in the house; and died very gradually。 I asked her if his death
wasnt a great trouble to her。 Well; she said; he was very
fretful towards the last; never satisfied; never easy; always
fret…fretting; an never knowing what would satisfy him。 So in
one way it was a relief when it was over……for him and for
everybody。 They had only been married two years; and she has
one boy。 I asked her if she hadnt been very happy。 Oh; yes;
sir; we was very fortable at first; till he took
bad……oh; we was very fortable……oh; yes……but;
you see; you get used to it。 Ive had my father and two brothers
go off just the same。 You get used to it。〃
〃Its a horrible thing to get used to;〃 said Winifred Inger;
with a shudder。
〃Yes;〃 he said; still smiling。 〃But thats how they are。
Shell be getting married again directly。 One man or
another……it does not matter very much。 Theyre all
colliers。〃
〃What do you mean?〃 asked Ursula。 〃Theyre all colliers?〃
〃It is with the women as with us;〃 he replied。 〃Her husband
was John Smith; loader。 We reckoned him as a loader; he reckoned
himself as a loader; and so she knew he represented his job。
Marriage and home is a little side…show。
〃The women know it right enough; and take it for what its
worth。 One man or another; it doesnt matter all the world。 The
pit matters。 Round the pit there will always be the sideshows;
plenty of em。〃
He looked round at the red chaos; the rigid; amorphous
confusion of Wiggiston。
〃Every man his own little side…show; his home; but the pit
owns every man。 The women have what is left。 Whats left of this
man; or what is left of that……it doesnt matter altogether。
The pit takes all that really matters。〃
〃It is the same everywhere;〃 burst out Winifred。 〃It is the
office; or the shop; or the business that gets the man; the
woman gets the bit the shop cant digest。 What is he at home; a
man? He is a meaningless lump……a standing machine; a
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