Free Complete Works of Bram Stoker by Bram Stoker Page A

matter drop.
    When her visitor had gone she was in a dreadful state of mind. She longed to cry with a bitter longing, but feared to, lest Jerry should find her eyes red on his return from work, and so she bravely bore her sorrow - the sorrow that followed the thought of her husband’s concealment.
    When Jerry returned he found her bright and cheerful as usual, and in a talking humour. He had had a hard and long day’s work, and was now quite in a humour for a quiet chat. Katey had been thinking over Sebright’s remark, and had come to the conclusion that as Jerry had not told her about Grinnell he had some object in his concealment, and that to force a confession would be to put him in the wrong at the very outset. Accordingly she began her conversation, with the object of trying to invite his confidence.
    After talking over the state of things at the theatre, to which she had been several times, Jerry’s companions, and daily life, she asked him -
    ‘What do you do all the evening, Jerry? It must be very slow work for you.’
    ‘Well, it’s slow at times; but, as a rule, there’s plenty to do. So that with looking after the cellars, and the flies, and the wings, and trying to keep the men square and sober, my time isn’t idle I can tell you.’
    ‘Is it hard to keep the men sober?’
    ‘Isn’t it. They’d be always over in Grinnell’s if I let them.’
    ‘What is Grinnell’s?’
    ‘A public-house over the way.’
    ‘And is Grinnell the proprietor?’
    ‘He is, and a good fellow too - very pleasant and sociable.’
    Jerry was thinking that the present was a good time to tell his wife that he sometimes went in, but did not drink anything; but such a look of fear came over her face, despite all her efforts, that he did not care to go on, and hastily turned aside the current of conversation.
    Katey felt that the shadow was growing, but yet feared to say anything more at present lest Jerry should be hurt.
    Poor little woman; she was in great doubt, pitiable doubt, and as she had no one near to advise her, was driven almost into despair. In her perplexity she wrote to Parnell a tender little letter, full of love for her husband, and asking earnestly for advice. The answer came in a way that she did not expect, for one day, shortly after, whilst she was busily engaged over her washing-tub a tall man, none other than Parnell himself, walked in.
    Katey looked at him in amazement, and gave a low, glad cry, and, as she was, without even thinking of her wet hands and arms, ran over and put her arms round his neck and kissed him.
    Whilst she was in this attitude Jerry came in, and, seeing his wife with her arms round a man’s neck, for he did not at first recognise Parnell - not expecting to see him - gave vent to an indignant ‘Hullo!’
    Parnell turned his head round, and Katey peeped over his shoulder at her husband. When Jerry saw who it was he nearly shook his hand off and pressed him into a chair, asking him all sorts of questions, without giving him time to reply.
    Parnell told him all the Dublin news; amongst other things giving him a description of Muldoon’s wedding, at which they all laughed heartily.
    When dinner was over, Jerry had to hurry back to his work, and Parnell remained to talk with Katey.
    Katey did not delay, but proceeded to tell her trouble in full, Parnell listening quietly, and looking very grave. When she had finished, he took her hand in his and said -
    ‘I do not like Jerry’s keeping back anything from you, but this matter will be all right, I hope and believe.’
    He was interrupted by the voice of the landlady calling out, ‘Mrs O’Sullivan, here’s a boy wants you to go down to the theatre as quick as ever you can, something has happened.’
    Katey, with a deadly fear in her heart, hurried with Parnell down to the theatre.

CHAPTER 7
    KATEY’S TRIALS
    When Jerry had arrived at the theatre he had found visitors waiting to see him. They were none other than Mr and Mrs Muldoon,