t turned out,    Maidenlemans plan o serain, in time.    stay in London for anot least, to do the bindings of his books.

        I didnt care mucail of my travelling do t before times    o curday nig drop—t ogs; o me, t I recall standing on Battersea Bridge as s, past o all tryside beyond it, t    trees

        and    a d o    I , and Mrs Sucksby and Mr Ibbs, and go quite aloo a maids pla a hose dark hills, I should have laughed in your face.

        But Gentleman said I must go soon, in case t, by actally taking anoto be . ter o Lant Street    and e    a letter. y of ing, but    to    o e demented e of ers daugers daug to be me: tory    I    my place; t I    for anotress, but ed on every side to go to t if only some softed lady uation far ay—and so on.

        I said, If sleman, s be even sillier t told us.

        But    t a rand and Piccadilly, ory, five niged from t, t Miss Maud Lilly likely to be, all alone and uer?

        Youll see, ter aion, and    to t.

        t begin at oo teach me horoper ladys maid should be.

        First, ts of t t t curls. If you tur iron,    made t er, you

        could make t for a , or lentleman,    tyle too fast for a try lady: ill it ly smoot once—just t in a plain knot at ty il isfied, cyle, as if    us like a regular girl. y and I looked t plain and ba-faced, ures of us in t would be a new way of curdling milk.

        y    s till ging to t it hissing.

        t you do anyto t girl of yours, said Mr Ibbs to Jo make her cry?

        Joo see    makes    the less.

        .

        But e cauglemans plot, despite    time I ever k o be cut,    to t brought poke, he shook his head.

        t do it, my son. Not to-day. Got a little something cooking.

        s of a list t Gentleman    before; t.    runk, t    from a man    the river.

        trunk o take to try. In tuff dress, more or less my size; and a cloak, and sogs; and on top of it all, a e uhings.

        Mr Ibbs only undid tring at t and sat at tcimes to take apart, and po back togetleman, ook out tems one by one, and placed t upon table. Beside table    a kit chair.

        Noart ogs and dra mean, shes naked?

        Dainty put o ittered. Sting at Mrs Sucksbys feet, having her hair re-curled.

        Naked? said Gentleman.    else? S take off    take to bat o receive t o pass her her fresh ones.

        I    t of t o o stand and o a strange bare girl. A strange bare girl    Street, o, and I o grab leman sa say youre squeamish?

        I tossed my o s. ook up a pair of togs, and t of t chair.

        ? he asked me.

        I shrugged. her shimmy, I suppose.

        call it,    make sure to , before ss it on.

        ook t close to tc it carefully above t.

        Noo tie tigs see you do it.

        t about t to    fast, he made me pull

        t t lines of red and we upon my palms, as if I had been whipped.

        says t fasten at t, like a regular girl? said Dainty, g.

        Because tleman, s need a maid. And if s need a maid, s know she was a lady. hey? he winked.

        After t came a camisole, and after t a dicky; tticoats, time of silk. tleman y run upstairs for a bottle of Mrs Sucksbys st, and     .

        And all time I must say:

        ill you raise your arms, miss, for me this frill? and,

        Do you care for it, miss, h a ruffle or a flounce? and,

        Are you ready for it now, miss?

        Do you like it draight?

        S to be tighter?-

        Oh! Five me if I pinch.

        At last,    as a pig. Miss Lilly sat before us    tied ticoats spread out about t rating, of course, about the neck.

        Jo say muc us all time, o his Bramah.

        Sleman, stroking urally s so teac you, darling?

        ted at ts; to t so ly, it looked to me as if ; and as he reached higher his cheek grew

        pink, tle, tcs of its legs faintly s ill.

        t little bitcly.    og.    to me, and yas say its bed-time.

        Joill cy rubbed offee.

        I began at t t of t loose t and eased it free.

        ill you just lift your foot, miss, for me to take this from you?

        ill you breattle softer, miss? and t will e.

        me    for an -iron.

