The Silver Box eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about The Silver Box.

The Silver Box eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about The Silver Box.

Barthwick.  I see; four days a week, and you get half a crown a day, is that it?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, sir, and my dinner; but sometimes it’s only half a day, and that’s eighteen pence.

Barthwick.  And when your husband earns anything he spends it in drink, I suppose?

Mrs. Jones.  Sometimes he does, sir, and sometimes he gives it to me for the children.  Of course he would work if he could get it, sir, but it seems there are a great many people out of work.

Barthwick.  Ah!  Yes.  We—­er—­won’t go into that. [Sympathetically.] And how about your work here?  Do you find it hard?

Mrs. Jones.  Oh! no, sir, not very hard, sir; except of course, when I don’t get my sleep at night.

Barthwick.  Ah!  And you help do all the rooms?  And sometimes, I suppose, you go out for cook?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, Sir.

Barthwick.  And you ’ve been out this morning?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, sir, of course I had to go to the greengrocer’s.

Barthwick.  Exactly.  So your husband earns nothing?  And he’s a bad character.

Mrs. Jones.  No, Sir, I don’t say that, sir.  I think there’s a great deal of good in him; though he does treat me very bad sometimes.  And of course I don’t like to leave him, but I think I ought to, because really I hardly know how to stay with him.  He often raises his hand to me.  Not long ago he gave me a blow here [touches her breast] and I can feel it now.  So I think I ought to leave him, don’t you, sir?

Barthwick.  Ah!  I can’t help you there.  It’s a very serious thing to leave your husband.  Very serious thing.

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, sir, of course I ’m afraid of what he might do to me if I were to leave him; he can be so very violent.

Barthwick.  H’m!  Well, that I can’t pretend to say anything about.  It’s the bad principle I’m speaking of——­

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, Sir; I know nobody can help me.  I know I must decide for myself, and of course I know that he has a very hard life.  And he’s fond of the children, and its very hard for him to see them going without food.

Barthwick. [Hastily.] Well—­er—­thank you, I just wanted to hear about you.  I don’t think I need detain you any longer, Mrs. Jones.

Mrs. Jones.  No, sir, thank you, sir.

Barthwick.  Good morning, then.

Mrs. Jones.  Good morning, sir; good morning, ma’am.

Barthwick. [Exchanging glances with his wife.] By the way, Mrs. Jones—­I think it is only fair to tell you, a silver cigarette-box —­er—­is missing.

Mrs. Jones. [Looking from one face to the other.] I am very sorry, sir.

Barthwick.  Yes; you have not seen it, I suppose?

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Project Gutenberg
The Silver Box from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.