"I don't understand."

"Look on the bed; see 'ow they leave their clothes, and such
clothes. That's what their souls is like."

"Indeed!" said Mavis, scarcely knowing what to say.

"All the same, I prays for them, though what God A'mighty thinks o'
me for all the sinners I pray for, I can't think. Supper's
downstairs, if you can eat it; and my name's Bella."

Bella left the room. Mavis thought that she rather liked her than
otherwise, despite her rudeness earlier in the evening. Mavis
unpacked her more immediate requirements before seeking supper in
the basement. She descended to the floor on which was the passage
communicating with the street, but the staircase leading to the
supper-room was unlit, therefore she was compelled to grope her way
down; as she did so, she became aware of a disgusting smell which
reminded Mavis of a time at Brandenburg College when the drains went
wrong and had to be put right. She then found herself in a
carpetless passage lit by gas flaming in a wire cage; here, the
smell of drains was even more offensive than before. There was a
half-open door on the right, from which came the clatter of knives
and plates. Mavis, believing that this was the supper-room, went in.

She found herself in a large, low room, the walls of which were
built with glazed brick. Upon the left, the further wall receded as
it approached the ceiling, to admit, in daytime, the light that
straggled from the thick glass let into the pavement, on which the
footsteps of the passers-by were ceaselessly heard. The room was