登陆注册
15316400000029

第29章 XINGU December, 1911(6)

Mrs.Roby was silent for a moment; then she replied with lowered lids: "No--but a friend of mine did; a very brilliant man; and he told me it was best for women--not to..."A shudder ran around the room.Mrs.Leveret coughed so that the parlour-maid, who was handing the cigarettes, should not hear; Miss Van Vluyck's face took on a nauseated expression, and Mrs.Plinth looked as if she were passing some one she did not care to bow to.But the most remarkable result of Mrs.Roby's words was the effect they produced on the Lunch Club's distinguished guest.Osric Dane's impassive features suddenly melted to an expression of the warmest human sympathy, and edging her chair toward Mrs.Roby's she asked: "Did he really? And--didyou find he was right?"

Mrs.Ballinger, in whom annoyance at Mrs.Roby's unwonted assumption of prominence was beginning to displace gratitude for the aid she had rendered, could not consent to her being allowed, by such dubious means, to monopolise the attention of their guest.If Osric Dane had not enough self-respect to resent Mrs.Roby's flippancy, at least the Lunch Club would do so in the person of its President.

Mrs.Ballinger laid her hand on Mrs.Roby's arm."We must not forget," she said with a frigid amiability, "that absorbing as Xingu is to US, it may be less interesting to--""Oh, no, on the contrary, I assure you," Osric Dane energetically intervened.

"--to others," Mrs.Ballinger finished firmly; "and we must not allow our little meeting to end without persuading Mrs.Dane to say a few words to us on a subject which, to-day, is much more present in all our thoughts.I refer, of course, to 'The Wings of Death.'"The other members, animated by various degrees of the same sentiment, and encouraged by the humanised mien of their redoubtable guest, repeated after Mrs.Ballinger: "Oh, yes, you really MUST talk to us a little about your book."Osric Dane's expression became as bored, though not as haughty, as when her work had been previously mentioned.But before she could respond to Mrs.Ballinger's request, Mrs.Roby had risen from her seat, and was pulling her veil down over her frivolous nose.

"I'm so sorry," she said, advancing toward her hostess with outstretched hand, "but before Mrs.Dane begins I think I'd better run away.Unluckily, as you know, I haven't read her books, so I should be at a terrible disadvantage among you all; and besides, I've an engagement to play bridge."If Mrs.Roby had simply pleaded her ignorance of Osric Dane's works as a reason for withdrawing, the Lunch Club, in view of her recent prowess, might have approved such evidence of discretion; but to couple this excuse with the brazen announcement that she was foregoing the privilege for the purpose of joining a bridge- party, was only one moreinstance of her deplorable lack of discrimination.

The ladies were disposed, however, to feel that her departure-- now that she had performed the sole service she was ever likely to render them--would probably make for greater order and dignity in the impending discussion, besides relieving them of the sense of self-distrust which her presence always mysteriously produced.Mrs.Ballinger therefore restricted herself to a formal murmur of regret, and the other members were just grouping themselves comfortably about Osric Dane when the latter, to their dismay, started up from the sofa on which she had been deferentially enthroned.

"Oh wait--do wait, and I'll go with you!" she called out to Mrs.Roby; and, seizing the hands of the disconcerted members, she administered a series of farewell pressures with the mechanical haste of a railway- conductor punching tickets.

"I'm so sorry--I'd quite forgotten--" she flung back at them from the threshold; and as she joined Mrs.Roby, who had turned in surprise at her appeal, the other ladies had the mortification of hearing her say, in a voice which she did not take the pains to lower: "If you'll let me walk a little way with you, I should so like to ask you a few more questions about Xingu..."III

The incident had been so rapid that the door closed on the departing pair before the other members had had time to understand what was happening.Then a sense of the indignity put upon them by Osric Dane's unceremonious desertion began to contend with the confused feeling that they had been cheated out of their due without exactly knowing how or why.

There was an awkward silence, during which Mrs.Ballinger, with a perfunctory hand, rearranged the skilfully grouped literature at which her distinguished guest had not so much as glanced; then Miss Van Vluyck tartly pronounced: "Well, I can't say that I consider Osric Dane's departure a great loss."This confession crystallised the fluid resentment of the other members, and Mrs.Leveret exclaimed: "I do believe she came on purpose to be nasty!"It was Mrs.Plinth's private opinion that Osric Dane's attitude toward the Lunch Club might have been very different had it welcomed her in the majestic setting of the Plinth drawing-rooms; but not liking to reflect on the inadequacy of Mrs.Ballinger's establishment she sought a round-about satisfaction in depreciating her savoir faire.

"I said from the first that we ought to have had a subject ready.It's what always happens when you're unprepared.Now if we'd only got up Xingu--"The slowness of Mrs.Plinth's mental processes was always allowed for by the Club; but this instance of it was too much for Mrs.Ballinger's equanimity.

