—then all at once, looming out of that unfathomable dark to
press itself against the bars, there came a face. A terrible face—white and
Streaming and bruised, with blood and spittle at its lips and its eyes wild, yet also
squinting against the feeble light of our . candle. At the sight of it Miss Haxby
flinched, and I stepped . back; and the face was turned on me then—''Damn you
for gazing at me!'' the woman began. Miss Ridley slapped with the heel of her
hand upon the wood, to silence her.
''You watch your filthy manners, Jacobs, or we''ll have you down here for a
month, do you hear?''
The woman placed her head against the bars, kept her white lips fastened,
but continued to fix us all with her wild
and terrible gaze. Miss Haxby moved a little way towards her. ''You have been
very foolish, prisoner,'' she said, ''and Mrs Pretty, Miss Ridley and I are very
disappointed in you. You have spoiled a cell. You have hurt your own head. Is
that what you wanted, to hurt your own head?''
The woman took a ragged breath. ''I must hurt something,'' she said. ''As for Mrs
Pretty—that bitch! I shall shake her to pieces, and not care how many days in the
dark you make me serve for it!''
''That''s enough!'' said Miss Haxby. ''That''s enough. I shall call on you again
tomorrow. We shall see how sorry you are after a night in the dark. Miss Ridley.''