I  always  was  in  the  gutter.  I  was  in  the  gutter  when
I  married  and  my  husband  boarded  and  lodged  me  to
be  his  favourite.  I  was  in  the  gutter  when  I  had  to
kow-tow  to  underbred  people ;  to  be  a  companion  is
to  prostitute  friendship.  You  don't  mind  that,  do
you  ?  I  was  in  the  gutter  in  the  tea  shops,  when  I
decoyed  men  into  coming  to  the  place  because  they
coidd  touch  me,  breathe  me.     I'm  u\  *h.e  gutter  now,


A  BED  OF  ROSES  241

but  I'm  in  the  right  one.  I've  found  the  one  that's
going  to  make  me  free.'

Edward  was  shaken  by  her  passion.
'  You'll  never  be  free,'  he  faltered,  *  you're  an
outcast.'

'  An  outcast  from  what  ? '  sneered  Victoria.  '  From
society?  What  has  society  done  for  me?  It's
kicked  me,  it's  bled  me.  It's  made  me  work  ten
hours  a  day  for  eight  bob  a  week.  It'd  have  sucked
me  dry  and  offered  me  the  workhouse,  or  the  Thames
at  the  end.    It  made  me  almost  a  cripple.'

Edward  stared.
*  Yes,'  said  Victoria  savagely.  *  That  makes  you
squirm,  sentimentalist.     Look  at  that ! '

She  put  her  foot  on  a  chair,  tucked  up  her  skirt,
tore  down  the  stocking.  Purplish  still,  the  veins
stood  out  on  the  firm  white  flesh.
Edward  clenched  both  his  hands  and  looked  away.
A  look  of  pain  was  in  his  eyes.
