|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 12
And then going to a small table which stood between the two windows,
Mrs. Bunting took off it a large Bible, which had been given to her
as a wedding present by a married lady with whose mother she had
lived for several years.
"He said it would do quite well when you take up his supper," said
Bunting; and, then, "Ellen? He's a queer-looking cove--not like
any gentleman I ever had to do with."
"He is a gentleman," said Mrs. Bunting rather fiercely.
"Oh, yes, that's all right." But still he looked at her doubtfully.
"I asked him if he'd like me to just put away his clothes. But,
Ellen, he said he hadn't got any clothes!"
"No more he hasn't;" she spoke quickly, defensively. "He had the
misfortune to lose his luggage. He's one dishonest folk 'ud take
advantage of."
"Yes, one can see that with half an eye," Bunting agreed.
And then there was silence for a few moments, while Mrs. Bunting
put down on a little bit of paper the things she wanted her husband
to go out and buy for her. She handed him the list, together with
a sovereign. "Be as quick as you can," she said, "for I feel a bit
hungry. I'll be going down now to see about Mr. Sleuth's supper.
He only wants a glass of milk and two eggs. I'm glad I've never
fallen to bad eggs!"
"Sleuth," echoed Bunting, staring at her. "What a queer name!
How d'you spell it--S-l-u-t-h?"
"No," she shot out, "S-l-e--u--t--h."
"Oh," he said doubtfully.
"He said, 'Think of a hound and you'll never forget my name,'"
and Mrs. Bunting smiled.
When he got to the door, Bunting turned round: "We'll now be able
to pay young Chandler back some o' that thirty shillings. I am
glad." She nodded; her heart, as the saying is, too full for words.
And then each went about his and her business--Bunting out into
the drenching fog, his wife down to her cold kitchen.
The lodger's tray was soon ready; everything upon it nicely and
daintily arranged. Mrs. Bunting knew how to wait upon a gentleman.
Just as the landlady was going up the kitchen stair, she suddenly
remembered Mr. Sleuth's request for a Bible. Putting the tray down
in the hall, she went into her sitting-room and took up the Book;
but when back in the hall she hesitated a moment as to whether it
was worth while to make two journeys. But, no, she thought she
could manage; clasping the large, heavy volume under her arm, and
taking up the tray, she walked slowly up the staircase.
But a great surprise awaited her; in fact, when Mr. Sleuth's
landlady opened the door of the drawing-room she very nearly dropped
the tray. She actually did drop the Bible, and it fell with a heavy
thud to the ground.
The new lodger had turned all those nice framed engravings of the
early Victorian beauties, of which Mrs. Bunting had been so proud,
with their faces to the wall!
For a moment she was really too surprised to speak. Putting the
tray down on the table, she stooped and picked up the Book. It
troubled her that the Book should have fallen to the ground; but
really she hadn't been able to help it--it was mercy that the
tray hadn't fallen, too.
Mr. Sleuth got up. "I--I have taken the liberty to arrange the
room as I should wish it to be," he said awkwardly. "You see,
Mrs.--er--Bunting, I felt as I sat here that these women's eyes
followed me about. It was a most unpleasant sensation, and gave
me quite an eerie feeling."
The landlady was now laying a small tablecloth over half of the
table. She made no answer to her lodger's remark, for the good
reason that she did not know what to say.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|