the Jilting of Jane

by H .G .Wells

as I sit writing in my study, I_can hear our Jane bumping her way downstairs with a brush and dust- pan . she used in_the old days to sing hymn tunes, or the British national song for_the_time being, to_these instruments, but latterly she has_been silent and even careful over her work . time was when I prayed with fervour for such silence, and my wife with sighs for such care, but now they_have come we_are_not so glad as we_might_have anticipated we_should_be . indeed, i_would rejoice secretly, though it may_be unmanly weakness to admit it, even to hear Jane sing " daisy," or, by_the fracture of any plate but one of Euphemia's best green ones, to learn that_the period of brooding has_come to an end .

yet how we longed to hear the last of Jane's young man before we heard the last of him ! Jane was always very free with her conversation to my wife, and discoursed admirably in_the kitchen on a variety of topics-- so_well, indeed, that I sometimes left my study door open-- our house is a small one-- to partake of it . but after William came, it_was always William, nothing but William; William this and William that; and when we thought William was worked out and exhausted altogether, then William all over again . the engagement lasted altogether three years; yet how she got introduced to William, and so became thus saturated with_him, was always a secret . for_my part, I believe it_was at_the street corner where the Rev .Barnabas Baux used to hold an open- air service after evensong on Sundays . young Cupids were wont to flit like moths round the paraffin flare of_that centre of high church hymn-singing .I fancy she stood singing hymns there, out of memory and her imagination, instead of coming home to_get supper, and William came up beside her and said, "Hello ! " "Hello yourself ! " she said; and etiquette being satisfied, they proceeded to_talk together .

as Euphemia has a reprehensible way of letting her servants talk to her, she soon heard of him ." he_is such a respectable young man, MA'am," said Jane, " you don't know ." Ignoring the slur cast on her acquaintance, my wife inquired further about_this William .

" he_is second porter at Maynard's, the draper's," said Jane, " and gets eighteen shillings-- nearly a pound--a week, m'm; and when_the head porter leaves he_will_be head porter . his relatives are quite superior people, m'm . not labouring people at all . his father was agreengrosher, m'm, and had achurnor, and he_was bankrup' twice . and one of_his sisters is in a home for_the Dying . it_will_be a very_good match for_me, m'm," said Jane, " me being an orphan girl ."

" then you_are engaged to him ? " asked my wife .

" not engaged, MA'am; but he_is saving money to_buy a ring--hammyfist ."

" well, Jane, when_you_are properly engaged to him you_may ask him round here on Sunday afternoons, and_have tea with_him in_the kitchen;" for_my Euphemia has a motherly conception of her duty towards her maid-servants . and presently the amethystine ring was being worn about_the house, even with ostentation, and Jane developed a new way of bringing in_the joint so that_this gage was evident . the elder miss Maitland was aggrieved by_it, and told my wife that servants ought not to wear rings . but my wife looked it up in Enquire within and Mrs . motherly's book of household Management_, and found no prohibition . so Jane remained with_this happiness added to her love .

the treasure of Jane's heart appeared to_me to_be what respectable people call a very deserving young man ."William, MA'am," said Jane one day suddenly, with ill- concealed complacency, as she counted out the beer bottles, "William, MA'am, is ateetotaller . yes, m'm; and he don't smoke .Smoking, MA'am," said Jane, as one who reads the heart, "_do make such a dust about . beside the waste of money . and_the smell . however, I suppose they got to_do_it-- some_of_them .. ."

William was at first a rather shabby young man of_the ready- made black coat school of costume . he had watery gray eyes, and a complexion appropriate to_the brother of one in a home for_the Dying .Euphemia did_not fancy him very_much, even at_the beginning . his eminent respectability was vouched for by an alpaca umbrella, from_which he never allowed himself to_be parted .

" he goes to chapel," said Jane ." his papa, MA'am----"

" his what_, Jane ? "

" his papa, MA'am, was church: but Mr Maynard is a Plymouth brother, and William thinks it policy, MA'am, to_go there too .Mr Maynard comes and talks to him quite friendly when_they ain't busy, about using up all the ends of string, and about his soul . he takes alot of notice, do Mr Maynard, of William, and_the way he saves his soul, MA'am ."

presently we heard that_the head porter at Maynard's had left, and_that William was head porter at twenty- three shillings a week ." he_is really kind of over the man who drives the van," said Jane, " and him married, with three children ." and she promised in_the pride of her heart to_make interest for_us with William to favour us so_that we_might get our parcels of drapery from Maynard's with exceptional promptitude .

after_this promotion a rapidly-increasing prosperity came upon Jane's young man . one day we learned that Mr Maynard had given William a book ."'Smiles' 'Elp yourself,' it's called," said Jane; " but it ain't comic . it tells you how to_get on in_the_world, and some what William read to_me was _lovely_, MA'am ."

