CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story | ||
7
As they came back from that day's climb —it was up the Mittaghorn —they had to cross a shining space
“Heavens!” exclaimed Ann Veronica, with extraordinary passion. “My God!” and ceased to move.
Capes became rigid and adhesive. Nothing ensued. “All right?” he asked.
“I'll have to pay it.”
“Eh?”
“I've forgotten something. Oh, cuss it!”
“Eh?”
“He said I would.”
“What?”
“That's the devil of it!”
“Devil of what? . . . You do use vile language!”
“Forget about it like this.”
“Forget what?”
“And I said I wouldn't. I said I'd do anything. I said I'd make shirts.”
“Shirts?”
“Shirts at one —and —something a dozen. Oh, goodness! Bilking! Ann Veronica, you're a bilker!”
Pause.
“Will you tell me what all this is about?” said Capes.
“It's about forty pounds.”
Capes waited patiently.
“G. I'm sorry. . . . But you've got to lend me forty pounds.”
“It's some sort of delirium,” said Capes. “The rarefied air? I thought you had a better head.”
“No! I'll explain lower. It's all right. Let's go on climbing now. It's a thing I've unaccountably overlooked. All right really. It can wait a bit longer. I borrowed forty pounds from Mr. Ramage. Thank goodness you'll understand. That's why I chucked Manning. . . . All right, I'm coming. But all this business has driven it clean out of my head. . . . That's why he was so annoyed, you know.”
“Who was annoyed?”
“Mr. Ramage —about the forty pounds.” She took a step. “My dear,” she added, by way of afterthought, “you do obliterate things!”
CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story | ||