My name, in trinder. People called me Sue. I kno for many years I did not knoe, and took my birt Cmas. I believe I am an orp I never sa Lant Street, in to thames.
t time I remember t t.
to take me begging at a play. People used to like to take me begging t er. tre sook me to, on t I am t Georges Circus. t. I remember it as very terrible. I remember tilt of to t. I remember a drunken c t made tage very lurid; and tors, ters in a red of all dogs master—Bill Sykes, truck t up. t t tage. A ,
O! You villain! And y of a bully like you!
I dont kno ting up— of Nancy, lying perfectly pale and still at Bill Sykess feet; but I became gripped by an aerror. I t quiet me. And o me and smiled, I screamed out louder. to een, I suppose. Sook me home, and Mrs Sucksby slapped her.
aking o suco sit eps. I dont s out to back like turned blue ?
Sook me upon again. tood before rand of c Flora and tapped upon time rocking in creaking in save ing hen,
I knotle rig, sly. S you get? A couple of ? A couple of wipers, and a ladys purse?
Flora pulled trand of o it. A purse, ser a second. And a bottle of scent.
S s o a tear at t of , and reac; and you migear turned out to be not a tear at all, but ttle silk pocket t a black clottle opper on a silver c, and meg. Per it from t my dress. ttle, s stopper off, smelt of roses. Mrs Sucksby sniffed.
Pretty poor poke, s it?
Flora tossed me, if s started up erics.
Mrs Sucksby leaned and her again.
If I you , s at all. Let me tell you t an infant for prigging ake one of my ot take Sue. Do you hear me?
Flora sulked, but said s. And leave t poke beell your motlemen.
took me to , rubbing at ts o ooping to breato s, s for. S afraid now, Sue?
But I and me ick. S particular fancy-man: he was all bounce. She said,
It it? trouble oo hard for him.
I said, But, ohe poor girl Nancy, and how he knocked her down and murdered her!
Murdered a bit about t no know he ever laid his hand upon her.
I said, ont hough?
Sold me t Nancy o last, and left Bill Sykes entirely; t s a nice c tle sobacco.
Sed my my neck and smoot across t gre older—and Mrs Sucksby used to till it sparked. No, ted a tress of it and touc to Flora tries to take you on tell me—will you?
I said I t treet-lamps s e dark te still. On to stay: t, dropped coins, and sometimes danced. Beyond ter, o en top-to-toe in cradles, like sprats in boxes of salt—s. t start up tle t set ttle of gin, tle silver spoon you could the glass.
On t, tairs must y, and Mr Ibbss sister stayed quiet; and per, t asleep. Being used to t again of cruel Bill Sykes; and of Nancy, dead at . From some ruck treets. I o a man ick.
I ion, even tsteps in Lant Street, t stopped outside t-
steps curning of tarted up off my pillo before I could tco it, t I t I kne ter from tre, but our ole. Bill Sykes never . t for a meat pudding for his and Mrs Sucksbys supper.
All rig;
t clear as anyt of I it , and good Mr Ibbses; and Nancys, t mig I Nancy got to at last.—I mean, th sugar mice in.
It er, a second time, t I understood t Nancy of course got murdered after all. By te to End tres and s. Sook me oo scared of Mrs Sucksby.
S at last, poor t; and for transportation as a thief.
e Lant Street. But kind of t rat. If I ared to see Flora put o a tear in and bring out a purse and perfume, I o Mr Ibbss s in t, in , in ocking.
All right, Mr Ibbs?hed say.
All rigalked rat. you know?
Not much.
Got something for me?
t somet and uncommon ...quot;
t, or somet. Mr Ibbs urn tious man, and never sa ter ain, and be raigo our kitco table. Come on, my son, do t you are suc—s and tea-spoons.
Mrs Sucksby migo a baby. take off .
All right, Mrs Sucksby?
All right, my dear.
All rig you growed!
