登陆注册
15480400000027

第27章 Chapter XI.(1)

She told her mother in a few words at luncheon that she had arranged to take Spanish lessons from a young protege of Dr. Kemp, who had been ill and was in want.

"And I was thinking," she added with naive policy, "that I might combine a little business with pleasure this afternoon, --pay off some of those ever urgent calls you accuse me of outlawing, and at the same time try to get up a class of pupils for Miss Delano. What do you think?"

"That would be nice; don't forget Mrs. Bunker. I know you don't like her, but you must pay a call for the musical which we did not attend; and she has children who might like to learn Spanish. I wonder if I could take lessons too; it would not be exciting, and I am not yet so old but I may learn."

"You might ask the doctor. He has almost dismissed himself now; and after we get back from the country perhaps Jennie would join us two in a class.

Mother and daughter can then go to school together."

"It is very fortunate," Mrs. Levice observed pensively, sipping her necessary glass of port, "that C_ sent your hat this morning to wear with your new gown. Isn't it?"

"Fortunate!" Ruth exclaimed, laughing banteringly; "it is destiny."

So Mrs. Levice slipped easily into Ruth's plan from a social standpoint, and Ruth slipped out, trim and graceful, from her mother's artistic manipulations.

Meanwhile Mrs. Levice intended writing some delayed letters till her husband's return, which promised to be early in the afternoon.

She had just about settled herself at her desk when Jennie Lewis came bustling in. Mrs. Lewis always brought in a sense of importance; one looked upon her presence with that exhilarating feeling with which one anticipates the latest number of a society journal.

"Go right on with your writing, Aunt Esther," she said after they had exchanged greetings. "I have brought my work, so I shall not mind the quiet in the least."

"As if I would bore you in that way!" returned Mrs. Levice, with a laughing glance at her, as she closed her desk. "Lay off your things, and let us have a downright comfortable afternoon. Don't forget a single sensation; I am actually starving for one."

Mrs. Lewis smiled grimly as she fluffed up her bang with her hat-pin. She drew up a second cosey rocking-chair near her aunt's, drew out her needle and crochet-work, and as the steel hook flashed in and out, her tongue soon acquired its accustomed momentum.

"Where is Ruth?" she began, winding her thread round her chubby, ring-bedecked finger.

"She is paying off some calls for a change."

"Indeed! Got down to conventionality again?" "You would not call her unconventional, would you?"

"Oh, well; every one has a right to an opinion."

Mrs. Levice glanced at her inquiringly. Without doubt there was an underground mine beneath this non-committal remark. Mrs. Lewis rocked violently backward and forward without raising her eyes. Her face was beet-red, and it looked as if an explosion were imminent. Mrs. Levice waited with no little speculation as to what act of Ruth her cousin disapproved of so obviously. She like Jennie; every one who knew her recognized her sterling good heart; but almost every one who knew her agreed that a grain of flour was a whole cake, baked and iced, to Mrs.

Lewis's imagination, and these airy comfits were passed around promiscuously to whoever was on hand. Not a sound broke the portentous silence but the decided snap with which Mrs. Lewis pulled her needle through, and the hurricane she raised with her rocking.

"I was at the theatre last night."

The blow drew no blood.

"Which theatre?" asked Mrs. Levice, innocently.

"The Baldwin; Booth played the 'Merchant of Venice.'"

"Did you enjoy it?" queried her aunt, either evading or failing to perceive the meaning.

"I did." A pause, and then, "Did Ruth?"

Mrs. Levice saw a flash of daylight, but her answer hinted at no perturbation.

"Very much. Booth is her actor-idol, you know."

"So I have heard." She spread her crochet work on her knee as if measuring its length, then with striking indifference picked it up again and adjusted her needle,-- "She came in rather late, didn't she?"

"Did she?" questioned Mrs. Levice, parrying with enjoyment the indirect thrusts. "I did not know; had the curtain risen?"

"No; there was plenty of time for every one to recognize her."

"I had no idea she was so well known."

"Those who did not know her, knew her escort. Dr. Kemp is well known, and his presence is naturally remarked."

"Yes; his appearance is very striking."

"Aunt Esther!" The vehemence of Mrs. Lewis's feelings sent her ball of cotton rolling to the other end of the room.

"My dear, what is it?" Mrs. Levice turned a pair of bright, interested eyes on her niece.

"You know very well what I wish to say: everybody wondered to see Ruth with Dr. Kemp."

"Why?"

"Because every one knows that she never goes out with any gentleman but Uncle or Louis, and we all were surprised. The Hoffmans sat behind us, and Miss Hoffman leaned forward to ask what it meant. I met several acquaintances this morning who had been there, and each one made some remark about Ruth. One said, 'I had no idea the Levices were so intimate with Dr. Kemp;' another young girl laughed and said, 'Ruth Levice had a swell escort last night, didn't she?' Still another asked, 'Anything on the tapis in your family, Mrs. Lewis?' And what could I say?"

