The Old Adam: A Story of Adventure
ore than once called the world to witness that she would never have a young dog again, because, as she said, she could not be always running about after them, and they ate the stuffing out of the furniture. But her last dog had lived too long; a dog can do worse things than eat furniture; and, in her natural reaction against age in dogs, and also in the hope of postponing as long as possible the inevitable sorrow and upset
tchlow entered without any formalities, as usual. He did not seem to have changed. He had the same quantity of white hair, he wore the same long white apron, and his v
issis!"
, Amy," said Constance,
him for her!" sa
tted. Spot glanced sh
n the paper about Sophi
or her i
cried Constance.
dly, and read: "'We understand that Mrs. Sophia Scales, proprietress of the famous Pension Frensham in the Rue Lord Byron, Paris'-it's that famous that nobody in th' Five Towns has ever heard of it-'is about to pay a visit to her native town, Bursley, after an absence of over thirty
people find out thing
don't know," sa
to the new editor of the Signal, who had soon been made aware of Cr
appeared just to-d
hy
know, I wis
missis," said Mr. Critchlow
eliberation. It was characteristic that he had shown no
it, and put him in a corner of the sofa. She the
going by tram to K
decided the fate of nations. She hated such observations from Amy, who unfortuna
rsion. To make her first appearance before Sophia in the best mantle she had-this would have been a sad mistake of tactics! Not only would it have led to an anti-climax on Sunday, but it would have given to Constance the air of being in awe of Sophia. Now Constance was in truth a little afraid of Sophia; in thirty years Sophia might have grown into anything, whereas Constance had remained just Constance. Paris was a great place; and it was immensely far off. And the mere sound of that limited company business was intimidating. Imagine Sophia having
iciously. "But supposing it was only three minutes late and the London train was prompt,
ce, firmly. "Please put all
y's suggestion, but it was so incontestab
aid Amy. "That won't mean
d who would say, with their stupid vacuity: "Going to meet your sister at Knype?" And then tiresome conversations woul
cious of a keen desire to look smart. She was reminded of the days when, in full fig for chapel, she would dash downstairs on a Sunday morning, and, assuming a pose for inspection at the threshold of the parlour, would demand of Samuel: "Shall I do?" Yes, she used to dash downstairs, like a child, and yet in those days she had thought herself so sedate and mature! She sighed, half with lancinating regret, and half in gentle disdain of that mercurial
era when Maria Insull used occasionally to sleep in the house. Cyril clung to his old room on his visits. Constance had an ample supply of solid and stately furniture, and the chamber destined for Sophia was lightened in every corner by the reflections of polished mahogany. It was also fairly impregnated with the odour of furniture paste-an odour of which no housewife need be ashamed. Further, it had been re-papered in a delicate blue, with one of the new 'art' patterns. It was a 'Baines' room. And Constance did not c
Maddack families since the year 1840, tempered by the latest novelties in antimacassars and cloths. In all Bursley there could have
wn bedroom, where Amy was patiently
erstand about tea?
