| university." "You've gone to the university?" he demanded in frank amazement. He felt that she had become remoter from him by at least a million miles. "I'm going there now. I'm taking special courses in English." He did not know what "English" meant, but he made a mental note of that item of ignorance and passed on. "How long would I have to study before I could go to the university?" he asked. She beamed encouragement upon his desire for knowledge, and said: "That depends upon how much studying you have already done. You have never attended high school? Of course not. But did you finish grammar school?" "I had two years to run, when I left," he answered. "But I was always honorably promoted at school." The next moment, angry with himself for the boast, he had gripped the arms of the chair so savagely that every finger-end was stinging. At the same moment he became aware that a woman was entering the room. He saw the girl leave her chair and trip swiftly across the floor to the newcomer. They kissed each other, and, with arms around each other's waists, they advanced toward him. That must be her mother, he thought. She was a tall, blond woman, slender, and stately, and beautiful. Her gown was what he might expect in such a house. His eyes delighted in the graceful lines of it. She and her dress together reminded him of women on the stage. Then he remembered seeing similar grand ladies and gowns entering the London theatres while he stood and watched and the policemen shoved him back into the drizzle beyond the awning. Next his mind leaped to 13 | uenuvursuty." "Ue'v gon too dhu uenuvursuty?" hy dimandud in frangk umaezmunt. Hy felt dhat shy had bikum rimoeut frum him bie at lyst u milyun mielz. "Ie'm go.ing dher nou. Ie'm taeking speshul kaursuz in Ingglish." Hy did not noe whot "Ingglish" ment, but hy maed u mentul noet uv dhat ietum uv ignuruns and pasd on. "Hou long wwd Ie hav to study bifaur Ie kwd goe too dhu uenuvursuty?" hy askd. She bymd enkwrijmunt upon hiz dizier faur nolij, and sed: "Dhat dipendz upon hou much studying ue hav aulredy dun. Ue hav nevur utendud hie skool? Uv kors not. But did ue finish gramur skool?" "Ie had too yirz too run, when Ie left," hy ansurd. "But Ie wuz aulwaez onurubly prumoetud at skool." Dhu nekst moemunt, anggry with himself faur dhu boest, hy had gripd dhy ormz uv dhu cher soe savijly dhat evry finggur-end wuz stinging. At dhu saem moemunt hy bikaem uwer dhat u wwmun wuz enturing dhu room. Hy sau dhu gurul lyv hur cher and trip swiftly ukros dhu flaur too dhu nookumur. Dhae kisd ych udhur, and, with ormz uround ych udhur'z waests, dhae udvansd tuwaurd him. Dhat must by hur mudhur, hy thaut. Shy wuz u taul, blond wwmun, slendur, and staetly, and buetiful. Hur goun wuz whot hy miet ekspekt in such u hous. Hiz iez dilietud in dhu graesful lienz uv it. Shy and hur dres tugedhur rimiendud him uv wimun on dhu staej. Dhen hy rimemburd sying simulur grand laedyz and gounz enturing dhu Lundun thyuturz whiel hy stwd and wochd and dhu pulysmen shuvd him bak intoo dhu drizul byond dhy auning. Nekst hiz miend lypd too 13 |
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