w that Mavis
feared she would lose her balance and fall into the street. Then Mavis
heard footsteps and the clatter of a pail in the passage. The door
opened, and the misshapen person who had been rude to her when she was
waiting downstairs appeared.

"Here she is," called this person, at which two men entered with
Mavis's trunks; these they dumped on the floor.

"Thank you," said Mavis.

"Heavy work, miss," remarked one of the men.

"Be off with you," cried the servant.

"Now then, beauty," laughed the other of the men.

"Be off with you; none of your cadging here."

"But they're heavy, and if--" began Mavis.

"It's what they're paid for. Be off with you," snorted the servant.

"There he is!" cried the girl who had been leaning out of the window.

"Motor and all?" asked Mavis.

"Eh! Oh, he hasn't brought the motor; we'll 'ave to take a 'an'som.
Good-bye for the present. My name's Impett--Rose Impett."

"Mine's Keeves," said Mavis, thinking she may as well be agreeable to
those she had to live with. She then went to her boxes and saw that the
odd-looking servant had uncorded them.

"Thank you," said Mavis.

"I dessay it's more than you deserve," remarked the servant.

"I daresay," assented Mavis.

"Let's have a look at you."

"What?"

"You needn't be jealous of me; let's have a look."

The servant urged Mavis to stand by the flaring gas, where she looked
her up and down, Mavis thought maliciously.

"H'm! Wonder how long it'll be before I have to pray for you?"

"Eh!"

"Same as I has to for the others."

"I don't understand."

"Look on the bed; see 'ow they leave their clothes, and such clothes.
That's what their souls is like."

"Indeed!" said Mavis, scarcely knowing what to say.

"All the same, I prays for them, though what God A'mighty thinks o' me
for all the sinners I pray for, I can't think. Supper's downstairs, if
you can eat it; and my name's Bella."

Bella left the room. Mavis thought that she rather liked her than
otherwise, despite her rudeness earlier in the evening. Mavis unpacked
her more immediate requirements before seeking supper in the basement.
She descended to the floor on which was the passage communicating with
the street, but the staircase leading to the supper-room was unlit,
therefore she was compelled to grope her way down; as she did so, she
became aware of a disgusting smell which reminded Mavis of a time at
Brandenburg College when the drains went wrong and