How much oftener are you going to ask m
. "Come and fasten th
ilver. All was there. Amy could not go wrong. And crocuses were in the vases on the mantelpiece. Her 'garden,' in the phrase which used to cause Samuel to think how extraordinarily feminine she was! It was a long time since she had had a 'garden' on the mantelpiece. Her interest in her chronic sciatica and in her palpitations had grown at the expense of her interest in gardens. Often, when she had finished the complicated process
y, pointing to the rough apron in the corn
m?" Amy e
re enough, in the gutter, studying the indescribabilities of King Street. He had obvio
xclaimed Constance, tragi
see the like of tha
ommanded. "Come here a
ling. He was in a state exceedingly offensive to the eye and to the nose. He had effectively got rid of the smell of soap, which he loathed. Constance could have wept. It did really appear to her that nothing had gone righ
he scullery, that's all
herself. "Put that ap
when you open the doo
droom when you
bag and her umbrella and smoothing her gloves,
was descending King Street instead of crossing it into Wedgwood Street. And she caught Sp
tances, she should not be too obviously going to the station. Her feelings concerning t
with plans perfectly contrived for the avoidance of hurr
nd it, and Constance had a supreme tremor. The calmness of the platform was transformed into a melee. Little Constance found herself left on the fringe of a physically agitated crowd which was apparently trying to scale a precipice surmounted by windows and doors from whose apertures looked forth defenders of th
impression that the dog had forgotten an essential part of its attire and was outraging decency. The ball of hair which had been allowed to grow on the dog's tail, and the circles of hair which ornamented its ankles, only served to intensify the impression of indecency. A pink ribbon round its neck completed the outrage. The animal had absolutely the air of a decked trollop. A chain ran taut from the creature's neck into the middle of a small crowd o
a, with apparently careless tranquillity, as s
noticed a twitching of her sister's lips. The twitching comforted Constance, proving to her that she was not alone in foolishness. Ther
Constance. It was all that
nt to his studio, and he saw me off at Eu
h joy. "Nothing could change Sophia." And at the back of that notion was a more general notion: "Nothing could change a Baines." It was true that Constance's Sophia had not changed. Powerful i
" said Sophia, pul
be aware what she did in bringing such a dog to a place wh
e dog. After all, it was not the dog's fault. Sophia had certainly mentioned a dog
were superlatively 'good' trunks; also that Sophia's clothes, though 'on the showy side,' were superlatively 'goo
ted in the details of feature. Seen at a distance, she might have passed for a woman of thirty, even for a girl, but seen across a narrow railway carriage she was a woman whom suffering had aged. Yet obviously her spirit was unbroken. Hear her tell a doubtful porter that of course she should take Fossette with her into the carriage! See her shut the carriage door with the expressed intention o
s getting my ticket, and said, 'Eh, Miss Baines, I haven't seen ye for over thirty years, but I know you're M
t a long w
es
e's been Mayor twice. He
Sophia. "But wa
tance. "Don't talk about queer
who have not seen each other for thirty years, and who are anxious to confide in each other, ought to discover no difficulty i
indow and had seen two camels and an elephant in a field close to th
r all, there can be only one middle.) It was on her tongue to say, in her 'tart' manner, that Fossette ought to be with the camels, but she refrained. Sophia hit on
oke!" sa
e!" Consta
worse," s
lightly piqued. "But they're doing
y it was!" said Sophia. "I supp
n, "The fact is, it is dirty. You can't imagine wh
ance pointed to a new station that was being bu
said she, accustomed to
hill, Bursley, Bleakrid
Longshaw. A 'Trafalga
Hanbridge seemed to h
se it will,"
ries of Bursley Park, as the train slackened for Bursley, with modesty. Sophia gazed, a
are in a cab. Amy was at the window; she held up Spot, who was in
Amy, officiously, to Sophia,
n. Constance trembled at Sophia's frigid and arrogant politeness. Certainly Sophia was not used to being addressed first by servants. But Amy was not quite the ordinary servant. She was much older than the ordinar
urmured to her, as if implying: "Have I not already told yo
the incoming poodle kindly; th
the pavement, and Amy was upstairs. For a momen
woman of fifty. And her lips twitched again
re of prudence to avoid breaking down, she bustled out to the cabman. A
ty generosity, and then there was quietness. Amy was already brewing the tea i
Constance voiced anxieties t
