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was a loud bell； used to summon a servant from the college to
open the gates； for though there was a porter's lodge； it was
uninhabited。
〃Who on earth can it be？〃 said Agatha。 〃Can't they find the
wicket； the idiots？〃
〃Oh； I hope not！ Do come upstairs； Agatha。〃
〃No； I won't。 Go you； if you like。〃 But Gertrude was afraid to go
alone。 〃I think I had better waken Miss Wilson； and tell her；〃
continued Agatha。 〃It seems awful to shut anybody out on such a
night as this。〃
〃But we don't know who it is。〃
〃Well； I suppose you are not afraid of them； in any case；〃 said
Agatha； knowing the contrary； but recognizing the convenience of
shaming Gertrude into silence。
They listened again。 The storm was now very boisterous； and they
could not hear the bell。 Suddenly there was a loud knocking at
the house door。 Gertrude screamed； and her cry was echoed from
the rooms above； where several girls had heard the knocking also；
and had been driven by it into the state of mind which
accompanies the climax of a nightmare。 Then a candle flickered on
the stairs； and Miss Wilson's voice； reassuringly firm； was
heard。
〃Who is that？〃
〃It is I； Miss Wilson； and Gertrude。 We have been watching the
storm； and there is some one knocking at the〃 A tremendous
battery with the knocker； followed by a sound； confused by the
gale； as of a man shouting； interrupted her。
〃They had better not open the door；〃 said Miss Wilson； in some
alarm。 〃You are very imprudent； Agatha； to stand here。 You will
catch your death ofDear me！ What can be the matter？ She hurried
down； followed by Agatha； Gertrude； and some of the braver
students； to the hall； where they found a few shivering servants
watching the housekeeper； who was at the keyhole of the house
door； querulously asking who was there。 She was evidently not
heard by those without； for the knocking recommenced whilst she
was speaking； and she recoiled as if she had received a blow on
the mouth。 Miss Wilson then rattled the chain to attract
attention； and demanded again who was there。
〃Let us in；〃 was returned in a hollow shout through the keyhole。
〃There is a dying woman and three children here。 Open the door。〃
Miss Wilson lost her presence of mind。 To gain time； she replied；
〃II can't hear you。 What do you say？〃
〃Damnation！〃 said the voice； speaking this time to some one
outside。 〃They can't hear。〃 And the knocking recommenced with
increased urgency。 Agatha； excited； caught Miss Wilson's dressing
gown； and repeated to her what the voice had said。 Miss Wilson
had heard distinctly enough； and she felt； without knowing
clearly why； that the door must be opened； but she was almost
over…mastered by a vague dread of what was to follow。 She began
to undo the chain； and Agatha helped with the bolts。 Two of the
servants exclaimed that they were all about to be murdered in
their beds； and ran away。 A few of the students seemed inclined
to follow their example。 At last the door； loosed； was blown wide
open； flinging Miss Wilson and Agatha back； and admitting a
whirlwind that tore round the hall； snatched at the women's
draperies； and blew out the lights。 Agatha； by a hash of
lightning； saw for an instant two men straining at the door like
sailors at a capstan。 Then she knew by the cessation of the
whirlwind that they had shut it。 Matches were struck； the candles
relighted； and the newcomers clearly perceived。
Smilash； bareheaded； without a coat； his corduroy vest and
trousers heavy with rain； a rough…looking； middle…aged man；
poorly dressed like a shepherd； wet as Smilash； with the
expression； piteous； patient； and desperate； of one hard driven
by ill…fortune； and at the end of his resources； two little
children； a boy and a girl； almost naked； cowering under an old
sack that had served them as an umbrella； and； lying on the
settee where the two men had laid it； a heap of wretched wearing
apparel； sacking； and rotten matting； with Smilash's coat and
sou'wester； the whole covering a bundle which presently proved to
be an exhausted woman with a tiny infant at her breast。 Smilash's
expression； as he looked at her； was ferocious。
〃Sorry fur to trouble you； lady；〃 said the man； after glancing
anxiously at Smilash； as if he had expected him to act as
spokesman； 〃but my roof and the side of my house has gone in the
storm； and my missus has been having another little one； and I am
sorry to ill…convenience you； Miss； butbut〃
〃Inconvenience！〃 exclaimed Smilash。 〃It is the lady's privilege
to relieve youher highest privilege！〃
