Part 95 (1/2)
”Good morning.”
”Say I made it four and six?”
Mavis made no reply, at which Mrs Bale sat down and began to weep.
”What about the trouble and expense of coming all the way here?” asked Mrs Bale.
”I never asked you to come.”
”Well, I shan't leave this room till you give me six-pence for refreshment to get me to the station.”
”I won't give it to you; I'll give it to Mrs Gowler.”
”An' a lot of it I'd see.”
Mrs Gowler, who had been listening at the door, came into the room and demanded to know what Mrs Bale meant.
Then followed a stream of recriminations, in which each accused the other of a Newgate calendar of crime. Mavis at last got rid of them by giving them threepence each.
Three nights before Mavis left Durley Road, she was awakened by the noise of Jill's subdued growling. Thinking she heard someone outside her room, she went stealthily to the door; she opened it quickly, to find Mrs Gowler on hands and knees before her box, which she was trying to open with a bunch of keys.
”What are you doing?” asked Mavis.
The woman entered into a confused explanation, which Mavis cut short by saying:
”I've heard about your tricks. If I have any more bother from you, I shall go straight from here to the police station.”
”Gawd's truth! Why did I ever take you in?” grumbled Mrs Gowler as she waddled downstairs. ”I might 'ave known you was a cat by the colour of your 'air.”
The time came when Mavis was able to leave Durley Road. Whither she was going she knew not. She paid her bill, refusing to discuss the many extras which Mrs Gowler tried to charge, had her box taken by a porter to the cloak room at the station, dressed her darling baby, said good-bye to Piggy and went downstairs, to shudder as she walked along the pa.s.sage to the front door. She had not walked far, when an ordinary-looking man came up, who barely lifted his hat.
”Can I speak to you, m'am?”
”What is it?”
”You have just left 9 Durley Road?”
”Y-yes.”
”I'm a detective officer. I'm engaged in watching the house. Have you any complaint to make?”
”I don't wish to, thank you.”
”We know all sorts of things go on, but it's difficult to get evidence.”
”I don't care to give you any because--because--”
”I understand, ma'm,” said the man kindly. ”I know what trouble is.”
Mavis was feeling so physically and mentally low with all she had gone through, that the man's kindly words made the tears course down her cheeks.