The Astonishing History of Troy TownQuiller-Couch, Arthur
General
The Astonishing History of Troy Town
Quiller-Couch, Arthur
Cornwall (England : County) -- Fiction
Her large eyes, gleaming on him through the dusk, compelled and yet
frightened him. He trembled and stammered vaguely--
"You said just now--you hinted, I mean--that you were unhappy with
Mr.--with your husband. Is that so?"
It was the second time she had been asked the question to-day.
A faint smile crossed her face.
"Well?" she said again.
"I mean," he answered with a nervous laugh, "I don't like to see it--
and--I meant, if I could help you--"
"To run away? Will you help me to run away?" Her eyes suddenly
blazed upon him, and as she bent forward, and almost hissed the
words, he involuntarily drew back a step.
"Well," he stammered, "he's a good fellow, really, is your husband--
he's been very good to me and all that--"
"Ah!" she exclaimed, turning away, "I thought so. Come, we are
wasting time."
"Stop!" cried Sam.
But she had passed swiftly down the sloping deck and dropped into the
boat without his assistance. He followed unsteadily, untied the
painter, and jumped down after her. They rowed for some time in
silence after the retreating picnickers. Before they came abreast of
the hindmost boat, however, Sam spoke--
"Look here. I can't help myself, and that's the truth. If you want
to run away I'll help you." He groaned inwardly as he said it.
She made no reply, but kept her eyes fixed on his face, as if
weighing his words. Nor, beyond a cool "Good-night" at parting on
the quay, did another word pass between them.
"What luck?" asked the Honourable Frederic as his wife entered the
drawing-room of "The Bower." He was stretched in an arm-chair before
the fire, and turned with a glance of some anxiety at her entrance.
She looked about her wearily, took off her hat, tossed it across to
a table, and, sinking into the armchair opposite, began to draw off
her gloves.
"I'm sick to death of all this, me dear--of 'the Cause,' of Brady, of
these people, of meself."
Her face wore a grey look that made her seem a full ten years older.
"Won't you include me in the list, my love?" asked her husband
amiably.
"I would," she replied, "only I've already said as much twice this
very afternoon."
She laughed a fatigued little laugh, and looked around her again.
The drawing-room had greatly changed since first we visited it with
Admiral Buzza, and the local tradesmen regarded Mr. Goodwyn-Sandys'
account with some complacency as they thought of payment after
Midsummer. For the strangers were not of the class that goes to the
Metropolis or to the Co-operative Stores; from the outset they had
announced a warm desire to benefit the town of Troy. This pretty
drawing-room was one of the results, and it only wanted a certain
number of cheques from the Honourable Frederic to make the excellence
of the arrangement complete.
Mrs. Goodwyn-Sandys took a leisurely survey of the room while her
husband awaited information.
"The pote is hooked," she said at last, "an' so's Master Sam."
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