The colloquy became almost tender, until she said, "Isn't this gassy, and
stifling? I confess I do like a carriage, and Richmond on a Sunday. And
then, with two daughters, you know! But what I complain of is her folly
in being in love, or something like it, with a rich fellow."
"Love the poor devil--manage the rich, you mean."
"Yes, of course; that makes them both happy."
"It's a method of being charitable to two."
A rather fleshy fairy now entered, and walked straight up to the looking-
glass to examine her paint--pronouncedly turning her back to the sofa,
where Mr. Pericles still lay at provoking full length. Her panting was
ominous of a further explosion.
"Innocent child!" in the mockery of a foreign accent, commenced it; while
Wilfrid thought how unjustly and coldly critically he had accused his
little Emilia of vulgarity, now that he had this feminine display of it
swarming about him.
"Innocent child, indeed! Be as deaf as you like, you shall hear. And
sofas are not made for men's dirty boots, in this country. I believe
they're all pigs abroad--the men; and the women--cats! Oh! don't open
your eyes--don't speak, pray. You're certain I must go when the bell
rings. You're waiting for that, you unmanly dog!"
"A pig," Mr. Pericles here ventured to remind her, murmuring as one in a
dream.
"A peeg!" she retorted mildly, somewhat mollified by her apparent
success. But Mr. Pericles had relapsed into his exasperating composure.
The breath of a deliberate and undeserved peacefulness continued to be
drawn in by his nostrils.
At the accustomed warning there was an ostentatious rustle of retiring
dresses; whereat Mr. Pericles chose to proclaim himself awake. The
astute fairy-fury immediately stepped before him.
"Now you can't go on pretending sleep. You shall hear, and everybody
shall hear. You know you're a villain! You're a wolf seeking..."
Mr. Pericles waved his hand, and she was caught by the wrist and told
that the scene awaited her.
"Let them wait!" she shouted, and, sharpening her cry as she was dragged
off, "Dare to take that girl to Italy! I know what that means, with you.
An Englishman might mean right--but you! You think you've been dealing
with a fool! Why, I can stop this in a minute, and I will. It's you're
the fool! Why, I know her father: he plays in the orchestra. I know her
name--Belloni!"
Up sprang the Greek like a galvanized corpse; while two violent jerks
from the man hauling her out rattled the laugh of triumph which burst
from her. At the same time Wilfrid strove forward, with the frown of one
still bent listening, and he and Pericles were face to face. The
eyebrows of the latter shot up in a lively arch. He made a motion toward
the ceremony of 'shake-hands;' but, perceiving no correspondent overture,
grinned, "It is warm--ha?"
"You feel the heat? Step outside a minute," said Wilfrid.
"Oh, no!" Mr. Pericles looked pleasantly sagacious. Ze draught--a cold."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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