Suddenly, in a downstairs window that was
brilliantly illuminated by a street-lamp not six
yards away, Billy caught sight of a printed
notice propped up against the glass in one of
the upper panes. It said BED AND
BREAKFAST. There was a vase of yellow
chrysanthemums, tall and beautiful, standing
just underneath the notice.
60 He stopped walking. He moved a bit closer.
Green curtains (some sort of velvety
material) were hanging down on either side of
the window. The chrysanthemums looked
wonderful beside them. He went right up and
peered through the glass into the room, and
the first thing he saw was a bright fire burning
in the hearth. On the carpet in front of the fire,
a pretty little dachshund was curled up asleep
with its nose tucked into its belly.
The room itself, so far as he could see in
the half-darkness, was filled with pleasant
furniture. There was a baby-grand piano and
a big sofa and several plump armchairs; and
in one corner he spotted a large parrot in a
cage. Animals were usually a good sign in a
place like this, Billy told himself; and all in all,
it looked to him as though it would be a pretty
decent house to stay in. Certainly it would be
more comfortable than The Bell and Dragon.
80 On the other hand, a pub would be more
congenial than a boarding-house. There
would be beer and darts in the evenings, and
lots of people to talk to, and it would probably
be a good bit cheaper, too. He had stayed a
couple of nights in a pub once before and he
had liked it. He had never stayed in any
boarding-houses, and, to be perfectly honest,
he was a tiny bit frightened of them. The
name itself conjured up images of watery
cabbage, rapacious landladies, and a
powerful smell of kippers in the living-room.
After dithering about like this in the cold for
two or three minutes, Billy decided that he
would walk on and take a look at The Bell
and Dragon before making up his mind. He
turned to go. And now a queer thing
happened to him. He was in the act of
stepping back and turning away from the
window when all at once his eye was
100 caught and held in the most peculiar
manner by the small notice that was there.
BED AND BREAKFAST, it said. BED AND
BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST,
BED AND BREAKFAST. Each word was
like a large black eye staring at him
through the glass, holding him, compelling
him, forcing him to stay where he was and
not to walk away from that house, and the
next thing he knew, he was actually
moving across from the window to the
front door of the house, climbing the steps
that led up to it, and reaching for the bell.
Suddenly, in a downstairs window that wasbrilliantly illuminated by a street-lamp not sixyards away, Billy caught sight of a printednotice propped up against the glass in one ofthe upper panes. It said BED ANDBREAKFAST. There was a vase of yellowchrysanthemums, tall and beautiful, standingjust underneath the notice.60 He stopped walking. He moved a bit closer. Green curtains (some sort of velvetymaterial) were hanging down on either side ofthe window. The chrysanthemums lookedwonderful beside them. He went right up andpeered through the glass into the room, andthe first thing he saw was a bright fire burningin the hearth. On the carpet in front of the fire,a pretty little dachshund was curled up asleepwith its nose tucked into its belly. The room itself, so far as he could see inthe half-darkness, was filled with pleasantfurniture. There was a baby-grand piano anda big sofa and several plump armchairs; andin one corner he spotted a large parrot in acage. Animals were usually a good sign in aplace like this, Billy told himself; and all in all,it looked to him as though it would be a prettydecent house to stay in. Certainly it would bemore comfortable than The Bell and Dragon.80 On the other hand, a pub would be morecongenial than a boarding-house. Therewould be beer and darts in the evenings, andlots of people to talk to, and it would probablybe a good bit cheaper, too. He had stayed acouple of nights in a pub once before and he
had liked it. He had never stayed in any
boarding-houses, and, to be perfectly honest,
he was a tiny bit frightened of them. The
name itself conjured up images of watery
cabbage, rapacious landladies, and a
powerful smell of kippers in the living-room.
After dithering about like this in the cold for
two or three minutes, Billy decided that he
would walk on and take a look at The Bell
and Dragon before making up his mind. He
turned to go. And now a queer thing
happened to him. He was in the act of
stepping back and turning away from the
window when all at once his eye was
100 caught and held in the most peculiar
manner by the small notice that was there.
BED AND BREAKFAST, it said. BED AND
BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST,
BED AND BREAKFAST. Each word was
like a large black eye staring at him
through the glass, holding him, compelling
him, forcing him to stay where he was and
not to walk away from that house, and the
next thing he knew, he was actually
moving across from the window to the
front door of the house, climbing the steps
that led up to it, and reaching for the bell.
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