Pulteney Street in safety; but in leaving it she took a wrong
turning and lost herself in a labyrinth of courts where a few
workmen, a great many workmen's wives and mothers, and innumerable
workmen's children were passing the summer evening at gossip and
play. She explained her predicament to one of the women, who sent a
little boy wilh her to guide her. Business being over for the day,
the street to which the boy led her was almost deserted. The only
shop that seemed to be thriving was a public-house, outside which a
few roughs were tossing for pence.

Lydia's guide, having pointed out her way to her, prepared to return
to his playmates. She thanked him, and gave him the smallest coin in
her purse, which happened to be a shilling. He, in a transport at
possessing what was to him a fortune, uttered a piercing yell, and
darted off to show the coin to a covey of small ragamuffins who had
just raced into view round the corner at which the public-house
stood. In his haste he dashed against one of the group outside, a
powerfully built young man, who turned and cursed him. The boy
retorted passionately, and then, overcome by pain, began to cry.
When Lydia came up the child stood whimpering directly in her path;
and she, pitying him, patted him on the head and reminded him of all
the money he had to spend. He seemed comforted, and scraped his eyes
with his knuckles in silence; but the man, who, having received a
sharp kick on the ankle, was stung by Lydia's injustice in according
to the aggressor the sympathy due to himself, walked threateningly
up to her and demanded, with a startling oath, whether HE had
offered to do anything to the boy. And, as he refrained from
applying any epithet to her, he honestly believed that in deference
to Lydia's sex and personal charms, he had expressed himself with
studied moderation. She, not appreciating his forbearance, recoiled,