The glory of Clementina Author:William John Locke Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ' I don't call them dull," Quixtus argued, " but to my mind they're pretentious. I don't like their sham heartiness, their slap-on-the-back and how-are-you-old- ... more »fellow tone, their impossible Pantagruelian banquets " The hungry wolf's face of Vandermeer lit up. " That's what I like about them葉he capons葉he pies葉he cockaleeky葉he haggises " " I remember a supper-party at Oxford," said Billi- ter, " when there was a haggis, and one chap who was awfully tight insisted that a haggis ought to be turned like an omelette or tossed like a pancake. He tossed it. My God! You never saw such a thing in your life! " So they all talked according to the several necessities of their natures, and at last Quixtus informed his guests that he was to sit for his portrait to Miss Clementina Wing. " I believe she is really quite capable," said Huckaby, judicially, stroking his straggling beard. " I know her," cried Vandermeer. " A most charming woman." c Quixtus raised his eyebrows. " I'm glad to hear you say so," said he. "She is a sort of distant connection of mine by marriage." " I interviewed her," said Vandermeer. " Good Lord! " The exclamation on the part of Quixtus was inaudible. " I was doing a series of articles要ery important articles," said Vandermeer, with an assertive glance around the table, " on Women Workers of To-day, and of course Miss Clementina Wing came into it. I called and put the matter before her." He paused dramatically. " And then? " asked Quixtus, amused. " We went out ,to lunch in a restaurant and shegave me all the material necessary for my article. A most charming woman, who I think will do you justice, Quixtus." When his friends had gone, each, by the way, diving- furtive and searching hands into their great-coat pockets, as soon as...« less