Euphemia told me of_this, laughing, and then she became suddenly grave ." do_you_know, dear," she said, "Jane said one_thing I_did_not like . she had_been quiet for a minute, and then she suddenly remarked, 'William is alot above me, MA'am, ain't he ? '"

"I don't see anything in_that," I_said, though later my eyes were to_be opened .

one Sunday afternoon about_that_time i_was sitting at my writing- desk-- possibly i_was reading a good book-- when a something went by_the window .I heard a startled exclamation behind me, and saw Euphemia with her hands clasped together and her eyes dilated ." George," she said in an awe- stricken whisper, " did you_see ? "

then we both spoke to one another at_the same moment, slowly and solemnly: "_A silk hat ! yellow gloves ! a new umbrella ! "

" it may_be my fancy, dear," said Euphemia; " but his tie was very like yours .I believe Jane keeps him in ties . she told me a little while ago, in a way that implied volumes about_the rest of your costume, ' the master _do wear pretty ties, MA'am .' and he echoes all your novelties ."

the young couple passed our window again on their way to_their customary walk . they were arm in arm .Jane looked exquisitely proud, happy, and uncomfortable, with new white cotton gloves, and William, in_the silk hat, singularly genteel !

that was_the culmination of Jane's happiness . when she returned, " Mr Maynard has_been talking to William, MA'am," she said, " and he_is to_serve customers, just like the young shop gentlemen, during the next sale . and if he gets on, he is_to_be made an assistant, MA'am, at_the first opportunity . he has got to_be as gentlemanly as he_can, MA'am; and if he ain't, MA'am, he_says it won't be for want of trying .Mr Maynard has took a great fancy to him ."

" he_is getting on, Jane," said my wife .

" yes, MA'am," said Jane thoughtfully; " he_is getting on ."

and she sighed .

that next Sunday as I drank my tea I interrogated my wife ." how is_this Sunday different from all other Sundays, little woman ? what has happened ? have_you altered the curtains, or re- arranged the furniture, or where is_the indefinable difference of it ? are_you wearing your hair in a new way without warning me ? I perceive a change clearly, and I_cannot for_the life of me say what it_is ."

then my wife answered in her most tragic voice, " George," she said, " that William has_not come near the place to- day ! and Jane is crying her heart out upstairs ."

there followed a period of silence .Jane, as I_have said, stopped singing about_the house, and began to care for_our brittle possessions, which struck my wife as being a very sad sign indeed . the next Sunday, and_the next, Jane asked to_go out, " to walk with William," and my wife, who never attempts to extort confidences, gave her permission, and asked no questions . on each occasion Jane came back looking flushed and very determined . at last one day she became communicative .

"William is being led away," she remarked abruptly, with acatching of_the breath, apropos of tablecloths ." yes, m'm . she_is a milliner, and she_can play on_the piano ."

" i_thought," said my wife, " that you went out with_him on Sunday ."

" not out with_him, m'm-- after him .I walked along by_the side of_them, and told her he_was engaged to_me ."

" dear me, Jane, did you ? what did they_do ? "

" took no more notice of me than if i_was dirt . so i_told her she should suffer for_it ."

" it could_not have_been a very agreeable walk, Jane ."

" not for no parties, MA'am ."

" i_wish," said Jane, " I_could play the piano, MA'am . but anyhow, I don't mean to let her get him away from me . she's older than him, and her hair ain't gold to_the roots, MA'am ."

it_was on_the August bank holiday that_the crisis came . we_do_not clearly know the details of_the fray, but only such fragments as poor Jane let fall . she came home dusty, excited, and with her heart hot within her .

the milliner's mother, the milliner, and William had made a party to_the art museum at south Kensington, i_think .Anyhow, Jane had calmly but firmly accosted them somewhere in_the streets, and asserted her right to what, in_spite of_the consensus of literature, she held to_be her inalienable property . she did, i_think, go so_far as_to lay hands on him . they dealt with her in a crushingly superior way . they " called a cab ." there_was a"scene," William being pulled away into_the four-wheeler by his future wife and mother- in- law from_the reluctant hands of_our discarded Jane . there were threats of giving her " in charge ."

