Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/33

 know. It’ll be a good start for them, won’t it?”

Sidney nodded. He was thinking of another family who already owed their furniture to Jane’s beneficence, though they did not know it.

“Mind you don’t throw away kindness on worthless people,” he said presently.

“We can only do our best, and hope they’ll keep comfortable for their own sakes.”

“Yes, yes. Well, I’ll say good-night to you here. Go home and rest; you look tired.”

He no longer called her by her name. Tearing himself away, with a last look, he raged inwardly that so sweet and gentle a creature should be condemned to such a waste of her young life.

Jane had obtained what she came for. At times the longing to see him grew insupportable, and this evening she had yielded to it, going out of her way in the hope of encountering him as he came from work. He spoke very strangely. What did it all mean, and when would this winter of suspense give sign of vanishing before sunlight?