It was the shabbiest trick there was, and I hated doing it; but what can I say? I had had a shabby trick played on me. All the time I spoke, I was glancing quickly about me, at the windows of the other cottages, and along the path; but no-one came. The little girl put the coin in the pocket of her apron and picked up her baby brother, and staggered away; and I watched her do it, then darted into the house. It was a pretty poor place, but in a trunk upstairs I found a pair of black shoes, more or less my size, and a print dress, put in paper. I thought the dress might have been the one that the woman was married in, and I swear to God! I almost didn''t take it; but in the end, I did.
And I also took a black straw bonnet, a shawl, a pair of woollen stockings, a pie from the pantry; and a knife.·本·作·品·由·思·兔·網·提·供·線·上·閱·讀·
Then I ran back to the hedge where Charles was hiding.
''Turn round,'' I said, as I changed. ''Turn round! Don''t look so frightened, you bloody big girl. Damn her! Damn her!''
I meant Maud. I was thinking of the little girl, Janet, coming back to the cottage with the flour and her bag of sweets. I was thinking of her mother, coming home in time for tea, and finding her wedding-gown gone.
''Damn her!''
I got hold of Maud''s glove, and ripped i