Lord Ormont and His Aminta — CompleteMeredith, George
General
Lord Ormont and His Aminta — Complete
Meredith, George
English fiction -- 19th century
Beds were secured at the inn; after which came the introduction to
Mrs. Shale, the exhibition of Susan Shale's bar of amber, the dish of
fresh-fried whiting, the steak pudding, a grog, tobacco, rest at the
inn, and a rousing bang at the sleepers' doors when the unwonted supper
in them withheld an answer to the intimating knock. Young Matthew Shale,
who had slept on board the Susan, conducted them to her boat. His glance
was much drawn to the very white duck trousers Weyburn had put on, for a
souvenir of the approbation they had won at Marlow. They were on, and so
it was of no use for young Matthew to say they were likely to bear away
a token from the Susan. She was one among the damsels of colour, and
free of her tokens, especially to the spotless.
How it occurred, nobody saw; though everybody saw how naturally it must
occur for the white ducks to 'have it in the eye' by the time they had
been on board a quarter of an hour. Weyburn got some fun out of
them, for a counterbalance to a twitch of sentimental regret scarcely
decipherable, as that the last view of him should bear a likeness of
Browny's recollection of her first.
A glorious morning of flushed open sky and sun on sea chased all small
thoughts out of it. The breeze was from the west, and the Susan, lightly
laden, took the heave of smooth rollers with a flowing current-curtsey
in the motion of her speed. Fore-sail and aft were at their gentle
strain; her shadow rippled fragmentarily along to the silver rivulet and
boat of her wake. Straight she flew to the ball of fire now at spring
above the waters, and raining red gold on the line of her bows. By
comparison she was an ugly yawl, and as the creature of wind and wave
beautiful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account