If people 'ave got to be 'ospital nurses to a sick baiby
they ought to be paid, mind ye. We're only pore, and it may be a sacred
dooty walkin' in percession, but it ain't fillin'."
Choking with anger, I said:
"Put out your pipe, please."
"Ma'am to _you_!"
"Put it out this moment, sir, or I'll see if I can't find somebody to
make you."
The bricklayer laughed, then pointed with the shank of his pipe to the
two photographs over the mantelpiece, and said:
"See them? Them's me, with my dooks up. If any friend o' yourn as is
interested in the baiby comes to lay a 'and on me I'll see if I've
forgot 'ow to use 'em."
I felt the colour shuddering out of my cheeks, and putting baby into the
cot I turned on the man and cried:
"You scoundrel! The doctor has told me what is the immediate cause of my
baby's illness and your wife has confessed to giving overdoses of a
drug at your direction. If you don't leave this house in one minute I'll
go straight to the police-station and charge you with poisoning my
child.
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