"
She was the leaven which leavened
the lump of their humanity. What
this leaven is--who has found out?
But she--little rat of the gutter--
was formed of it, and her mere pure
animal joy in the temporary animal
comfort of the moment stirred and
uplifted them from their depths.
III
They drew near and sat upon
the substitutes for seats in a
circle--and the fire threw up flame
and made a glow in the fog hanging
in the black hole of a room.
It was Glad who set the battered
kettle on and when it boiled made
tea. The other two watched her,
being under her spell. She handed
out slices of bread and sausage and
pudding on bits of paper. Polly fed
with tremulous haste; Glad herself
with rejoicing and exulting in flavors.
Antony Dart ate bread and meat as
he had eaten the bread and dripping
at the stall--accepting his normal
hunger as part of the dream.
Suddenly Glad paused in the midst
of a huge bite.
"Mister," she said, "p'raps that
cove's waitin' fer yer. Let's 'ave
'im in. I'll go and fetch 'im."
She was getting up, but Dart was
on his feet first.
"I must go," he said. "He is
expecting me and--"
"Aw," said Glad, "lemme go
along o' yer, mister--jest to show
there's no ill feelin'."
"Very well," he answered.
It was she who led, and he who
followed. At the door she stopped
and looked round with a grin.
"Keep up the fire, Polly," she
threw back. "Ain't it warm and
cheerful? It'll do the cove good to
see it.
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