About: For Better or Worse by W.W. Jacobs
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Produced by David Widger
SHIP'S COMPANY
ByW.W. Jacobs
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Mr. George Wotton, gently pushing the swing doors of the public bar ofthe "King's Head" an inch apart, applied an eye to the aperture, in thehope of discovering a moneyed friend. His gaze fell on the only man inthe bar a greybeard of sixty whose weather beaten face and rough clothingspoke of the sea. With a faint sigh he widened the opening and passedthrough.
"Mornin', Ben," he said, with an attempt at cheerfulness.
"Have a drop with me," said the other, heartily. "Got any money aboutyou?"
Mr. Wotton shook his head and his face fell, clearing somewhat as theother handed him his mug. "Drink it all up, George," he said.
His friend complied. A more tactful man might have taken longer over thejob, but Mr. Benjamin Davis, who appeared to be labouring under somestrong excitement, took no notice.
"I've had a shock, George," he said, regarding the other steadily. "I'veheard news of my old woman."
"Didn't know you 'ad one," said Mr. Wotton calmly. "Wot's she done?"
"She left me," said Mr. Davis, solemnly "she left me thirty five yearsago. I went off to sea one fine morning, and that was the last I eversee of er.
"Why, did she bolt?" inquired Mr. Wotton, with mild interest.
"No," said his friend, "but I did. We'd been married three years threelong years and I had 'ad enough of it. Awful temper she had. The lastwords I ever heard 'er say was: 'Take that!'"
Mr. Wotton took up the mug and, after satisfying himself as to theabsence of contents, put it down again and yawned.
"I shouldn't worry about it if I was you," he remarked. "She's hardlylikely to find you now. And if she does she won't get much."
Mr. Davis gave vent to a contemptuous laugh. "Get much!" he repeated."It's her what's got it. I met a old shipmate of mine this morning whatI 'adn't seen for ten years, and he told me he run acrost 'er only amonth ago. After she left me "
"But you said you left her!" exclaimed his listening friend.
"Same thing," said Mr. Davis, impatiently. "After she left me to workmyself to death at sea, running here and there at the orders of a packo'lazy scuts aft, she went into service and stayed in one place forfifteen years. Then 'er missis died and left her all 'er money. Fortwenty years, while I've been working myself to skin and bone, she's beenliving in comfort and idleness."
"'Ard lines," said Mr. Wotton, shaking his head. "It don't bear thinkingof."
"Why didn't she advertise for me?" said Mr. Davis, raising his voice."That's what I want to know. Advertisements is cheap enough; why didn'tshe advertise? I should 'ave come at once if she'd said anything aboutmoney."
Mr. Wotton shook his head again. "P'r'aps she didn't want you," he said,slowly.
"What's that got to do with it?" demanded the other. "It was 'er dooty.She'd got money, and I ought to have 'ad my 'arf of it. Nothing can makeup for that wasted twenty years nothing."