I t tter t from ts and sleeves -books, silk ce, brass candlesticks, petticoats—imes. ty stuff, t it all out; and Mr Ibbs . But tudy t-seeming—very pale in t lips and about break your .
Rag, say, so pusicks. I op-quality candlesticks come just last e do not give them away
and, making a s looking like to ting ed.
Mr Ibbs, pay me for trouble of walking from London Bridge. Be fair, now.
But by to ing out sable: one, t pause, , for just t reason—and it was like o a greyhound.
Couldnt you make it five, Mr Ibbs?
Mr Ibbs face, and shrug.
I so, my son. I ster. And if you o bring me somet of tes or gleaming brass—tealing ths of Mrs Sucksbys babies.
And tton , and cough or wipe his nose.
And to . ep to en anyt a crust. tell o be sure and spend it on a breakfast and not on a hing like,
Youre a jewel, Mr Ibbs, a regular jewel.
Mr Ibbs migen or t: all to be , and fair. For, of course, icks would be so muc. ce lively.
Noo taking a cloto t—if youve a moment, dear, if Mrs Sucksby dont need you—you migtle go at ttle, gentle sort of go, tle scissors and perear, if you tug too ;
I believe I learned my alp, like t: not by putting letters do by taking t. I kno came, marked Susan. As for regular reading, roubled . Mrs Sucksby could do it, if so; Mr Ibbs could read, and even e; but, for t of us, it , for Jeumblers; but yours?
So I t to cip, from , of course. Bad ones come up too brig be slummed, , too. Silks and linens to make te e our suppers off—but only ts and stampings; and to bars. er. ook cs o our kitc of to leave it again looking quite anot Street left by anotoo. It left by treet t ttle covered passage and a small dark court. You migand in t and to look. It took you to an alley, and t met a say quite ake you, very quick and inconspicuous, to t boats t crooked co all ts of London. e could pass anyt all, at speeds er of to turn to er. e could pass suns.
In s, t muc moved out of it again, rat, t stuck—one t ood tremendous pull of t passage of poke— one t Mr Ibbs and Mrs Sucksby seemed never to to put a price to.
I mean of course, Me.
I o t. ory ragic one. So Lant Street on a certain nigil I learned better, I took o mean t my mot me, perucked in a pocket be, or seo t. For I knehief! Mrs Sucksby would say. So bold! And handsome?
as she, Mrs Sucksby? as she fair?
Fairer t s t airs. No-one kne must , for s once. S you, and put a kiss on your little in sovereigns, and all of em good. S job to do, t o come back for you, when her way was clear
So Mrs Sucksby told it; and every time, tart off steady it rembling, and ears. For sed for my mot come. came, instead, to make une, rying to save e. It killed up last. Shey hanged her.
the roof of
tood and c I was born in.
You got a marvellous vie from t vieo pay very at t rattling down, I never did. I never once shuddered or winked.
ts Susan trinder, someone mig she brave?
I liked to . ? But t is—and I dont care is, I brave at all. For to be brave about a t, you must first be sorry. And y my mot, since s e, and not for somettling a c y s ted and could never rub along !
I ster by co keep me a mont me seventeen years. s love, if t aint? S o t me crying in a draugead s let me on t me. S me sleep beside reat je.
And I a jeurned out quite ordinary. My face a plain key; I could bounce a coin and say, from t anyone can do taug me ots came, and stayed a little, t perisead I greil at last I was old enougo go
among ttle of gin and times to catc me ain lig, o stay so long, and blood, and its being ter, Mrs Sucksby looked dark.
Come me look at you. And s roke my c me, as s me t nig sune. unes still to be made. Your fortune, Sue, and ours along ...quot;
So simes. , and ented.
But as well here is Sue. Shell fix em . . .
I let ; but t I kneter. Id s it o t just for my o for someones I never kneV . . .
I t I kne love, in t I kne everyt I so farm infants. I migo be married, to a teen, t stole a clasp for me, and said o kiss me. ttle later, and at our back door and er, expressly to see me blus department, as in all others.
he boys would say. Prince Eddie?
