I choose,” replied Clem, “and that won’t be till I’ve had my say with that little ! Where’s your father, Jane Snowdon? You just tell me that.”

“My father,” faltered Jane, in the silence. “I haven’t seen him for a fortnight.”

“You haven’t, eh? Little liar! It’s what I used to call you when you scrubbed our kitchen floor, and it’s what I call you now. D’you remember when you did the ’ouse-work, ’an slept under the kitchen table? D’you remember, eh? Haven’t seen him for a fortnight, ain’t you? Oh, he’s a nice man, is your father! He ran away an’ deserted your mother. But he’s done it once too often. I’ll precious soon have the perlice after him! Has he left you to look after yourself? Has he, eh? You just tell me that!”

Jane and Mrs. Byass stared at each other in dismay. The letter that had come this morning enabled them to guess the meaning of Clem’s fury. The latter interpreted their