"Come, come, missis, do you know the time?" he said.
"How should I, when the clock's stopped?"
"Why didn't you wind it then, my dear? But don't flurry yourself," he added kindly; "I'll get cleaned, and then maybe tea'll be ready." And passing into the outer kitchen, Richard began to wash away the traces of his day's work. Half ashamed of herself, Jane bustled about, and soon had tea waiting. When Richard came in he glanced at his slatternly-looking wife, and said: "I don't mind waiting while you're making yourself tidy, Jane."
"It doesn't matter, Richard. We're late to-night, and the evening will be gone directly."
"Well, Jane, I don't like my wife to sit down in such a dirty state as you're in. I don't see the need of it, when I can be clean enough."
"Oh, no! I dare say not; you men think we women folk can do the dirtiest work and never soil our fingers and be always ready to dance attendance on you whenever you choose to come home," said Jane, using her perverse woman's tongue as she had never before ventured to do in her husband's presence.
Richard opened his lips to utter a sharp retort, but, being a man of peace, thought better of it; and, rising from his seat, took down his hat from its peg, remarking that there was one woman at least who he knew would be very glad to dance attendance upon him, and as he thought he had rather neglected her of late, he would go and spend the evening with her. The moment he had gone, Jane rushed into the street, calling: "Come back, Richard, do come back!" but Richard had gone too far to hear, or did not choose to heed her cry.
"He's never left me before," she cried, as she returned to her desolate room; and conscience, with many a sting, told her that it was all her own doing.
Richard rapidly made his way to his mother's cottage; but when he reached it, all was darkness, and there was no answer to his repeated knocks. "Out nursing again, I suppose," he muttered, and not knowing whither to turn his steps for the evening, for he was determined not to return home till late, he stood hesitating.
"Well, Dick, my boy, what brings you away from your home and your wife to-night? It's a strange thing to clap eyes on you these days," said a voice at his side; and turning, he saw a man with whom he had formerly worked.