ARABIAN NIGHTS FOR TURGIS 347

as if she was out, after all In despair, he tried the bell
for 4. Instantly, a light was switched on in the hall, and
the door—there was only one door for both flats—flung
open.

"Is it you here again, young man/' cried an enormous
woman in an apron, standing there. "Because if it is,
I've to give you the mistress's word that she's paying
out no more money for the machine because the girl that
could work it has left and it's no use to us at all the way
we are now, and not another penny will she pay out for
it, so take it itself and leave us in peace/'

"I don't know anything about your machine," Turgis
told her.

"Aren't you the same young man? Well, you're the
very image of him."

"I want to see Miss Golspie." .

"The young lady above, isn't it? Then ring the other
bell, with the a on it, and she'll hear it soon enough."

"But I've been ringing it," he explained. "I've rung
it about six times."

"For the love of God!" cried the enormous woman
coming out and looking at the bell-push, as if that might
explain something. "Haven't they got that bell of theirs
ringing yet? Every time it's us, it's really them. Come
inside, young man, come inside, or if we stand here talk-
ing another minute the mistress'll be raising Cain the
way she'll say she's destroyed with the draught. Does
she know you're coming at all?"

"Yes, she does," replied Turgis, following her into the
hall "I've been sent to see her on business. It's very
important. I hope she's in/'

"Ah, she's in, too, because I heard the mistress say
she was going to see her. At the top of the stairs you'll