PLAY-ACTING
With trembling fingers Christian lifted her skirt and produced the
little bag which contained her precious savings. There were still
seven pounds ten shillings in the bag, for she had given away the last
half-crown of her first ten shillings to Judith in order to settle with
the irate cabman. It was in reality only a one-and-sixpenny ride, but
Judith, as she pocketed the shilling, assured Christian that it cost
half-a-crown and was cheap at that. Christian knew too little about the
ways of the poor to make any remark, but she did feel certain that her
money would not go far if it was required at so rapid a rate.
"Here," she said, opening her bag and producing half-a-sovereign; "I
ought to get a lot of change out of that."
"So yer will," said Judith, snatching it from her; "and I'll bring in
all sorts of things. What do you think we'll want, Rosy? You'd best
make a list."
"Oh! I wish I could go with you," said Rose, whose eyes glistened at
the sight of the gold.
"But you can't," said Christian, "I should die if I were left alone in
this awful, awful place."
"Awful, is it?" said Judith. "My word, you be hard to please! I 'ates
the ways of your haristocrats, always with their noses in the air,
sniffing at everything, pleased at nothing. The sight of trouble I had
to get this sweet little room! And I'm sure it's as pretty a place as
can be found. And if that aint a nice, clean bed for the two of yer
to sleep in, I don't know where you'll find a better. And there's a
fireplace and a table. And oh, my word! here's a cupboard in the wall.
What more could the most particular desire? And here's a chest of
drawers. Jolly, I call it! And two chairs--one for me, and one atween
the two of you. If this room aint spry and cozy, the only thing I can
say is that I hope you'll never find yourself worse lodged. Now then,
Rosy, tell us what you want."
Rosy began to count on her fingers. She had arranged everything
beforehand in her own acute little mind. She knew exactly the food they
would require, the matches and the chips of wood for lighting the fire
and the coal to fill the grate. She ordered matches and wood and coal
now, also red herrings, a little loaf of the best fresh bread, some
butter, some tea, sugar and milk.
"You must see about the coal the first thing," said Rosy; "we can't do
any cooking until it has come. And, Judith, we must have a saucepan and
a kettle and a little frying-pan, and some cups and saucers, and spoons
and knives, and a pinch of salt, and wood to light the fire, and half a
dozen eggs. Can you remember all those things?"
"That I can," said Judith; "but if you think there will be much change
out of ten shillings you're uncommonly mistaken."
"But there ought to be," said Rose, her cheeks growing crimson. "Mother
'ud get all them things and have summat to spare out of five shillings.
Look you, Judith, there aint to be any larks with Miss Christian's
money. You're to bring back five shillings change, or I'll go out and
buy the things myself, whether I'm caught or not."
The smirky, impudent look left Judith's face.
"We needn't stay here at all," continued Rosy. "Miss Christian might
so happen to get tired of this here joke. She might so happen to want
to go back to her own people, and we will go back, both of us, even if
they are angry, if you play any pranks. Now you understand."
Judith nodded. "It's a nice opinion you have of me, Rose Latimer," she
said. "What pranks would a poor girl like me be up to? You needn't fret
about me and my morals, Rose Latimer, for I'm as straight as a die, I
can tell yer."
She ran downstairs, utterly regardless of the dirty walls and the
broken stairs. She flew along, leaping over obstacles, and clearing two
or three stairs at a time in her headlong flight.
When her steps had died away Rosy looked at Christian. Christian's back
was to her; she was standing by the window. She had not removed her
hat and jacket. In her heart was a dull weight--the weight of absolute
despair. Even Rosy, as she watched Christian and seemed to guess by
a sort of instinct what she was feeling, began to find the adventure
less adventurous, and even began to see a certain amount of good in
the dressmaker's room where she usually sat, cozy and warm, machining
long seams and turning out yards and yards of flouncings. Yes, even the
dressmaker's room was better than this attic, with Christian, as Rosy
expressed it, in a sulk.
"Miss Christian," said the little girl.
Christian made no reply. She drew a step or two nearer the window, and
stared out with the most forlorn feeling in her heart. The only view
she could obtain from the very small dormer-window of the attic was
of some of the neighboring roofs, black with smoke and smuts. They
were hideous in the extreme. Christian had never before known what
real, absolute ugliness meant. She shuddered, and yet, with a certain
fascination, drew nearer. A cat, meant by nature to be white, but of
a dull uniform gray, stepped gingerly over the roofs towards her. He
met a brother cat, and they saluted each other in the customary manner.
Christian turned away with a shudder.
"Miss Christian," said Rosy again.
"What is it, Rose?"
"You are miserable," said Rosy, "and you blame me."
