Through stained glass: A NovelChamberlain, George Agnew
General
Through stained glass: A Novel
Chamberlain, George Agnew
Fathers and sons -- Fiction; Love stories
Folly's bath-room was not as large as her bedroom, but it was larger
than anything since Rome. To the casual glance, its tiled floor and
walls and its numerous immaculate fittings, nickel-trimmed and
glass-covered, gave the impression of a luxurious private-clinic
theater. Standing well away from one wall was, in fact, a glass
operating-table of the latest and choicest design. A more leisurely
inspection of the room, however, showed this operating-table to be the
only item--if a large-boned Swedish masseuse be omitted--directly
reminiscent of a surgery. All the other glittering appliances, including
an enormous porcelain tub, were subtly allied to the cult of healthy
flesh.
At the moment when the maid entered with Leighton's card, Folly was
virtually indistinguishable. She could only be guessed at in the
mummy-like form extended, but not stretched, if you please, on the
operating-table. Her face, all but a central oval, was held in a thin
mask of kidskin, and her whole body, from neck to peeping pink toes, was
wrapped closely in bandages soaked with cold cream. The bath-tub was
still half-full of tepid water, from which rose faint exhalations of the
latest attar, so delicate that they attained deception, and made one
look around instinctively for flowers.
Folly's big brown eyes seemed to be closed, but in reality they were
fixed on a little clock in plain, white porcelain, to match the room,
which stood on a glass shelf high on the wall in front of her. "I'm sure
that old clock has stopped," she cried petulantly to the masseuse. "Tell
me if it's ticking."
"Ut's ticking," said the _masseuse_, patiently. Then she added, as
though she were reciting: "Be mindful. Youth is a fund that can be saved
up like pennies. The tenure of youth and beauty is determined by the
amount and the quality--"
"Of relaxation," chanted Folly, breaking in. "It is not enough that the
body be relaxed; wrinkles come from the mind. Relax your mind even as
you relax your fingers and your toes. Tra-la-la, la-la!" Folly wriggled
the free tips of her pink toes. She felt the maid come in. "What do you
want, Marie?"
"Nothing, Miss," said the maid; "only I think something must of
happened."
"Nothing, only something's happened," mimicked Folly. "Well, what's
happened?"
"It's Mr. Lewis's governor, Miss, please. He's here, and he says he just
must see you."
"So you let him in, did you? At half-past ten in the morning? How much
did he give you?"
"Oh, nothing at all, Miss." Marie paused. "He's that charming he didn't
have to give me anything."
"H--m--m!" said Folly. "Well, go ask him what he wants."
"He won't say, Miss. He's that troubled he just keeps his eyes on the
floor, an' says as he has something private he must tell you. Perhaps
Mr. Lewis has broke his leg. I'm sure I don't know."
"Come on, Buggins," said Miss Delaires to the masseuse. "Don't you hear?
There's a gentleman waiting to see me."
Buggins shook her head.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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