'
But as I spoke I heard a noise like the laugh or the shriek of a
maniac. It seemed to come from upstairs.
'She's a-larfin' ag'in,' said the girl. 'It's a very wicked larf,
sir, ain't it? But there's wuss uns nor Meg Gudgeon for all 'er
wicked larf, as I knows. Many a time she's kep' me from starvin'. I
mus' run up an' see 'er. She'll kill herself a-larfin' yit.'
The girl hurried upstairs and I followed her, leaving Sinfi below. I
re-entered the bedroom. There was the woman, her face buried in the
pillow, rocking and rolling her body half round with the regularity
of a pendulum. Between the peals of half-smothered hysterical
laughter that came from her, I could hear her say:
'_Dear Lord Jesus, don't forget to love dear Henry who can't git up
the gangways without me_.'
The words seemed to fall upon my heart like a rain of molten metal
dropping from the merciless and mocking skies. But I had ceased to
wonder at the cruelty of Fate. The girl went to her and shook her
angrily. This seemed to allay her hysterics, for she rolled round
upon her back and stared at us.
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