Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 13, 2025
Monday was a perfectly impossible day I spent all the morning before I returned to Versailles in writing to Maurice, telling him he must find out all about Miss Sharp Alathea I felt if I told him her Christian name it would be a clue and yet even to assist in that, which was, at the moment, my heart's desire, I could not overcome my personal dislike to pronounce it to Maurice! it seemed as something sacred to me alone which makes me reflect upon how egotistical we all are and how we would all rather fail in attaining what is our greatest wish than not to be able to express our own personality !
Holton, full of scheming, was returning up the trail after having said good-bye to Barbara, Miss Alathea and the Colonel at the railway in the valley, climbing steadily and skillfully, without much thought of his surroundings. His feet had quickly fallen into the almost automatic climbing-stride of the born mountaineer, and his thoughts had gradually absorbed themselves in memories of the past.
"Infamous!" said Miss Alathea, when the child had finished. "And that scoundrel has gone free!" exclaimed the Colonel, in disgust. "That's how I come to live alone, here," Madge went on, addressing Barbara, particularly. The girl had made her feel it necessary to offer some defense.
But then Miss Alathea spoke. She had listened to all the talk about the fire, the incendiary, the pursuit, and its dreadful possibilities of lynching, with the keenest of distress. Now the Colonel's calm declaration that, presently, they would be off to the race-track which he had sworn forever to taboo, shifted her mind suddenly from those unpleasant topics.
I tell myself continually that I am no more interested in Alathea that I am going to get well, and go back to England that I have emerged, and am a man with a free will once more and I am a great deal better . After all, how absurd to be thinking of a woman, from morning to night! When I get my new leg, and everything is all healed, up in a year or two, shall I be able to ride again?
Her hands were not so red I noticed. I am becoming sensitive to what is called "atmosphere" I suppose, for I felt all the currents in the room were disturbed that ambience of serenity did not surround Alathea and keep me unconsciously in awe of her as it always has before I was aware that my natural emotions were running riot and that my one eye was gazing at her with love in it, and that my imagination was conjuring up scenes of delight with her as a companion.
As I came from the lift, Madame Bizot's daughter came out of the concierge's lodge with her baby, and it was making its same little cooing, gurgling noises that caused me so to feel that time when Alathea first began to interest me.
She knew that their suggestion was a dreadful one, but could not make it definite. Miss Alathea noted her agitation instantly, and hurried to her side. "Poor child, what is the matter?" Madge had regained control of her features, which, for an instant, had shown plain horror. "Tain't nothin', ma'am. It couldn't be. It's all over now." She smiled gratefully at Miss Alathea.
It surprised and grieved him, but, when Miss Alathea held her hand out, quietly, for the vessel which had held the final julep but which now held it no longer, he yielded it up gracefully nor asked her to refill it. As Miss Alathea placed the empty glass upon the side-board Madge entered from the hallway. She ran up to the Colonel. "I heard you'd come," she said, "an' couldn't wait.
I was speechless with rage, and could have sworn aloud, when at last I heard the door shut between us, then I strode back into my room, praying that Alathea had been unaware of my visitor. Nemesis, on one's wedding day! I waited until five and then went back into the sitting-room to my chair, and Antoine brought in the tea, and turned on the lights, and a moment or two afterwards Alathea came in.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking