East End (London, England) -- Fiction; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
Where in the East End lies this street? Everywhere. The hundred and
fifty yards is only a link in a long and a mightily tangled chain--is
only a turn in a tortuous maze. This street of the square holes is
hundreds of miles long. That it is planned in short lengths is true, but
there is no other way in the world that can more properly be called a
single street, because of its dismal lack of accent, its sordid
uniformity, its utter remoteness from delight.
LIZERUNT.
I.
LIZER'S WOOING.
Somewhere in the register was written the name Elizabeth Hunt; but
seventeen years after the entry the spoken name was Lizerunt. Lizerunt
worked at a pickle factory, and appeared abroad in an elaborate and
shabby costume, usually supplemented by a white apron. Withal she was
something of a beauty. That is to say, her cheeks were very red, her
teeth were very large and white, her nose was small and snub, and her
fringe was long and shiny; while her face, new-washed, was susceptible
of a high polish. Many such girls are married at sixteen, but Lizerunt
was belated, and had never a bloke at all.
Billy Chope was a year older than Lizerunt. He wore a billycock with a
thin brim and a permanent dent in the crown; he had a bobtail coat, with
the collar turned up at one side and down at the other, as an expression
of independence; between his meals he carried his hands in his breeches
pockets; and he lived with his mother, who mangled. His conversation
with Lizerunt consisted long of perfunctory nods; but great things
happened this especial Thursday evening, as Lizerunt, making for home,
followed the fading red beyond the furthermost end of Commercial Road.
For Billy Chope, slouching in the opposite direction, lurched across the
pavement as they met, and, taking the nearer hand from his pocket,
caught and twisted her arm, bumping her against the wall.
"Garn," said Lizerunt, greatly pleased: "le' go!" For she knew that this
was love.
"Where yer auf to, Lizer?"
"'Ome, o' course, cheeky. Le' go;" and she snatched--in vain--at Billy's
hat.
Billy let go, and capered in front of her. She feigned to dodge by him,
careful not to be too quick, because affairs were developing.
"I say, Lizer," said Billy, stopping his dance and becoming
business-like, "goin' anywhere Monday?"
"Not along o' you, cheeky; you go 'long o' Beller Dawson, like wot you
did Easter."
"Blow Beller Dawson; _she_ ain't no good. I'm goin' on the Flats. Come?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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