同类推荐
  • The Beldonald Holbein

    The Beldonald Holbein

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Kenilworth

    Kenilworth

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 麈史

    麈史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 古今医鉴

    古今医鉴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 相宗八要

    相宗八要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 超能学园都市

    超能学园都市

    一场超能力者的事件将平凡的高中生邵侠卷入其中,从此开启了一段不平凡的校园生活,轻松诙谐的故事就此展开……各种新奇的超能力,各种性格的同学们,各种友爱的校园生活。女神、萝莉、御姐、女王……通通都有!后宫?NO!纯纯的校园送给纯纯的你。
  • 虫潮沸腾

    虫潮沸腾

    在原世界中已经灭绝的物种,在另一个世界中可能正在不断进化,生生不息。从平行世界重生而来,吴蝗蓦然发现:原世界缺失的昆虫物种,却是地球上数量最多的动物群体!它们的踪迹几乎遍布世界的每一个角落!它们种类繁多、形态各异,能力非凡!能够举起超过自身体重400倍物体的蚂蚁。跳过自身身长350倍距离的跳蚤。可以在各种极端环境下生存,几乎强到杀不死的水熊虫。…………这个与原世界高度相似的地球世界,静水流年,盛世安好。吴蝗说“给我一只昆虫,我可以撬动整个世界!”站在这个世界的巅峰,吴蝗身后亿万昆虫,虫潮沸腾……
  • 优梦:京都甲十八号

    优梦:京都甲十八号

    蓝诗雨为一名高校学生,优越身世加之自有气质,让她成为所有学生的羡慕,但在应届一年,诗雨父亲与她最好朋友顾晶莹产生感情,强势的母亲察觉后转移了家族所有资产,并让诗雨随她一起去美国读书,经历变故的诗雨对于家庭极度失望,去岛国寻找一直喜欢自己的朋友温斌的安慰,但这美丽时尚的岛国,才是故事真正的开始
  • 相遇不再分手

    相遇不再分手

    童年的约定,久别十五年已经长大的他们,再次相遇,彼此不再相识,命运是否让他们再续前缘
  • 即使过去,你仍然在我的心里

    即使过去,你仍然在我的心里

    那年17岁读高三,喜欢上一个男孩,他是我的同班同学!自认为长的不差的我,虽然没有倾城倾国的容颜但也有许多男孩追求,经常收到莫名的信件。喜欢上他是个意外。不是一见钟情,或许是日久生情吧!也或许是女孩的虚荣心作祟!总之喜欢上了
  • 瞭望之路:中国广播电视新闻改革研究课题报告

    瞭望之路:中国广播电视新闻改革研究课题报告

    《瞭望之路:中国广播电视新闻改革研究课题报告》课题组于2005年8月出版了《中国电视新闻从业人员心态录》调查报告之后,又经过了一年多的学习、研究,课题终于完稿,有了一个初步的成果,我们怀着忐忑不安的心情,将这一成果呈献出来,它肯定会有一些不当之处,甚至错误,但却是我们对理论和实践作了认真思考的成果,是我们真实的见解,可以说课题组的师生,是以一颗对中国广播电视事业无限热爱和赤诚的心来对待这一课题研究的,希望中国广播电视新闻事业能对中国的政治改革起应有的作用。
  • 随心所“愈”:更新自己,治愈疲惫

    随心所“愈”:更新自己,治愈疲惫

    各种“治愈系”在我们的周围不断成长,治愈系音乐、治愈系动漫、治愈系人物、治愈系电影,乃至超治愈图片、超治愈动物,这些温馨暖人的事物就像春天刚发芽的小草,不经意的一抹绿意昭示着春天的到来,漫不经心地停留在我们需要她们的地方。我们的心灵不知不觉的受到她们的滋养呵护,让我们快要风化的心重新变得柔软。在我们惊讶于这些小可爱、小清新、小温暖、小领悟的惊人魔力时,很多人开始探寻这些灵魂方剂的本源。
  • 清风徐徐来

    清风徐徐来

    咖啡馆年轻的女老板徐晓爱邂逅动漫公司总裁陆清风,正当他们的感情迅速发展之时,徐晓爱大学时的初恋男友方睿泽再次出现,而方睿泽与陆清风既是生意上的合作伙伴,同时也是好友。陆清风儿时曾喜欢过的女孩何灵也再度与其相遇。四人之间情感的变化微妙,最终又将何去何从?
  • 源眸如水,薄荷纠心

    源眸如水,薄荷纠心

    他,是万众瞩目的少年王源,A市的源风集团继承人,她,是在家庭破碎之中的落魄少女,他们之间本来素不相识,却在冥冥之间走在了一起。
  • 颜倾天下:凤舞烈焰

    颜倾天下:凤舞烈焰

    一次偶然的机会,轩辕国主萧君颜、书画公子不恨、武林至尊烈焰邂逅了富家小姐上官青濛,进而引发出一段相隔千年的缘愫。红颜乱,乱红颜,千年情,千年怨,千年结,千年恨,一段纠葛了千年的骇俗之恋在九幽大陆轰轰烈烈上演。