the entrance-gates to the yard of daphut, the builder and stonemason, which lay between mrs. arb's shop and the steps proper, were set back a little from the general frontage of the north side of riceyman steps, so that there was a corner at that point sheltered from east and north-east winds. in this corner stood a young man under an old umbrella; his clothes were such as would have entitled him to the newspaper reporter's description, "respectably dressed"—no better. his back was against the blind wall of mrs. arb's. it was raining again, with a squally wind, but the wind being in the north-east the young man was only getting spotted with rain. a young woman ran out of mrs. arb's and joined him. she placed herself close to him, touching him, breast to breast; it was the natural and rational thing to do, and also she had to receive as much protection as possible from the umbrella. the girl was wearing all elsie's clothes. elsie's sack-apron covered her head and shoulders like a bridal veil. but she was not mrs. arb's elsie nor mr. earlforward's! she was not the drudge. she had suddenly become a celestial visitant. the attributes of such an unearthly being were in her shining face and in the solace of her little bodily movements; and her extraordinary mean and ugly apparel could not impair them in the least. the man, slowly, hesitatingly, put one arm round her waist—the other was occupied with the umbrella. she yielded her waist to him, and looked up at the man, and he looked down at her. not a word. then he said in a deep voice:
"where's your hat—and things?"[pg 31]
he said this as one who apprehended calamity.
"i haven't finished yet," she answered gently. "i'm that sorry."
"how long shall you be?"
"i don't know, joe. she's all by herself, and she begged and prayed me to stop on and help her. she's all by herself, and strange to it. and i couldn't find it in my heart to refuse. you have to do what's right, haven't you?"
the man's chin fell in a sort of sulky and despairing gloom; but he said nothing; he was not a facile talker, even on his best days. she took the umbrella from him without altering its position.
"put both arms round me, and hold me tight," she murmured.
he obeyed, reluctantly, tardily, but in the end fiercely. after a long pause he said:
"and my birthday and all!"
"i know! i know!" she cried. "oh, joe! it can't be helped!"
he had many arguments, and good ones, against her decision; but he could not utter them. he never could argue. she just gazed up at him softly. tears began to run down his cheeks.
"now, now!" she soothed him. with her free hand she worked up the tail of her apron between them, and, while still fast in his clutch, wiped his eyes delicately. she kissed him, keeping her lips on his. she kissed him until she knew from the feel of his muscles everywhere that the warm soft contact with her had begun to dissolve his resentment. then she withdrew her lips and kissed him again, differently. they stood motionless in the dark corner under the umbrella, and the rain pattered dully on the umbrella and dropped off the umbrella and round them, and pattered with a brighter sound on the flagstones of riceyman steps. a few people passed at intervals up and down the steps. but the clasped pair ignored them; and the wayfarers did not look twice, nor even smile at the lovers, who, in fact, were making love[pg 32] as honest love is made by lovers whose sole drawing-rooms and sofas are the street.
"look here, joe," elsie whispered. "i want you to go home now. but you must call at smithson's on yer way—they don't close till nine o'clock—and get them braces as i'm giving you for a birthday present. i see 'em still in the window this morning. i should have slipped in and bought 'em then, but i was on an errand for mr. earlforward, and, besides, i didn't like to, somehow, without you, and me with my apron on too. but you must buy 'em to-night so as you can wear 'em to-morrow. i want to say to myself to-morrow morning, 'he's wearing them braces.' i've brought you the money." she loosed one of his hands from her waist, got at the silver in her pocket, and inserted it into his breast pocket. "you promise me, joe? it's a fair and square promise?"
he made no reply.
"you promise me, darling joe?" she insisted.
he nodded; he could not speak in his desolation and in his servitude to her. she smiled her lovely thanks for his obedience.
"now let me see ye start off," she cajoled him. "i know ye. i know what you'll do if i don't see you start with me own eyes."
"then it's to-morrow night?" he said gruffly.
she nodded. they kissed again. elsie pushed him away, and then stood watching until he had vanished round the corner of the disused mission hall into king's cross road. she stood watching, indeed, for some moments after that. she was crying.
"my word!" said mrs. arb vivaciously. "i was beginning to wonder if you meant to come back, after all. you've been that long your tea'll be cold. here's the ham, and very nice it is too."
