We have been made
fools of, but for my part, I simply couldn't bear that everybody should
know I had been made a fool of. Anything but that. What's a hundred
pounds compared to that, or a tankard--"
"My Louis XVI snuff-box was worth at least that without the other
things," said Georgie, still with a secret satisfaction in being the
greatest sufferer.
"And it was my hundred pounds, not yours, _carissima,"_ said
Peppino. But it was clear that Lucia's words were working within him
like leaven.
"I'll go halves with you," she said. I'll give you a cheque for fifty
pounds."
"And who would like to go halves in my tankard?" said Daisy with bitter
irony. "I want my tankard."
Georgie said nothing, but his mind was extremely busy. There was Olga
soon coming to Riseholme, and it would be awful if she found it ringing
with the tale of the Guru, and glancing across to Peppino, he saw a
thoughtful and sympathetic look in his eyes, that seemed to indicate
that his mind was working on parallel lines. Certainly Lucia had
given them all something to meditate upon. He tried to imagine the
whole story being shouted into Mrs Antrobus's ear-trumpet on the
village-green, and could not endure the idea. He tried to imagine Mrs
Weston ever ceasing to talk about it, and could not picture her silence.
No doubt they had all been taken in, too, but here in this empty bedroom
were the original dupes, who encouraged the rest.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182