United States or North Korea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But love is a selfish passion, and when Mavis awoke three mornings later, when it wanted four days to her marriage, she would have forgotten Windebank's existence, but for the fact of his having sent her a costly, gold-mounted dressing-case. This had arrived the previous evening, at the same time as the frock that she proposed wearing at her wedding had come from Bathminster.
"It's delicious," she remarked, when she tasted his concoction. "That's all I'm good for, Tommy rotten things of no real use to anyone." "But it is of use. It's added to the enjoyment of my lunch." "But there's no money in it: that's what I should have said." He filled her glass and his with claret. Before either of them drank, they touched each other's glasses. "Suggest a toast!" said Mavis.
She informed the kind ladies that she was going to seek her bread elsewhere; upon their offering the mildest of protests, she had made every effort to translate her intentions into performance. This was by no means an easy matter for a comparatively friendless girl, as Mavis soon discovered. Her numerous applications had, so far, only resulted in an expenditure of stationery and postage stamps.
"Of course, if you would prefer to stay with us," began Miss Helen. "If you have no objection, I will leave for good tomorrow morning," said Mavis. "Leave for good!" cried the two old ladies together, who, now that they believed Mavis to be going, were dismayed at the prospect of living without her. "It will be better for all of us," remarked Mavis.
The New Monitress The announcement of Mavis's resignation and the consequent promotion of Merle to the post of monitress was received at school with varying degrees of surprise. Some of the girls regretted it, others thought that in the circumstances it was a wise decision. "On the whole, I'm glad," admitted Iva in private to Nesta. "I love Mavis, but she's too fine stuff for the job.
Do have some more tea, Mavis darling. 'No, thanks; I'll have another cake. 'May I smoke? She laughed. 'Asking me! You do what you like in your own house. 'It's yours, he answered, 'when you're here. And when you're not, even more, he added as an afterthought. He struck a match; she laughed and said: 'I don't believe I understand you a bit. 'Oh I went to the play last night, said Vincy.
Mrs Scatchard had told her from the first, that however much she might be disposed to let Mavis remain in the house for this event, Mr Scatchard strongly objected, at his age, to the inconvenience of a baby under the same roof. Mavis filled many weary hours in dragging herself up and down front-door steps in the quest for accommodation; but she spent her strength in vain.
"I can't have been thinking what I said," remarked Miss Toombs, as she put aside her teacup to go on with her work. "I thought not," retorted Miss Hunter. "You haven't told me very much about him," said Mavis. "I've never heard much good of him," declared Miss Hunter. "Men are scarcely expected to be paragons," said Mavis.
It was as if she were imprisoned in a house of pain, from which she could only escape by enduring the most poignant of all torture inflicted by nature on sensitive human bodies. The cries became continuous. Mavis placed her fingers in her ears to shut them out. For all this precaution, a scream of pain penetrated to her hearing.
She trembled from head to foot; tears scalded her eyes, which, with a great effort, she kept back. She was crushed with humiliation and shame. At once she thought of the loved one, and how deeply he would resent the horrible insult to which his tenderly loved little Mavis had been subjected. But there was no time for vain imaginings.
Word Of The Day