" my poor Jane ! " said my wife, mincing veal as_though she was mincing William ." it's a shame of_them . i_would think no more of him . he_is_not worthy of you ."

" no, m'm," said Jane ." he_is weak .

" but it's that woman has_done it," said Jane . she was never known to bring herself to pronounce " that woman's" name or to admit her girlishness ." I_can't think what minds some women must_have-- to_try and get a girl's young man away from her . but there, it only hurts to_talk about_it," said Jane .

thereafter our house rested from William . but there_was something in_the manner of Jane's scrubbing the front doorstep or sweeping out the rooms, a certain viciousness, that persuaded me that_the story had_not yet ended .

" please, m'm, may I go and_see awedding tomorrow ? " said Jane one day .

my wife knew by instinct whose wedding ." do_you_think it_is wise, Jane ? " she said .

" i_would like to_see the last of him," said Jane .

" my dear," said my wife, fluttering into my room about twenty minutes after Jane had started, "Jane has_been to_the boot- hole and taken all the left- off boots and shoes, and gone off to_the wedding with_them in a bag . surely she_cannot mean--"

"Jane," I_said, " is developing character . let_us hope for_the best ."

Jane came back with a pale, hard face . all the boots seemed to_be still in her bag, at which my wife heaved a premature sigh of relief . we heard her go upstairs and replace the boots with considerable emphasis .

" quite a crowd at_the wedding, MA'am," she said presently, in a purely conversational style, sitting in_our little kitchen, and scrubbing the potatoes; " and such a lovely day for_them ." she proceeded to numerous other details, clearly avoiding some cardinal incident .

" it_was all extremely respectable and nice, MA'am; but her father didn't wear a black coat, and looked quite out of place, MA'am .Mr Piddingquirk--"

"_Who ? "

" Mr Piddingquirk--William that was, MA'am-- had white gloves, and a coat like a clergyman, and a lovely chrysanthemum . he looked so nice, MA'am . and there_was red carpet down, just like for gentlefolks . and_they say he_gave the clerk four shillings, MA'am . it_was a real kerridge they had-- not a fly . when_they came out of church there_was rice-throwing, and her two little sisters dropping dead flowers . and someone threw a slipper, and then I threw a boot--"

" threw aboot_, Jane ! "

" yes, MA'am .Aimed at her . but it hit him . yes, MA'am, hard .Gev him a black eye, i_should think .I only threw that one .I hadn't the heart to_try again . all the little boys cheered when it hit him ."

after an interval--" I_am sorry the boot hit him ."

another pause . the potatoes were being scrubbed violently ." he always _was a bit above me, you_know, MA'am . and he_was led away ."

the potatoes were more than finished .Jane rose sharply with a sigh, and rapped the basin down on_the table .

"I don't care," she said ."I don't care arap . he_will_find out his mistake yet . it serves me right . i_was stuck up about him .I ought not to_have looked so high . and I_am_glad things are as things are ."

my wife was in_the kitchen, seeing to_the higher cookery . after_the confession of_the boot-throwing, she must_have watched poor Jane fuming with a certain dismay in those brown eyes of hers . but I imagine they softened again very quickly, and then Jane's must_have met them .

"Oh, MA'am," said Jane, with an astonishing change of note, " think of all that might_have_been ! Oh, MA'am, I could_have_been so happy ! I ought_to_have known, but I didn't know .. . you're very kind to let me talk to_you, MA'am .. . for_it's hard on me, MA'am .. . it's har-r-r-r-d--"

and I gather that Euphemia so_far forgot herself as_to let Jane sob out some_of_the fullness of her heart on a sympathetic shoulder . my Euphemia, thank heaven, has never properly grasped the importance of "keeping up her position ." and since that fit of weeping, much of_the accent of bitterness has gone out of Jane's scrubbing and brush work .

indeed, something passed the other day with_the butcher- boy-- but that scarcely belongs to_this story . however, Jane is young still, and time and change are at work with her . we all have our sorrows, but I_do_not believe very_much in_the existence of sorrows that never heal .