Read Online Poor Caroline by Winifred Holtby - Free Book Online

Johnson, 'of Toronto and Hollywood' according to his own account, of Birmingham and Chicago still more probably, thought Joseph, a huge, hulking, clumsy, disreputable, oratorical creature, who had just missed being superbly handsome and obviously gave himself the benefit of the doubt. Johnson affected a picturesque and conspicuous style of dress and manner. His decorative blue shirts with open necks, his broad-brimmed black hats, huge flapping cloaks and free dramatic gestures, made his appearance re markable in any company. Tall and finely proportioned, his otherwise impressive figure was spoiled by the ugly for ward thrust of his head and neck. His black brows almost met above dark flashing eyes, which were unfortunately dis figured by a slight cast. His really handsome profile was marred when he smiled and showed his big, yellow neglected teeth. He was as dirty as St. Denis was fastidious, forgot to shave after a night's drinking, and would appear at a lunch at the Cafe Royal with his shoe-laces undone. In moments of excitement he had been known to roll down a woollen sock and expose on a hairy ankle the scars left by a bear's claws during a rough encounter in the Rockies. He gave acquaintances to understand that on less accessible parts of his person were even better scars. He was a clever, bragging, untidy, talkative, malicious, romantic fellow, with the face of an artistic scavenger and the amatory impulses of a tom-cat. The thought of his concern for the purity of the cinema was sufficient to afford St. Denis adequate enter tainment for a year.
    On the other side of Johnson was Joseph's seat, and be tween Joseph and the chairman sat the honorary secretary of the company, Miss Denton-Smyth. It was she who had arranged the austere but imposing furniture of the office, she who had laid before each director a sheet of pink virgin blotting-paper, a writing-block, and sharpened pencil. It was she who had written in the large leather-bound book the minutes of the previous Board meetings; she who sent out the circulars, drafted the prospectuses, soothed Macafee's im patience and curbed Johnson's eloquence. For all the ironic insinuations of St. Denis, Joseph knew that Miss Denton- Smyth was the Christian Cinema Company. It had come into being at her word. It existed upon her labour. It aspired toward her ideals.
    'What a woman,' thought Joseph Isenbaum. 'What a woman!'
    As Joseph watched her open her correspondence file, smooth the papers neatly in front of her, and beam round the table at her Board until her eyes came to rest with ador ing solicitude upon her chairman, Joseph thought, 'Almighty God, the woman's fallen in love with St. Denis.' But later, when she went through her correspondence, spoke of the growing public interest in the enterprise, displayed the company seal that had just arrived at the office, and described the interview which she had had with the Rector of Mayfair, Joseph thought instead, 'The woman's fallen in love with the Company!'
    The meeting began.
    St. Denis nodded his head, and drawled in his charming, musical voice, 'W ell, Miss Denton-Smyth and gentlemen, we may as well begin. I call upon the secretary to read the minutes of the last meeting.'
    Miss Denton-Smyth cleared her throat and ran her tongue over her lips. She began to read.
    'A Board meeting of the Christian Cinema Company, Ltd., was held on November 1st, 1928, at 396 Victoria Street. Present, Mr. St. Denis in the chair, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Guerdon, Mr. Isenbaum, Mr. Macafee and Miss Denton-Smyth, honorary secretary. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The hon. secretary re ported that she had received seventeen letters of inquiry in response to the advertisement in the Churchman's Weekly, four through the Protestant Gazette, two from The School Teacher, and seven from The Homes of England.'
    The eager, gentle voice went on. There was no doubt, reflected Joseph, that to Miss Denton-Smyth these letters were as wonderful