her people
made material sacrifices for such an object, she in that way. It was the
only way. Moreover, she would be able to see how it worked. Ill or well
she would avoid the horrible incertitude on the death-bed. But it was
hard, hard, cruelly hard.

The cab rattled, jingled, jolted; in fact, the last was quite
extraordinary. By its disproportionate violence and magnitude it
obliterated every sensation of onward movement; and the effect was of
being shaken in a stationary apparatus like a mediaeval device for the
punishment of crime, or some very newfangled invention for the cure of a
sluggish liver. It was extremely distressing; and the raising of Mrs
Verloc's mother's voice sounded like a wail of pain.

"I know, my dear, you'll come to see me as often as you can spare the
time. Won't you?"

"Of course," answered Winnie shortly, staring straight before her.

And the cab jolted in front of a steamy, greasy shop in a blaze of gas
and in the smell of fried fish.

The old woman raised a wail again.

"And, my dear, I must see that poor boy every Sunday. He won't mind
spending the day with his old mother--"

Winnie screamed out stolidly:

"Mind! I should think not. That poor boy will miss you something cruel.
I wish you had thought a little of that, mother."

Not think of it! The heroic woman swallowed a playful and inconvenient
object like a billiard ball, which had tried to jump out of her throat.
Winnie sat mute for a while, pouting at the front of the cab, then
snapped out, which was an unusual tone with her:

"I expect I'll have a job with him at first, he'll be that restless--"

"Whatever you do, don't let him worry your husband, my dear."

Thus they discussed on familiar lines the bearings of a new situation.
And the cab jolted. Mrs Verloc's mother expressed some misgivings.
Could Stevie be trusted to come all that way alone? Winnie maintained
that he was much less "absent-minded" now. They agreed as to that. It
could not be denied. Much less--hardly at all. They shouted at each
other in the jingle with comparative cheerfulness. But suddenly the
maternal anxiety broke out afresh. There were two omnibuses to take, and
a short walk between. It was too difficult! The old woman gave way to
grief and consternation.

Winnie stared forward.

"Don't you upset yourself like this, mother. You must see him, of
course."

"No, my dear. I'll try not to."

She mopped her streaming eyes.