English fiction -- 20th century; Husband and wife -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Short stories, English
Mrs. Busby Shawl, surnamed ‘The Comforter,’ went further and cut the two
in the Park, afterwards broadcasting her achievement with the innocent
air of one who, blinded with integrity, has shamed the Devil and is now
uncertain whether it was a Christian thing to do.
But the findings of such censors of morality were coldly received: and,
after exchanging malice for the inside of a week, the latter reviled one
another and elbowed and fought their way into what they had lately
described as ‘the House of Rimmon.’
The fun became fast and furious.
Joint invitations which had been jointly declined were re-issued
severally and severally accepted. Invitations which had not been sent
were hastily extended. The dates of parties, dances, week-ends became
actually contingent upon the Festivals’ ability to attend.
The pets had become lion-cubs.
Katharine gave a dance.
Giles was invited, and gave a dinner beforehand, taking his guests on.
He danced twice with his hostess, enjoyed champagne he had chosen, sat
out in his own library.
Giles gave a luncheon, inviting eleven guests. Of these his wife made
one, and, taking her proper precedence, sat on her husband’s left.
Afterwards, the Rolls being there, he dropped her at Sloane Street and
was deliciously thanked.
That night they met at a ball in Belgrave Square, and the next week-end
in Hampshire, as two of the Pleydells’ guests.
On five days out of seven they junketed side by side.
On Derby Day they went to the Daneboroughs’ dance—a brilliant affair,
which blazed till nearly five on the following day. Its remembrance was
slightly marred by Mrs. Festival’s omission to take her latchkey and
subsequent inability to ‘make her servants hear.’ Necessity knows no
law. Giles, who had left early, was roused from a refreshing slumber by
the night-porter of his Club and apprised of the facts. . . . There was
only one thing to be done. He did it gallantly, with a suit over his
pyjamas and pumps on his naked feet. The aggravated assault which he
presently committed upon his own front door was audibly condemned by
several infuriated residents in Berkeley Square. His butler, who had
just got to sleep again, also condemned it with great savagery, but,
after hoping against hope that the reinforcement his mistress had
unearthed would also lose heart, himself at last succumbed to Captain
Festival’s importunity. . . . His work over, the latter returned to his
Club, wondering whether he could with decency suggest that a duplicate
latchkey should be kept at the nearest police station. He need not have
troubled his head. The following day, a gong the size of a soup-plate
was installed beneath the butler’s bedstead. Upon observing its
dimensions, the butler was greatly moved, but, while declaring in the
servants’ hall that Katharine was no lady, he was forced to admit to
himself that his mistress was no fool.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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