India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Fiction; Short stories, English
She. I think I will. Oh! Look at the mist coming over Sanjaoli; and I
thought we should have sunshine on the Ladies’ Mile! Let’s turn back.
He. What’s the good? There’s a cloud on Elysium Hill, and that means
it’s foggy all down the Mall. We’ll go on. It’ll blow away before we get
to the Convent, perhaps. ‘Jove! It is chilly.
She. You feel it, fresh from below. Put on your ulster. What do you
think of my cape?
He. Never ask a man his opinion of a woman’s dress when he is
desperately and abjectly in love with the wearer. Let me look. Like
everything else of yours it’s perfect. Where did you get it from?
She. He gave it me, on Wednesday our wedding-day, you know.
He. The Deuce He did! He’s growing generous in his old age. D’you like
all that frilly, bunchy stuff at the throat? I don’t.
She. Don’t you?
Kind Sir, o’ your courtesy,
As you go by the town, Sir,
‘Pray you o’ your love for me,
Buy me a russet gown, Sir.
He. I won’t say: ‘Keek into the draw-well, Janet, Janet.’ Only wait
a little, darling, and you shall be stocked with russet gowns and
everything else.
She. And when the frocks wear out you’ll get me new ones and everything
else?
He. Assuredly.
She. I wonder!
He. Look here, Sweetheart, I didn’t spend two days and two nights in
the train to hear you wonder. I thought we’d settled all that at
Shaifazehat.
She. (dreamily). At Shaifazehat? Does the Station go on still? That
was ages and ages ago. It must be crumbling to pieces. All except the
Amirtollah kutcha road. I don’t believe that could crumble till the Day
of Judgment.
He. You think so? What is the mood now?
She. I can’t tell. How cold it is! Let us get on quickly.
He. ‘Better walk a little. Stop your jhampanies and get out. What’s the
matter with you this evening, dear?
She. Nothing. You must grow accustomed to my ways. If I’m boring you I
can go home. Here’s Captain Congleton coming, I daresay he’ll be willing
to escort me.
He. Goose! Between us, too! Damn Captain Congleton.
She. Chivalrous Knight. Is it your habit to swear much in talking? It
jars a little, and you might swear at me.
He. My angel! I didn’t know what I was saying; and you changed so
quickly that I couldn’t follow. I’ll apologise in dust and ashes.
She. There’ll be enough of those later on Good-night, Captain Congleton.
Going to the singing-quadrilles already? What dances am I giving you
next week? No! You must have written them down wrong. Five and Seven, I
said. If you’ve made a mistake, I certainly don’t intend to suffer for
it. You must alter your programme.
He. I thought you told me that you had not been going out much this
season?
She. Quite true, but when I do I dance with Captain Congleton. He dances
very nicely.
He. And sit out with him, I suppose?
She. Yes. Have you any objection? Shall I stand under the chandelier in
future?
He. What does he talk to you about?
She. What do men talk about when they sit out?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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