Insidetheshopmoredanglingspectreshungandtheplacewasalmostdark。Itwasashabbypawnshop，andthemanloungingbehindthecounterwasashabbymanwithanunshaven，unamiableface。
\"Iwanttolookatthatpistolintheright—handcornerofyourwindow，\"
AntonyDartsaid。
Thepawnbrokerutteredasoundsomethingbetweenahalf—laughandagrunt。Hetooktheweaponfromthewindow。
AntonyDartexamineditcritically。
Hemustmakequitesureofit。Hemadenofurtherremark。
Hefelthehaddonewithspeech。
Beingtoldthepriceaskedforthepurchase，hedrewouthispurseandtookthemoneyfromit。Aftermakingthepaymenthenotedthathestillpossessedafive—poundnoteandsomesovereigns。Therepassedthroughhismindawonderastowhowouldspendit。Themostdecentthing，perhaps，wouldbetogiveitaway。Ifitwasinhisroom——to—morrow——theparishwouldnotburyhim，anditwouldbesaferthattheparishshould。
Hewasthinkingofthisashelefttheshopandbegantocrossthestreet。Becausehismindwaswanderinghewaslesswatchful。Suddenlyarubber—tiredhansom，movingwithoutsound，appearedimmediatelyinhispath——thehorse’sheadloomedupabovehisown。Hemadetheinevitableinvoluntarywhirlasidetomoveoutoftheway，thehansompassed，andturningagain，hewenton。Hismovementhadbeentooswifttoallowofhisrealizingthedirectioninwhichhisturnhadbeenmade。Hewaswhollyunawarethatwhenhecrossedthestreethecrossedbackwardinsteadofforward。Heturnedacornerliterallyfeelinghisway，wenton，turnedanother，andafterwalkingthelengthofthestreet，suddenlyunderstoodthathewasinastrangeplaceandhadlosthisbearings。
Thiswasexactlywhathadhappenedtopeopleonthedayofthememorablefogofthreeyearsbefore。
Hehadheardthemtalkingofsuchexperiences，andofthecuriousandbafflingsensationstheygaverisetointhebrain。Nowheunderstoodthem。Hecouldnotbefarfromhislodgings，buthefeltlikeamanwhowasblind，andwhohadbeenturnedoutofthepathheknew。
Hehadnottheresourceofthepeoplewhosestorieshehadheard。Hewouldnotstopandaddressanyone。
Therecouldbenocertaintyastowhomhemightfindhimselfspeakingto。Hewouldspeaktonoone。
Hewouldwanderaboutuntilhecameuponsomeclew。Evenifhecameuponnone，thefogwouldsurelyliftalittleandbecomeatriflelessdenseincourseoftime。Hedrewupthecollarofhisovercoat，pulledhishatdownoverhiseyesandwenton——hishandonthethinghehadthrustintoapocket。
Hedidnotfindhisclewashehadhoped，andinsteadofliftingthefoggrewheavier。Hefoundhimselfatlastnolongerstrivingforanyend，butramblingalongmechanically，feelinglikeamaninadream——anightmare。Onceherecognizedaweirdsuggestioninthemysteryabouthim。To—morrowmightonebewanderingaboutaimlesslyinsomesuchhaze。Hehopednot。
HislodgingswerenotfarfromtheEmbankment，andheknewatlastthathewaswanderingalongit，andhadreachedoneofthebridges。
Hismoodledhimtoturninuponit，andwhenhereachedanembrasuretostopnearitandleanupontheparapetlookingdown。Hecouldnotseethewater，thefogwastoodense，buthecouldhearsomefaintsplashingagainststones。Hehadtakennofoodandwasratherfaint。
Whatastrangethingitwastofeelfaintforwantoffood——tostandalone，cutofffromeveryotherhumanbeing——everythingdonefor。
Nowonderthatsometimes，particularlyonsuchdaysasthese，therewereplungesmadefromtheparapet——nowonder。Heleanedfartheroverandstrainedhiseyestoseesomegleamofwaterthroughtheyellowness。Butitwasnottobedone。Hewasthinkingtheinevitablething，ofcourse;butsuchaplungewouldnotdoforhim。Theotherthingwoulddestroyalltraces。
