Love stories; Nobility -- Great Britain -- Fiction; Switzerland -- Fiction
All this, with the sense of independence which it gave him, was
agreeable enough to Godfrey, as it would have been to any youth. He
acknowledged the draft under the guidance of the Pasteur, saying that
he would write again when he had anything to communicate, but that as
yet he had not made up his mind as to his future, and proposed to stay
where he was, continuing his studies, if his father would allow him to
do so. Next he took an opportunity to go to Lucerne with the Pasteur,
who wished to inspect the Villa Ogilvy and consult the notary as to an
inventory of its contents and arrangements for its upkeep.
Godfrey, who was received by the servants with many bows, and requests
that they might be allowed to continue in their employment, wandered
through the big rooms which looked so desolate now, and stared until he
was tired at examples of beautiful French furniture, of which he
understood nothing. Then, oppressed by memories of his kind friend into
whose death chamber he had blundered, and, as it seemed to him, by a
sense of her presence which he imagined was warning him of something,
he left the house, telling the Pasteur, who was peering about him
through his blue spectacles in an innocent and interested way, that he
would meet him at the five o’clock diligence. Indeed, he had business
of his own to do, which seemed to him more important than all this
stock-taking and legal discussion. Having plenty of money in his pocket
Godfrey wished to spend some of it in presents.
First, he bought a large meerschaum pipe with a flexible stem as a gift
to the Pasteur, whom he had heard admire this very pipe in the shop
window and express regrets that it was too expensive for his means.
Having paid down thirty francs like a man for this treasure, he
proceeded to a jeweller’s near by. There he acquired a necklace of
amethysts set with great taste in local silver work, for Madame to
wear, and a charming silver watch of the best Swiss make for Juliette.
When he found that these objects involved an expenditure of fourteen
sovereigns, he was a little staggered, but again smiled and paid up.
There was also a lovely little ring of gold with two turquoise hearts
that he bought for £2 to send to Isobel _when_ she wrote to him. But,
as Isobel had posted her letter in Mr. Knight’s drawer, that ring
never reached her finger for many a day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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