Lilian Braun - The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare

Здесь есть возможность читать онлайн «Lilian Braun - The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare» весь текст электронной книги совершенно бесплатно (целиком полную версию без сокращений). В некоторых случаях можно слушать аудио, скачать через торрент в формате fb2 и присутствует краткое содержание. Жанр: Классический детектив, на английском языке. Описание произведения, (предисловие) а так же отзывы посетителей доступны на портале библиотеки ЛибКат.

The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация

Предлагаем к чтению аннотацию, описание, краткое содержание или предисловие (зависит от того, что написал сам автор книги «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare»). Если вы не нашли необходимую информацию о книге — напишите в комментариях, мы постараемся отыскать её.

The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare — читать онлайн бесплатно полную книгу (весь текст) целиком

Ниже представлен текст книги, разбитый по страницам. Система сохранения места последней прочитанной страницы, позволяет с удобством читать онлайн бесплатно книгу «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare», без необходимости каждый раз заново искать на чём Вы остановились. Поставьте закладку, и сможете в любой момент перейти на страницу, на которой закончили чтение.

Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

I peeked out the window when he took my money. It was moonlight. I saw him runnin' across our potato field. I knowed where he was headin' for. The freight train stopped at Watertown to take on water. You could hear the whistle two miles away. Boys used to jump the freight trains and run away. One boy fell on the tracks and was killed. I never went on a train.

End of interview.

The volunteer interrupted Mrs. Woolsmith's monologue. "Time's up, dear. Say goodbye now, and we'll go upstairs for our nap."

The old lady put forth a thin trembling hand, and Qwilleran grasped it warmly in both of his, marveling that such fragile hands had once scrubbed clothes, milked cows, and hoed potatoes.

The volunteer followed him into the hallway. "Sarah remembers everything seventy-five years ago," she said, "but she doesn't remember recent events. By the way, I'm Irma Hasselrich."

"Are you related to the attorney for the Klingenschoen Fund?"

"That's my father. He was prosecutor when Zack Whittlestaff was convicted of killing Titus Goodwinter. Zack's boy, who robbed Sarah and ran away, came back years later and repaid the eighteen dollars and seventy-three cents, but she doesn't remember. He sends her chocolates every Christmas, too. He turned out to be quite a successful man. Changed his name, of course. If I had a name like Basil Whittlestaff, I'd change it, too," she laughed. "He sells used cars and runs a garage. He's ornery, but he does good work."

Qwilleran went home to dress for the wedding. He was not anticipating the occasion with any pleasure. He had been best man for Arch Riker twenty-five years before, when he was young and crazy and not always sober. On that occasion he had fumbled the ring, causing the groom to drop it and causing two hundred guests to titter.

And now he was going to be best man for Basil Whittlestaff. When Hixie called him Mr. Chopstick, she was not far off base.

At five o' clock the November dusk had painted the snowy whiteness of Pickax a misty blue. At the K mansion the draperies were drawn, crystal chandeliers were alight, and Mr. O'Dell had started a festive blaze in the drawing room fireplace.

The tall case clock in the foyer bonged five times. Mr. O'Dell dropped a cassette in the player, and the solemn chords of a Bach organ prelude resounded through the house. In the drawing room the magistrate was stationed in front of the fireplace. The bridegroom and his best man waited in the foyer. There was a moment of suspense, and then the bride and her attendant appeared on the balcony above and started their dignified descent.

Mrs. Cobb, usually seen in a smock or pantsuit or baggy jumper, was almost stunning in her pink suede suit. Susan Exbridge always looked stunning.

By the time the wedding party lined up in front of the magistrate, he was red faced from the heat behind him. Flanking him on the hearth were two indignant Siamese whose territory in front of the fire was being usurped by a stranger.

Qwilleran felt uneasy; Hackpole fidgeted nervously; and the magistrate mopped his forehead before commencing the brief ritual: "We are gathered together to join together this man and this woman..."

Despite the tranquil beauty of the setting, the atmosphere was tense.

"If any person can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak or forever hold his peace."

"Yow!" said Koko.

Hackpole frowned; the two women giggled; and Qwilleran felt a mixed reaction of amusement and apprehension.

Herbert took Iris to be his wedded wife, and Iris took Herbert to be her wedded husband. Then it was time for the ring.

