"
"How's that?"
"'Cos I ain't, and 'cos I'm tired o' payin' rent."
"I'm afraid you'll find it difficult to get on without, though,"
said Waymark, trying to get into the jocular tone he sometimes
adopted with Slimy, but scarcely succeeding.
"Mr. Waymark."
There was clearly something wrong. Waymark rose to his feet. Slimy
rose also, and at the same time took up a heavy piece of wood,
looking like a piece of a cart-shaft, which had lain on the floor
beside him. His exclamation elicited no answer, and he spoke again,
hoarsely as always, but with a calmness which contrasted strangely
with the words he uttered.
"Do you believe in the devil and hell?"
"Why?" returned Waymark, trying hard to command himself, and to face
down the man as a wild beast has been known to be out-gazed.
"'Cos, by the devil himself, as 'll have me before many weeks is
over, and by the fires of hell, as 'll burn me, if you stir a step,
or speak a word above your breath, I'll bring you down just like
they do the bullocks. Y' understand!"
Waymark saw that the threat was no idle one. He could scarcely have
spoken, had he wished. Slimy grinned at the effect he had produced,
and continued in the same matter-of-fact way.
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