"Elzbieta is," said Marija, "when she can. I take care
of them most of the time -- I'm making plenty of money
now."

Jurgis was silent for a moment. "Do they know you
live here -- how you live?" he asked.

"Elzbieta knows," answered Marija. "I couldn't lie to
her. And maybe the children have found out by this
time. It's nothing to be ashamed of -- we can't help
it."

"And Tamoszius?" he asked. "Does _he_ know?"

Marija shrugged her shoulders. "How do I know?"
she said. "I haven't seen him for over a year. He got
blood-poisoning and lost one finger, and couldn't play the
violin any more; and then he went away."

Marija was standing in front of the glass fastening her
dress. Jurgis sat staring at her. He could hardly believe
that she was the same woman he had known in the old
days; she was so quiet -- so hard! It struck fear to his
heart to watch her.

Then suddenly she gave a glance at him. "You look
as if you had been having a rough time of it yourself,"
she said.

"I have," he answered. "I haven't a cent in my
pockets, and nothing to do."

"Where have you been?"

"All over. I've been hoboing it. Then I went back
to the yards -- just before the strike." He paused for a
moment, hesitating. "I asked for you," he added. "I
found you had gone away, no one knew where. Perhaps
you think I did you a dirty trick, running away as I did,
Marija--"

"No," she answered, "I don't blame you. We never
have -- any of us. You did your best -- the job was too
much for us." She paused a moment, then added: "We
were too ignorant -- that was the trouble. We didn't
stand any chance. If I'd known what I know now
we'd have won out."

"You'd have come here?" said Jurgis.

"Yes," she answered; "but that's not what I meant.

[[347]]

p346 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p347w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p348

v?