I to Lant Street t me sloo fast. Perandards. But it seemed to me t I ty good idea of o .
Do you follow?
You are ing for me to start my story. Pering, t my story arted—I kno.
t it really began.
A niger, a feer tmas t marked my seventeent—a , full of a fog t s in er are t nigo to try, and t up and empty and pleading to be cracked. e got lots of stuff on nigs were o a bargain very quick.
e did not feel too muc Lant Street, for besides our ordinary kitc a flame beneat, you could never say urn up t ing do t it, sing t c y arren.
Jo fourteen. ing. I believe s, and the floor.
Mrs Sucksby saco tidy it.
Jo my bleeding.
o our ake ill o get rid of, alep. S ter of a so take last, and o ter t, o brag. ted a mont Lant Street by doing jobs for Mr Ibbs; and besides ttle dodges of y to help him.
S red-y, and more or less a simpleton. S ime stitco stolen dogs, to make t they really were.
cc reets empting dogs aen pounds ransom before ing dogs, and dogs imental mistresses; some otle dogs tail and post it to t less—and t Jotle, to a knocked-do say off as rabbit, pere it ty stitco plain street-dogs, tec.
ts of fur left over sogeto cover coat. S, t. S forty different sorts of dog in it already. t was powerful, before
a fire, and drove our oer, Jack, but anoter tory—into a perfect fever.
Noy o see looked.
Its a good job for Dainty t you aint a deal taller, Joime shis.
Its a good job for you t you aint dead, , and felt it. t of us. I s of your skin upon t—per, home, beside a bulldog or a boxer.
ook up by ested t quite decided yet, of skin off o make you se? *
Dainty put o oo large for of t te black.
You tickler! she said.
Joapped of a broken tooth. Mrs Sucksby said,
ts enoug have Sue made nervous.
I said at once, t if I t I s like Jo my t. Joo cut it for me. t as s ot, all t time before, and poor Flora; and as s otween—all for my sake.
Joo strike me, as if o strike me y sed in , and urned and struck her.
Beats me, , why everyone is so down on me.
Dainty arted to cry. Sicks to you, dont I?
You sticks, all rig to a s rocking in and o itches.
y, said Mrs Sucksby. You are spoiling your nice work.
Se. t t coin, and started off s to the floor.
t quiet, for perer of an cail . I got out cards, for a game of Patience. Dainty sely idle; but t, to tell me hem.
Jack of Diggers on tcs, you slow?
Aint you eful? I over a crooked game t t a final time and turned my ctle, so t Jo not see hey fell.
And t once, one of tarted out of its slumber and began to cry, and C of made ts t? she said.
s w? said John.
t: a t led to tsteps. tsteps stopped at tchen, slow and heavy, a knock.
Knock—knock—knock. Like t. Like t comes back. Not a thiefs knock,
any is quick and lig sort of business it be anyt all. t be bad.
So . e looked at one anoto to dra and stop its cries against ook . t t as mice. Mr Ibbs said quietly, Anyone expected? Boys, put t as the blues, were done for.
t ted from tting ts or in trouser pockets. One of t nep quickly to tood beside it, to t. erms in prison, and alhird.
tidy? Noeady, boys, be steady. do you say, Sue my dear, to opening t door?
I looked again at Mrs Sucksby, and ; t me, P it t it. But it made t came in a ruso tc, making tood a man, dressed dark, t . t s e . I s spoken. he said,
Sue! Is it Sue? ty miles to see you. ill you keep me standing he cold will kill me!
t seen one man in a o Lant Street speaking like imes Ric
name I said nohen?
Its Gentleman, I said.
t is , of course: not , using all eet; but as if ted it—Gemun.
Its Gentleman, I said; and P once put , and back to turned in ing its scarlet face from s mouth.
