Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
'Yes; there had been an idea that he would go into the Church, but he
did not take to it; he tried one or two things here and would not stick
to them, and my father got him into a tea firm, and he went out for them
two years afterwards to Hong Kong; but that did not suit him either, so
he threw it up and went to Australia, and knocked about there until he
came into ten thousand at my father's death. He went in for
sheep-farming then, and I have only heard once of him since, but he said
that he was doing very well. I shall perhaps hear more about him when I
see John. I must go down to Lincolnshire to-morrow, and I suppose I
shall have to stay a week or so there; it is the proper thing to do, of
course, but I wish that it was over. I have never been in the old place
since that bad time. I don't at all care for my brother's wife. I have
no doubt that she is a very good woman, but there is nothing sympathetic
about her; she is one of those women with a metallic sort of voice that
seems to jar upon one as if she were out of tune.'
'And afterwards--have you any plans?'
'None at all. I shall look out for a couple of rooms, somewhere about
Jermyn Street, and stay in town to the end of the season. Then I shall
hire a yacht for a couple of months, and knock about the coast or go
across to Norway. I wish you would go with me; I did Switzerland and
Italy the last year before I went away, and I don't care about going
there when every place is filled with a crowd. I have only got a year,
and I should like to have as pleasant remembrances to take back with me
as possible. Do you think you will be able to come with me? Of course I
shall not be able to afford a floating palace. I should say about a
thirty-tonner that would carry four comfortably would be the sort of
thing. I will try to get two fellows to go to make up the party; some of
my old chums if I can come across them. Of course I can get any number
of men home on leave like myself, but I don't want anyone from India,
for in that case we should talk nothing but shop. You saw how we drifted
into it at dinner. I should like not to hear India mentioned until I am
on board a ship on my way out again.'
'When would you think of going?'
'Oh, I should say after Ascot--say the second week in July.'
'I can hardly go with you as soon as that; I cannot get away as long as
the courts are sitting, or until they have, at any rate, nearly finished
work; but I might join you by the end of the month, unless I have the
luck to get retained in some important case that would make my fortune,
and I need scarcely say that is not likely.
'But you are doing well, ain't you, Danvers? I see your name in the
papers occasionally.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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