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Charing； washing； laying…out； keeping empty housesnothing comes
amiss to her。 She's my half…sister； and I think I ought to know。〃
〃Did you say she went out charing？〃 I asked； making believe as if
I knew of somebody who might employ her。
〃Yes； of course I did；〃 answered the woman； 〃and if you can put a
job into her hands； you'll be doing a good turn to a poor
hard…working creature as wants it。 She lives down the Mews here
to the rightname of Horlick； and as honest a woman as ever
stood in shoe…leather。 Now； then； ma'am； what for you？〃
Another customer came in just then； and occupied her attention。 I
left the shop； passed the turning that led down to the Mews；
looked up at the name of the street； so as to know how to find it
again； and then ran home as fast as I could。 Perhaps it was the
remembrance of my strange dream striking me on a sudden； or
perhaps it was the shock of the discovery I had just made； but I
began to feel frightened without knowing why； and anxious to be
under shelter in my own room。
It Robert should come back！ Oh； what a relief and help it would
be now if Robert should come back！
May 1st。 On getting indoors last night； the first thing I did；
after striking a light； was to take the ragged cravat off the
candles； and smooth it out on the table。 I then took the end that
had been in poor Mary's hand out of my writing…desk； and smoothed
that out too。 It matched the torn side of the cravat exactly。 I
put them together； and satisfied myself that there was not a
doubt of it。
Not once did I close my eyes that night。 A kind of fever got
possession of mea vehement yearning to go on from this first
discovery and find out more； no matter what the risk might be。
The cravat now really became； to my mind； the clew that I thought
I saw in my dreamthe clew that I was resolved to follow。 I
determined to go to Mrs。 Horlick this evening on my return from
work。
I found the Mews easily。 A crook…backed dwarf of a man was
lounging at the corner of it smoking his pipe。 Not liking his
looks； I did not inquire of him where Mrs。 Horlick lived； but
went down the Mews till I met with a woman； and asked her。 She
directed me to the right number。 I knocked at the door； and Mrs。
Horlick herselfa lean；
ill…tempered； miserable…looking womananswered it。 I told her
at once that I had come to ask what her terms were for charing。
She stared at me for a moment； then answered my question civilly
enough。
〃You look surprised at a stranger like me finding you out；〃 I
said。 〃I first came to hear of you last night； from a relation of
yours； in rather an odd way。〃
And I told her all that had happened in the chandler's shop；
bringing in the bundle of rags； and the circumstance of my
carrying home the candles in the old torn cravat； as often as
possible。
〃It's the first time I've heard of anything belonging to him
turning out any use；〃 said Mrs。 Horlick； bitterly。
〃What！ the spoiled old neck…handkerchief belonged to your
husband； did it？〃 said I； at a venture。
〃Yes； I pitched his rotten rag of a neck…'andkercher into the
bundle along with the rest； and I wish I could have pitched him
in after it；〃 said Mrs。 Horlick。 〃I'd sell him cheap at any
ragshop。 There he stands； smoking his pipe at the end of the
Mews； out of work for weeks past； the idlest humpbacked pig in
all London！〃
She pointed to the man whom I had passed on entering the Mews。 My
cheeks began to burn and my knees to tremble； for I knew that in
tracing the cravat to its owner I was advancing a step toward a
fresh discovery。 I wished Mrs。 Horlick good evening； and said I
would write and mention the day on which I wanted her。
What I had just been told put a thought into my mind that I was
afraid to follow out。 I have heard people talk of being
light…headed； and I felt as I have heard them say they felt when
I retraced my steps up the Mews。 My head got giddy； and my eyes
seemed able to see nothing but the figure of the little
crook…backed man； still smoking his pipe in his former place。 I
could see nothing but that； I could think of nothing but the mark
of the blow on my poor lost Mary's temple。 I know that I must
have been light…headed； for as I came close to the crook…backed
man I stopped without meaning it。 The minute before； there had
been no idea in me of speaking to him。 I did not know how to
speak； or in what way it would be safest to begin； and yet； the
moment I came face to face with him； something out of myself
seemed to stop me； and to make me speak without considering