Ashedrewbackheheardsomethingfallwiththesolidtinklingsoundofcoinontheflagpavement。
Whenhehadbeeninthepawnbroker’sshophehadtakenthegoldfromhispurseandthrustitcarelesslyintohiswaistcoatpocket，thinkingthatitwouldbeeasytoreachwhenhechosetogiveittoonebeggaroranother，ifheshouldseesomewretchwhowouldbethebetterforit。Somemovementhehadmadeinbendinghadcausedasovereigntoslipoutandithadfallenuponthestones。
Hedidnotintendtopickitup，butinthemomentinwhichhestoodlookingdownatitheheardclosetohimashufflingmovement。
Whathehadthoughtabundleofragsorrubbishcoveredwithsacking——sometramp’sdesertedorforgottenbelongings——wasstirring。Itwasalive，andashebenttolookatitthesackingdivideditself，andasmallhead，coveredwithashockofbrilliantredhair，thrustitselfout，ashrewd，smallfaceturningtolookupathimslylywithdeep—setblackeyes。
Itwasahumangirlcreatureabouttwelveyearsold。
\"Areyergoin’todoit？\"shesaidinahoarse，street—strainedvoice。
\"Yerwouldbeafoolifyerdid——
withasmuchasthatonyer。\"
Shepointedwithareddened，chapped，anddirtyhandatthesovereign。
\"Pickitup，\"hesaid。\"Youmayhaveit。\"
Herwildshuffleforwardwasanactualleap。Thehandmadeasnatchingclutchatthecoin。Shewasevidentlyafraidthathewaseithernotinearnestorwouldrepent。Thenextsecondshewasonherfeetandreadyforflight。
\"Stop，\"hesaid;\"I’vegotmoretogiveaway。\"
Shehesitated——notbelievinghim，yetfeelingitmadnesstoloseachance。
\"MORE！\"shegasped。Thenshedrewnearertohim，andasingularchangecameuponherface。Itwasachangewhichmadeherlookoddlyhuman。
\"Gawd，mister！\"shesaid。\"Yercangiveawayaquidlikeitwasnothin’——an’yer’vegotmore——an’
yergoin’todoTHAT——jescosyer’adabittoomuchlarsnightan’there’safogthismornin’！Youtakeitstraightfromme——don’tyerdoit。
Igiveyerthattipforthesuvrink。\"
Shewas，forheryears，souglyandsoancient，andhardenedinvoiceandskinandmannerthatshefascinatedhim。NotthatamanwhohasnoTo—morrowinviewislikelytobeparticularlyconsciousofmentalprocesses。Hewasdonefor，buthestoodandstaredather。WhatpartofthePowermovingtheschemeoftheuniversestoodnearandthrusthimoninthepathdesignedhedidnotknowthen——perhapsneverdid。Hewasstillholdingontothethinginhispocket，buthespoketoheragain。
\"Whatdoyoumean？\"heaskedglumly。
Shesidlednearer，hersharpeyesonhisface。
\"Ibinwatchin’yer，\"shesaid。
\"Isatdownandpulledthesackoverme’eadtobreatheinsideitan’
getabitwarm。An’Iseeyercome。
Iknowedwotyerwasafter，Idid。
Iwatchedyerthrougha’oleinmesack。Iwasn’tgoin’tocallacopper。
Ishouldn’twantterbestoppedmeselfifImadeupmemind。I
seedagaldraggedoutlas’weekan’
it’dabrokeyer’arttosee’ertear’erclothesan’scream。Wotbusiness’adtheypreventin’’ergoin’offquiet？Iwouldn’t’a’stoppedyer——butw’enthequidfell，thatmadeitdifferent。\"
\"I——\"hesaid，feelingthefoolishnessofthestatement，butmakingit，nevertheless，\"Iamill。\"
\"Courseyerill。It’syer’ead。
Comealongermean’getacupercawfeeatastand，an’buckup。Ifyer’vegivemethatquidstraight——
wish—yer—may—die——I’llgowithyeran’getacupmyself。Iain’t’adabitesinceyesterday——an’’twa’n’tnothin’
