Part 14 (1/2)
”Taste and try: you've only to go right to the bottom of the 'ouse.
Excuse me.”
Here the swarthy young woman leaned so far out of the window 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 pa.s.sage. 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,” a.s.sented 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.”