the ragged trousered philanthropists-第68章

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d　up。　There　were　people　in　all　the　compartments。　　Some　of　the　seats　in　the　public　bar　were　occupied　by　women；　some　young　and　accompanied　by　their　husbands；　some　old　and　evidently　sodden　with　drink。　　In　one　corner　of　the　public　bar；　drinking　beer　or　gin　with　a　number　of　young　fellows；　were　three　young　girls　who　worked　at　a　steam　laundry　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Two　large；　fat；　gipsy…looking　women：　evidently　hawkers；　for　on　the　floor　beside　them　were　two　baskets　containing　bundles　of　flowers　…　chrysanthemums　and　Michaelmas　daisies。　　There　were　also　two　very　plainly　and　shabbily　dressed　women　about　thirty…five　years　of　age；　who　were　always　to　be　found　there　on　Saturday　nights；　drinking　with　any　man　who　was　willing　to　pay　for　them。　　The　behaviour　of　these　two　women　was　very　quiet　and　their　manners　unobtrusive。　　They　seemed　to　realize　that　they　were　there　only　on　sufferance；　and　their　demeanour　was　shamefaced　and　humble。

The　majority　of　the　guests　were　standing。　　The　floor　was　sprinkled　with　sawdust　which　served　to　soak　up　the　beer　that　slopped　out　of　the　glasses　of　those　whose　hands　were　too　unsteady　to　hold　them　upright。　The　air　was　foul　with　the　smell　of　beer；　spirits　and　tobacco　smoke；　and　the　uproar　was　deafening；　for　nearly　everyone　was　talking　at　the　same　time；　their　voices　clashing　discordantly　with　the　strains　of　the　Polyphone；　which　was　playing　‘The　Garden　of　Your　Heart'。　　In　one　corner　a　group　of　men　convulsed　with　laughter　at　the　details　of　a　dirty　story　related　by　one　of　their　number。　　Several　impatient　customers　were　banging　the　bottoms　of　their　empty　glasses　or　pewters　on　the　counter　and　shouting　their　orders　for　more　beer。　　Oaths；　curses　and　obscene　expressions　resounded　on　every　hand；　coming　almost　as　frequently　from　the　women　as　the　men。　　And　over　all　the　rattle　of　money；　the　ringing　of　the　cash　register。　　The　clinking　and　rattling　of　the　glasses　and　pewter　pots　as　they　were　being　washed；　and　the　gurgling　noise　made　by　the　beer　as　it　poured　into　the　drinking　vessels　from　the　taps　of　the　beer　engine；　whose　handles　were　almost　incessantly　manipulated　by　the　barman；　the　Old　Dear　and　the　glittering　landlady；　whose　silken　blouse；　bejewelled　hair；　ears；　neck　and　fingers　scintillated　gloriously　in　the　blaze　of　the　gaslight。

The　scene　was　so　novel　and　strange　to　Ruth　that　she　felt　dazed　and　bewildered。　　Previous　to　her　marriage　she　had　been　a　total　abstainer；　but　since　then　she　had　occasionally　taken　a　glass　of　beer　with　Easton　for　company's　sake　with　their　Sunday　dinner　at　home；　but　it　was　generally　Easton　who　went　out　and　bought　the　beer　in　a　jug。　　Once　or　twice　she　had　bought　it　herself　at　an　Off　Licence　beer…shop　near　where　they　lived；　but　she　had　never　before　been　in　a　public　house　to　drink。　She　was　so　confused　and　ill　at　ease　that　she　scarcely　heard　or　understood　Mrs　Crass；　who　talked　incessantly；　principally　about　their　other　residents　in　North　Street　where　they　both　resided；　and　about　Mr　Crass。　　She　also　promised　Ruth　to　introduce　her　presently　…　if　he　came　in；　as　he　was　almost　certain　to　do　…　to　Mr　Partaker；　one　of　her　two　lodgers　a　most　superior　young　man；　who　had　been　with　them　now　for　over　three　years　and　would　not　leave　on　any　account。　　In　fact；　he　had　been　their　lodger　in　their　old　house；　and　when　they　moved　he　came　with　them　to　North　Street；　although　it　was　farther　away　from　his　place　of　business　than　their　former　residence。　　Mrs　Crass　talked　a　lot　more　of　the　same　sort　of　stuff；　to　which　Ruth　listened　like　one　in　a　dream；　and　answered　with　an　occasional　yes　or　no。

Meantime；　Crass　and　Easton　…　the　latter　had　deposited　the　string…bag　on　the　seat　at　Ruth's　side　…　and　the　Semi…drunk　and　the　Besotted　Wretch；　arranged　to　play　a　match　of　Hooks　and　Rings；　the　losers　to　pay　for　drinks　for　all　the　party；　including　the　two　women。　　Crass　and　the　Semi…drunk　tossed　up　for　sides。　　Crass　won　and　picked　the　Besotted　Wretch；　and　the　game　began。　　It　was　a　one…sided　affair　from　the　first；　for　Easton　and　the　Semi…drunk　were　no　match　for　the　other　two。　　The　end　of　it　was　that　Easton　and　his　partner　had　to　pay　for　the　drinks。　The　four　men　had　a　pint　each　of　four　ale；　and　Mrs　Crass　had　another　threepennyworth　of　gin。　　Ruth　protested　that　she　did　not　want　any　more　to　drink；　but　the　others　ridiculed　this；　and　both　the　Besotted　Wretch　and　the　Semi…drunk　seemed　to　regard　her　unwillingness　as　a　personal　insult；　so　she　allowed　them　to　get　her　another　half…pint　of　beer；　which　she　was　compelled　to　drink；　because　she　was　conscious　that　the　others　were　watching　her　to　see　that　she　did　so。

