United States or New Zealand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
She considered that she had found it in Majendie's habits, his silences, his moods, the facility of his decline upon the Hannays and the Ransomes. He was determined to deteriorate, to sink to their level. To-night, when he remarked tentatively that he thought he would dine at the Hannays', she made an effort to stop him. "Must you go?" said she. "You are always dining with them."
I should have enjoyed it very much indeed." "I don't believe you." "Was there anybody there that you disliked so much?" "The Hannays were there. It was enough." "You liked Mr. Gorst?" "Yes. He was different." "Poor Charlie. I'm glad you liked him." "I don't like him any better for meeting him there, my dear." "Don't say that to Walter, Nancy." "I have said it.
The subject drew her out quite remarkably, so that Mrs. Hannay, always soft and kind, showed at her very softest and kindest. To talk to her was like resting an aching head upon the down cushion to which it was impossible not to compare her. It was the Hannays' bitter misfortune that they had no children; but this frustration had left them hearts more hospitably open to their friends. Mrs.
And Lawson, big, good-natured Lawson, would lend him more "money" to build his church with. So the Vicar of All Souls, who aspired to be all things to all men, was hand in glove with the Lawson Hannays. He had occasionally been known to provide for the tables of the poor, but he dearly loved to sit at the tables of the rich; and he justified his predilection by the highest example.
Anne had drawn him into discussing at breakfast-time their host and hostess of the night before. "Shall you have to see very much of them?" She had made up her mind that she would see very little, or nothing, of the Hannays. "Well, I haven't, lately, have I?" said he, and she owned that he had not. "How you ever could " she began, but he stopped her. "Oh well, we needn't go into that."
Majendie's hand for the moment of presenting her to her husband. By this gesture she appropriated Mrs. Majendie, taking her under her small cherubic wing. "Wallie, how d'you do?" Her left hand furtively appropriated Mrs. Majendie's husband. Anne marked the familiarity with dismay. It was evident that at the Hannays' Walter was in the warm lap of intimacy. It was evident, too, that Mr.
Nanna pointed out to her that his bed had not been slept in. Anne's heart sank. Later on, the telegram he sent explained his absence. She supposed that he had slept at the Ransomes' or the Hannays', and she thought no more of it. The business of the day again absorbed her. In the afternoon Canon Wharton called on her. It was the recognised visit of condolence, delayed till her return.
Hannay called in Prior Street, at stated intervals, to see Edith and the baby. On these occasions Anne, if taken unaware by Mrs. Hannay, was always perfect and polite, but when she knew that Mrs. Hannay was coming, she contrived adroitly to be out. Her attitude to the Hannays was one of the things she undoubtedly meant to keep up.
He went to the Hannays. They were out. He went on to the Ransomes and found them there. He found Canon Wharton there, too, drinking whiskey and soda. "Here's Wallie," some one said. Mrs. Ransome poured out more whiskey, and gave it to him and to the Canon. The Canon drank peg for peg with them, while he eyed Majendie austerely.
She told him, every week, of an improvement in her own health, and appeared solicitous for his. While she was away, he saw a great deal of the Hannays and of Gorst. When he was not with the Hannays, Gorst was with him. Gorst was punctilious, but a little shy in his inquiries for Mrs. Majendie. The Hannays made no allusion to her beyond what decency demanded.
Word Of The Day