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They climbed to the top of the house。 Mrs。 Brandon displayed a dark sulky little room with damp of the tomb clinging to its wall。
〃Ten bob a week；〃 she said。 She sunk her voice to a confidential whisper。 〃The best of this 'ouse is that you can do what you like。 No one minds and no one sees。 'Them as lives in glass 'ouses。' That's what I say。〃
〃I'll take it；〃 said Maggie。
〃You'll be wanting a key； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Brandon； suddenly very friendly。 〃To let yerself in an' out at nights。 I'll fetch yer one。〃
She did。 Maggie thanked her。
〃I wonder；〃 she said； 〃whether you have such a thing as a small basket you could lend me。 I'm going out to buy one or two necessaries。〃
〃Certingly；〃 said Mrs。 Brandon； all smiles。 〃Certingly； and anythink else you'll be needing。 All you've got to do is ter ask。〃
This settled； Maggie departed on her shopping expedition。 She was still driven by a curious clarity and decision as to what she wanted to do。 She felt as though she could conquer the world to…day and then parcel it out equitably and with success amongst the greedy kings of the earth。 What were kings to her now that she had found Martin？ Less than the dust 。 。 。
Lynton Street offered her nothing but dirty and grime…stained windows； but she found her way into King Edward Street； and here there were many shops。 She had not very much money actually upon her； and the remainder of her precious three hundred was locked up in a bank in Skeaton； but it was a bank that had； she knew； branches in London。 She looked in her purse and found that she had three pounds； twelve shillings and sixpence。 Martin must have his meals upon something other than paper； so the probability was that there was crockery of a kind in his roomor perhaps Mrs。 Brandon supplied it。 Nevertheless Maggie's first purchases were a blue teapot； two blue plates； and two blue cups and saucers。
As to food she must get something that could be cooked easily on his fire。 She bought three of the freshest possible eggs； half a dozen sausages； a loaf of bread； half a pound of butter； two pots of jam； one pot of marmalade； some apples； a pound of tea； a pound of sugar。
〃This will do as a start；〃 she said to herself。
She was just about to turn into Lynton Street when she stopped at a flower shop。 In the window； smiling at her most fragrantly under the gas…light was a white hyacinth in a blue pot。 It seemed to speak to her with； the same significance as once the ring with the three pearls； as though it said： 〃You've got to use me。 I'm a link in the chain。〃
She went in and asked its price； not very much； considering the splendour of the blue pot。 She bought it。 She was glad that 13A was not far； because now the basket and the flower weighed heavily upon her。
She climbed the stairs to Martin's room with beating heart。 Suppose he had returned and was there and would not let her in？ Or suppose； worse than that； that he had returned； packed his bag and gone away again？ Her heart was beating so terribly when at last she had arrived outside the door that she had to put down the hyacinth and the basket and stand for a minute there； panting。
She pushed back the door； the room was lit by the reflection from a lamp in a window on the opposite side of the road； this flickered with a pale uncertain glow across the floor。 He was not here。 She opened the bedroom door。 He had not packed his bag。 She sighed with relief。 She found a bell and pressed it。 To her great surprise the scrubbing maid almost instantly presented herself； curiosity had undoubtedly hastened her steps。
〃What's your name？〃 asked Maggie； smiling。
〃Emily；〃 said the girl。
〃The first thing I want is a box of matches；〃 said Maggie。 〃You'll light the gas for me； won't you。 The truth is； I'm not quite tall enough to reach it。〃
Emily lit the gas。
〃Thank you so much；〃 said Maggie。 〃I must have a fire。 That's the next thing。 This cold room must have been a bad thing for Mr。 Warlock with his cough。〃
〃Yes； 'e 'as got a corf；〃 said Emily； watching Maggie with all her eyes。
〃Well； do you think I could have a fire？〃 asked Maggie。
Emily considered。
〃I'll ask the missus；〃 she said； 〃I shouldn't wonder。〃
She returned soon with coal； wood and newspaper。 She also informed Maggie that Mrs。 Brandon would like to have a 〃little in advance if convenient； that being the custom。〃
