r jaws were
closed; some of these teeth were missing, but whole ones and stumps
alike were discoloured with decay. It was her eyes which chiefly
repelled Mavis: pupil, iris, and the part surrounding this last, were
all of the same colour, a hard, bilious-looking green. Her face
suggested to Mavis a flayed pig's head, such as can be seen in pork
butchers' shops. As if this were not enough to disgust Mavis, the
woman's manner soon lost the geniality with which she had greeted her;
she stood still and impassively by Mavis, who could not help believing
that Mrs Gowler was attentively studying her from her hat to her shoe
leather.

Mavis began her story, to be interrupted by a repressed cry of pain
proceeding from the partly open door on the right. Mrs Gowler quickly
closed it.

Mavis resumed her story. When she got to the part where her supposed
husband was in America, Mrs Gowler impatiently interrupted her by
saying:

"Where 'e's making a 'ome for you."

"How did you know?" asked the astonished Mavis.

"It's always the way; we've lots of 'em like that here, occasionals and
regulars."

"Occasionals and regulars!"

"Lor' bless you, some of 'em comes as punctual as the baked potato man
in October. When was you expectin'?"

"I'm not quite certain," replied Mavis, at which Mrs Gowler plied her
with a number of questions, leading the former to remark presently:

"I guess you're due next Friday two weeks. To prevent accidents, you'd
better come on the Wednesday night. If you like to book a bed, I'll see
it's kep'."

"But what are your charges?"

"'Ow much can you afford?"

After discussion, it was arranged that, if Mavis decided to stay with
Mrs Gowler for three weeks certain, she was to pay twenty-two shillings
a week, this sum to include the woman's skilled attendance and nursing,
together with bed and board. In the event of Mavis wanting medical
advice, Mrs Gowler had an arrangement with a doctor by which he charged
the moderate fee of a shilling a visit to any of her patients that
required his services. The extreme reasonableness of the terms inclined
Mavis to decide on going to Mrs Gowler's.

"There's only one thing," she said: "I've a dog; she's a great pet and
quite clean. If you wouldn't object to her coming, I might--"

"Bring her: bring her. Is she having dear little puppies?"

"Oh dear, no."

"A pity. The more the merrier. I love work."

This decided Mavis. With considerable misgiving, but spurr