"Well, I never thought it would be like this. I never imagined anything
so awful. And is it true that as we ran away we--we'd----"
"Nonsense, Miss Christian! I don't believe it's true for a single
minute. It's only Judith's way to frighten you, miss."
"But Mrs. Carter said the same."
"Yes, Miss Christian, I know it; but she was put up to it by Judith."
"I thought you said you liked Judith--that you thought her a nice girl."
"I never seed her afore in the light I do to-day, miss, and that's the
truth."
"Rose, I'm frightfully miserable."
"Well, I aint too happy," said Rose.
"Can't we get away from here? I'm frightened."
"We might creep out of a night, for certain, but in the daytime they're
a-watchin us."
"Who? Who are watching us?" said Christian. She went up to Rose and
clasped her hand in an access of terror.
"Well, that Mrs. Carter; and most like there are others in the house,
and they all know you have money. I tell you what, Miss Christian,
there's only one thing to do."
"What is that? Oh, what? Oh, I am frightened! I never thought I should
be so terrified."
"It's a clear case when one ought to be terrified," said Rose, and she
sank down on one of the chairs and stared straight in front of her.
"Yes," she repeated, "it's clear it means terrifying; there aint a
doubt of that."
"What is to be done?" said Christian. "Oh, if mother could see me
now! Oh, father, father! Rosy, I'd rather be in the most awful
strict-discipline school in the whole world than here."
"You think so because you aint at the school," was Rosy's astute reply.
"Now, Miss Christian, let me think; don't speak for a minute. It were
I who got you into this, so it must be me to get you out; that's but
fair."
"It is--it is; but can you?"
"Let me think, miss. Judith will be back in half an hour. I'll think
for a bit and then speak."
To Christian those few minutes seemed like eternity. At last Rosy stood
up. She crossed the room, went to the door and examined it.
"There aint never a lock," she said. "That's bad. But we can put the
chest of drawers agen' the door to-night, so that no one can come in
without us hearing 'em. And if we are really frightened we can push
the bed up agen' the chest, and squeeze it in between the door and the
wall; then we'll be as snug and safe as any girls could be. Then we
must take the first chance that offers to get away; we must. Judith
aint what I thought her. We mustn't tell her--not on any account. We
must steal away when she aint here. The folks here won't let us go if
they think we want to, so we must pretend."
"Pretend?" said Christian, in amazement.
"For sure, miss; there aint no other way. We must pretend we are
delighted--you to be free of the school, me to be your companion.
We must have a right good time to-night and turn Judith's head
with our merriment. We must laugh and sing and pretend to enjoy
ourselves. We must have a sort of feast, and we must talk a lot about
buying the tambourines; and Judith must see about hiring a proper
tambourine-girl's dress for you and another for me. It will mean maybe
five shillings more, but that can't be helped. We must catch 'em by
guile, Miss Christian--Mrs. Carter and the rest. They must hear me
talking to you about the awful prison life you has escaped, and you
must say out very loud that you never did enjoy yourself so much
before. We must take 'em in. You leave it to me, miss. You follow up
when I speak. When I give you a look you will know what I mean. That's
it, miss. Then to-morrow we'll creep away. If anybody meets us we'll
say we are going out to buy things. We'll leave the cups and saucers
and things behind us, and we'll never come back--never. That's what we
must do. It's the only way, for I don't believe that we can be locked
up for running away. But I do think the folks in this house will keep
us from ever getting home again; or, at any rate, from getting home
until they have got all the money they can from us."
Rosy spoke with great confidence. Christian felt cheered by her words.
"It will be horribly difficult," said Christian; "and I hate deceiving.
I never did deceive anyone yet in my life."
"It's a case of play-acting," said Rose stoutly; "and if you aint been
play-acting all your born days, I don't know who has. Haven't you been
Joan of Arc one day, and Charlotte Corday another and poor me Marat
in his bath, waiting for you to stab me--and William Tell and the
characters in the Bible? There aint no fear that you can't act. You've
just got to act once more."
"But what?"
"Why, a girl who loves the slums, and dotes on her freedom, and is
determined that nothing shall make her a slave. Now you know what to
do. Oh, here comes Judith! I'd know Judith's step in a thousand."
As Rosy said the last words she began to hum in a high, excited,
staccato voice:
"For Britons never, never, never shall be slaves."
Judith burst into the room. She carried a heap of parcels and a sack
full of coal.
"If this aint love!" she said. "If this aint, so to speak, the height
of devotion! Now then, look spry, both of you."
"Oh, yes," said Rosy, bursting into a loud and apparently delighted
laugh, "you are good. Now we'll have fun. Bustle up, Miss Christian;
take off your hat and jacket. See, aint I thoughtful? I brought a
little apron for you in my pocket. You slip it on; deary miss, and then
you won't spoil your nice things."