The little boy here began to cry from mere misery； and the woman
roused herself to say； 〃For shame； Tom！ before the lady；〃 and
then collapsed； too weak to care for what might happen next in
the world。 Smilash looked impatiently at Miss Wilson； who
hesitated； and said to him：
〃What do you expect me to do？〃
〃To help us；〃 he replied。 Then； with an explosion of nervous
energy； he added： 〃Do what your heart tells you to do。 Give your
bed and your clothes to the woman； and let your girls pitch their
books to the devil for a few days and make something for these
poor little creatures to wear。 The poor have worked hard enough
to clothe THEM。 Let them take their turn now and clothe the
poor。〃
〃No； no。 Steady； master；〃 said the man； stepping forward to
propitiate Miss Wilson； and evidently much oppressed by a sense
of unwelcomeness。 〃It ain't any fault of the lady's。 Might I make
so bold as to ask you to put this woman of mine anywhere that may
be convenient until morning。 Any sort of a place will do； she's
accustomed to rough it。 Just to have a roof over her until I find
a room in the village where we can shake down。〃 Here； led by his
own words to contemplate the future； he looked desolately round
the cornice of the hall； as if it were a shelf on which somebody
might have left a suitable lodging for him。
Miss Wilson turned her back decisively and contemptuously on
Smilash。 She had recovered herself。 〃I will keep your wife here；〃
she said to the man。 〃Every care shall be taken of her。 The
children can stay too。〃
〃Three cheers for moral science！〃 cried Smilash； ecstatically
breaking into the outrageous dialect he had forgotten in his
wrath。 〃Wot was my words to you； neighbor； when I said we should
bring your missus to the college； and you said； ironical…like；
'Aye； and bloomin' glad they'll be to see us there。' Did I not
say to you that the lady had a noble 'art； and would show it when
put to the test by sech a calamity as this？〃
〃Why should you bring my hasty words up again' me now； master；
when the lady has been so kind？〃 said the man with emotion。 〃I am
humbly grateful to you； Miss； and so is Bess。 We are sensible of
the ill…convenience we〃
Miss Wilson； who had been conferring with the housekeeper； cut
his speech short by ordering him to carry his wife to bed； which
he did with the assistance of Smilash； now jubilant。 Whilst they
were away； one of the servants； bidden to bring some blankets to
the woman's room； refused；saying that she was not going to wait
on that sort of people。 Miss Wilson gave her warning almost
fiercely to quit the college next day。 This excepted； no ill…will
was shown to the refugees。 The young ladies were then requested
to return to bed。
Meanwhile the man； having laid his wife in a chamber palatial in
comparison with that which the storm had blown about her ears；
was congratulating her on her luck； and threatening the children
with the most violent chastisement if they failed to behave
themselves with strict propriety whilst they remained in that
house。 Before leaving them he kissed his wife； and she； reviving；
asked him to look at the baby。 He did so； and pensively
apostrophized it with a shocking epithet in anticipation of the
time when its appetite must be satisfied from the provision shop
instead of from its mother's breast。 She laughed and cried shame
on him； and so they parted cheerfully。 When he returned to the
hall with Smilash they found two mugs of beer waiting for them。
The girls had retired； and only Miss Wilson and the housekeeper
remained。
〃Here's your health； mum；〃 said the man； before drinking； 〃and
may you find such another as yourself to help you when you're in
trouble； which Lord send may never come！〃
〃Is your house quite destroyed？〃 said Miss Wilson。 〃Where will
you spend the night？〃
〃Don't you think of me； mum。 Master Smilash here will kindly put
me up 'til morning。〃
〃His health！〃 said Smilash； touching the mug with his lips。
〃The roof and south wall is browed right away；〃 continued the
man； after pausing for a moment to puzzle over Smilash's meaning。
〃I doubt if there's a stone of it standing by this。〃
〃But Sir John will build it for you again。 You are one of his
herds； are you not？〃
〃I am； Miss。 But not he； he'll be glad it's down。 He don't like
people livin' on the land。 I have told him time and again that
the place was ready to fall； but he said I couldn't expect him to
lay out money on a house that he got no rent for。 You see； Miss；
I didn't pay any rent。 I took low wages； and the bit of a hut was
a sort of set…off again' what I was paid short of the other men。
I couldn't affo