Maggie delivered up ten and sixpence and was left with exactly two shillings in her pocket。 But how beautiful the room appeared！ Emily； whose ugly bony countenance now wore a look of excited breathlessness as though she were playing a new kind of game； discovered a piece of dark sad cloth somewhere in the lower region and this was pinned up over the window。 The fire was soon blazing away as though the fireplace rejoiced to have a chance of being warm once more。 A shabby but clean table…cloth was discovered and placed upon the table； and in the middle of this the hyacinth was triumphantly stationed。
〃Now I tell you what would be nice；〃 said Maggie； also by this time breathless； 〃and that's a lamp。 This gas isn't very pleasant； is it； and it DOES make such a noise。〃
〃It DOES make a noise；〃 said Emily； looking at the gas as though she were seeing it for the first time。
〃Well； do you think there's a lamp somewhere？〃
Emily licked her finger。
〃I'll ask the missus；〃 she said and disappeared。 Soon she returned with a lamp； its gloriea hidden beneath a bright pink paper shade。
Maggie removed the paper shade； placed the lamp on the table； then the blue plates； the blue cups and saucers； the blue teapot。
A shrill voice was heard calling for Emily。 Maggie had then her kingdom to herself。
She stood there； waiting and listening。 The approaching interview must have seemed to her the climax of her whole life。 She stood； clasping and unclasping her hands； going to the table； moving the plates； then moving them back again。 Perhaps he would not return at all that night； perhaps not until midnight or later。 He might be drunk； he might be violent。 She did not care。 It was enough for her that he should be there。
〃Oh I do wish he'd come；〃 she whispered aloud。
She had looked at her watch and seen that it was just eight o'clock when she heard a step on the stair。 She had already borrowed from Emily a frying…pan。 Quickly she put the sausages into it； placed them on the fire and then stood over them。
The door opened。 She knew who it was because she heard him start suddenly with a little exclamation of surprise。 She turned and looked at him。 Her first thought was that he seemed desperately weary； weary with a fatigue not only physical。 His whole bearing was that of a man beaten； defeated； raging； it might be； with the consciousness of his defeat but beyond all hope of avenging it。 Her pity for him made her tremble but； with that； she realised that the worst thing that she could do was to show pity。 What had he expected？ To find her gone？ To find her still sitting defiantly where he had left her？ To see her crying； perhaps on her knees before him； beseeching him？ Anything but not this。
She could see that he was astonished and was resolved not to let her know it。
He moved past her without a word； and went into the other room。 She said nothing； but bent over the sausages。 They were sizzling and flung out a splendid smell。
He came back without his hat and coat。 He stood by the bedroom door and slowly looked round the room； taking everything in。
〃I thought you'd have gone；〃 he said； 〃I warned you。〃
She looked up at him； laughing：
〃I haven't；〃 she said。 〃Whatever happens afterwards； Martin； we may as well have one meal together。 I'm very hungry。 I know you'll forgive my using your room like this； but I didn't want to go to a shop。 So I just brought the things in here。〃
His eyes lighted on the hyacinth。
〃I know what your game is；〃 he said huskily。 〃But it isn't any good。 You may as well chuck it。〃
〃All right；〃 she said。 〃After we've had a meal。〃
Straightening herself up from the heat of the fire she had a terrible temptation then to go to him。 It overwhelmed her in a flood； her knees and hands trembled。 She wanted just to touch his arm； to put her hand on his shoulder。 But she knew that she must not。
〃Sit down for a bit；〃 she said very quietly； 〃and let's have our meal。 There's nothing terrible in that； Martin。 I've not put poison in your food or anything and the sausages do smell nice。〃
To her surprise he sat down； suddenly collapsing as though he were too tired to stand any longer。 He said nothing more。 She finished the sausages； put them on the table； then took a saucepan （also Emily's gift）； filled it with water and put in the eggs。
〃Come on；〃 she said gently； 〃or the sausages will get cold。〃
He went then to the table； cut off some bread and began to eat ravenously。 Her heart felt a dim distant triumph when she saw that he was so hungry； but it was too early to feel triumph yet。
She came to the table and began to eat； although she felt no hunger。
〃You're married； aren't you？〃 he asked suddenly。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。
〃Where's your husband？〃
〃A place called Skeaton。〃
〃Well； you'd better get back there to…night〃
〃I'm staying in London for a day or two。〃
〃Where？〃