第102章

Ruth staggered and nearly fell from the force of the push he gave her, and the man turned again to the table to watch the Semi-drunk, who was arranging six matches so as to form the numeral XII, and who said he could prove that this was equal to a thousand.

Ruth waited a few minutes longer, and then as Easton took no further notice of her, she took up the string-bag and the other parcels, and without staying to say good night to Mrs Crass - who was earnestly conversing with the interesting Partaker - she with some difficulty opened the door and went out into the street.The cold night air felt refreshing and sweet after the foul atmosphere of the public house, but after a little while she began to feel faint and dizzy, and was conscious also that she was walking unsteadily, and she fancied that people stared at her strangely as they passed.The parcels felt very heavy and awkward to carry, and the string-bag seemed as if it were filled with lead.

Although under ordinary circumstances it was only about ten minutes'

walk home from here, she resolved to go by one of the trams which passed by the end of North Street.With this intention, she put down her bag on the pavement at the stopping-place, and waited, resting her hand on the iron pillar at the corner of the street, where a little crowd of people were standing evidently with the same object as herself.Two trains passed without stopping, for they were already full of passengers, a common circumstance on Saturday nights.The next one stopped, and several persons alighted, and then ensued a fierce struggle amongst the waiting crowd for the vacant seats.Men and women pushed, pulled and almost fought, shoving their fists and elbows into each other's sides and breasts and faces.Ruth was quickly thrust aside and nearly knocked down, and the tram, having taken aboard as many passengers as it had accommodation for, passed on.She waited for the next one, and the same scene was enacted with the same result for her, and then, reflecting that if she had not stayed for these trains she might have been home by now, she determined to resume her walk.The parcels felt heavier than ever, and she had not proceeded very far before she was compelled to put the bag down again upon the pavement, outside an empty house.

Leaning against the railings, she felt very tired and ill.Everything around her - the street, the houses, the traffic - seemed vague and shadowy and unreal.Several people looked curiously at her as they passed, but by this time she was scarcely conscious of their scrutiny.

Slyme had gone that evening to the usual `open-air' conducted by the Shining Light Mission.The weather being fine, they had a most successful meeting, the disciples, including Hunter, Rushton, Sweater, Didlum, and Mrs Starvem - Ruth's former mistress - assembled in great force so as to be able to deal more effectively with any infidels or hired critics or drunken scoffers who might try to disturb the proceedings; and - possibly as an evidence of how much real faith there was in them - they had also arranged to have a police officer in attendance, to protect them from what they called the `Powers of Darkness'.One might be excused for thinking that - if they really believed - they would have relied rather upon those powers of Light which they professed to represent on this planet to protect them without troubling to call in the aid of such a `worldly' force as the police.However, it came to pass that on this occasion the only infidels present were those who were conducting the meeting, but as these consisted for the most part of members of the chapel, it will be seen that the infidel fraternity was strongly represented.

On his way home after the meeting Slyme had to pass by the `Cricketers' and as he drew near the place he wondered if Easton was there, but he did not like to go and look in, because he was afraid someone might see him coming away and perhaps think he had been in to drink.Just as he arrived opposite the house another man opened the door of the public bar and entered, enabling Slyme to catch a momentary glimpse of the interior, where he saw Easton and Crass with a number of others who were strangers to him, laughing and drinking together.