FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   113   114   115   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   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>  
aid that it was no wonder that Madame was disgusted, and scolded us for taking her into the feast. Jack took quite a different view of the matter. "The feast's very good fun in its way," said he; "and Madame only wants _tackling_. I'll tackle her." "Nonsense!" said Clement. "I bet you a shilling I take her through every mortal thing this afternoon," said Jack. "You've cheek enough," retorted his elder brother. But after luncheon, when Madame was again in her room, Jack came to me with a nosegay he had gathered, to beg me to arrange it properly, and put a paper frill round it. With some grass and fern-leaves, I made a tasteful bouquet, and added a frill, to Jack's entire satisfaction. He took it up-stairs, and we heard him knock at Madame's door. After a pause ("I'm sure she's crying again!" said Eleanor) Madame came out, and a warm discussion began between them, of which we only heard fragments. Madame's voice, as the shrillest, was most audible, and it rose into distinctness as she exclaimed, "Anything soh dirrty, soh meean, soh folgaire, I nevaire saw." Again the discussion proceeded, and we only caught a few of Jack's arguments about "customs of the country," "for the fun of it," etc. "Fun?" said Madame. "For a joke," said Jack. "_Ah, c'est vrai_, for the choke," she said. "And _avec moi_," Jack continued. "There's French for you, Madame! Come along!" Madame laughed. "She'll go," said Eleanor. "_Eh bien!_" Madame cried gaily. "For the choke. _Avec vous, Monsieur Jack._ Ha! ha! _Allons!_ Come along!" "Link, Madame," said Jack, as they came down-stairs, Madame smarter than ever, and bouquet in hand. "Mais _link_? What is this?" said she. "Take my arm," said Jack. "I'll treat you to everything." "Mais _treat_? What is that?" said Madame, whose beaming good-humour only expanded the more when Jack explained that it was a pecuniary attention shown by rustic swains to their "young women." As Clement came into the hall he met Madame hanging on Jack's arm, and absolutely radiant. "You're not going into that beastly place again?" said he. "For the choke, Monsieur Clement. _Ah, oui!_ And with Monsieur Jack." "You may as well come, Clem," said Eleanor, and we followed, laughing. Madame had now no time for discontent. Jack held her fast. He gave her gingerbread at one stall, and gingerbeer at another, and cracked nuts for her all along. He vowed that the oyster-shells were flowe
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   113   114   115   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   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>  



Top keywords:
Madame
 

Eleanor

 

Monsieur

 

Clement

 

discussion

 
bouquet
 
stairs
 

French

 
laughed
 

continued


Allons

 

smarter

 
rustic
 

discontent

 
laughing
 

gingerbread

 
oyster
 
shells
 

gingerbeer

 

cracked


swains

 

attention

 

pecuniary

 

humour

 

expanded

 

explained

 

beastly

 

radiant

 

absolutely

 

hanging


beaming

 
folgaire
 

luncheon

 

disgusted

 

brother

 
retorted
 

nosegay

 
gathered
 

arrange

 
properly

taking
 

matter

 
tackling
 
scolded
 

mortal

 

afternoon

 
tackle
 

Nonsense

 
shilling
 

leaves