        Spit on ty?    to    gave a sizzle ook out a cigarette, and lit it on t base. tood by and smoked, Mrs Sucksby—s, been a mangling- another hour.

        tlema me upstairs, to put on t P for me. It cairs again I could    one; but Gentleman said it    dress for a sneak or for a servant—and so all t for me, o be both.

        e laug t; and t to groo t ( Dainty see oe and itd and try a curtsey. t sounds. Say    to, it    masters: I seyed before to anyone. Noleman had me

        dipping up and doil I t I sseying came as natural to ladies maids, as passing rick, I s it—and    about t, at least, for I    still dip a proper curtsey, even noo.

        ell. seys ory. to test me, and before    my part, like a girl saying a catechism.

        No is your name?

        Aint it Susan? I said.

        Aint it Susan, w?

        Aint it Susan trinder?

        Aint it Susan, sir. You must remember, I s be Gentleman to you at Briar. I s call me sir; and you must call Mr Lilly sir; and t call miss or Miss Lilly or Miss Maud, as ss you. And    Susan tri may lead to Lant Street if t find you a better sed name—

        Valentine, I said, straig    I tell you? I een. I s. Gentleman heard me, and curled his lip.

        Perfect,    to put you on tage.

        I knoine! I said.

        ts true, said Dainty. Floy Valentine, and ers. Lord, I es t    to be named for them, Sue.

        I bit my finger. Maybe not.

        Certainly not, said Gentleman. A fanciful name mig o everyones notice. e need a    over—an untraceable name, yet one c? Lets make it, Smito be a sort of smiter all. t, I mean.

        ur, and crooked his middle

        finger; and t—fingersmithief, we laughed again.

        At last    fun,    to? Aell me again.    is your name?

        I said it, er.

        Very good. And w is your home?

        My    London, sir, I said. My moty; o be your nurse when you was a boy, sir.

        o detail. Not so good, o style. e . Youre not selling violets. Say it again.

        I pulled a face; but then said, more carefully,

        t used to be your nurse when you were a boy, sir.

        Better, better. And uation, before this?

        itely married and about to go to India, o dress    need me.

        Dear me. You are to be pitied, Sue.

        I believe so, sir.

        And are you grateful to Miss Lilly, for    Briar?

        Oitude aint in it!

        Violets again!     dont    my ss good. Noell me tant.    are your duties ress?

        I must     steal it. I must o     carry oo , s ts for w be    see when she blushes.

        Splendid! And w is your cer?

        as the day

        And , t no-o    know?

        t s sune; and t you, Mr Rivers, will make mine.

        I took s and sseys, my eyes all time on toe of .

        Dainty clapped me. Mrs Sucksby rubbed ogether and said,

        ty, pass me an infant, I    someto squeeze.

        Gentleman stepped aside and lit a cigarette. Not bad,    bad, at all. A little fining dos needed noer.

        Later? I said. Oleman, aint you finis? If Miss Lilly will he sake of pleasing you, why should she care how fined down I am?

        S mind,    put an apron on C it is not only    you aff.

        I said, aff? I    t of this.

        Of course,    self? First of all teward, Mr ay—

        Mr ay! said Jo. Do they call him Milky?

        No, said Gentleman. urned bae. Mr ay,    trouble you muc tiles, tudy you a little    be careful cable-boys and gardeners—but you s see muc them.

        I looked at    t t a s, t I so play the maid for?

        Mrs Sucksby    like dougleman, s looking over. You did keep very dark about ts last night.

        ail, he said.

        A detail? t    you    all.

        But it oo late no day Gentleman     a letter, from Miss Lilly.

        it at t-offi ty. Our neig er e to t it, and broug back, and ope o —Mr Ibbs only drumming tle on table-top, by w he was nervous; and so grew more nervous myself.

        tter ,    o e; and ful o lemen ful as him!

        on very badly, sant    and dull; pero urned. As for leman tilted tter, tter to catc.—As for o be able to tell    Agnes looked set not to die after all—

        e    and dre    in t t tleman smiled. t about to die; but s so loo Cork.

        God bless taking out his handkerchief and wiping his head.

        Gentleman read on.

        I so see te. I so me, at once. I am grateful

        to anyone for remembering me. I am not over-used to people ts. If so me, Mr Rivers, because so me from London, t .

        ter to    bad forttered in t of the lamps.

        It urned out, of course, just as the clever devil had promised.

        t nig o be my last nig Lant Street, and t nigs t    to lead to Gentlemans seg of Miss Lillys fortu nig out for a    roast supper, and put irons to    in tion.

        tuffed at te of mine, and got in my ook to tep, put up ooped to s, and I    at ts of my    s from il it sang; t to Mrs Sucksby and s t. Sleman; t for Joy; and t e parts, for herself and for me.

        It , as Ive said, in my , I dont kno; per    Mrs Sucksby o eat it,    pigs    self—o be grimag, rats eyes and tles of its snout gummed broreacly tears—but as    about table, I greleman teased, and ly to work on e, and

        Mrs Sucksby    ly to e.

        I gave o Dainty. S to John. he snapped his jaws and howled, like a dog.

        Ao make flip. ook to take ting of t off, ting tting fire to to see it done and , like ture in a toy-shop window.

        e sat, and everyoalked and laug a fi    rat, and no-one seemed to notice. At last Mrs Sucksby patted omad said,

        ont you give us a tune, Mr Ibbs, to put to bed by?

        Mr Ibbs could tle, for an    a go.    acarted up arpaulin Jacket. Mrs Sucksby il    broken.    at sea.—Lost to he Bermudas.

        lets , for e maudlis see ters    of a dance.

        Mr Ibbs struck up uy got up and pusy. til ts upon telpiece jumped and t rose inc t. Gentleman stood and leaned and cte, calling , Jo call, laugo a terrier in a fig on.

        o join t. t

        made me sneeze and, after all, t ed too    by a glass and a plate of morsels of meat for Mr Ibbss sister, and I said I , dear girl, sill clapping out t. I took te and tairs.

        It epping out of , to leave our kitcers nig ter ao one or t    go back to join ttle o t up t pair of stairs, to ttle attic I had been born in.

        tonig rips et on it. t for a bit of blue oil-clot acked to catd. tand, at t, coat and a s, of Gentlemans, and one or t; t cs, t e linen spilling from it. On t of a c, a packet of cigarettes, and sealing-. ttle, like toffee.

        t curtain upon it, aken off, for a terpa    from a burning ill smelt of ders. I took it up and put it about my s tood at t at t ther was hanged.

        t fe upon it, and I o it, to make turn to dirty er. I could still catcle and the bounce of

        Daintys feet, but before me treets of t at a ern of a coac t of all t must be trange and ordinary lives—in otreets, in ter parts of London. I t of Maud Lilly, in     kno I anding, plotting y arren and Jo.

        o make out t t in a fig, , s figty. S from fig ting bad meat. Just o of bad meat killed    like t.

        But, sleman    t    to.

        I tried a curtain made me clumsy. I tried again. I began to s, in sudden fear.

        tcsteps on tair, and t ans again, upon ttic stairs, and t of tle—only a little, for s sout.

        Are you ly. And all on your ohe dark?

        S    all t I —at tlemans boots ahen she

        came to me, and put o my c as if sickled or pinc stop—I said:

        if I aint up to it, Mrs Sucksby?    if I t do it? Suppose I lose my nerve a you doy, after all?

        So t and sil it rested in    back tain from my croked my hen.

        Aint it a long o go? I said, looking up at her face.

        Not so far, she answered.

        Shere?

        Srand of    was caug my ear.

        Every minute, sly. Aint you my o I    you sleman by you. I s you go, for any ordinary villain.

        t rue, at least. But still my    beat fast. I t again of Maud Lilly, sitting siging for me to e and unlace ays and goy had said.

        I c t I to do it, t it a very mean trick, and shabby?

        So t, and not given it a t. And I kno also    o see you doing it now.

        t made me tful. For a minute,    and said not I asked     Lant Street, amongst all t ever. I said, in a whisper,

        Do you t s, Mrs Sucksby, whey drop you?

        ill. t started up stroking, sure as before. She said,

        I s feel not t your neck. Raticklis.

        ticklish?

        Say then, pricklish.

        Still    smoothing.

        But    it then?

        Sed cted, whe drop is opened.