Gentleman! sarted s free by Joo Gentleman and put . a turn you gave us! Dainty, take a taper to t ter on t.
e t you leman came into tchen.
I believe I am turned blue, docoat, o steam. oget aken t c coat. I kne studying t tce one; but terfeits.
ter as Dainty sao ts. Gentleman looked about ill rubbing ogether and nodding.
how do you do, Mr Ibbs? he called easily. how do you do, lads?
Mr Ibbs said, Very ulip. t ansher boy laughed.
Boys like t al men like Gentleman are nancies.
Jooo, but louder tleman looked at tle tick, your monkey?
Joook alian. Now, leman, o his nose. You can kiss my arse, he said.
Can I? said Gentleman, smiling. Dainty, and sooped to Cer. leman, rising, brus will do.
t and stood at Mrs Sucksbys chair.
hallo, Mrs S, he said.
tself quiet. Mrs Sucksby leman caug up and kissed it—first at t tips. Mrs Sucksby said,
Get up out of t c Gentleman sit down.
Joe, took Daintys stool. Gentleman sat, and spread oall, and -and-ty. Beside six.
Mrs Sucksby kept her gaze, and smiled.
ell, well, he said. hows business?
Pretty s, sill, and sted it as so pat me. Gentleman nodded to it.
And ttle bud, farm, or is it family?
Farm, of course, she said.
A he-bud, or a she-bud?
A w I shall be bringing up by hand.
Gentleman leaned towards her.
Lucky boy! he said, and winked.
Mrs Sucksby cried, Ourned pink as a rose. You saucebox!
Nancy or not, ainly make a lady blusleman, because —had been,
o a real gents scher and a
jster__all s broke. he had had
money once, and lost it all gambling; of tune; and so o get money took to t family, t in him.
e ter le Paris; a year putting Frenco Engliso Frencting tly different eacime, and pinning different titles on tory pass as ty brand-nely, ty, and seem as t. te o some ric every time tock from counterfeit banks. ed on o Lant Street about once a year, bringing poke to Mr Ibbs, and picking up bad coin, cautions, and tips.
I supposed seemed, did Mrs Sucksby, for once y ea, , ss cradle and smoot across her lap and said,
ell noleman, t. e didnt look for you for anotwo. he look of?
Gentleman shing for Mr Ibbs, I am afraid.
, not, Mr Ibbs?
Very sad, said Mr Ibbs, from the brazier.
Mrs Sucksby greial. hen, for me?
But Gentleman shook his head again.
Not for you, eit for you; not for Garibaldi for Dainty, nor for Phe boys; nor even for Charley ag.
t me, and taken up ttered playing-cards, and ing to ts. y, and Mrs Sucksby, still quite pink in t t once reacarted s kind of man, w always be busy.
ell, Sue, ill upon me. his eyes were a very clear blue.
ell, w? I answered.
do you say to ts you Ive come for.
.
Gentleman nodded. I hing for you. A proposal.
A proposal! said P. Look out, Sue, s to marry you!
Dainty screamed, and tleman blinked, took last, and leaned to Mrs Sucksby to say,
Get rid of our friends at t keep Joy: I s their help.
Mrs Sucksby ated, t Mr Ibbs; and Mr Ibbs said at once, Riged so e a s, o drop t coins into ter, one by one. Listen to t. Nohe gold know?
Go on, Uncle and turned up o me, to Joy and Mrs Sucksby. to Gentleman tchem go by.
atc again.
Mr Ibbs turned tea—splas, as Dainty man. t of team, to mix ed gold, t and teaming greatcoat. ter upon te. Jo, picking songue. Mr Ibbs able, our faces and ; but t of the room was in shadow.
For a minute, no-one spoke. Gentleman still and cc of all: ilted he barrel of a gun.
So, my son, s tory?
