[The Short Works of George Meredith by George Meredith]@TWC D-Link bookThe Short Works of George Meredith CHAPTER V 3/16
He pursued his researches down at the Pump Room, while she looked round the ladies' coffee house.
Encountering again, they walked back to the duchess's lodgings, where a band stood playing in the road, by order of her Grace; but the duchess was away, and had not been seen since her morning's departure. 'What sort of character would you give mistress Susan of Dewlap, from your personal acquaintance with it ?' said Mr.Beamish to Chloe, as they stepped from the door. Chloe mused and said, 'I would add "good" to the unkindest comparison you could find for her.' 'But accepting the comparison!' Mr.Beamish nodded, and revolved upon the circumstance of their being very much in nature's hands with Duchess Susan, of whom it might be said that her character was good, yet all the more alive to the temptations besetting the Spring season.
He allied Chloe's adjective to a number of epithets equally applicable to nature and to women, according to current ideas, concluding: 'Count, they call your Caseldy at his lodgings.
"The Count he is out for an airing." He is counted out.
Ah! you will make him drop that "Count" when he takes you from here.' 'Do not speak of the time beyond the month,' said Chloe, so urgently on a rapid breath as to cause Mr.Beamish to cast an inquiring look at her. She answered it, 'Is not one month of brightness as much as we can ask for ?' The beau clapped his elbows complacently to his sides in philosophical concord with her sentiment. In the afternoon, on the parade, they were joined by Mr.Camwell, among groups of fashionable ladies and their escorts, pacing serenely, by medical prescription, for an appetite.
<<Back Index Next>> D-Link book Top TWC mobile books
|