The Card, a Story of Adventure in the Five TownsBennett, Arnold
General
The Card, a Story of Adventure in the Five Towns
Bennett, Arnold
Adventure stories; City and town life -- Fiction; Staffordshire (England) -- Fiction
In a few minutes the bookstall on the platform attracted them as
inevitably as a prone horse attracts a crowd. Other people were near the
bookstall, and as these people were obviously leaving Llandudno, Ruth
and Nellie felt a certain solace. The social outlook seemed brighter for
them. Denry bought one or two penny papers, and then the newsboy began
to paste up the contents poster of the _Staffordshire Signal_,
which had just arrived. And on this poster, very prominent, were the
words:--"The Great Storm in North Wales. Special Descriptive Report."
Denry snatched up one of the green papers and opened it, and on the
first column of the news-page saw his wondrous description, including
the word "Rembrandtesque." "Graphic Account by a Bursley Gentleman of
the Scene at Llandudno," said the sub-title. And the article was
introduced by the phrase: "We are indebted to Mr E.H. Machin, a
prominent figure in Bursley," etc.
It was like a miracle. Do what he would, Denry could not stop his face
from glowing.
With false calm he gave the paper to Ruth. Her calmness in receiving it
upset him.
"We'll read it in the train," she said primly, and started to talk about
something else. And she became most agreeable and companionable.
Mixed up with papers and sixpenny novels on the bookstall were a number
of souvenirs of Llandudno--paper-knives, pens, paper-weights,
watch-cases, pen-cases, all in light wood or glass, and ornamented with
coloured views of Llandudno, and also the word "Llandudno" in large
German capitals, so that mistakes might not arise. Ruth remembered that
she had even intended to buy a crystal paper-weight with a view of the
Great Orme at the bottom. The bookstall clerk had several crystal
paper-weights with views of the pier, the Hotel Majestic, the Esplanade,
the Happy Valley, but none with a view of the Great Orme. He had also
paper-knives and watch-cases with a view of the Great Orme. But Ruth
wanted a combination of paper-weight and Great Orme, and nothing else
would satisfy her. She was like that. The clerk admitted that such a
combination existed, but he was sold "out of it."
"Couldn't you get one and send it to me?" said Ruth.
And Denry saw anew that she was incurable.
"Oh yes, miss," said the clerk. "Certainly, miss. To-morrow at latest."
And he pulled out a book. "What name?"
Ruth looked at Denry, as women do look on such occasions.
"Rothschild," said Denry.
It may seem perhaps strange that that single word ended their
engagement. But it did. She could not tolerate a rebuke. She walked
away, flushing. The bookstall clerk received no order. Several persons
in the vicinity dimly perceived that a domestic scene had occurred, in a
flash, under their noses, on a platform of a railway station. Nellie was
speedily aware that something very serious had happened, for the train
took them off without Ruth speaking a syllable to Denry, though Denry
raised his hat and was almost effusive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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