Daniel waved his arm and made off across the street.  Kate, clutching her bundle again, panted along by-ways; reaching the house-door she rang a bell twice, and Emma admitted her.  They climbed together to an upper room, where Kate flung her burden on to the floor and began at once to relate with vehemence all that Daniel had told her.  The calumny lost nothing in her repetition.  After listening in surprise for a few moments, Emma turned away and quietly began to cut bread and butter for the children, who were having their tea.

‘Haven’t you got anything to say?’ cried her sister.  ’I suppose he’ll be telling his foul lies about me next.  Oh, he’s a good-’earted man, is Mutimer!  Perhaps you’ll believe me now.  Are you going to let him talk what he likes about you?’

Since the abandonment of the house in Wilton Square, Kate had incessantly railed in this way; it was a joy to her to have discovered new matter for invective.  Emma’s persistent silence maddened her; even now not a word was to be got from the girl.

‘Can’t you speak?’ shrilled Mrs. Clay.  ’If you don’t do something, I let you know that I shall!  I’m not going to stand this kind o’ thing, don’t think it.  If they talk ill of you they’ll do the same of me.  It’s time that devil had something for himself.  You might be made o’ stone!  I only hope I may meet him in the streets, that’s all!  I’ll show him up, see if I don’t!  I’ll let all the people know what he is, the cur!  I’ll do something to make him give me in charge, and then I’ll tell it all out before the magistrates.  I don’t care what comes, I’ll find some way of paying out that beast!’

Emma turned angrily.

’Hold your tongue, Kate!  If you go on like this day after day we shall have to part; I can’t put up with it, so there now!  I’ve begged and prayed you to stop, and you don’t pay the least heed to me; I think you might have more kindness.  You’ll never make me say a single word about him, do what you will; I’ve told you that many a time, and I mean what I say.  Let him say what he likes and do what he likes.  It’s nothing to me, and it doesn’t concern you.  You’ll drive me out of the house again, like you did the other night.  I can’t bear it.  Do you understand, Kate?—­I can’t bear it!’

Her voice shook, and there were tears of uttermost shame and misery in her eyes.  The children sitting at the table, though accustomed to scenes of this kind, looked at the disputants with troubled faces, and at length the younger began to cry.  Emma at once turned to the little one with smiles of re-assurance.  Kate would have preferred to deal slaps, but contented herself with taking a cup of tea to the fireside, and sulking for half an hour.

Emma unrolled the bundle of work, and soon the hum of the sewing-machine began, to continue late into the night.

CHAPTER XIX