"And from a Poor Law Guardian," added Doctor Brink.
"They tell me," continued Mrs. Budd, "that he never orfered no resistance. I 'ope you will think of that, Doctor, when you are considering it over.
"'Is father was an ironmonger, once, in a good way of business; but he took to drink and women, and the 'ome was broke up. Mine, 'e had to go out and shift for 'isself as a lad of twelve. It's no excuse for stealin' 'ams, of course; but—you never know. Perhaps this wouldn't never 'ave 'appened if 'is bringin' up was different. 'E's allus bin a sober man 'isself; but when a person is brought up rough it is bound to show itself some'ow.
"I am sorry to say we eat the 'am; for 'e brought it 'ome and never said nothing to nobody, and we was all of us glad of the food. The little girl, she did enjoy it, pore lamb. She don't know now but what it was honest meat.
"They come and fetched 'im away from 'ome this morning when I was out to sell some bottles. I 'ardly like to tell the children, for they won't 'ardly believe that their pore dad could be so wicked; only I s'pose the neighbours will tell 'em, if I don't. The neighbours is so friendly with my children.
"It's a shameful thing for a man to do: to turn thief at 'is age and bring disgrace on everybody."
"Damned shameful," said the doctor.
"I often wonder," Mrs. Budd ran on, "whether that dizziness what you treated 'im for is at the back of all this. 'E 'as seemed a little strange since then; not much different, you know; only a little altered, same as anybody wouldn't notice except they was about with him a lot, like I am. Something must 'ave 'appened, don't you think, Doctor, to make a respectable man like 'e was turn thief?"
"The dizziness may have been indirectly connected with it," admitted the doctor. "He was suffering from a complaint which doctors call malnutrition."
"He has sent a message," stated Mrs. Budd, "to say he hopes I won't think none the worse of him. He says he knows he has done wrong——"