"More crust," he said. "There isn't any. Very good; marmalade in a
spoon. But I won't distend my--my _vie intérieure_ with crumb. About the
ticket man. You are wrong if we are generous to Lady Dover with regard
to the length of our visit. Why mince matters? Can we afford it? I say
'Yes.' Board wages for our enormous establishment here. Tickets for
ourselves, third class--I wish there was a fourth or fifth--and what's
the dem'd total, as Mr. Mantalini said. Besides these"--Evelyn waved his
hand like a man commanding millions--"these are temporary economies. The
pink and butter-coloured is going to visit these classic abodes in
October, and if orders don't pour in like our own leaky roof, I'll eat
all the gamboge in my paintbox. I can't say fairer. And as I don't
possess gamboge," he added, "the bet finds no takers. I give you that
information, for though I am poor, I am honest."
Evelyn proceeded to eat marmalade with a spoon.
"It will be very _chic_, if you come to think of it," he said.
"Probably several ladies' maids and valets will arrive with their
respective owners by the same train. You, Madge, will flirt with one or
two of the valets, and I with several of the ladies' maids. The scene
then is shifted to Golspie station. You squeeze the hands of the valets
on the platform, and I gaze into the eyes of the ladies' maids. The
sumptuous motor has come for Lady Dover's guests. We strive to
subdue--quite ineffectually--our air of conscious superiority, and
squeeze the hands of Dukes and Duchesses. Then they will know us in our
true colours. Triumphal explosion of the motor-car. The valets and
ladies' maids are saved. Hurrah for the lower classes! Another cup of
tea, please. Right up to the top. And the point is the fare to Golspie.
Arrived there, we shall have no more food and drink to buy."
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