"
She was admitted. The doctor, in a hurry of business, had omitted to give
Lawler any instructions in the event of Cuckoo's prompt response to his
telegram. So she was shown into the waiting-room, in which three or four
people were turning over illustrated papers with an air of watchful
idleness and attentive leisure. Cuckoo sat down in a corner as quietly
as possible, and Lawler vanished. The leaves of the illustrated papers
rustled in the air with a dry sound. To Cuckoo they seemed to be
crackling personal remarks about her, and to be impregnated with
condemnation. She cast a furtive glance upon the square room and
perceived that they were returned by four ladies, and that three of
these ladies were looking straight at her. The eight eyes met in a
glance of inquiry and were instantly cast down. Again the leaves of the
illustrateds rustled, this time, Cuckoo felt convinced, more fiercely
than before. The _frou-frou_ of the skirts of one of the ladies joined
in the chorus, which was far from crying "Hallelujah!" Cuckoo began to
feel a growing certainty that, despite the black veil and the neat
umbrella, feminine instinct had divined her. She was totally unaccustomed
to such an atmosphere as that which prevailed in this room, and began
to be the victim of an odd, prickly sensation, which she believed to be
physical, but which was certainly more than half moral.
Pages:
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588