Wellwyn.  Are your feet wet? [She nods.] Well, sit down here, and take them off.  That’s right.

[She sits on the stool.  And after a slow look up at him, which has in it a deeper knowledge than belongs of right to her years, begins taking off her shoes and stockings.  Wellwyn goes to the door into the house, opens it, and listens with a sort of stealthy casualness.  He returns whistling, but not out loud.  The girl has finished taking off her stockings, and turned her bare toes to the flames.  She shuffles them back under her skirt.]

Wellwyn.  How old are you, my child?

Mrs. Megan.  Nineteen, come Candlemas.

Wellwyn.  And what’s your name?

Mrs. Megan.  Guinevere.

Wellwyn.  What?  Welsh?

Mrs. Megan.  Yes—­from Battersea.

Wellwyn.  And your husband?

Mrs. Megan.  No.  Irish, ’e is.  Notting Dale, ’e comes from.

Wellwyn.  Roman Catholic?

Mrs. Megan.  Yes.  My ’usband’s an atheist as well.

Wellwyn.  I see. [Abstractedly.] How jolly!  And how old is he—­this young man of yours?

Mrs. Megan.  ’E’ll be twenty soon.

Wellwyn.  Babes in the wood!  Does he treat you badly?

Mrs. Megan.  No.

Wellwyn.  Nor drink?

Mrs. Megan.  No.  He’s not a bad one.  Only he gets playin’ cards then ’e’ll fly the kite.

Wellwyn.  I see.  And when he’s not flying it, what does he do?

Mrs. Megan. [Touching her basket.] Same as me.  Other jobs tires ’im.

Wellwyn.  That’s very nice! [He checks himself.] Well, what am I to do with you?

Mrs. Megan.  Of course, I could get me night’s lodging if I like to do—­the same as some of them.

Wellwyn.  No! no!  Never, my child!  Never!

Mrs. Megan.  It’s easy that way.

Wellwyn.  Heavens!  But your husband!  Um?

Mrs. Megan. [With stoical vindictiveness.] He’s after one I know of.

Wellwyn.  Tt!  What a pickle!

Mrs. Megan.  I’ll ’ave to walk about the streets.

Wellwyn. [To himself.] Now how can I?

     [Mrs. Megan looks up and smiles at him, as if she had already
     discovered that he is peculiar.]

Wellwyn.  You see, the fact is, I mustn’t give you anything—­because —­well, for one thing I haven’t got it.  There are other reasons, but that’s the—­real one.  But, now, there’s a little room where my models dress.  I wonder if you could sleep there.  Come, and see.

     [The Girl gets up lingeringly, loth to leave the warmth.  She
     takes up her wet stockings.]