        I t of t c. tc, like monkeys on sticks.

        But it es t quick at t, s on t I rat take t of it. And o dropping a lady— in suc the quicker?

        I looked up at     striking    made o my s.

        tilted er, quite beo e to t, Sue. I s, of all t go, t .

        S; and then she winked.

        S, and seemed to mean it.

        I do sometimes    only    to be kind.

        But I didnt t t    loose; and tcime    upon tairs, and tys voice.

        you ing for a dance? Mr Ibbs     old laugh down here.

        woke

        Mrs Sucksby said t so t bae I did dance, leman as my partner. z-step. igy, and    tcleman all time still calling, Go it, Joopping oo rub a bit of butter on o keep tle s.

        day, at midday, s of stuff into trunk and    . I leman could teacer tory and my ne o be done, and as I sat taking my last meal in t kitc, t ratoo dried, and ging to my gums—Gentleman did it.    from e me out a cer.

        e it off in a moment. Of course, o faking papers.    up for to dry, t out. It began:

        to , May fair, reends Miss Susan Smit    on like t, I fet t of it, but it sounded all rigo me.    flat again and sig in a ladys curling    to Mrs Sucksby.

        do you t get Sue uation?

        But Mrs Sucksby said s o judge it.

        You kno, dear boy, she said, looking away.

        Of course, if ook    Lant Street, it    cer tle do e sometimes, to boil to es of to do for us all. e couldnt .

        So Mrs Sucksby leman read it time, t me, t and sealed it and put it in my trunk. I s of my dried meat and bread, and fastened my cloak. to say good-bye to. Joy never got up before one. Mr Ibbs o crack a safe at Bo    it straig o my fad smiled.

        God bless you, Sue! she said. You are making us rich!

        But ted from urned ao ears.

        take o Gentleman. take    let me see it!

        And so     my so o take me to a cab-stand and drive me to tation at Paddington, and see me on my train.

        t    so often I got to cross ter, and I said I so o look at t I s t. At t seemed    of all. You could see t Pauls, ter; you could see all ty, but not t or made like shadows.

        Queer to tleman, peering over t.

        e    bargained on t made traffic sloo a craer ty mio cat; noepping fast across some great square, , and ter, ahe clap-

        pers and t rung t h flan-

        nel.

        raturn around, I said, and try again tomorrow?

        But Gentleman said trap sent out to Marloo meet my train tter be late, , t arrive at all.

        But after all, o Paddington at last rains all delayed and made slo like traffic:    anotil t tol train—rain as far as Maide off and join anoto be boarded. e stood beig clock, fidgeting and blo lamps t team, it drifted from arco arc very poor. t; t streaked by birds. I t it very gloomy, for so grand a place. And of course, t press of people beside us, all ing and cursing, or jostling by, or letting ts.

        Fuck tleman in a oe. ooped to    from , traig up a cigarette, turned .    tes, as if stained , at t moment, look like a man a girl would go silly over.

        obacco, too, rand t o my eye and s forms—e for you and me, soon.

        I looked az    before; no Street and Mrs Sucksby and Mr Ibbs, amongst all t    us,    aner, and I o me. And again I almost said t urn round and go    I knew

        t if I did emper; and so, I did not.

        off for a piddle, and I    off for a piddle of my oidying my skirts; and    out tarted up and    sing rusing train. e    leman leadio a sed-class coak to took a place beside a out farmer-types. I to see me get on, for of course, me being dressed so    and ely, s tell— I    beside t by me. tilted and creaked, and    back our ared at ts of dust and varnis tumbled from t above.

        te and tting aboard I    Gentleman. uro talk o the open window and said,

        Im afraid you may be very late, Sue. But I trap    for you at Marlo . You must    it will

        I kne o it , a a rush of misery and fear. I said quickly,

        e    you? And see me to the house?

        But ? ypes, tc , and , alking to a girl like me about it.

        ter climbed dole, train gave a o move off.

        Gentleman lifted up    and folloil t up its speed; t up—I sa    ba, t up o s to traps; t o t its beak to ts cage. to cry. It cried for half an hour.

        Aint you got any gin? I said to t last.

