Priscilla and Charybdis: A Story of AlternativesMoore, Frank Frankfort
General
Priscilla and Charybdis: A Story of Alternatives
Moore, Frank Frankfort
Fiction
He was playing with an enthusiasm which surprised every one who was
acquainted with his form, and no one more than his antagonist and
himself. Glenister was his antagonist--a brilliant man, not perhaps
quite so brilliant as he believed himself to be, but still as far above
the average in this respect as the sapphire excels the lapis lazuli. He
was a man of resource and imagination, and these qualities often stood
him in good stead; but it was to his brilliancy he trusted to win his
games for him. Priscilla heard the remarks that were being made by
competent critics sitting just behind her; and knowing what Glenister’s
play was, and seeing what Wingfield’s was, she appreciated the accuracy
of the criticisms.
“Glenny as usual underrated his man,” some one remarked. “That was how
he lost the first two.”
“He could beat half a dozen Wingfields any day,” was the counter. “How
the mischief could he tell that Wingfield was going to play as he is
now? How the----hallo! Did you see that?”
“No, what was it? (In a whisper) Confound that hat! What was it?”
“My aunt! Wingfield played the ball over his shoulder from the line, and
placed it too.”
“Luck!”
“I suppose so. No one could have a ghost of a chance of doing more than
getting it over. Is that Wingfield’s third?”
“His third. He won the first and Glenister pulled off the second. Now
we’ll see what Glenny’s service is worth?”
And they did. They saw that its brilliancy was simply thrown away upon
Wingfield. He declined to be intimidated by it. He made an attempt to
return every ball, and succeeded in getting the third over; with the
first and second that were served to him Glenister made fifteen and
thirty. But he seemed so greatly surprised by Wingfield’s success with
the third as to be quite satisfied to send it back over the net right
opposite to where Wingfield was standing. Wingfield took a long aim,
and Glenister, watching his eye, ran to the extreme right of the line to
meet the ball; but Wingfield changed his mind and sent it to the extreme
left, making his first score. The next service no human being could have
returned. Forty--fifteen. The next was an easy one, and there was some
splendid play before Glenister got a downward smash which he planted
obliquely not two feet from the net on the left side and got his game.
2--3.
“Getting into his form, hey?” said one of the critics behind Priscilla.
“It’s the way with all of them; but Wingfield takes it out of him, all
the same,” was the reply.
“He does, by George! I didn’t think that Wingfield had it in him; he
always seemed to me a lazy sort of beggar--doesn’t care whether he
wins or loses--doesn’t seem to know which he does. His partners in the
doubles bless him unawares. That was a good serve. My aunt, it was a
good serve! He’s working. Has he something on the game, do you suppose?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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