OrientationsMaugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset)
General
Orientations
Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset)
Fiction; Short stories, English
'You don't think I care what you do,' he answered, as he flung himself
out of the door. He slammed it behind him, and he also slammed the front
door to show that he was a man of high principles. And even George
Washington when he said, 'I cannot tell a lie; I did it with my little
hatchet,' did not feel so righteous as George Griffith at that moment.
Daisy went to the window to see him go, and then, throwing up her arms,
she fell on her knees, weeping, weeping, and she cried,--
'My God, have pity on me!'
VIII
'I wouldn't go through it again for a hundred pounds,' said George, when
he recounted his experience to his mother. 'And she wasn't a bit humble,
as you'd expect.'
'Oh! that's Daisy all over. Whatever happens to her, she'll be as bold
as brass.'
'And she didn't choose her language,' he said, with mingled grief and
horror.
* * * * *
They heard nothing more of Daisy for over a year, when George went up to
London for the choir treat. He did not come back till three o'clock in
the morning, but he went at once to his mother's room.
He woke her very carefully, so as not to disturb his father. She started
up, about to speak, but he prevented her with his hand.
'Come outside; I've got something to tell you.'
Mrs Griffith was about to tell him rather crossly to wait till the
morrow, but he interrupted her,--
'I've seen Daisy.'
She quickly got out of bed, and they went together into the parlour.
'I couldn't keep it till the morning,' he said.... 'What d'you think
she's doing now? Well, after we came out of the Empire, I went down
Piccadilly, and--well, I saw Daisy standing there.... It did give me a
turn, I can tell you; I thought some of the chaps would see her. I
simply went cold all over. But they were on ahead and hadn't noticed
her.'
'Thank God for that!' said Mrs Griffith, piously.
'Well, what d'you think I did? I went straight up to her and looked her
full in the face. But d'you think she moved a muscle? She simply looked
at me as if she'd never set eyes on me before. Well, I was taken aback,
I can tell you. I thought she'd faint. Not a bit of it.'
'No, I know Daisy,' said Mrs Griffith; 'you think she's this and that,
because she looks at you with those blue eyes of hers, as if she
couldn't say bo to a goose, but she's got the very devil inside her....
Well, I shall tell her father that, just so as to let him see what she
has come to.'...
* * * * *
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