she screamed "There, then--there goes one of
your plates!"

She dashed it to the floor.

"You _won't_ go away?--There goes one of you dishes!--and there goes a
basin!--And there goes a tea-cup!"

One after another, the things she named perished upon the floor. Mrs.
Cross stood paralysed, horror-stricken.

"You think you'll make me pay for them?" cried Martha frantically. "Not
me--not me! It's you as owes me money--money for all the work I've done
as wasn't in my wages, and for the food as I haven't had, when I'd
ought to. What do you call _that_?" She pointed to a plate of something
on the kitchen table. "Is that a dinner for a human being, or is it a
dinner for a beetle? D'you think I'd eat it, and me with money in my
pocket to buy better? You want to make a walkin' skeleton of me, do
you?--but I'll have it out of you, I will--There goes another dish! And
_here_ goes a sugar-basin! And here goes your teapot!"

With a shriek of dismay, Mrs. Cross sprang forward. She was too late to
save the cherished object, and her aggressive movement excited Martha
to yet more alarming behaviour.

"You'd hit me, would you? Two can play at that game--you old skinflint,
you! Come another step nearer, and I'll bring this poker on your head!
You thought you'd get somebody you could do as you liked with, didn't
you? You thought because I was willing, and tried to do my best, as I
could be put upon to any extent, did you? It's about time you learnt
your mistake, you old cheese-parer! You and me has an account to
settle. Let me get at you--let me get at you--"

She brandished the poker so menacingly that Mrs. Cross turned and fled.
Martha pursued, yelling abuse and threats. The mistress vainly tried to
shut the sitting-room door against her; in broke the furious maid, and
for a moment so handled her weapon that Mrs. Cross with difficulty
escaped a dangerous blow. Round and round the table they went, until,
the cloth having been dragged off, Martha's feet caught in it, and she
fell heavily to the floor. To escape from the room, the terrified lady
must have stepped over her. For a moment there was silence. Then Martha
made an attempt to rise, fell again, again struggled to her knees, and
finally collapsed, lying quite still and mute.

Trembling, panting, Mrs. Cross moved cautiously nearer, until she could
see the girl's face. Martha was asleep, unmistakably asleep; she had
even begun to snore. Avoiding her contact with as much disgust