This FreedomHutchinson, A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth)
General
This Freedom
Hutchinson, A. S. M. (Arthur Stuart-Menteth)
Marriage -- Fiction; Women -- Social and moral questions -- Fiction
One seeks to give only the things in Rosalie’s life that contributed to
her record, as time judges a record. Of her years at Oakwood House, so
far as Oakwood House itself is concerned, only that friendship with
Miss Keggs thus contributed. The rest does not matter and may be passed.
Rosalie was happy there. It naturally was all very strange at first
but she soon shook down and found her place and formed friendships. The
thing to notice is this--that even in the strangeness of her first few
weeks the place was actively felt by her to be a haven. There is to be
recalled that aching desire of hers, when poor Anna lay dead, to get
right away from men: men who (though still pre-eminently wonderful)
caused her by their showing off to blink and have a funny feeling; and
by their distasteful presence spoilt her walks and her lessons; and by
the frightening things they did had brought that frightening death to
Anna. Thus had accumulated that aching desire to get right away from
men and be only amongst girls; and the feeling remained most lively in
Rosalie at the Sultana’s, and intensified. Those men! She used to see
the Bashibazook and shudder at him; and Mr. Ponders and shudder at him;
and sometimes Uncle Pyke, and because of ways he had, feel quite sick
to be near him. Men still were wonderful. The Bashibazook, Mr. Ponders,
Uncle Pyke, Uncle Pyke’s friends--all were infinitely superior and did
what they pleased; but, oh, not nice, frightening. It was safe and nice
to be only with girls. Girls were in heaps of ways extraordinarily silly
and unsatisfactory. Men though not nice, unquestionably did everything
better and could do things. Unquestionably theirs was the best time in
life. Unquestionably they were to be envied. But--not nice, frightening.
It was like that that her ideas at Oakwood House were shaping.
And all this time, most important and much contributory to the life of
Rosalie--Aunt Belle. Tremendous occasions in those years were the visits
to the Sultana’s of Aunt Belle. Frequently on a Saturday, kind Aunt
Belle used to call at Oakwood House for Rosalie and take her to a tea
shop for tea. Beautiful cousin Laetitia would accompany her, and kind
Aunt Belle would always invite Rosalie to bring with her another little
One Only. Kind, kind Aunt Belle! Aunt Belle used to sit by in the tea
shop, affectionate and loquacious as ever, while the two schoolgirls
stuffed themselves with cakes (not beautiful Laetitia who just nicely
sipped a cup of tea and nicely smiled at the two gross appetites) and
always kind Aunt Belle brought a small hamper of sweets and cake and
apples--“The very best goodies from the Army and Navy Stores, dear
child. They know us so well at the Army and Navy Stores. Your Uncle Pyke
has a standing deposit account there. We can go in without a penny in
our pockets and buy anything we please. Fancy that, dear child!” And
always half a crown for Rosalie, as kind Aunt Belle was leaving.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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