All Electronic Books

He was a jocular,
tiresome, gregarious soul, habitually untidy, creased and rumpled, who
was always thirsty, but who, as the Judge was accustomed to reply when
Corinna remonstrated, "would divide his last julep with a friend." The
men had been companions from boyhood, and were still inseparable. For
the same delusion makes strange friendships, and the General, in spite
of his appearance of damaged reality, also inhabited that enchanted
fairy-ring where no fact ever entered.
With the bowl of marigolds in her hands, Corinna came over to the
tea-table and stood smiling dreamily at Stephen. The firelight dancing
over her made a riot of colour, and she looked the image of happiness,
though the young man knew that the ephemeral illusion was created by the
red of her gown and the burnished gold of the flowers.
"John Benham sent them to me because I praised his speech," she said.
"Wasn't it nice of him?"
"He always does nice things when one doesn't expect them," he answered.


Pages:
50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74