Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Politicians -- Fiction
Belfield rose to take leave. "We can't let Nutley beat us," he said. "We
must have you at Halton too!" He was led into assuming that his little
domestic struggle would end in victory.
She looked at him, still smiling. "Wait and see how I behave at Nutley
first. If Harry gives a good report of me--I suppose he'll be
there?--ask me to Halton!"
He laughed, and so let the question go. After all, it would not do to be
too sudden with his wife.
"You needn't be afraid of Harry. But Wellgood's rather a formidable
character."
"And Miss Vintry? Is she alarming?"
He pursed up his lips. "I think she might be called a little--alarming."
"I'll have a good look at her--and perhaps I'll let you know what I
think of her," said the Nun, with no more than the slightest twinkle in
her eyes. It was enough for Belfield's quickness; it was much more
informing than the blank silence--though even that had set him thinking.
But the Nun's account of her first visit to Nutley chanced--or perhaps
it was not chance--to be rendered not to Belfield, but to Andy Hayes.
After the last meeting of the campaign, he had gone round to smoke a
pipe with Jack Rock. Leaving him hard on midnight--there had been much
to be wormed out of Andy concerning his speeches, their reception, the
applause--he saw a light still burning in the window at the Lion. As he
drew near, he perceived that the window was open, and he heard a voice
crooning softly. He made bold to look in. The Nun was alone; she sat in
the window, doing nothing, singing to herself. "Boo!" said Andy, putting
his big head in at the window.
"Andy!" she cried, her face lighting up. "Jump in! You've come to scare
the devils! There are a hundred of them, and they won't go away for all
my singing. And Sally's gone to bed, prophesying a breaking of at least
six out of the Ten Commandments! And only yesterday I told Mr. Belfield
that nothing unpleasant could happen in Meriton! Where is one to go for
quiet if things happen in Meriton?"
An outburst like this was most unusual with the Nun. It produced on
Andy's face such a look of mild wonder as may be seen on a St. Bernard's
when a toy-terrier barks furiously.
"What's happened?"
"I've been at Nutley."
"Oh yes! Harry came on from there in the car--got to the meeting rather
late."
"Something's happened--or is happening--in that house." She looked at
him sharply. "You've been here longer than I have--do you know anything?
Go on with your pipe."
Andy considered long, smoking his pipe.
"You do know something!" she exclaimed.
"I've ground for some uneasiness," he admitted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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