England -- Fiction; Fathers and daughters -- Fiction; Sisters -- Fiction
Lady Seveley smiled, Frank thought the words presumptuous. “Who the
devil would care to hear you talk--and that filthy accent.” And at
that moment he remembered Lizzie Baker. Fletcher and Harding were now
speaking to Lady Seveley, and taking advantage of the circumstance he
slipped out, and, lighting a cigarette, entered the bar room. Behind
the counter the young ladies stood in single file, and through odours of
cigarettes and whisky their voices called “One coffee in order,” and
the cry was passed on till it reached the still-room. Frank remembered
having read a description of the place somewhere, he thought for a
moment, and then he remembered that it was in one of Harding's novels.
He could detect no difference in the loafers that leaned over the
counter talking to the barmaids; they were dingy and dull, whereas the
young men from the stalls of the theatre were black and white and clean;
but the keenest eye could note nothing further, and a closer inspection
showed that even a first division rested on no deeper basis than the
chance of evening dress. Civilisation has given us all one face and
mind. He walked to where Lizzie was serving; soldiers were ordering
drinks of her, so he was obliged to apply to the next girl to her for
his brandy and soda. He drank slowly, hoping her admirers would
leave her, but one soldier was stationery, and this spot of red grew
singularly offensive in Frank's eyes, from the clumsy, characterless
boots, to the close-clipped hair set off with the monotonously jaunty
cap. The man sprawled over the counter drinking a glass of porter.
Frank tried to listen to what he was saying. Lizzie smiled, showing many
beautifully shaped teeth, so beautifully shaped that they looked like
sculpture. Behind her there were shelves charged with glasses and
bottles, gilt elephants, and obelisks, a hideous decoration; she passed
up and down with cups of coffee, she filled glasses from various taps,
she saluted Frank.
“How are you this evening? Come to see the piece again?”
“Come to see you.”
“Get along; I don't believe you,” she said, and she passed back to her
place, and continued talking to the soldier as steadily as her many
occupations would allow her.
A few moments after the bell rang, and Frank went upstairs annoyed.
“Oh, so it is you; you have come back,” said Helen, turning; “sit down
here. Nellie Farren has just sung such an exquisitely funny song; they
have encored it; just listen to it, do,” and Helen fixed her opera glass
on the actress. The light and shadow played about her neck andarm in
beautiful variations, but noticing nothing, Frank leaned forward.
“Isn't it funny; isn't it delightfully funny?”
“Yes, it is funny.”
Having heard one song they listened to the rest of the act. “Now give
me my cloak. Thank you, and now give me your arm.” Frank complied. “You
will come home to Green Street with me, and have some supper?”
“I am afraid, I am sorry I can't; I must get home early to-night.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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