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Gissing, George, 1857-1903

"The Unclassed"


She wore the same dress that she had worn at Hastings, but the gold
brooch and watch-chain were missing, and her hair was arranged in a
simpler way. She was a trifle pale, perhaps, but that might be due
to the excitement of the moment; her voice shook a little as she
spoke.
Waymark looked about him as he went in. There appeared to be two
rooms, one of them a very small bedroom, the other fitted with a
cooking-grate and oven; the kind of tenement suitable to very poor
working-people. The floors were bare, and there was nothing in the
way of furniture beyond the most indispensable articles: a table,
two chairs, and a few cups, saucers, and plates on a shelf; through
the half-open door, he saw that the bed-room was equally plain. A
fire was burning, and a kettle on it; and in front, on a little
square piece of carpet, lay Ida's inseparable friend, Grim. Grim had
lifted his head at Waymark's entrance, and, with gathering curiosity
in his eyes, slowly stood up; then stretched himself, and, looking
first at one, then at the other, waited in doubt.
Ida stooped and took him up in her arms.
"And who's this?" she asked, talking to him as one talks to a child,
whilst she pressed his warm black cheek against her own.


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