The　Semi…drunk　now　suggested　a　return　match。　　He　wished　to　have　his　revenge。　　He　was　a　little　out　of　practice；　he　said；　and　was　only　just　getting　his　hand　in　as　they　were　finishing　the　other　game。　　Crass　and　his　partner　readily　assented；　and　in　spite　of　Ruth's　whispered　entreaty　that　they　should　return　home　without　further　delay；　Easton　insisted　on　joining　the　game。

Although　they　played　more　carefully　than　before；　and　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　the　Besotted　Wretch　was　very　drunk；　Easton　and　his　partner　were　again　beaten　and　once　more　had　to　pay　for　the　drinks。　The　men　had　a　pint　each　as　before。　　Mrs　Crass　…　upon　whom　the　liquor　so　far　seemed　to　have　no　effect　…　had　another　threepennyworth　of　gin；　and　Ruth　consented　to　take　another　glass　of　beer　on　condition　that　Easton　would　come　away　directly　their　drinks　were　finished。　　Easton　agreed　to　do　so；　but　instead　of　keeping　his　word　he　began　to　play　a　four…handed　game　of　shove…ha'penny　with　the　other　three；　the　sides　and　stakes　being　arranged　as　before。

The　liquor　was　by　this　time　beginning　to　have　some　effect　upon　Ruth：　she　felt　dizzy　and　confused。　　Whenever　it　was　necessary　to　reply　to　Mrs　Crass's　talk　she　found　some　difficulty　in　articulating　the　words　and　she　knew　she　was　not　answering　very　intelligently。　　Even　when　Mrs　Crass　introduced　her　to　the　interesting　Mr　Partaker；　who　arrived　about　this　time；　she　was　scarcely　able　to　collect　herself　sufficiently　to　decline　that　fascinating　gentleman's　invitation　to　have　another　drink　with　himself　and　Mrs　Crass。

After　a　time　a　kind　of　terror　took　possession　of　her；　and　she　resolved　that　if　Easton　would　not　come　when　he　had　finished　the　game　he　was　playing；　she　would　go　home　without　him。

Meantime　the　game　of　shove…ha'penny　proceeded　merrily；　the　majority　of　the　male　guests　crowding　round　the　board；　applauding　or　censuring　the　players　as　occasion　demanded。　　The　Semi…drunk　was　in　high　glee；　for　Crass　was　not　much　of　a　hand　at　this　game；　and　the　Besotted　Wretch；　although　playing　well；　was　not　able　to　make　up　for　his　partner's　want　of　skill。　　As　the　game　drew　near　its　end　and　it　became　more　and　more　certain　that　his　opponents　would　be　defeated；　the　joy　of　the　Semi…drunk　was　unbounded；　and　he　challenged　them　to　make　it　double　or　quits　…　a　generous　offer　which　they　wisely　declined；　and　shortly　afterwards；　seeing　that　their　position　was　hopeless；　they　capitulated　and　prepared　to　pay　the　penalty　of　the　vanquished。

Crass　ordered　the　drinks　and　the　Besotted　Wretch　…　half　the　damage　…　a　pint　of　four　ale　for　each　of　the　men　and　the　same　as　before　for　the　ladies。　　The　Old　Dear　executed　the　order；　but　by　mistake；　being　very　busy；　he　served　two　‘threes'　of　gin　instead　of　one。　　Ruth　did　not　want　any　more　at　all；　but　she　was　afraid　to　say　so；　and　she　did　not　like　to　make　any　fuss　about　it　being　the　wrong　drink；　especially　as　they　all　assured　her　that　the　spirits　would　do　her　more　good　than　beer。　　She　did　not　want　either；　she　wanted　to　get　away；　and　would　have　liked　to　empty　the　stuff　out　of　the　glass　on　the　floor；　but　she　was　afraid　that　Mrs　Crass　or　one　of　the　others　might　see　her　doing　so；　and　there　might　be　some　trouble　about　it。　　Anyway；　it　seemed　easier　to　drink　this　small　quantity　of　spirits　and　water　than　a　big　glass　of　beer；　the　very　thought　of　which　now　made　her　feel　ill。　　She　drank　the　stuff　which　Easton　handed　to　her　at　a　single　draught　and；　handing　back　the　empty　glass　with　a　shudder；　stood　up　resolutely。

‘Are　you　coming　home　now？　　You　promised　you　would；'　she　said。

‘All　right：　presently；'　replied　Easton。　　'There's　plenty　of　time；　it's　not　nine　yet。'

‘That　doesn't　matter；　it's　quite　late　enough。　　You　know　we've　left　the　child　at　home　alone　in　t