Mrs. Radigan: Her Biography, with that of Miss Pearl Veal, and the Memoirs of J. Madison MudisonLloyd, Nelson
General
Mrs. Radigan: Her Biography, with that of Miss Pearl Veal, and the Memoirs of J. Madison Mudison
Lloyd, Nelson
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Satire; Social classes -- Fiction; Women -- Conduct of life -- Fiction
"Jolly!" he cried. "Je-je-je-olly!"
Miss Bumpschus said nothing. I fear that the cynical expression of
Gascan, the chauffeur, had for the time blighted her hope that in their
mutual peril she and the Duke would find a tie to bind them. But such
peril had to have its end; such a journey could not long continue, for
in all the world there were not enough thousands of miles for speed
like that to cover. We chipped the paint off the iron gate of the
Westbury place as Jamaica lay hallowed in the gold of the setting sun,
and the groans of the resting engine brought the whole house to the
veranda. Gascan handed down the frozen Duke and Ethel Bumpschus, and
in the warm smile of Sally Radigan they were thawed out.
"Of course my little sister brought your Highness down quietly," said
Mrs. Radigan, when she had fixed him before the library fire and
despatched a man for hot Scotch.
"It was jolly," replied the great Englishman. "I'm used to fast
going--jolly fast going."
But I think that had the Duke the power at that moment he would have
fled home to his leaky castles, leaving behind wealth and loveliness,
broken hearts and full purses. Pearl had shown a phase of her character
that made him fear for his ducal rights, and as for Miss Bumpschus, his
man told my man that--but these are kitchen secrets.
Night came, bringing with it Constance Wherry, large and good-natured
as ever, with Williegilt Mint and Radigan. Dinner came, bringing the
Duke down in a coat that fitted over his shoulders as on a wire hanger;
bringing Pearl Veal in simple black that set off her rounded shoulders
to perfection, and Ethel Bumpschus in a spangly pink creation, with
eye-glasses, and a black patch on her chin; bringing Constance Wherry
with her neck squeezed into one of the finest pearl collarettes I
have ever seen, though it was not tight enough to prevent her talking
as volubly as ever. Mrs. Radigan was in splendid tune with her
surroundings. As one of the men pushed the Duke into his place at her
side, I heard her remark: "We are all so glad your Highness has come.
You will enjoy it here, I am sure. To-night we have bridge. To-morrow
there are a lot of things to see: the Cathedral at Garden City, and
the beautiful view of the plains from the hill behind the stables. I'm
sure it's as fine as anything you have in Europe. It reminds me of
Bar-beyzun, the place Mil-let painted, you know."
His Grace said it would be jolly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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