ite right with me,"
ophia's admiration for its prettiness. She hurr
erfunctory manner. For a bedroom fire, in seasons of no
a slight failure to rebut the
onstance
ank you,"
ly." She went down into the kitchen. "Amy," she said, "as soon
top bedr
es
any rate we've met, and I've got her here. She's very nice. No, she isn't a bit altered." She hesitated to admit that to her Sophia was the least in the world formidable. And so she said once more: "S
e found her looking at the blank wall bey
you had it bricked
nstance. "That
when they have tickling in a limb
Sop
ike herself: she had to be particular about her food. She tasted dainties for the sake of tasting, but it was a bird
gs playing in the dark corridor. Those dogs saved the situation, because they needed constant attention. When the dogs dozed, the sisters began to look through photograph albums, of which Constance had several, bound in plush or morocco. Nothing will sharpen the memory, evoke the past, raise the dead, rejuvenate the ageing, and cause both sighs and smiles, like a collection of photographs gathered together during long years of life. Constance had an astonishing menagerie of u
a low voice, glancing at upright Sophia over her spec
a widow," said she, with an air. "My husband left me
nder. "I thought ye were a widow. Mr. Peel-Swynnerton said he was told positiv
assed for a widow, ov
d Constance quic
e a widow,"
y was such a particular place. Doubtless, Gerald
that house) she saw the sisters sitting rather near to each other at the walnut oval table, Mrs. Scales very upright, and staring into the fire, and Mrs. Povey 'bunched up' and staring at the photograph alb
rs. Critchlow, m'
eight at night were a customary phenomenon of the household. Nevertheless, she trembled to think what outrageous thing
come up," she
nstantly produced them out of the darkness of the corridor. It was provid
the young, timid apprentice. Certainly since her marriage she had changed. As manager of other people's business she had not felt the necessity of being effusive to customers, but as proprietress, anxiety to succeed had dragged her out of her capable and mechanical indifference. It was
a stiff neck," said he, deliberately examining Sophia. Then with great care he
pression of joy. Mr. Critchlow had nev
ow would come in to-night. Nothing w
Constance, "that you were going to give
Constance. "No," he grate
young girl she had hated him. Repulsing the assistance of his wife, he arranged an armchair in front of the fire and meticulously put himself into it. Assuredly he was much older in a drawing-room th
hia. "I wouldn't
's equal for picking up ho
ve this Paris?" he demanded of Sophia, leaning ba
morning," s
oing with yeself sinc
ight in London,
London,
d I had an eve
's yer opinion o
have Cyril for a ne
he old man was
harply. "I'm not going to hea
mind was an uncomfortable feeling that Cyril, having taken a fancy to his brilliant aunt, had tried to charm her as he seldom or never tried to charm his mo
od-fruit cakes, coffee and hot milk, on a tray; and Sop
," said Amy, with
ve a little sigh; it was a sigh of relief. Mr. Critchlow had behaved himself. Now that he and Sophia had met, the worst was over. Had Constance kn
, he drew a thick bunch of papers, white
" he called, edging ro
st go ba
ut cake, while in her right hand, all seame
chlow--!" Cons
wardship to Sophia, under her father's will, and her mother's will, and her aunt's will, and it's n
lf-kittenish a
had already fully perceived that Mr. Critchlow must be managed with the tact which the capric
LONG ENOUGH?" he
ause. Maria C
hia," the old man went on, "nobody
check. She glanced hes
nto the parlour," said Constance, qu
n't hear of
m was needed for discussions between Sophia and her trustee, Constance's pride was piqued to supply that room. Further, Constance was glad to get Maria out of Sophia's sight. She was accustomed to Maria; with her it did not ma
certainly a widow. She thought that steps ought to be taken to ascertain, through Birkinshaws, if anything was known of Gerald Scales. But even that course was set with perils. Supposing that he still lived, an unspeakable villain (Constance could only think of h
to bed. There was no other way of r
going to
es
is Fo
me the dog might sleep in the kitchen with Spot, as they was such good
ought a dog with he
Constance could answer. She impli
dogs," said Maria. "Wh
ll it. It's a French dog, one of those French dogs." Amy w
ed, shutti
ria muttered. "
indicated that the first interview betw
really meant her to go home, or whether her mere absence from the drawing-room had contented him. So she departed. He came down the stairs
r when they did not speak. With a glance, they exchanged their ideas on the subject of Charles Critchlow and Maria, and learnt that their ideas were similar.