Gentleman looked up.
tory, ory is took out a card, and laid it, face-up, on table. It . An old man—a s. ain out-of-t of ain out-of-te s, and cares for not for ts call it, a dictionary. It is a dictionary of all ures, too—aken a mind to , ice in a ne to t: Jack of Spades—a smart young man, to tion; and one particular smart young man—being at t time ratoo ttle lig-of-t of employment, bed and board provided—replies to tisement, is examined, and found fit.
t young man being yourself, said Mr Ibbs.
t young man being me. ch on!
And try, said Joaken up in Gentlemans story despite s say its busting reasure. And you
mean to force ts and cs. You o Mr Ibbs for a loan of nippers and a jilt; and you Sue— eyes, seen butter—for your canary.
Gentleman tilted easing sort of hen:
Cold as ice! ry is a damnable place: tgaged to t a rug or a vase or piece of plate for, Im afraid. t eats like us.
t, tig, tas te a paper leaving all of it to you; and nole of poison—
Gentleman shook his head.
Not a ounce of poison? said John, looking hopeful.
Not an ounce. Not a scruple. And no money in t in t least. ly and so queerly, moneys for. But t live alone. Look ;
ts.
heh, heh, said John, growing sly. A wife, very game.
But Gentleman shook his head again.
A daugto? said John.
Not a a daugleman, me, say Sues years. In looks, say anding and knoly shy.
A flat! said Joell me s least. Sleman, nodding. But only as a caterpillar is ricune is certain, t touc; but it comes ion attac see a penny till ter, to a cousin. If she
takes a roked te finger—shes rich as a queen.
spoken, all time. Gentleman heard him now, looked up, and held his gaze.
ten tly. Five the funds.
A coal in t pop. Jole toot Mrs Sucksby, but and ook a sip from ea, in a considering way.
til bet t ea was swallowed.
Close enougleman, nodding, moving back. ary of o a stretcurned into a lady. sort of smile. I t, tart ures ting. Ss lessons, er. Noo fake my ell a pastel from a pig. But sakes to ruction—oeaceaco design. tercolours. Next, th week—
Fifth week, you jiggles her! said John.
Gentleman closed his eyes.
Fift may sit in a room, leman tutor, alone? e ime—cougurning red in time my fingers stray too near oo le urns out s fever—is at t dying of it, poor bitc too busy to sit at lessons. t end, ts are left to dry upon tte. No supper, at her
uncles side; and sometimes, if I pass her chamber door, I hear her sighing.
And just, said Mr Ibbs, as you ting on so nicely.
Just so, said Gentleman. Just so.
Poor lady! said Dainty. ears in t anyte a peac the face?
Gentleman looked careless. Sh a shrug.
Joo fill her eye!
I so fill yours, said Gentleman, steadily. t, I mean.
Joo . I so see you try it!
Mr Ibbs lifted s enoug , before ladies and kids! Jo doop fucking about. Gentleman, you promised us your story; o our point, o ?
Joool, t. Gentleman aken out a packet of cigarettes. e ed, . e co table again and toucting straigheir edges.
You t, is. apped ts. I aim to marry take une. I aim to steal o one side—from under o doing it already, as you s of girl, and cant be trusted to ake some clever, , o collect a set of bindings for t to send Sue back before me. I to set s help me woo her.
my eye. ill played idly h one pale hand. Now he lowered his voice.
And t I s me. I knourned t s back. I must only marry jiggle ake ing, to tes. I said, s I to be sure. I so keep o persuade o t.
te and, as turned t is, save Mrs Sucksby. Sened, saying notleman spoke. I ctle of ea out of o about t to ory on. S tea, s ainly, I dont believe I ever kne as hers.
No Gentleman, and finally spoke.
he girls in England? hy my Sue?
Because srust o say, a bad girl, not too nice about ts of the law.
S, to cut the shine?
Again me; but ill spoke to her.
Sake any of ttle ladys bits and frocks and je she likes.
t it over. do you say? last—to me, time. And then,
you can see ttle time I o act in. I must get a girl soon. I s to be you, Sue. I s to be you, more t if it is not to be, tell me quickly, her.
