There was a great
flare of flame; Rose lifted one stolid arm to the gods for vengeance,
then a stout leg in a last writhing agony. Only then, when it was all
concluded, did Aunt Emily hear behind her the little half-strangled cry
which made her turn. The child was standing, motionless, with so old, so
desperate a gaze of despair that it was something indecent for any human
being to watch.
V
Nurse came in from her afternoon. She had heard nothing of the recent
catastrophe, and, as she saw Angelina sitting quietly in front of the
fire she thought that she had had her tea, and was now "dreaming" as she
so often did. Once, however, as she was busy in another part of the
room, she caught half the face in the light of the fire. To any one of a
more perceptive nature that glimpse must have seemed one of the most
tragic things in the world. But this was a woman of "a sensible, hearty"
nature; moreover, her "afternoon" had left her with happy reminiscences
of her own charms and their effect on the opposite sex.
She had, however, her moment.... She had left the room to fetch
something.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112