I shall always
be"--
"What's coming?" thought Mrs. Hauksbee.
"Proud of that," said Otis.
"Safe for the present," she said to herself.
"But I'm afraid I have grown conceited. Like Jeshurun, you know. When he waxed
fat, then he kicked. It's the having no worry on one's mind and the Hill air,
I suppose."
"Hill air, indeed!" said Mrs. Hauksbee to herself. "He'd have been hiding in
the Club till the last day of his leave, if I hadn't discovered him." And
aloud--"Why shouldn't you be? You have every right to."
"I! Why?"
"Oh, hundreds of things. I'm not going to waste this lovely afternoon by
explaining; but I know you have. What was that heap of manuscript you showed
me about the grammar of the aboriginal--what's their names?"
"Gullals. A piece of nonsense. I've far too much work to do to bother over
Gullals now. You should see my District. Come down with your husband some day
and I'll show you round. Such a lovely place in the Rains! A sheet of water
with the railway-embankment and the snakes sticking out, and, in the summer,
green flies and green squash. The people would die of fear if you shook a
dogwhip at 'em. But they know you're forbidden to do that, so they conspire to
make your life a burden to you.
Pages:
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381