We reached houses which we could not see; walked over slippery
poles set over heaven knows what middens. Clambered up creaky steps
into the usual sort of dirty wooden room--and there, his stockings off,
warming his toes at the blaze of the wood fire, was "Eyebrows."
We were immediately attracted by three paintings on the wall. They were
decorative designs, very beautiful. We asked the proprietor who had done
them.
"I did," he said.
"Will you sell them?" we asked.
He giggled like a girl. "Ah, who would buy them?" he said.
"We will."
"I couldn't let you have them for less than sixpence," he said. "You see
the papers cost a penny each."
Whatmough coveted one, so he had his choice, we took the other two.
The policeman came to tell us that rooms had been prepared in two clean
houses. We scrambled out into the dark again, stumbled along in the mud,
and at last found an open square of light, through which we came into a
room.
There was a red rug over half the floor, and a brasier on three legs
filled with charcoal standing in the centre.
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