FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  
t on the floor--thinking--and I know! MORE. And Olive? KATHERINE. I shall leave her at Father's, with Nurse; unless you forbid me to take her. You can. MORE. [Icily] That I shall not do--you know very well. You are free to go, and to take her. KATHERINE. [Very low] Thank you! [Suddenly she turns to him, and draws his eyes on her. Without a sound, she puts her whole strength into that look] Stephen! Give it up! Come down to me! The festive sounds from the street grow louder. There can be heard the blowing of whistles, and bladders, and all the sounds of joy. MORE. And drown in--that? KATHERINE turns swiftly to the door. There she stands and again looks at him. Her face is mysterious, from the conflicting currents of her emotions. MORE. So--you're going? KATHERINE. [In a whisper] Yes. She bends her head, opens the door, and goes. MORE starts forward as if to follow her, but OLIVE has appeared in the doorway. She has on a straight little white coat and a round white cap. OLIVE. Aren't you coming with us, Daddy? [MORE shakes his head.] OLIVE. Why not? MORE. Never mind, my dicky bird. OLIVE. The motor'll have to go very slow. There are such a lot of people in the street. Are you staying to stop them setting the house on fire? [MORE nods] May I stay a little, too? [MORE shakes his head] Why? MORE. [Putting his hand on her head] Go along, my pretty! OLIVE. Oh! love me up, Daddy! [MORE takes and loves her up] OLIVE. Oo-o! MORE. Trot, my soul! [She goes, looks back at him, turns suddenly, and vanishes.] MORE follows her to the door, but stops there. Then, as full realization begins to dawn on him, he runs to the bay window, craning his head to catch sight of the front door. There is the sound of a vehicle starting, and the continual hooting of its horn as it makes its way among the crowd. He turns from the window. MORE. Alone as the last man on earth! [Suddenly a voice rises clear out of the hurly-burly in the street.] VOICE. There 'e is! That's 'im! More! Traitor! More! A shower of nutshells, orange-peel, and harmless missiles begins to rattle against the glass of the window. Many voices take up the groaning: "More! Traitor! Black-leg! More!" And through the window can be seen waving flags and lighted Chin
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  



Top keywords:

KATHERINE

 

window

 

street

 

shakes

 

begins

 

sounds

 

Traitor

 

Suddenly

 

realization

 

Putting


suddenly

 

vanishes

 

craning

 

pretty

 

orange

 

harmless

 

missiles

 

nutshells

 
shower
 

rattle


waving

 
voices
 

groaning

 

hooting

 

continual

 

vehicle

 

starting

 

lighted

 

doorway

 
festive

louder
 

Stephen

 

blowing

 

swiftly

 
stands
 
whistles
 
bladders
 

strength

 
forbid
 

Father


thinking

 

Without

 

mysterious

 

coming

 

setting

 

staying

 

people

 

whisper

 

conflicting

 

currents