"What did you say?"

Mrs. Levice's quiet tone did not betray her vexation. She had feared just such a little disturbance from the Jewish community, but her husband's views had overruled hers, and she was now bound to uphold his.

Nevertheless, she hated anything of the kind.

"I simply said I knew nothing at all about it, except that he was your physician. Even if I had known, I wouldn't have said more."

同类推荐
  • 绘事微言

    绘事微言

    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。
  • 齐俗训

    齐俗训

    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。
  • 子午流注针经

    子午流注针经

    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。
  • 山房随笔

    山房随笔

    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。
  • 江淮异人录

    江淮异人录

    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
  • 世界最具科学性的科幻小说(2)

    世界最具科学性的科幻小说(2)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 甜心玩火:误惹霸情阔少爷

    甜心玩火:误惹霸情阔少爷

    订婚宴当天,她竟然被绑架了!一场绑架,本以为能解除以商业共赢为前提的无爱联姻,她却不知自己招惹了更大号人物。他……那个绑架她的大BOSS,为什么看起来那么眼熟,不会是那晚不小心放纵的对象吧?男人逼近,令她无所遁逃,“强上我,这笔账你要怎么算?”
  • 神上青天

    神上青天

    现代人古明,虽有大志,却无处可施一朝风云际会,他踏上了一个熟悉而又陌生的世界那里,大罗只是起点,混元也并不难见异界降临,诸神黄昏,浩劫之后,洪荒已无神这是一个属于我的时代
  • 小乞丐与女警花

    小乞丐与女警花

    李牧和是个乞丐,每天只能在天桥底下耗日子,因被人打断肋骨伤势严重没医治,对生活失望至极之后跳入冰冷的运河,被警察救起之后遇见了当警察的女警贺白雪然后决心改变自己努力开始了正常人的生活······
  • 我家男神是女人

    我家男神是女人

    少年初回A国,却是先去了言铃学院,他喜欢搞事情,还喜欢撩妹,在学校他是全校皆知的校草;在生活中,他是人人皆知的偶像歌手,有一个帅气的老板经纪人围绕左右。有一天,某落看着吃棒棒糖的少年,有些宠溺地说:“做我的人,保你能有无穷无尽的糖。”“老板,去祸害小女生吧!”少年含着糖,有些口齿不清。“是啊,你也是小女生!”“靠!我是男的,不信我脱下裤子你看看!”某晨知道他有洁癖,故意说道。“好啊。”某落看着某晨,不禁玩心大发。“还是算了,我不想让我这瘦弱的身材脏了您的眼。”某晨转过身去。“别闹了,晨,答应我吧。”某落走近她,在身后抱住了她,“我知道你是女生。”
  • 守望:英雄崛起

    守望:英雄崛起

    “下面插播一条紧急通知,近段时间部分商铺遭到恐怖分子袭击,目击者称有一帮穿着奇装异服的怪人突然现身然后叫嚣着要匡扶正义并将店内设施砸坏,下面是现场发来的报道。”受害者,店长A:“我也不知道发生了什么,就一帮人突然出现嚷嚷着要伸张正义,然后就把我的店给砸了...”......论一个跨国组织成长的靠谱小说(大概吧...)Ps:读者群158819865(仙剑预备役)
  • 霸道总裁已上线

    霸道总裁已上线

    “总裁不好了夫人旅行回来了”小秘书苦哈哈的望着我们英俊潇洒的总裁大人汇报着。宝贝儿回来了,这可是天大的好事,激动的把文件一甩,“还愣着干什么,随我去接夫人”,一向沉稳的总裁什么时候变成了这样,还不是那个可怕的夫人,小秘书一想到那个可怕的女人,心里就直打颤。天知道,他被收拾的多惨。“唉~总裁等等我啊”声音淹没在呼呼的风声。终于看着自己心心念念的人儿,叶萧顿时眼睛就焦在那个明艳的可人儿上了……本文是绝对的宠文,相信作者哦!
  • 世界怪奇实话中

    世界怪奇实话中

    本书收录《手拿斧头的夫人画像》、《消失的新郎》、《楼门街的自杀旅馆》、《地面伸出的手》、《圣伊丽莎白的妒忌》等推理小说。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 七煞女帝

    七煞女帝

    现代顶级特工风无意,科学院秘密制造的基因改造人,莫名其妙地掉到了这个诡异的奇幻世界。千年流传的预言,神魔分界的盟约,当曾经被放逐的异族归来,当鲜血与战火染红人心,平静的大陆从此因为一个女子的降临而风云变幻。淡漠的占星师、可爱的狐狸精、傲娇的恶魔,孤傲的精灵王…最终谁才是她的选择?