"What do it matter if she spoils her things or not?" cried Judith.
"She can't go on dressing in that fashion; she'd be nabbed at once.
The police would bustle round her just like birds round a strange
bird. She'll have to dress like the poor folks. The best thing is to
pawn her dress, and get her one of them thick woolen sort like the
tambourine-girls wear from the pawn-shop."
"That's the right thought, Miss Christian, aint it?" said Rosy. "And
you'll be sure to get a good price for such solid clothes as you wear.
I could go out now and pawn them."
"No you don't!" said Judith. "If there's any pawning to be done, I do
it. And you needn't think for a moment that your Miss Christian--your
fine, guarded young lady, who'd get finely punished by the law of the
land were it known what she'd done--would get much for her clothes.
It's very, very little she'll get; although, of course, I'll do my best
for her."
"Oh, I am so hungry!" said Christian, making a valiant effort to speak
naturally.
For one instant she looked towards the window. It was like looking
out of prison. Even the roofs, so close at hand, seemed to her at
that moment the land of the free. But it was true she had often acted
before, and she could and would act for dear life now. So she fell on
her knees and began to build up the fire. How badly she did it! Judith
roared with laughter, and dropping down by her side, began to give
directions. Presently Rosy pulled them both aside and lit the fire
herself. She was quite an adept at this sort of thing. For a wonder the
chimney did not smoke, and the sight of crackling wood and cheerful
blaze brought the first moment of comfort to poor Christian's heart.
When the fire was lit the dirty table was laid with the plates and cups
and saucers, and pewter spoons, and ugly black-handled knives. Judith
thought they were very fine, but Christian, if she had not been acting
a part, would have found it impossible to have eaten with them or on
them.
But the tea was fairly good, and it was made in the tiny little brown
teapot; and the herrings were put on the pan to fry. Mrs. Carter,
attracted by the excellent smell, popped her nose in at the door.
"My word!" she said, "here's comfort; here's dainties; here's a real
feast. Would a poor neighbor who has scarcely tasted a morsel all day
be welcome, or would she be unwelcome? You say the word, miss--welcome
or unwelcome--the truth, miss, and nothing but the truth."
Rosy gave Christian an anxious glance. Christian, still forcing herself
to continue her play-acting, replied in a hearty tone:
"Of course you are welcome."
"Then do, like a good creature," suddenly exclaimed Judith, who by no
means wished the feast to be shared by anyone else, "go and take out
those curlers. Oh, I know they are Hinde's, but take 'em out--take 'em
out--and come in looking like a decent, civilized 'uman being."
Mrs. Carter hastened to comply, and soon the four, on two chairs, were
seated round the board. Rosy shared half of Christian's chair, and
Judith and Mrs. Carter, pushing each other violently from time to time,
subsided on the other. It cracked under their joint weight. Mrs. Carter
said that if they were unlucky enough to break it, the landlord would
charge Christian the full price of a new chair.
"He'd do nothing of the sort," said Judith. "Why should he, I should
like to know? This one is as old as the hills, and didn't cost more
than one and elevenpence when it was new."
She had scarcely uttered the words when crash, crack went the chair,
and the two were prostrated on the ground.
They got up amidst peals of laughter. Mrs. Carter assured Christian
that the chair cost seven and sixpence, but that she'd make it good
with the landlord for half-a-crown if Christian would entrust her with
that sum.
"We'll see about it to-morrow," said Rosy. "I think, ma'am, we have all
had our meal, and there's a deal for me and this young--person," she
glancing at Christian as she spoke--"to see to. We has to begin our
trade to-morrow morning. We are poor--very poor."
"Oh, my!" said Mrs. Carter.
She glanced at Judith, who winked back at her.
"Yes, desperate," continued Rosy. "Aint we, Miss Christian?"
"Certainly we're very poor," replied Christian.
"But, all the same," continued Rosy, "we're very happy; aint we, missy?"
"Very," said Christian again. "And we are so thankful to our kind
friends who helped us to run away. We are----"
"Nonsense!" interrupted Mrs. Carter. "To think as you like this better
nor the palaces you have come from."
"We are very happy, and there is such a thing as drudgery even in
a palace," continued Rosy. "And this young--person--she don't call
herself a lady any more--was going to a sort of prison school.
She prefers liberty, even though liberty aint, so to speak,
self-indulgence. We're both happy; aint we, Miss Christian?"
"Very happy," replied Christian.
"And how do you mean to live?" said Mrs. Carter, impressed in spite of
herself.
"We thought of going and dancing in the streets. This young person can
dance most beautifully."
"Well, I never! You'll make up as Italians, no doubt."
"It's you that has an acute brain, ma'am," said Rosy in a voice full of
admiration. "That's what we mean to do--aint it, miss?"
"It is," said Christian.
