OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

THE LODGER 33
hips. Her stockings sagged. The small, freckled face was crowned
with a mop of uaruly red hair.
Her mother snapped at her:
" Where's your manners? Can't you say' Good morning' to the
gentleman?" '
Her only response was a slight, defiant shrug. Then she deliberately
sniffed Valesco's hair, remarking:
" I can't stand men who soak themselves in scent, like streetgirls."
Meanwhile she was continuing to cast curious glances at Elie.
" Would you like to see the room? " her mother asked him.
" It's three hundred francs a month, coal and electric light extra.
Perhaps I'd better tell you this is a quiet house, and I don't allow
my lodgers to take young ladies into their bedrooms.''
She led the way down the hall, and opened the first door on the
left. There was a smell of beeswax. Against the pink-papered wall
was a brass bedstead with a red quilt. Suddenly Elie went quite
pale, and felt his head going round.... He took a quick step
towards the bed.
At seven in the evening, when all the household were beginning
to gather in the kitchen, he was still asleep, his mouth open, his hair
plastered with sweat upon his forehead.
IV
MADAME BARON scowled when she saw Domb settling down quite
coolly with his biscuit-tin at the place which she had laid so
carefully.
" That's Monsieur Elie's place."
Domb was a Pole, tall, fair-haired, blue-eyed, and hard-featured.
He was always very spick and span, and kept up a dignified appearance,
even on such occasions as the present—when he had a battered
biscuit-tin under his arm. Rising with deliberate slowness, he
enquired stiffly:
" May I ask where you wish me to sit? "
The kitchen was far from large, and much of the available space
was. taken up by a big cooking-range, enamelled white and gold.