FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   >>  
ld---- HORNBLOWER. [Looking at MRS. HILLCRIST] Ye know--it's laughable. Ye make me pay nine thousand five hundred for a bit o' land not worth four, and ye think I'm not to get back on ye. I'm goin' on with as little consideration as if ye were a family of blackbeetles. Good afternoon! ROLF. Father! JILL. Oh, Dodo! He's obscene. HILLCRIST. Mr. Hornblower, my compliments. [HORNBLOWER with a stare at HILLCRIST'S half-smiling face, takes CHLOE'S arm, and half drags her towards the door on the Left. But there, in the opened doorway, are standing DAWKER and a STRANGER. They move just out of the way of the exit, looking at CHLOE, who sways and very nearly falls.] HORNBLOWER. Why! Chloe! What's the matter? CHLOE. I don't know; I'm not well to-day. [She pulls herself together with a great, effort.] MRS. H. [Who has exchanged a nod with DAWKER and the STRANGER] Mr. Hornblower, you build at your peril. I warn you. HORNBLOWER. [Turning round to speak] Ye think yourself very cool and very smart. But I doubt this is the first time ye've been up against realities. Now, I've been up against them all my life. Don't talk to me, ma'am, about peril and that sort of nonsense; it makes no impression. Your husband called me pachydermatous. I don't know Greek, and Latin, and all that, but I've looked it out in the dictionary, and I find it means thick-skinned. And I'm none the worse for that when I have to deal with folk like you. Good afternoon. [He draws CHLOE forward, and they pass through the door, followed quickly by ROLF.] MRS. H. Thank you; Dawker. [She moves up to DAWKER and the STRANGER, Left, and they talk.] JILL. Dodo! It's awful! HILLCRIST. Well, there's nothing for it now but to smile and pay up. Poor old home! It shall be his wash-pot. Over the Centry will he cast his shoe. By Gad, Jill, I could cry! JILL. [Pointing] Look! Chloe's sitting down. She nearly fainted just now. It's something to do with Dawker, Dodo, and that man with him. Look at mother! Ask them! HILLCRIST. Dawker! [DAWKER comes to him, followed by MRS. HILLCRIST.] What's the mystery about young Mrs. Hornblower? DAWKER. No mystery. HILLCRIST. Well, what is it? MRS. H. You'd better not ask. HILLCRIST. I wish to know. MRS. H. Jill, go out and wait for us. JILL. Nonsense, mother! MRS. H. It's not for a gi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   >>  



Top keywords:

HILLCRIST

 

DAWKER

 

HORNBLOWER

 

Dawker

 

Hornblower

 

STRANGER

 

mother

 
afternoon

mystery

 

forward

 
skinned
 

Nonsense

 

husband

 

called

 
pachydermatous
 
looked

dictionary

 

sitting

 

Centry

 

fainted

 

Pointing

 

quickly

 

smiling

 

compliments


obscene
 

blackbeetles

 

Father

 
standing
 

doorway

 

opened

 

family

 

thousand


hundred

 

Looking

 

laughable

 

consideration

 

realities

 

nonsense

 
Turning
 

matter


exchanged

 

effort

 

impression