Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/267

 John turned to his youngest daughter and asked in a hollow voice:

“Where’s Clara?”

“She’s got one of her headaches, father,” replied the girl, trembling.

He turned and went from the room.

It was long since he had lost his place of porter at the filter-works. Before leaving England, Joseph Snowdon managed to dispose of his interest in the firm of Lake, Snowdon, & Co., and at the same time Hewett was informed that his wages would be reduced by five shillings a week,—the sum which had been supplied by Michael Snowdon’s benevolence. It was a serious loss. Clara’s marriage removed one grave anxiety, but the three children had still to be brought up, and with every year John’s chance of steady employment would grow less. Sidney Kirkwood declared himself able and willing to help substantially, but he might before long have children of his own to think of, and in any case it was shameful to burden him in this way.

Shameful or not, it very soon came to pass that Sidney had the whole family on his hands.