Dainty , said Jo. Dainty you, Daint?—for a lady in a great Peckham.
As I recall, said Mr Ibbs, drinking ea, Dainty lost t place tting a -pin to the ladys arm.
Sco me, said Dainty, and got my dander up. t sound like a bitc, you said so. I could maid for a flat.
It ly. And sill aint said.
t me; and turned my kno seems a rum sort of plot to me. Set me up, as maid to a lady? to do?
e can teacleman. Dainty can teac be? You must only sit and simper, and s.
I said, Suppose t me for me?
But of t. of everyt to pass me off as ers cy girl come on imes. take me then, for his sake.
e you a cer—sign it Lady Fanny of Bum Street, somet—s knoter. Sy, doesnt know London from Jerusalem. ho can she ask?
I dont know, I said again. Suppose s care for you, so much as you are hoping?
. ell, be permitted by noo know when a green girl likes me.
Suppose, said Mrs Sucksby t like you quite
enougurns out another Miss Bamber or Miss
Finch?
Miss Bamber and Miss Finc netted. But ed. S, urn out like t. tious fat page of o liking me enoughink she will.
Enougo do a flit, from her uncles house?
Its a grim house, he answered, for a girl of her years.
But its t you, said Mr Ibbs. You picked up bits and pieces of Lay, sake and as quiet as you like: ake count for buttons, then.
But and me, said Gentleman slyly.
Dainty looked blank. Johe jiggling, he said.
S hen.
Dainty gaped more than ever.
Never mind it, said Mr Ibbs, lifting o Gentleman: Its tricky. Uncommonly tricky.
I dont say its not. But take our c o lose? If not will be a holiday for Sue.
Jo caught.
I bit my lip. . But it so muc troubled me. You cannot be a troubling over I sure I ed any kind of sure I cared for it ao visit ry as quiet and queer, and t eitons or gipsies.
on girl? S be like Dainty, oucimes
violent. S be really mad. S try and ttle me; and t, for miles and miles, to cross treet to spit on you, if you were on fire.
I said, ts she like. You said shes queer in her head.
Not queer, said Gentleman. Only ural. S from t wo sharpen you up, she had—no-one.
Dainty looked at droo beat er till she died. She said, in a whisper:
Aint it terribly leman, o do? I dont believe any of us it, before t moment. Noy said it, and I gazed about me, and nobody ch my eye.
tleman laughed.
icked? y, of course its its o tune of fifteen t ts a s tune,
got, it ly? Dont t! Money never is. It is got, by families like y backs broken for every shilling made. You have heard, have you, of Robin hood? have I! she said.
ell, Sue and I saking gold from t back to t from.
Joo t people are yours! You to rob a lady, go and rob your oher.
My motleman, colouring up. s my moto do Mrs Sucksbys eye, and turned to me. Oh, Sue, he said. I do beg your pardon.
Its all rig table, and again everyone gre. Per s: for, as I aeen years. Noy miles, cold and slippery o me.
I raised my eyes to his.
tly.
tll s, all right, said Mr Ibbs.
And all ty. O you look hem!
You s me—as simes before—and ill to be made.—I could almost . Your fortunes still to be made; and ours, Sue, along . . .
And after all, s. une, come from no. could I say? I looked again at Gentleman. My beat . I said:
All rig. But for t t care for me and sends me a rouble of trying.
ated, t over. Of course, t was all a ser a second o me and I gave him mine. he pressed my fingers, and laughed.
Joen to one she comes back crying in a week, he said.
Ill come back dressed in a velvet goo o call me miss. ont he, Mrs Sucksby?
. Ill tear my oongue out, before I do t!
Ill tear it out first! I said.
I sound like a child. I was a child! Perhaps Mrs Sucksby was
t, too. For s, still gazing at me, lip. S roubled. I could almost have said, she was afraid.
Perhaps she was.
Or per noo follow.