SUMMER HEAT 183 



not only that, she had added pleasant words, spoken 

 quite naturally in a nice voice, just as if I had been 

 some one belonging to her instead of a rough-looking 

 stranger. Now she, ponderous earthy soul that she 

 was, could not have spoken in that tone if she had 

 practised the trick for fifty years. Truly her lodger 

 was a wonderful woman ! 



While eating my lunch I got into conversation with 

 the man in broadcloth and slippers, his wife mean- 

 while coming and going, now with a cushion for his 

 head or something else for his comfort, or only to flit 

 round us in a bird-like way and see how we were get- 

 ting on. But when I had finished the water and went 

 back for more, she met me in the hall with a bottle of 

 ginger-beer. Now that is a drink which I care not for 

 on account of its mawkishness, but on this occasion 

 the taste was delicious ; and even its whitish colour, 

 which had always been unpleasant to my sight, now 

 looked beautiful, and was caused by a mixture of that 

 precious fluid which is more refreshing and gladden- 

 ing to the heart than purple wine or any other drink, 



