Chapter 7

           ‘Anoutward-boundmail-boathadcomeinthatafternoon,andthebigdining-roomofthehotelwasmorethanhalffullofpeoplewitha-hundred-pounds-round-the-worldticketsintheirpockets.Thereweremarriedcoupleslookingdomesticatedandboredwitheachotherinthemidstoftheirtravels;thereweresmallpartiesandlargeparties,andloneindividualsdiningsolemnlyorfeastingboisterously,butallthinking,conversing,joking,orscowlingaswastheirwontathome;andjustasintelligentlyreceptiveofnewimpressionsastheirtrunksupstairs.Henceforththeywouldbelabelledashavingpassedthroughthisandthatplace,andsowouldbetheirluggage.Theywouldcherishthisdistinctionoftheirpersons,andpreservethegummedticketsontheirportmanteausasdocumentaryevidence,astheonlypermanenttraceoftheirimprovingenterprise.Thedark-facedservantstrippedwithoutnoiseoverthevastandpolishedfloor;nowandthenagirl’slaughwouldbeheard,asinnocentandemptyashermind,or,inasuddenhushofcrockery,afewwordsinanaffecteddrawlfromsomewitembroideringforthebenefitofagrinningtablefulthelastfunnystoryofshipboardscandal.Twonomadicoldmaids,dresseduptokill,workedacrimoniouslythroughthebilloffare,whisperingtoeachotherwithfadedlips,wooden-facedandbizarre,liketwosumptuousscarecrows.AlittlewineopenedJim’sheartandloosenedhistongue.Hisappetitewasgood,too,Inoticed.Heseemedtohaveburiedsomewheretheopeningepisodeofouracquaintance.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 92 з 504