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the man collapse with a groan against their door. They waited and, well, all at once the man, well, they heard him being violently ill ⁠—Oh Miriam ⁠—Yes; wasn’t it awful? and then a feeble voice like a chant⁠‑a‑a‑a‑ah‑oo⁠‑oo‑oo‑oo kom, and hailpemee⁠— Oh Meester Bell, kom, oh, I am freezing to death, what a pity what a pity⁠—and then silence. She fed rapidly, holding them all silently eager for her voice again to fill out the spaces of their room⁠—For about half an hour they heard him break out, every few minutes, oh Meester Bell, dear pretty Mr. Bell kom. I am freezing to death whatta pity⁠—whattapity. The Brooms sat breaking one against the other into fresh laughter. Miriam ate rapidly glancing from face to face. What-eh-pitie⁠—what-eh-pitie she moaned. Can’t you hear him? Grace choked and sneezed and drank a little milk. They were all still slowly and carefully eating their first helping.⁠—You do come across some funny people said Mrs. Philps mopping her eyes and dimpling and sighing upon the end of her laughter. I didn’t come across him. It was at Mag’s and Jan’s boarding house. Mrs. Philps had not begun to listen at the beginning. But Grace and Florrie saw the whole thing clearly. Mrs. Philps did not remember who Mag and Jan were. She would not unless one told her all about their circumstances and their parents. Florrie’s face was preparing a question. Then they must have⁠—went on Miriam. There was a subdued ring at the front door bell.⁠—There’s Christine shall we have her in to change the plates aunt, frowned Florrie.⁠—No let ’er changer dress. We can put the plates on the sideboard⁠—Then they must both have gone to sleep again, said Miriam when Florrie returned from letting Christine in⁠—because they did not hear him go downstairs and he wasn’t there in the morning⁠—A good thing I should think, observed Mrs. Philps. He wasn’t there said Miriam cheerfully⁠—er⁠—not in person . Oh Miriam , protested Grace hysterically. Oh⁠—oh ⁠—cried the others. Miriam watched the second course appearing from the sideboard⁠—she greeted the blancmange and jam with a soft shout, feeling as hungry as when supper had begun. Isn’t she rude chuckled Florrie, putting down a plate of bananas and a small