[She and I, Volume 1 by John Conroy Hutcheson]@TWC D-Link bookShe and I, Volume 1 CHAPTER TWO 17/23
If you went the right way about it, you could get anything out of her without committing yourself in the slightest way; whereas, if you set to work wrongly, you might not only be foundered by a provoking reticence, which she could assume at times, but might, also, some day hear that your secret intentions and machiavellian conduct were the common talk of the parish. Lady Dasher, although of a strictly pious turn of mind, did not object to Sunday callers.
Good.
I would go there that very afternoon after lunch, and see how the land lay. I kept my resolve, and went. Ushered into the well-known little drawing-room of the corner house of The Terrace, whose windows had a commanding view of the main thoroughfare of our suburb, I had ample leisure, before the ladies appeared, of observing the arrangement of certain fuchsias in a monster flower-stand that took up half the room, on the growth and excellence of which Lady Dasher prided herself greatly.
Praise her fuchsias, and you were the most excellent of men; pass them by unnoticed, and you might be capable of committing the worst sin in the decalogue. Is it not curious, how particular scents of flowers and their appearance will call up old scenes and circumstances to your memory? To this day, the mere sight of a fuchsia will bring back to my mind Lady Dasher's little drawing-room; and I can fancy myself sitting in the old easy- chair by the window, and listening to that morbid lady's chit-chat. Presently my lady came in, pale and melancholy, as usual, and with her normal expression of acutest woe. "Dear me, Mr Lorton! how very ill you are looking, to be sure.
Is there not consumption in your family ?" "Not that I'm aware of, Lady Dasher, thank you," I replied; "but how well _you_ are looking, if one may judge by appearances." "Ah!" she sighed with deep sadness, "appearances, my young friend, are very deceptive.
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