        Gin? s    so pleased to ting by y bitcer all.

        tering bird; and ted; and ts; and types—rain jerk and    and arrive at Maidens time, so t I missed one Marlorain and must    for t one—, my journey c broug Briar in time to take a servants tea t    dinner of bread and dried meat, at noon: it uy gums t I s    Maideation t like Paddington, alls and a pastry-cooks stles, and t    on my trunk. My eyes stung, from turned a . Dont cry, he said, smiling.

        I aint g! I said.

        hen asked me my name.

        It o flirt in to in to ans at t at t, but ried for an o catcy saying t s on a train once, leman near, and rousers and so ; and s, and he had given her a pound. I wondered

        o toucouc, or w.

        But the pound, where I was headed!

        Any y o spend    and kno only sell it on o bury her.

        ell, train c if rousers open I never sa last ilted    to me and got off. tops after t, and at every one someone else got off, from furtrain; and no-o on. tations greil finally t t a tree—to see anyrees, and beyond t bro sky above it. And    about at t, and t a sky naturally could be, train stopped a final time; and t was Marlow.

        off save me. I    passenger of all. top, and came to lift dorunk. he said,

        Youll    t carrying. Is to meet you?

        I told o be a man rap, to take me up to Briar. rap t came to fetc? t would hree hours before. he looked me over.

        e do for Briar. I told rap will have e and gone.

        tll    ll hree hours back.

        I stood and s    queer, and t I say it?—tons.

        I said, Aint take me?

        A cab-man? said ted it to ts a cab-man!

        A cab-man!

        til took out a    Marlow!

        Ohe pair of you.

        And I caugrunk and    to    must be t Mr ay kno you. See w ongue down here—!

        I t say    to do . I did not knoo Briar. I did not even knoo take. London y miles away, and I was afraid of cows and bulls.

        But after all, try roads arent like city o four of to tarted to ed up a lantern, to look at my face.

        Youll be Susan Smitting after you all day.

        ook my trunk and o t beside ruck by t me sartan bla for me to put about my legs.

        It o Briar, and ook it at an easy sort of trot, smoking a pipe. I told    till somet, even norains.

        s London. Knos fogs, aint it? Been muco try before?

        Not much, I said.

        Been maiding in ty,    one? Pretty good, I said.

        Rum , for a ladys maid, o France ever?

        I took a sed, smoot out over my lap. Once or twice, I said.

        S kind of    the leg, I mean.

        Noo please illiam Inker, Sis so, he said.

        tly quiet and perfectly dark, and I imagiolling of a bell—a very mournful sound, it seemed to me at t moment, not like t tolled imes.

        ts t in sileer t, and in a little time ook a road t ran beside it. Soon t arc ted    a grand enoug not so grand nor so grim perlema. But    from me and reak, he said,

        ait up, s, o a man    t, Mr Mack. You may s te be last.

        t ared, saying not it, betrees, t curved as to a kind of    o clear a little, on try lanes—gre gre it, damp, upon my face, upon my lashes and lips; and closed my eyes.

        tared again. t from betrees into a gravel clearing, and    and straigark out of ts ered, and its o ts c    I must now call my home.

        e did not cross before t, but kept o took up a la sered e fad great black riking across t, illiam Inker pulled tood gazing at us,    the cold.

        tiles, rap e, said illiam. e crossed to join    a little    I saer, and t.

        to a passage, and to a great, brigc five times tt Street, and s set in roable sat a boy, a    me. tudied my bo and t of my cloak. ts    trouble myself to study them.

        Mrs Stiles said, ell, youre about as late as you could be. Any longer and you so stay at the village. e keep early hours here.

        S fifty, e cap    quite looking in your eye as so you. S    . Plain, old-fashem.

        I made sey. I did not say—urned back at Paddington;

        t I    for ao ime t I rying to get forty miles from Londoo prove t Londo to be left—I did not say t.    I said was:

        Im sure, Im very grateful t trap    at all. t table tittered to     turned out—got up a about making me a supper-tray. illiam Inker said,

        Miss Smitty fine pla London, Mrs Stiles. And simes in France. iles.

        Only one or times, I said. Now everyone would suppose I ing.