butasliceo’polonysossidgeIfoundonadust—’eap。Comeon，mister。\"
Shepulledhiscoatwithhercrackedhand。Heglanceddownatitmechanically，andsawthatsomeofthefissureshadbledandtheroughenedsurfacewassmearedwiththeblood。Theystoodtogetherinthesmallspaceinwhichthefogenclosedthem——heandshe——themanwithnoTo—morrowandthegirlthingwhoseemedasoldashimself，withhersharp，smallnoseandchin，hersharpeyesandvoice——andyet——perhapsthefogsenclosingdidit——somethingdrewthemtogetherinanuncannyway。
Somethingmadehimforgetthelostclewtothelodging—house——
somethingmadehimturnandgowithher——athingledinthedark。
\"Howcanyoufindyourway？\"
hesaid。\"Ilostmine。\"
\"Thereain’tnofogcanloseme，\"
sheanswered，shufflingalongbyhisside;\"’sides，it’sgoin’tolift。
Lookatthatmancomin’to’ardsus。\"
Itwastruethattheycouldseethroughtheorange—coloredmisttheapproachingfigureofamanwhowasatayard’sdistancefromthem。
Yes，itwasliftingslightly——atleastenoughtoallowofone’smakingaguessatthedirectioninwhichonemoved。
\"Whereareyougoing？\"heasked。
\"AppleBlossomCourt，\"sheanswered。\"Thecawfee—stand’sinastreetnearit——andthere’sashopwhereIcanbuythings。\"
\"AppleBlossomCourt！\"heejaculated。\"Whataname！\"
\"Thereain’tnoapple—blossomsthere，\"chuckling;\"nornosmellof’em。’Tain’tasniceasitsnimeis——AppleBlossomCourtain’t。\"
\"Whatdoyouwanttobuy？A
pairofshoes？\"Theshoeshernakedfeetwerethrustintowereleprous—lookingthingsthroughwhichnearlyallhertoesprotruded。Butshechuckledwhenhespoke。
\"No，I’mgoin’tobuyadi’mondtirarertogototheoperyin，\"shesaid，draggingheroldsackcloserroundherneck。\"Iain’tadanoounsinceIwenttothelastDrorin’—
room。\"
Itwasimpudentstreetchaff，buttherewascheerfulspiritinit，andcheerfulspirithassomeocculteffectuponmorbidity。AntonyDartdidnotsmile，buthefeltafaintstirringofcuriosity，whichwas，afterall，notabadthingforamanwhohadnotfeltaninterestforayear。
\"Whatisityouaregoingtobuy？\"
\"I’mgoin’tofillmestummickfust，\"withagrinofelation。\"Threethicksliceso’breadan’drippin’an’
amugo’cawfee。An’thenI’mgoin’togetsumethin’’eartytocarrytoPolly。Sheain’tnogood，porething！\"
\"Whoisshe？\"
Stoppingamomenttodraguptheheelofherdreadfulshoe，sheansweredhimwithanunprejudiceddirectnesswhichmighthavebeenappallingifhehadbeeninthemoodtobeappalled。
\"Ain’teighteen，an’tryin’toearn’erlivin’onthestreet。Sheain’tmadeforit。Littlecountrything，allusfrightenedtodeathan’readytobustoutcryin’。Gentsain’tgoin’
tostandthat。Alotof’emwantscheerin’upasmuchasshedoes。
Gentaswasinliquorlastnightknocked’erdownan’give’erablackeye。’Twan’tillfeelin’，buthelosthistemper，an’give’eraknockcasual。Shecan’tgooutto—night，an’she’sbeen’uddledupalldaycryin’for’ermother。\"
\"Whereishermother？\"
\"Inthecountry——onafarm。
Pollytookaplaceinalodgin’—’ousean’gotintrouble。Thebibywasdead，an’whenshecomeouto’
QueenCharlotte’sshewastookinbyawomanan’kep’。Shekicked’eroutinaweek’cosofhercryin’。
Thelifedidn’tsuit’er。Ifound’ercryin’fittosplit’erchistonenight——cornero’AppleBlossomCourt——
an’Itookcareof’er。\"
\"Where？\"
\"Mechambers，\"grinning;\"toploftofa’ouseinthecourt。Ifanyoneelse’d’aveitIshouldbeturnedout。It’san’ole，Icantellyer——
butit’sbetterthansleepin’underthebridges。\"
