Page:Gissing - Workers in the Dawn, vol. I, 1880.djvu/21

Rh jug you have; and you’ll ’ave to pay for it, you will. Come now, pay for the jug, will you, mister?”

“Good God I” exclaimed the gentleman, half to himself, " what a hell I have got into!”

Then, taking a shilling from his pocket, he gave it to the child.

“Will that be enough?”

“Maybe it will.”

“Stop! Can you tell me which is No. 9 in this yard?”

“And what dyer want with No. 9, eh?” asked the child, biting the coin as she spoke; “I lives there.”

“Then you can show me the house. I suppose?”

“Can if I chooses. What d’yer want with No. 9, eh?”

“Is there anyone named Golding living there?”

The child surveyed her questioner for a few moments with precociously evil eyes, then suddenly exclaimed—

“Last house but two. You’ll have to knock twice.” After which she rushed out into the street and was lost in the crowd.

The inquirer followed the direction indicated, and, picking his steps through the filth as carefully as the darkness allowed, with many an uneasy glance on either side and up at the houses, came at length in front