"And we mean to begin," continued Rose, "to-morrow morning."
"Oh, no, you don't!" said Mrs. Carter. "That would be dangerous."
"Dangerous or not, we are going to risk it," said Rosy.
"Yes, we're going to risk it," said Christian in a stout voice.
"And what I was thinking," continued Rosy--"that is, if it is agreeable
to you, Christian--is that every day, while we are out earning our
fortunes, we might give Mrs. Carter, say, fourpence a day to keep our
fire in and our room tidy, and perhaps to have the kettle boiling
for us when we come in at night. If you like, Mrs. Carter, I think
Christian and me would make it worth your while for fourpence a day."
"I'm agreeable to that same, if you make it sixpence."
"No, ma'am, we can't possibly do that. Fourpence is too high. If you
don't like it, ma'am, say so, and we'll get a woman downstairs to do it
for threepence, or maybe twopence."
"Well, I'll do it for fourpence if you throw supper into the bargain."
"Can we throw in supper, Miss Christian?" asked Rosy.
"I think so," said Christian, trying to act the part more forcibly than
ever.
"Fourpence and supper, then," said Rose. "But it can't be paid any day
that you don't make yourself useful, Mrs. Carter."
"No fear of me," said Mrs. Carter, with a toss of her head.
"And what part shall I have?" said Judith, who was absolutely taken in
by Rose's cheerfulness.
"You can come and see us when you like, and when we have made enough
money we'll now and then give you a treat; and Mrs. Carter shall come
with us. But," added the little girl, emboldened by the effect her
words were producing, "we won't have any of the other people of this
house. The more you keep us to ourselves, Mrs. Carter, the more you
will get. Do you understand?"
"For certain I do, honey; and I must say it's a real sensible plan."
"So we will stay here quietly to-night," said Rosy, "and enjoy
ourselves, and to-morrow morning we will go and buy what we want. We'll
start our trade about midday. We'll dress as Italians, of course."
"I'd like fine to see you doing it," said Mrs. Carter.
"You mustn't follow us on any account--anyhow, not for a day or two.
We'd feel more nervous, like, if we thought you was looking on at us."
"You be a 'cute un," said Mrs. Carter.
"Now then, make yourself scarce, ma'am," said Judith, "for we have a
lot to attend to."
Mrs. Carter retired. She was apparently in the height of good-humor.
Rose instructed Christian how to wash up the tea-things.
By and by Judith also took her leave.
"For if I'm not back home before four o'clock, folks may suspect and
hunt me up, and maybe find you into the bargain," she said to the
little girls, and so she left them to themselves.
Yes, at last they were alone. Mrs. Carter had gone out; they heard her
heavy tramp as she went downstairs. She was the only other lodger on
this floor, and the place was now comparatively quiet.
"If only we could lock the door," said Rosy. "But there, we can't."
"Shall you sleep at all to-night, Rosy? Aren't you terrified?" said
Christian.
"It's just this," said Rosy: "I mustn't let out; I must pretend I'm not
the least bit frightened."
"I don't suppose you are. You are wonderfully brave."
"Now then, let us settle down and let us plan," said Rose.
They sat close to each other and kept up the fire, and they had no idea
of saving their small amount of coal. What did it matter when they
meant to go away on the morrow?
Presently day faded. They had forgotten to supply themselves with
candles. Rose did not dare to go out. Christian clung to her.
"We'll keep up the fire all night," said Rose. "You'd like another cup
of tea, wouldn't you, darling Miss Christian?"
"No," said Christian; "I'm not hungry. Rosy, if I hadn't done it I'd
have been nearly at school now."
"Yes, darling."
"And I wouldn't be feeling such an awfully wicked girl."
"You can't help it," said Rosy. "It's the way of life; we are punished
when we do wrong."
"Do you think we did very wrong?"
"For certain we did. I knew it all along, but I couldn't hold back from
the fun."
"Do you think we are in danger now, Rosy?"
Rose was silent.
"Rosy, do you think anything will happen to us to-night?"
"Miss Christian, you always were brave."
"Yes," replied Christian, "but I never did suppose that I could be in
my present surroundings. I am frightened to-night, and I don't pretend
I am anything else."
"We will do what we said," answered Rose. "We'll put the chest of
drawers against the door, and move the bedstead against the chest of
drawers, and that will fill up the space as far as the opposite wall.
Then no one can get in. Isn't that a good plan?"
"Let's do it," said Christian; "and let's do it now while Mrs. Carter
is out, for if they heard us moving about the room they might try to
get in."
"Come along, then, Miss Christian. Let's be quick. We never did a bit
of play-acting to equal this before."
"Never," replied Christian; "and," she added under her breath, "I don't
think I will ever, as long as I live, want to play-act again."