beforehand； without thinking of consequences； without knowing； I
may almost say； what words I was uttering till the instant when
they rose to my lips。
〃When your old neck…tie was torn； did you know that one end of it
went to the rag…shop； and the other fell into my hands？〃
I said these bold words to him suddenly； and； as it seemed；
without my own will taking any part in them。
He started； stared； changed color。 He was too much amazed by my
sudden speaking to find an answer for me。 When he did open his
lips； it was to say rather to himself than me：
〃You're not the girl。〃
〃No；〃 I said； with a strange choking at my heart； 〃I'm her
friend。〃
By this time he had recovered his surprise； and he seemed to be
aware that he had let out more than he ought。
〃You may be anybody's friend you like；〃 he said； brutally； 〃so
long as you don't come jabbering nonsense here。 I don't know you；
and I don't understand your jokes。〃
He turned quickly away from me when he had said the last words。
He had never once looked fairly at me since I first spoke to him。
Was it his hand that had struck the blow？ I had only sixpence in
my pocket； but I took it out and followed him。 If it had been a
five…pound note I should have done the same in the state I was in
then。
〃Would a pot of beer help you to understand me？〃 I said； and
offered him the sixpence。
〃A pot ain't no great things；〃 he answered； taking the sixpence
doubtfully。
〃It may lead to something better；〃 I said。 His eyes began to
twinkle； and he came close to me。 Oh； how my legs trembledhow
my head swam！
〃This is all in a friendly way； is it？〃 he asked； in a whisper。
I nodded my head。 At that moment I could not have spoken for
worlds。
〃Friendly； of course；〃 he went on to himself； 〃or there would
have been a policeman in it。 She told you； I suppose； that I
wasn't the man？〃
I nodded my head again。 It was all I could do to keep myself
standing upright。
〃I suppose it's a case of threatening to have him up； and make
him settle it quietly for a pound or two？ How much for me if you
lay hold of him？〃
〃Half。〃
I began to be afraid that he would suspect something if I was
still silent。 The wretch's eyes twinkled again and he came yet
closer。
〃I drove him to the Red Lion； corner of Dodd Street and Rudgely
Street。 The house was shut up； but he was let in at the jug and
bottle door； like a man who was known to the landlord。 That's as
much as I can tell you； and I'm certain I'm right。 He was the
last fare I took up at night。 The next morning master gave me the
sacksaid I cribbed his corn and his fares。 I wish I had。〃
I gathered from this that the crook…backed man had been a
cab…driver。
〃Why don't you speak？〃 he asked； suspiciously。 〃Has she been
telling you a pack of lies about me？ What did she say when she
came home？〃
〃What ought she to have said？〃
〃She ought to have said my fare was drunk； and she came in the
way as he was going to get into the cab。 That's what she ought to
have said to begin with。〃
〃But after？〃
〃Well； after； my fare； by way of larking with her； puts out his
leg for to trip her up； and she stumbles and catches at me for to
save herself； and tears off one of the limp ends of my rotten old
tie。 'What do you mean by that； you brute？' says she； turning
round as soon as she was steady on her legs； to my fare。 Says my
fare to her： 'I means to teach you to keep a civil tongue in your
head。' And he ups with his fist； andwhat's come to you； now？
What are you looking at me like that for？ How do you think a man
of my size was to take her part against a man big enough to have
eaten me up？ Look as much as you like； in my place you would have
done what I donedrew off when he shook his fist at you； and
swore he'd be the death of you if you didn't start your horse in
no time。〃
I saw he was working himself up into a rage； but I could not； if
my life had depended on it； have stood near him or looked at him
any longer。 I just managed to stammer out that I had been walking
a long way； and that； not being used to much exercise； I felt
faint and giddy with fatigue。 He only changed from angry to sulky
when I made that excuse。 I got a little further away from him；
and then added that if he would be at the Mews entrance the next
evening I should have something more to say and something more to
give him。 He grumbled a few suspicious words in answer about
doubting whether he should trust me to come back。 Fortunately； at
that moment； a policeman passed on the opposite side of the way。
He slunk down the Mews immediately； and I was free to make my
escape。
How I got home I can't say； except that