FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>  
got some winders there lookin' right over the country. And a wonderful lot o' books, if you feel inclined for a read one of these days. COOK'S Voice. Faith! FAITH sets down the salt cellar in her hand, puts her tongue out a very little, and goes out into the hall. MR BLY is gathering up his pail and cloths when MR MARCH enters at the window. MR MARCH. So it's fixed up, Mr Bly. BLY. [Raising himself] I'd like to shake your 'and, sir. [They shake hands] It's a great weight off my mind. MR MARCH. It's rather a weight on my wife's, I'm afraid. But we must hope for the best. The country wants rain, but--I doubt if we shall get it with this Government. BLY. Ah! We want the good old times-when you could depend on the seasons. The further you look back the more dependable the times get; 'ave you noticed that, sir? MR MARCH. [Suddenly] Suppose they'd hanged your daughter, Mr Bly. What would you have done? BLY. Well, to be quite frank, I should 'ave got drunk on it. MR MARCH. Public opinion's always in advance of the Law. I think your daughter's a most pathetic little figure. BLY. Her looks are against her. I never found a man that didn't. MR MARCH. [A little disconcerted] Well, we'll try and give her a good show here. BLY. [Taking up his pail] I'm greatly obliged; she'll appreciate anything you can do for her. [He moves to the door and pauses there to say] Fact is--her winders wants cleanin', she 'ad a dusty time in there. MR MARCH. I'm sure she had. MR BLY passes out, and MR MARCH busies himself in gathering up his writing things preparatory to seeking his study. While he is so engaged FAITH comes in. Glancing at him, she resumes her placing of the decanters, as JOHNNY enters by the window, and comes down to his father by the hearth. JOHNNY. [Privately] If you haven't begun your morning, Dad, you might just tell me what you think of these verses. He puts a sheet of notepaper before his father, who takes it and begins to con over the verses thereon, while JOHNNY looks carefully at his nails. MR MARCH. Er--I--I like the last line awfully, Johnny. JOHNNY. [Gloomily] What about the other eleven? MR MARCH. [Tentatively] Well--old man, I--er--think perhaps it'd be stronger if they were out. JOHNNY. Good God! He takes back the sheet of paper, clutches his brow, and crosses to the door.
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>  



Top keywords:
JOHNNY
 

weight

 

verses

 

father

 

daughter

 
country
 
winders
 

gathering

 
window
 

enters


cleanin

 

passes

 
things
 

preparatory

 
seeking
 

writing

 
busies
 
stronger
 

pauses

 

greatly


obliged

 

crosses

 

Taking

 

notepaper

 

Tentatively

 

clutches

 

morning

 

thereon

 

carefully

 

Privately


hearth

 
Glancing
 

engaged

 

begins

 

eleven

 
Gloomily
 

Johnny

 
decanters
 

resumes

 
placing

Suppose
 

Raising

 
cloths
 
afraid
 

tongue

 

wonderful

 
lookin
 

inclined

 
cellar
 

opinion