She consented
immediately with much graciousness.
'I dote on the river, and haven't been for years.'
'Now where would you like to go?' he asked. 'What part of the river do
you like? How about Maidenhead?'
'Oh, any part. Don't ask me! Anything you suggest is sure to be right.
You know far more about these things than I do. But Maidenhead--isn't it
just a little commonplace? A little noisy and crowded, even now?'
'By jove, yes, you're quite right. Madame Frabelle's perfectly right,
Edith, you know. Well, what about Shepperton?'
'Shepperton? Oh, charming! Dear little town. But it isn't exactly what I
call the river, if you know what I mean. I mean to say--'
'Well, could you suggest a place?' said Bruce.
'Oh, I'm the worst person in the world for suggesting anything,' said
Madame Frabelle. 'And I know so little of the river. But how about
Kingston?'
'Kingston? Oh, capital. That would be charming.'
'Kyngestown, as it used to be called' (Madame Frabelle hastened to show
her knowledge) 'in the days when Saxon kings were crowned there. Am I
wrong or not? Oh, surely yes.... Wasn't it Kingston? Didn't great Caesar
cross the river there? And the Roman legions camp upon the
sloping uplands?'
Bruce gasped.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64