This was Qwilleran' s moment. The ring was in his pocket, and he fumbled for it. Wrong pocket. Ah! He found the ring. And then he disgraced himself again. The wedding ring flipped out of his hand and rolled across the rug.

Yum Yum was after it in a flash. The resident thief of the Klingenschoen mansion, attracted by anything shiny and gold, batted her small treasure under the Chinese desk with Qwilleran in mad pursuit. Just as the trophy was within his reach, she chased it into the foyer-batting it with one paw, darting after it, batting with the other. She was pushing the ring under an Anatolian rug when the best man finally intercepted it.

At record speed the perspiring magistrate concluded the ceremony. "I pronounce you man and wife." Hackpole gave his bride an embarrassed kiss, and the rest was hugs, handshakes, congratulations, and best wishes.

The buoyant notes of Schubert piano music fitted the occasion, and Mrs. Fulgrove and Mr. O'Dell appeared with trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Qwilleran, with crossed fingers and a glass of white grape juice, proposed a toast to the future happiness of the newlyweds.

The moment of celebration was brief. The magistrate gulped his champagne and left in a hurry, and the new Mrs. Hackpole coaxed her husband into the dining room to see the wild-game carvings on the massive German sideboard.

"I hope she'll be happy," Qwilleran said to Susan Ex- bridge, "Unfortunately I upheld my reputation as the worst 'best man' in nuptial history."

"But Koko did nobly as best cat," she said. "His well-timed declaration broke the tension."

The Hackpoles returned from their brief sight-seeing and expressed a desire to leave, the groom jingling his car keys and pushing his bride toward the back door.

"Wait a minute," Qwilleran said, "Give me your keys, and I'll bring your car to the front door, We're not throwing rice, but you ought to leave in style."

"But we have two cars," Hackpole objected. "Hers is in the garage."

"Pick it up tomorrow, No one ever heard of a bride and groom leaving in separate vehicles."

Qwilleran and Susan watched them drive away to the bridal suite in the New Pickax Hotel, "Well, there they go," he said, "for better or worse."

Susan accepted his invitation to dine at Stephanie's, where shaded candles glowed on tables draped to the floor, and soft colors and soft music created a romantic ambience, It was the night before the Messiah oratorio, and they discussed the plans for the gala reception at the museum following the performance.

"The Fitch twins are going to do videotapes," Susan said, Qwilleran nodded his approval. "My friends Down Below refuse to believe the cultural activities in this remote county."

"I consider that we're the Luxembourg of the northeast central United States," Susan said with a dramatic flourish of her expressive hands. "And let me tell you about the surprise we've planned for the Messiah audience. Do you know why it's traditional to stand during the 'Hallelujah' chorus?"

"I've heard that the English king was so impressed when he heard it for the first time that he rose to his feet, and when the king stands, everyone stands. Isn't that the legend?"

"That's right! Around 1742. Well, King George the Second will attend the performance tomorrow night, with the entire royal court in eighteenth-century regalia. Our theater group is staging it... You ought to join the Pickax Thespians, Qwill. You have a good voice and a good presence. We could do Bell, Book and Candle, and Koko could play Pyewacket."

"I doubt whether he'd want to playa cat," Qwilleran said. "He's an insufferable snob. He'd rather play the title role in Richard the Third, I'm afraid."

Dinner with Susan was a pleasant sequel to a wedding he had found distressing. He gave her an armful of pink roses to take home, and she gave him a theatrical kiss. Temporarily he forgot his regret at losing a live-in housekeeper and his disapproval of her choice of husband. He forgot until he made his nightly house check before retiring to his apartment.

A slim volume lay on the library rug. It was a copy of Othello, and the best-known quotation came to Qwilleran's mind: "Then must you speak of one who loved not wisely but too well."

Читать дальше
Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

Похожие книги на «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare»

Представляем Вашему вниманию похожие книги на «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare» списком для выбора. Мы отобрали схожую по названию и смыслу литературу в надежде предоставить читателям больше вариантов отыскать новые, интересные, ещё непрочитанные произведения.


Отзывы о книге «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare»

Обсуждение, отзывы о книге «The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare» и просто собственные мнения читателей. Оставьте ваши комментарии, напишите, что Вы думаете о произведении, его смысле или главных героях. Укажите что конкретно понравилось, а что нет, и почему Вы так считаете.

x