King. "Don't you fret about it now, dear. Men often have a drop too
much, and it's better to take no notice provided they don't get too
noisy or too ready with their fists."
Marcella smiled faintly and stood stiff as a sentry while Mrs. King
fetched out half a dozen of her lodgers who were playing cards in the
kitchen. They carried Louis upstairs. He was so drugged that he did not
waken.
CHAPTER XV
It was a bare room, up three flights of stairs. Marcella watched while
the men carried him in and laid him on the bed. Mrs. King seemed
inclined to stay and gossip in whispers, but, after thanking her, and
saying they would talk to-morrow, Marcella shut the door and locked it.
Then she looked round. There were three candles burning. With a little
cry of superstitious fear she blew one out and pinched the wick. Through
the two big windows she could see the ships in the harbour with rows of
shining portholes: ferries were fussing to and fro like fiery water
beetles. From the man-of-war she saw the winking Morse light signalling
to the Heads. Trams clanged by in the distance; in a public-house near
by men were singing and laughing. In the room Louis was snoring gustily.
She turned from the open window and looked at him.
"There! I'm married to him now," she said, and looked from him round the
room.
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