Smith by Leon Garfield

Author:Leon Garfield
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-59017-710-5
Publisher: New York Review Books
Published: 2013-07-28T04:00:00+00:00

Smith considered himself as good as out of the jail, and the change in him was as astonishing as it was abrupt. His spirits rose and he put on a confident, almost patronizing air. He strutted importantly about the dismal Stone Hall, even finding opportunities to practice his reading upon the scratched messages, prayers and rages that scarred the damp walls. God have mercy on me, he read out; and shrugged his shoulders. Next, he read, Jo loves Bess. He scratched his head and wondered why anybody should want to write such a thing on a prison wall. Then, God rot all lawyers. Hm! That was more like it!

His high spirits were bewildering to his sisters—who’d last seen him in the depths of gloom.

“Oh, Smut!” said Miss Fanny. “To see you in such spirits is better than a pint of gin, dear. Now, no matter what befalls, we’ll know you went happy!”

“Oh, I’ll be ’appy going!” said Smith, enigmatically; and Miss Bridget stared at him sadly, as if he was a lost soul.

But Mr. Billing understood. Maybe at first he wondered if Smith had the document already . . . for he’d arrived shortly after Meg had left. Not that it was really likely he’d seen her—there being such a stew in Newgate at that time, what with Mulrone’s visitors and the bad weather—but he saw the bundle and smiled knowingly. Smith, seeing this look, divined its meaning. He shook his head and grinned.

“Not yet, Mister Billing. But it won’t be long before the chimney-sweep down the road’ll be situated to buy himself new brooms and a whole new chimney for his very own! If you take my meaning, Mister Billing.”

Mr. Billing took his meaning.

“And it won’t be long before a certain little bird flies out of its stone cage, eh lad?” He beamed and laid his hand on Smith’s thin shoulder.

“How much better it is to put our cards on the table—play fair—and be friends. Oh, the world’s not such a bad place after all—for the likes of you and me!”

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