Malvina of BrittanyJerome, Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka)
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Malvina of Brittany
Jerome, Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka)
Brittany (France) -- Fiction; Short stories, English
She accompanied the words with the same peculiar smile to which I have
already alluded. The exact words of Mr. Parable's reply I cannot
remember. But it was to the effect that he had thought from the first
that he had known her but had not been quite sure. It was at this
point that, thinking I saw my colleague approaching, I went to meet
him. I found I was mistaken, and slowly retraced my steps. I passed
Mr. Parable and the lady. They were talking together with what I
should describe as animation. I went as far as the southern extremity
of the suspension bridge, and must have waited there quite ten minutes
before returning eastward. It was while I was passing behind them on
the grass, partially screened by the rhododendrons, that I heard Mr.
Parable say to the lady:
"Why shouldn't we have it together?"
To which the lady replied:
"But what about Miss Clebb?"
I could not overhear what followed, owing to their sinking their
voices. It seemed to be an argument. It ended with the young lady
laughing and then rising. Mr. Parable also rose, and they walked off
together. As they passed me I heard the lady say:
"I wonder if there's any place in London where you're not likely to be
recognised."
Mr. Parable, who gave me the idea of being in a state of growing
excitement, replied quite loudly:
"Oh, let 'em!"
I was following behind them when the lady suddenly stopped.
"I know!" she said. "The Popular Cafe."
The park-keeper said he was convinced he would know the lady again,
having taken particular notice of her. She had brown eyes and was
wearing a black hat supplemented with poppies.
* * *
Arthur Horton, waiter at the Popular Cafe, states as follows:
I know Mr. John Parable by sight. Have often heard him speak at public
meetings. Am a bit of a Socialist myself. Remember his dining at the
Popular Cafe on the evening of Thursday. Didn't recognise him
immediately on his entrance for two reasons. One was his hat, and the
other was his girl. I took it from him and hung it up. I mean, of
course, the hat. It was a brand-new bowler, a trifle ikey about the
brim. Have always associated him with a soft grey felt. But never
with girls. Females, yes, to any extent. But this was the real
article. You know what I mean--the sort of girl that you turn round to
look after. It was she who selected the table in the corner behind the
door. Been there before, I should say.
I should, in the ordinary course of business, have addressed Mr.
Parable by name, such being our instructions in the case of customers
known to us. But, putting the hat and the girl together, I decided not
to. Mr. Parable was all for our three-and-six-penny table d'hote; he
evidently not wanting to think. But the lady wouldn't hear of it.
"Remember Miss Clebb," she reminded him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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