        S in tiles gave a nod. t table tittered again, and one of t made t tray iles said,

        Margaret, you    carry to my pantry. Miss Smitake you to w splash your hands and face.

        I took to mean t so took me do passage, to anot    in it h paper on a spike.

        took me to tle room. It e , and a picture of a sailor in a frame, t I supposed er Stiles, gone off to Sea; and anoture, of an angel, doirely in black    I presumed iles, gone off to Glory. S and cake my supper. It ton, minced, and bread-and-butter; and you may imagi, being so    . As I ate, t I    nine. I said, Does t?

        Mrs Stiles nodded. All nig t out.

        And Miss Lilly? I said, pig crumbs from t does she like?

        S her uncle likes, she answered.

        then she rearranged her lips. She said,

        Youll kno Miss Maud is quite a young girl, for all t sress of t s dont trouble s anso me. I so knoress—but t do as se over my ter. Quite over my     t perfectly urns out.

        I said, I am sure    turn out well.

        S staff of servants, to make sure t it does. t ake to it. I dont kno place. I dont kno say. But if you mind my otable-boys, of course, I alking han you    help

        S on like t for a quarter of an ime, as I ioned, never quite e    take my meals, and    my underclotea t eapot, s    of t ladys maid to pass on to tcicks: to be given to Mr ay. And Mr ay , si    to C to Cook.

        t Miss Maud leaves in and, oo dry to raise a lathose you may keep.

        ell, ts servants for you—altle patdle-ends and soap! If I e felt it before, I k o be in expectations of thousand pounds.

        t if I o so my room. But so ask me to be very quiet as , for Mr Lilly liked a silent    bear upset, and Miss Maud    of     like     alloful.

        So sook up ook up my dle, and s into taircase. ts    alake, unless Miss Maud directs you otherwise.

        read greer t. At last, o a door, t so my room. Putting urhe handle.

        I    particularly    one, no, since I must    er, perer dogs. But tel and, before t    it up—runk.

        quite tig.    lead? I asked Mrs Stiles, t migo anot.

        ts to Miss Mauds room, she said.

        I said, Miss Maud is there, asleep in her bed?

        Per rat Mrs Stiles gave a s just tle.

        Miss Maud sleeps very poorly, sly. If s, to go to    call out for you, since you are a strao    Margaret in a cside    sake her

        tomorro, you ust be ready to be called in and examined. She said she hoped Miss Maud would find me pleasing. I said I

        did, too.

        S me, t very softly, but at to put o t , and gree cold: for s once like notron of a gaol. I said, before I could stop myself:

        Youre not going to lock me in?

        Lock you in? sh a frown. hy should I do

        t?

        I said I didnt kno me.

        I ! I t.

        t upon t s    maid left ina. It oo dark to see. Mrs Stiles aken    my dle do and made great black sened my cloak, but kept it draped about my sravelling; and ten oo late—it sat in my stomac. It en oclock. e laug people o bed before midnig home.

        I mig in gaol, I t. A gaol    troubled your ears. And    to tside, you nearly faio see ables, ill and quiet the land beyond.

        I remembered ttering at a     t light had shone from.

        I opened my trunk, to look at all t I     Street—but tticoats and s Gentleman ake. I took off my dress, and for a sed

        against my face. t mi I found t Dainty    t    t t.

        I t of t Mrs Sucksby e as strange as I kne o imagiiing it, perirely.

        If I    of girl, I sainly .

        But I ears. I y nig my cloak ba above it, and stood in my stogs and my unbuttoned s t door at t t. I    a key on    turned. I    a and looked—and    go and do it? But oe, and stoop to t, a s, no sign of any kind of sleeping or ful girl, or anything.

        I    raig my ear flat to t-beat, and tig must le in the wood.

        Beyond t, tened for a minute, maybe t up. I took off my sers and got into bed: ts    damp, like ss of pastry. I put my cloak over tra    I mig, if someone came at me in t and I ed to run. You never kne burning. If Mr ay o plain t t ub less, too bad.

        Even a ts. till danced about. try ss stayed cold. t clock souen—eleven— eleven—t Street, home.
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