t bed?" as
tired," sai
r gas, before Constance, having tested the window-fastening, turned out
t your room is all r
u?" Soph
d flight, slowly. Cons
phia. "But why did you go to all
n the bedroom. Her tone implied that bedroom fires were a q
e you'll find everyth
sta
shall. Good
night,
both their minds was: "We couldn't keep on kissing every day." But there was a vast amount of qu
he listened intently, in great alarm. It was undoubtedly those dogs fighting, and fighting to the death. She
w voice above her. She
es
go down to the dogs; th
I'm so sorry she's
. The dogs did soon cease their altercation. This sho
I
. She could remember a winter morning when from the window she had watched the Square under virgin snow in the lamplight, and the Square had been vast, and the first wayfarer, crossing it diagonally and leaving behind him the irregular impress of his feet, had appeared to travel for hours over an interminable white waste before vanishing past Holl's shop in the direction of the Town Hall. She chiefly recalled the Square under snow; cold mornings
r millions of pounds would
the floor of the Square was littered with nondescript refuse. The whole scene, paltry, confined, and dull, reached for her the extreme of provinciality. It was what the French called, with a pregnant intonation, la province. This-being said, there was nothing else to say. Bursley, of course, was in the provinces; Bursley must, in the nature of things, be typically provincial. But in her mind it had always been differentiated from the common province; it had always had an air, a distinction, and especially St. Luke's Square! That illusion was now gone. Still, the alteration was not wholly in herself; it was not wholly subjective. The Square really had changed for the worse; it might not be smaller, but it had deteriorated. As a centre of commerce it had assuredly approached very near to death. On a Saturday morning thirty years ago it would have been covered with linen-roofed stalls, and chattering country-folk, and the stir of b
iness! And the-way they talk, and the way they think! I felt it first at Knype station. The Square is rather picturesque,
ad no home. To Constance
abominable stairs, and as to hygiene, simply mediaeval. She could not understand why Constance had remained in the house. Constance had plenty of money and might live where she liked, and in a good modern house. Yet she
mpathy between them. And at the bottom of Constance was something fine. At intervals Sophia discovered herself secretly patronizing Constance, but reflection would always cause her to cease from patronage and to examine her own defences. Constance, besides being the essence of kindness, was no fool. Constance could see through a pretence, an absurdity, as quickly as any one. Constance did honestly appear to Sophia to be superior to any Frenchwoman that she had ever encountered. She saw supreme in Constance that quality which she had recognized in the porters at Newhaven on landing-the quality of an honest and naive goodwill, of powerful sim
always with Constance! To be always in th
history. She sighed when she thought of the innumerable interviews with Mardon, the endless formalities required by the English and the French law and by the particularity of the Syndicate. She had been through all that. She had actually been through it and it was over. She had bought the Pension for a song and sold it for great riches. She had developed from a nobody into the desired of Syndicates. And after long, long, monotonous, strenuous years of possession the day had come, the emotional moment had come, when she had yielded up the keys
to spare your feelings and to reassure you, so neat and prim. And the French shops, so exquisitely arranged! Even a butcher's shop in Paris was a pleasure to the eye, whereas the butcher's shop in Wedgwood Street, which she remembered of old, and which she had glimpsed from the cab-what a bloody shambles! She longed for Paris again. She longed to stretch her lungs in Paris. These people in Bursley did not suspect what Paris was. They did not appreciate and they never would appreciate the marvels that she had accomplished in a theatre of marvels. They probably never realized that the whole of the rest of the world was not more or less like Bursley.
ney as she had herself acquired. Never could she spend her income! She did not know how to spend it. She lacked nothing that was procurable. She had no desires except the direct desire for happiness. If thirty thousand pounds or so could have bought a son like Cyril, she would have bought one for herself. She
not please Sophia. It disquieted her. She could not see herself l
y. And she stood on the step of the front-door while Fossette made
ines. The tips of the ribs were also of gold. It was this detail which staggered Constance. Frankly, this development of luxury had been unknown and unsuspected in the Square. That the tips of the ribs should match the handle ... that did truly beat everything! Sophia said calmly that
Sophia would have to be introduced to the town sooner or later, it might as well be sooner.