That Which Hath Wings: A Novel of the DayDehan, Richard
General
That Which Hath Wings: A Novel of the Day
Dehan, Richard
World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
Thus Mrs. Keyse, now for years housekeeper at Harley Street, a little
light-haired woman, common of speech and innocent of grammar, but a
pearl of price in the Doctor’s estimation and her mistress’s right hand.
"Don’t say they fed you at ’Endon on ’am and salad an’ pigeon-pie.
Trash is the word," said Mrs. Keyse, "for resturong pastry, and them
there piegeons, if language could be given ’em, would bear me out in
what I say."
But Patrine refused baked meats, submitting to be escorted to her room
and tenderly fussed over by the kind, Cockney-tongued little woman, and
yellow-haired pink-cheeked thirteen-year-old Janey, out of whose small
triangular face looked the honest grey eyes of W. Keyse.
Both Mrs. Keyse and Janey had been crying, for Keyse, who acted as the
Doctor’s chauffeur, had broken bad news in the kitchen-regions. Master
Bawne, according to Keyse, had been taken for a trip in one of them
Hairos by a German flying-bloke, and it was feared—not having returned
or been heard of—that Something or Other had gone wrong.
Mrs. Keyse, a born optimist, rejected the idea of accident or casualty
with ringing sniffs of incredulity. Master Bawne, the blessed dear! had
prob’ly bin kidnup’ by some foreign Nobleman wanting a Nair. Trust a
German, Mrs. Keyse would never! having when a young woman in service at
Alexandra Crescent, Kentish Town, N.W., been treated something frightful
by a young man who travelled in shaving-sets of German silver and other
fancy articles of Teuton origin. Keyse must often have heard her
mention That There Green?
Keyse responded, lighting his pipe, for his wife and daughter had
accompanied him to their own private parlour in the basement, looking
out across the yard to the garage over which Billy and Janey had been
born:
"Twice a day since you and me stood up before the dodger to git married.
But you never tipped me as ’ow the bloke was a bloomin’ Fritzer before.
’Ow do you make it out? Switch me on to the notion! ’Cos o’ somethink
in the German nickel ’e drummed in gettin’ into ’im an’ affectin’ ’is
blood?"
Mrs. Keyse, impervious to sarcasm as incapable of grammar, maintained
that the subject under discussion had spoke wiv’ a Naxent particularly
noticeable when upset. Broken English, in moments of passion, with red
eyes and white ’air simpular to one o’ them Verbenas, had in conjunction
with a decided bent towards bigamy, and an appetite for other people’s
savings, distinguished That There Green.
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