Chapter 6 Chapter 5 Tellari

I may as well admit it: my first impression of meeting Mrs. Leidner was one of shock.When we hear someone talk about someone, it's easy to imagine what that person looks like.I have a fixed impression in my mind that Mrs. Leidner is a revealing, always dissatisfied kind of woman, a kind of nervous person, always very nervous.Also, I expected her to be - oh, frankly - kind of vulgar. She is nothing like what I imagined!First of all, she has blonde hair and fair skin.She wasn't Swiss like her husband, but from the way she looked, maybe she was.She had that uncommon, Scandinavian blond-haired and fair-skinned feature, and she was no longer young, I think, somewhere between thirty and forty.She had a haggard complexion, and her fair hair was tinged with gray.However, her eyes are very cute.As far as I've seen, those eyes are the only ones that can be described as "violet", and her eyes are very large, and there is a faint shadow under them.She was thin and frail.It would sound like nonsense to me to say that she had an air of utter weariness, but at the same time she seemed very alive—but that's how I felt.I also thought she was a thoroughly dignified woman.That's a no-brainer—even by today's standards.

She held out her hand and smiled, and her voice was low and soft, with an American drawl in it. "Miss Nurse, I'm glad you can come. Would you like some tea? Or go to your room first?" I said I want tea.Then, she introduced everyone here. "This is Miss Johnson—Mr. Rhett, Mrs. McGado, Mr. Emmott, Father Lavigne. My husband will be here shortly. Please sit between Father Lavigne and Miss Johnson." I will do so.So Miss Johnson started talking to me, asking me how I was doing, and so on. I like her.When I saw her, I couldn't help but think of a head nurse when I was a trainee nurse. At that time, we all admired her.Everyone works hard under her.

She was near fifty--this is my judgment--somewhat masculine in appearance, with iron-gray hair cropped short, and a broken, melodious, somewhat deep-toned voice; she had a Ugly, wrinkled face, and an almost comical upturned nose, which she was in the habit of rubbing her hands impatiently when distressed or perplexed: she wore a suit of tweed, and she looked rather masculine. clothes to wear.She told me right away that she was from Yorkshire. Father Lavigne I found it a little scary.He was a tall man with a long beard and a pince-nez.I heard from Mrs. Kersey that there was a French monk there.Now I see Father Lavigne in a friar's robe of white wool.I was a little surprised, because I always thought that monks would go to the monastery for training and never come out again.

Mrs. Leidner spoke to him mostly in French, but he spoke to me in very clear English.I noticed that he had two quick, keen eyes, and his glance was always flying from one face to another very quickly. Sitting across from me were three other people.Mr. Rhett was a stout young French man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing glasses. His hair was rather long and curled in small curls, and he had very round blue eyes.I think he must have been cute when he was a child, but he doesn't look very good now.In fact, he looks a bit like a pig.Another young man had his hair cut very short.He has a long, rather humorous face, and white teeth, and he has a charming smile.However, he said very little.When someone spoke to him, he just nodded or answered in monophonic words.He was American, like Mr Ritter.The last one was Mrs. McGado.I didn't look at her very carefully, because whenever I looked in her direction, I always found that she was staring at me like a hungry wolf pouncing a mouse.I say this without exaggeration.The way she looked at me, you'd think a hospital nurse was a very strange animal.No manners at all.

She was young--not more than twenty-five--and rather dark.She had a thin, eager face, with large eyes and a tight, suspicious mouth. The tea was good--it was a nice, strong blend--not like the fragrant Chinese tea that Mrs. Kersey used to use. The refreshments consisted of toast with jam and a plate of crusty grapes and sweet rolls, and slices of cake.Mr Emmott very politely handed me my tea.He is quiet, but he always notices when my plate is empty. Presently Mr. Coleman came in hastily, and took the seat on Miss Johnson's side.It seems that there is nothing wrong with his nerves.He just babbled on and on.

Mrs. Leidner sighed; looked wearily in his direction, but to no avail.Most of his words were addressed to Mrs. McGado.But Mrs. McGado was too busy observing me to have much time to talk to him, except for a word or two to perfunctory him.But still useless. We were just finishing our refreshments when Dr. Leidner and Mr. McGado returned from the excavation site. , Dr. Leidner greeted me with his pleasant, genial manner.I saw him worrying, giving his wife a quick glance, as if reassured by what he had seen.So he sat down at the other end of the table.Mr. McGado took the vacant seat next to Mrs. Leidner.He was a tall, thin, sad-looking man, much older than his wife, with a sallow face and a strange, limp, unkempt beard.I was glad he was here, because his wife stopped looking at me and turned her attention to him, looking at him with a worried and impatient attitude that seemed rather strange to me.He stirred the tea, as if in a dream, without saying a word.There was a slice of cake on his plate, untouched.

There is still one vacant seat.After a while, the door opened and a person walked in. As soon as I saw Richard Jarley, I thought he was the most beautiful man.I haven't seen such a beautiful person for a long time.However, I doubt he actually does.It sounds extremely contradictory to say that a person is beautiful and at the same time look like he has a dead man's head, but it is true.The skin on his head felt unearthly, taut over the bone.But the bones of the head are beautiful.The mouth, temples, and forehead were so well defined that they reminded me of a bronze statue.From that thin brown face, two eyes, the brightest and bluest I have ever seen in my life, looked at me.He was six feet tall, and I don't think he was more than forty years old.

"This is Mr. Jaley, our architect," Dr. Leidner said. He said a few words in a pleasant, barely audible English accent, and sat down beside Mrs. McGado. Mrs. Leidner said: "I'm afraid the tea is a little cold, Mr. Garrett." He said, "Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Leidner. My problem is always being late. I wanted to finish the wall design." Mrs. McGado said, "Would you like some jam, Mr. Garley?" Mr. Ritter pushed the toast over. Then I remembered Mr. Panniman's words: "They were a little too polite when they handed each other butter. I tell you that, and I can best show what I mean."

Yes, there is something strange about this.They're a little formal.You might say that it was a meeting of people who did not know each other for tea—not people who knew each other—but several of them had known each other for years.