Read Online Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Waters
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, England, Erotic Fiction, England - Social Life and Customs - 19th Century, Lesbian, Lesbians, Lesbians - England
Ads: Link
you poorly?' I said. She turned to me and shook her was; but when she spoke again it wasn't about the contract, head, and smiled; but again, her smile seemed sad.
but about my family -about how kind they were, and how
'Just tired.'
much they loved me, and how lucky I was to have them. I remembered that she was an orphan, of sorts, and bit back 57
58
my protests, and let her talk; but my silence seemed only to
'London!' I could only echo her in disbelief. This was dampen her spirits the further.
terrible beyond all words. Had she gone to Margate or At last, when her cigarette was finished and thrown into the Broadstairs, I might have visited her sometimes. If she went grate, she took a breath and said what I had been waiting to London I would never see her again; she might just as for. 'Nan, I have something to tell you - a piece of good well go to Africa, or to the moon.
news, and you must promise to be happy for me.'
She went talking on, saying how Mr Bliss had friends at the I couldn't help myself. I had been longing to smile about it London halls, and had promised her a season at them all; all afternoon, and now I laughed and said, 'Oh Kitty, I know how he had said she was too good for the provincial stage; your news already!' She seemed to frown then, so I went on that she would find fame in the city, where all the big quickly, 'You mustn't be cross with Tony, but he told me -
names worked, and all the money was ... I hardly listened, just today.'
but grew more and more miserable. At length I placed a
'Told you what?'
hand before my eyes, and bowed my head, and she grew
'That Tricky wants you to stay on, at the Palace; that you silent.
will be here till Christpas at least!'
'You're not happy for me, after all,' she said quietly.
She looked at me rather strangely, then lowered her gaze
'I am,' I said - my voice was thick - 'but I am more unhappy, and gave an awkward little laugh. 'That's not my news,' she for myself.'
said. 'And nobody knows it but me. Tricky does want me to There was a silence then, broken only by the sound of stay on - but I've turned him down.'
laughter and scraping chairs from the parlour below, and
'Turned him down?' I stared at her. Still she would not catch the shriek of gulls outside the open window. The room my eye, but got to her feet, and crossed her arms over her seemed to have darkened since we entered it, and I felt waist.
colder, suddenly, than I had all summer.
'Do you remember the gentleman who called on me last I heard her take a step. In a second she was sitting beside night,' she said,' - Mr Bliss?' I nodded. She hadn't me again, and had taken my hand from my brow. 'Listen,'
mentioned him today; and in all my fussing over her visit, I she said. 'I have something to ask you.' I looked at her; her had forgotten to ask after him. Now she went on: 'Mr Bliss face was pale, except for its cloud of freckles, and her eyes is a manager - not a theatre manager, like Tricky, but a seemed large. 'Do you think that I look handsome today?'
manager for artistes: an agent. He saw my turn and - oh, she said. 'Do you think I have been kind, and pleasant, and Nan!' - she couldn't help but be excited now - 'he saw my good? Do you think your parents like me?' Her words turn and liked it so much, he has offered me a contract, at a seemed wild. I did not speak, but only nodded wonderingly.
music hall in London!'
'I came,' she said, 'to make them. I wore my smartest frock, so they would think me grander than I am. I thought, they 59
60
might be the meanest and most miserable family in all of
'It's the flower I gave you.' She took it from me, and held it.
Kent; yet I will work so hard at being nice, they'll trust me It was dry and limp, and its petals were brown at the edges like a daughter.
and coming loose; and it was rather flat, because I had slept
'But oh, Nan, they're not miserable or mean, and I didn't many nights with it beneath my pillow.
have to play at being nice
but about my family -about how kind they were, and how
'Just tired.'
much they loved me, and how lucky I was to have them. I remembered that she was an orphan, of sorts, and bit back 57
58
my protests, and let her talk; but my silence seemed only to
'London!' I could only echo her in disbelief. This was dampen her spirits the further.
terrible beyond all words. Had she gone to Margate or At last, when her cigarette was finished and thrown into the Broadstairs, I might have visited her sometimes. If she went grate, she took a breath and said what I had been waiting to London I would never see her again; she might just as for. 'Nan, I have something to tell you - a piece of good well go to Africa, or to the moon.
news, and you must promise to be happy for me.'
She went talking on, saying how Mr Bliss had friends at the I couldn't help myself. I had been longing to smile about it London halls, and had promised her a season at them all; all afternoon, and now I laughed and said, 'Oh Kitty, I know how he had said she was too good for the provincial stage; your news already!' She seemed to frown then, so I went on that she would find fame in the city, where all the big quickly, 'You mustn't be cross with Tony, but he told me -
names worked, and all the money was ... I hardly listened, just today.'
but grew more and more miserable. At length I placed a
'Told you what?'
hand before my eyes, and bowed my head, and she grew
'That Tricky wants you to stay on, at the Palace; that you silent.
will be here till Christpas at least!'
'You're not happy for me, after all,' she said quietly.
She looked at me rather strangely, then lowered her gaze
'I am,' I said - my voice was thick - 'but I am more unhappy, and gave an awkward little laugh. 'That's not my news,' she for myself.'
said. 'And nobody knows it but me. Tricky does want me to There was a silence then, broken only by the sound of stay on - but I've turned him down.'
laughter and scraping chairs from the parlour below, and
'Turned him down?' I stared at her. Still she would not catch the shriek of gulls outside the open window. The room my eye, but got to her feet, and crossed her arms over her seemed to have darkened since we entered it, and I felt waist.
colder, suddenly, than I had all summer.
'Do you remember the gentleman who called on me last I heard her take a step. In a second she was sitting beside night,' she said,' - Mr Bliss?' I nodded. She hadn't me again, and had taken my hand from my brow. 'Listen,'
mentioned him today; and in all my fussing over her visit, I she said. 'I have something to ask you.' I looked at her; her had forgotten to ask after him. Now she went on: 'Mr Bliss face was pale, except for its cloud of freckles, and her eyes is a manager - not a theatre manager, like Tricky, but a seemed large. 'Do you think that I look handsome today?'
manager for artistes: an agent. He saw my turn and - oh, she said. 'Do you think I have been kind, and pleasant, and Nan!' - she couldn't help but be excited now - 'he saw my good? Do you think your parents like me?' Her words turn and liked it so much, he has offered me a contract, at a seemed wild. I did not speak, but only nodded wonderingly.
music hall in London!'
'I came,' she said, 'to make them. I wore my smartest frock, so they would think me grander than I am. I thought, they 59
60
might be the meanest and most miserable family in all of
'It's the flower I gave you.' She took it from me, and held it.
Kent; yet I will work so hard at being nice, they'll trust me It was dry and limp, and its petals were brown at the edges like a daughter.
and coming loose; and it was rather flat, because I had slept
'But oh, Nan, they're not miserable or mean, and I didn't many nights with it beneath my pillow.
have to play at being nice
Similar Books
