Page 525 - sons-and-lovers

‘Tart, begod!’ said Dawes.
‘Go on; let’s have it!’ cried the mutual friend.
‘You’ve got it,’ said Dawes, ‘an’ I reckon Morelly had it
an’ all.’
‘Well, I’ll be jiggered!’ said the mutual friend. ‘An’ was it
a proper tart?’
‘Tart, God blimey—yes!’
‘How do you know?’
‘Oh,’ said Dawes, ‘I reckon he spent th’ night—-‘
There was a good deal of laughter at Paul’s expense.
‘But who WAS she? D’you know her?’ asked the mutual
friend.
‘I should SHAY SHO,’ said Dawes.
This brought another burst of laughter.
‘Then spit it out,’ said the mutual friend.
Dawes shook his head, and took a gulp of beer.
‘It’s a wonder he hasn’t let on himself,’ he said. ‘He’ll be
braggin’ of it in a bit.’
‘Come on, Paul,’ said the friend; ‘it’s no good. You might
just as well own up.’
‘Own up what? That I happened to take a friend to the
theatre?’
‘Oh well, if it was all right, tell us who she was, lad,’ said
the friend.
‘She WAS all right,’ said Dawes.
Paul was furious. Dawes wiped his golden moustache
with his fingers, sneering.
‘Strike me—-! One o’ that sort?’ said the mutual friend.
‘Paul, boy, I’m surprised at you. And do you know her, Bax-

Sons and Lovers