\"Takemetoseeit，\"saidAntonyDart。\"Iwanttoseethegirl。\"
Thewordsspokethemselves。Whyshouldhecaretoseeeithercockloftorgirl？Hedidnot。Hewantedtogobacktohislodgingswiththatwhichhehadcomeouttobuy。
Yethesaidthisthing。Hiscompanionlookedupathimwithanexpressionactuallyrelieved。
\"Wouldyertikeupwith’er？\"
witheagersharpness，asifconfrontingasimplebusinessproposition。
\"She’sprettyan’clean，an’shewon’tdrinkadropo’nothin’。Ifshewastreatedkindshe’dbecheerfler。She’sgotaroundficean’
light’airan’eyes。’Er’air’scurly。
P’rapsyer’dlike’er。\"
\"Takemetoseeher。\"
\"She’dlookbetterto—morrow，\"
cautiously，\"whentheswellin’sgonedownround’ereye。\"
Dartstarted——anditwasbecausehehadforthelastfiveminutesforgottensomething。
\"Ishallnotbehereto—morrow，\"
hesaid。Hisgraspuponthethinginhispockethadloosened，andhetightenedit。
\"Ihavesomemoremoneyinmypurse，\"hesaiddeliberately。\"I
meanttogiveitawaybeforegoing。
Iwanttogiveittopeoplewhoneeditverymuch。\"
Shegavehimoneofthesly，squintingglances。
\"Deservin’cases？\"Sheputittohiminbrazenmockery。
\"Idon’tcare，\"heansweredslowlyandheavily。\"Idon’tcareadamn。\"
Herfacechangedexactlyashehadseenitchangeonthebridgewhenshehaddrawnnearertohim。
Itsuglyhardnesssuddenlylookedhuman。Andthatshecouldlookhumanwasfantastic。
\"’Owmuch’aveyer？\"sheasked。
\"’Owmuchisit？\"
\"Abouttenpounds。\"
Shestoppedandstaredathimwithopenmouth。
\"Gawd！\"shebrokeout;\"tenpounds’dsendAppleBlossomCourtto’eving。Leastways，it’dtakesomeofitouto’’ell。\"
\"Takemetoit，\"hesaidroughly。
\"Takeme。\"
Shebegantowalkquickly，breathingfast。Thefogwaslighter，anditwasnolongerablindingthing。
AquestionoccurredtoDart。
\"Whydon’tyouaskmetogivethemoneytoyou？\"hesaidbluntly。
\"Dunno，\"sheansweredasbluntly。
Butaftertakingafewstepsfarthershespokeagain。
\"I’mcheerflerthanmostof’em，\"
sheelaborated。\"Ifyerborncheerfleyercanstandthings。WhenI
getsajobnussin’women’sbibiestheydon’tcrywhenI’andles’em。
Igetsmanyabitean’acopper’coso’that。Folkslikesyer。IshallgetonbetterthanPollywhenI’moldenoughtogoonthestreet。\"
Theorganofwhoselagging，sickpumpingsAntonyDarthadscarcelybeenawareformonthsgaveasuddenleapinhisbreast。Hisbloodactuallyhasteneditspace，andranthroughhisveinsinsteadofcrawling——adistinctphysicaleffectofanactualmentalcondition。Itwasproduceduponhimbythemerematter—of—factordinarinessofhertone。Hehadneverbeenasenti—
mentalman，andhadlongceasedtobeafeelingone，butatthatmomentsomethingemotionalandnormalhappenedtohim。
\"Youexpecttoliveinthatway？\"
hesaid。
\"Ain’tnothin’elsefermetodo。
WishtIwasbetterlookin’。ButI’vegotalotof’air，\"clawinghermop，\"an’it’sred。Oneday，\"
chuckling，\"agentsestome——heses:`Oh！yer’lldo。Yeranuglylittledevil——butyeAREadevil。’\"
Shewasleadinghimthroughanarrow，filthybackstreet，andshestopped，grinningupinhisface。
\"Isay，mister，\"shewheedled，\"let’sstopatthecawfee—stand。
It’supthisway。\"
Whenheaccededandfollowedher，shequicklyturnedacorner。
Theywereinanotherlanethickwithfog，whichflaredwiththeflameoftorchesstuckincosters’
barrowswhichstoodhereandthere。
barrowswithfriedfishuponthem，barrowswithsecond—hand—lookingvegetablesandotherspiledwithmorethansecond—hand—lookinggarments。
