Part 45 (2/2)
”If my head wasn't so bad, I'd go at once,” remarked Mavis, who liked Miss Ewer less and less.
The woman took no notice of Mavis' ungracious speech: she was staring hard at Mavis' shoes.
”Fancy wearin' that lovely dress with them tuppenny shoes!” cried Miss Ewer suddenly.
”They are rather worn.”
”Oh, you young fool! Beginner, I s'pose.”
”I beg your pardon.”
”Must be. No one else could be such a fool. Don't you know the gentlemen is most particular about underclothes, stockings and shoes?”
”It's a matter of utter indifference to me what the 'gentlemen' think,”
said Mavis with conviction.
”Go on!”
”Very well, if you don't believe me, you needn't.”
”Here, I say, what are you?” asked Miss Ewer. ”Tell me, and then we'll know where we stand.”
”Tell you what?”
”Are you a naughty girl or a straight girl?”
”What do you mean?”
”Straight girls is them as only takes presents like silk stockings an'
gloves from the gentlemen, like them girls in 'Dawes'.”
”Girls in 'Dawes'!” echoed Mavis.
”They do a lot of 'arm; but yet you can't blame 'em: gentlemen will pay for anything rather than plank money down to them naughty girls as live by it.”
”While I'm here, do you mind talking about something else?” asked Mavis angrily.
”I 'ave it. I 'ave it,” cried Miss Ewer triumphantly. ”You're one of the lucky ones. You're kep'.”
”I beg your pardon.”
”And good luck to you. Don't drink, keep him loving and generous, and put by for a rainy day, my dear: an' good luck to you.”
”I'm well enough to go now,” said Mavis, as she rose with something of an effort.
”Eh!”
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