Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 14, 2025
She wants to take stenography, but I tell her.... Did you think the preludes were just the tiniest bit idealized.... I always say if one has one's music, and one's books, of course He must be very, very fond of music!" Such were the hushed, tentative fragments I caught. The moments passed. Belknap-Jackson went to the telephone. "What? But they're not here! Very strange!
"'A series of entertainments being planned in his honour!" quavered Mrs. Belknap-Jackson. "'The most sought-after notable present!" echoed Mrs. Effie viciously. Again and again I had essayed to protest my innocence, only to provoke renewed outbursts. I could but stand there with what dignity I retained and let them savage me. Cousin Egbert now spoke again: "Shucks! What's all the fuss?
And having for myself acquired a remarkable prestige from my intimate association with the affair, I promptly seized the reins and drew the scattered forces together. First, at an early day I sought an interview with Belknap-Jackson and Mrs. Effie and told them straight precisely why I had played them both false in the matter of the wedding breakfast.
The succeeding three days passed with so ordered a calm that little would any but a profound thinker have fancied tragedy to lurk so near their placid surface. Mrs. Effie and Mrs. Belknap-Jackson continued to plan the approaching social campaign at Red Gap.
Belknap-Jackson, indeed, arose quickly and grasped me by the hand, echoing, "The Honourable George Augustus Vane-Basingwell, brother of the Earl of Brinstead," with little shivers of ecstasy in his voice, while the ladies pealed their excitement incoherently, with "Really! really!" and "Actually coming to Red Gap the brother of a lord!"
Belknap-Jackson was quite properly horrified at these revelations. "Has he no sense of 'Noblesse oblige'?" he demanded, at which I quoted the result of my own use of this phrase to the unfortunate man. Quite too plain it was that "Noblesse oblige!" would never stop him from yielding to his baser impulses. "We must be tactful, then," remarked Belknap-Jackson.
You see, we're getting on famously." "Ain't I always said Bill was a good mixer?" called Cousin Egbert, but his gaucherie was pointedly ignored. "Now," continued Belknap-Jackson, "suppose you tell us in a chatty, friendly way just what you think about this regrettable affair." All sat forward interestedly.
"At three, then," said Belknap-Jackson as we arose. "I shall be delighted," I murmured. "I bet you won't," said Cousin Egbert sourly. "He wants to show you off." This, I could see, was ignored as a sheer indecency. "We shall have to get a reception in quick," said Mrs. Effie, her eyes narrowed in calculation.
When not secluded with her at her own establishment he would be abroad with her in her trap or in the car of Belknap-Jackson. The owner, however, no longer drove his car. He had never taken another chance. And well I knew these activities of his lordship's were being basely misconstrued by the gossips.
I ain't going to run the Judge against no such proposition like that." Of course the poor chap was speaking his own backwoods metaphor, as I am quite sure he would have been incapable of mutilating Belknap-Jackson, or even of imprisoning him in a goods van of beef. I mean to say, it was merely his way of speaking and was not to be taken at all literally.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking