the next morning scrogg brought selia her morning tea and told her it would be best to have a bath.
“they are made very pleasant now madam” she explained, as she threw all selias close into the tall basket behind the washstand, “what with bath salts and animal sponges.” selia in surprise propped herself on elbow in the couchy bed saying “do they then have a bath every day with clean underwear,” for even she knew it was no good to put dirty close on a clean body.
“indeed yes” said scrogg with a kind smile. “my last lady was very particular, she would never dream to have her bath without her special frog sponge, so i made bold to buy you one yesterday in the form of a pijeon 114which you will find in its place in the bath racket.”
“ho” said selia “i thought such things were only for the young.”
“dear no” said scrogg departing with the towels, “all things are animal now including electric lights.”
and so selia had a bath first however recalling scrogg.
“go and tell mr. withersq to have a bath every day too” she thoughtfully said “for i fear he is not quite up to that yet.”
“very good madam” said scrogg and went, and so selia tripped into the bathroom and soaped well all over with the sponge which was like a pijeon with a beak and wool eyes and when she had had a good swill and a brisk dry she felt so strong she ran out and banged all the doors all down one side of the corridor for as will be remembered she occupied a whole floor to herself.
115 and after a good breakfast with her harold both of them reading harold’s own newspaper propped up on the toast-machine, she departed on a mysterous errand to the majpottels whereat mr. withersq made a sorry face, still as he was really very busy in the mornings he didnt mind as much as he looked, and set himself to writing his newspaper, which he now did every day as he thought it a good sport to tell others how to get on, and smiled up his sleeve to think how few would have unckle burts at the send-off, still it was a good wheeze as long as the craze for him lasted and made more money than ever. he was a little bored with it already however, for all though of low birth mr. withersq like all the truly great bored easily. and from time to time he caught himself thinking of cricket but not so much as he had done as the doctor had already given him some unthinking medesine, and each time he did 116think he wrote a poem and they were soon to be printed in a book.
at about three selia came tripping back a bit red in the face and rather secret, and burst into mr. withersq room where he was eating a orange, with a noisy kiss.
“huzzah” cried she “i think i shall yet beat the band. but what are those smutty objects near your ears?”
“those are my new side-whiskers” replied her harold unctuously “for all poets have them.”
“you dog” she said “you are cutting a figure these days arent you?” and with these words she rushed away to scrogg to be attired.
at four she was ready in a slippery creation of black with no arms to it but it was not an evening dress, and a nose veil bedangling from a ravished shapoo woven of the hares of horses.
“let us sally” said she, gazing at him and he gazed at her with pride for she looked very much better.
117 “you are a treat” he said gallantly so they went down thro’ the hall which was worse than ever with a dense crowd more staring than ever to behold them, and out into their blue car en route for the countess tea.
when they got there it was a little house but smart done up in black and white paint with orange stuff for curtains, and lobellia in boxes round the windows and two marbel statues of little boys before the door, and they both had curly hair.
the chauffeur rang the bell. how different it was to when both had been poor. they felt it. they strode within into a hall with bead curtains and thro’ to a room at whose door stood the countess herself with welcoming hand.
mr. withersq had a bit of trouble to get his hat off in time.
“ah good afternoon, how sweet of you to come” cried their hostess.
“not at all” selia said “we were only too 118pleased to visit you.” and they went into the room. there was a lot of folks there eating off plates in their laps and all murmured and gazed to see the heroes of the hour enter, so selia and mr. withersq sat down and had some plates passed to them and stretched out for what food they could find lying about.
near by mr. withersq sat a youngish lady with plentiful ginger hair and robed in violet with out-shooting lips and an ernest apperence.
“do tell me” she burbled in a rich voice “how you write such beautiful poems?”
but mr. withersq who had just tucked a cress sandwich in his mouth could not say much only growling in reply at which no one seemed cross but all present cooed and moaned, saying “ah how simple he is” and “how true” for it was very much like the first party and “how true” was still the 119fashion, like red hats sometimes appear and are worn awhile and then drop out.
“he had poetry in him all the while” said selia “but it did not come out.”
so now the countess came to sit beside her, and pawed at her hand in love.
“do you think the great man would come to my little riverside home one day” uttered she, “do please dear lady beg darling mr. withersq to come down to my little party at maidenhead next week. there will not be much to entertain in fact we have only got two funny people coming at present but we have an excellent gramafone and perhaps the boats would give him some new idears.”
all listened. many of the ladys were chewing on strings of coloured beads hung about their necks and their ears waved for the answer.
“have you got any harry lauders” said 120selia for fun “for he is very partial to them.” her harold was making warning faces to her but she would not heed. oh what an error. you could hear the brick drop. but the countess had tact to give a little snickering laugh.
“oh i dont think he needs such low things” said she, “you do not understand. no we have only classical music. nevertheless we should be very glad to see him as i have rather a reputation for my parties in fact i never have any but the pick of socierty in my presence and i should like to add dear mr. withersq to my list.”
“thank you” said mr. withersq not quite seeing why she so had her knife in his love “we will come.”
selia sat biting a cake to show she did not care.
most of the guests who were numerous but all ladys had put their cups down and now 121were figetting about talking and poking into all the countesses things fingering the curtains and picking up the ornaments to see if the price was still on the bottom, tapping her bits of furniture which were all a bit old-looking but curious and not so bad for those who are too proud to have new objects. selia thought this very rude and sat stiff in despare finding the way to success very thorny for women as not much notice came her way, as when they were not poking about at the things in the room they were fusseling round mr. withersq who sat with a silly smile on his face to be the center of attraction.
but as good luck would have it selia got her own back for as she was a good bit bored she got up and said gooby. now it is very smart to be the first to go as it shows you do not think much of where you are, so this was a snub and had its effect for the ladys left 122mr. withersq who had mislaid his hat under a chair, and came to her to bid adieu.
“thanks for coming and now you know the way you must come again” said the countess hurrying up and tripping over some lace hanging from her arms for she was in a sort of dressing gown of pink silk “and wont you come to my river party too?”
“thanks yes i daresay i shall” said selia as a parting arrow stiffly and stalked out, mr. withersquash hurrying behind, but kissing his hand to the company who smiled sweetly upon him.
when they got in the car selia sniffed a good bit and tried to cry because she was sorry for herself but she only managed a very little tear, which mr. withersq wiped up for her.
“do not cry” said he “for those silly cats. they have nothing better to do but to try and steal a little greatness from such as us. the time will come for them to sue for your 123favors as they do mine and then we shall see.” so she cheered up and made him go and buy her a string of coloured beads too in a shop on the way home, and when they got back she departed to the turkish baths to have a massage for she would need all her strength in the trial to come.
