Chapter 3 third chapter

"Er—isn't Colonel Luscombe—" The woman in the violet hat came to the counter.Miss Gorringe greeted her with a smile, and a waiter, who stood by with hands dropped, awaiting orders, was at once dismissed.But it was not necessary for him to complete his errand, for Colonel Luscombe himself had just entered the lobby at that moment and was quickly at the counter. "Hi, Mrs. Carpenter," he shook her hand politely, then turned to the girl. "Dear Elvira," he said, taking her hands affectionately, "well, well, that's good. Very good—very good. Come, let's sit down." He led them to chairs Sit down. "Well, well," he repeated, "that's good."

He tried to hide his discomfort, but it became more and more obvious. He could barely go on saying "this is good".The two ladies couldn't be more helpful at all. Elvira smiled sweetly.Mrs. Carpenter smiled bewilderedly, and stroked her gloves. "Is everything going smoothly along the way?" "Yes, thank you," Elvira said. "There's no fog or anything?" "Oh Nope." "Our flight is five minutes early," Mrs. Carpenter said. "Yes, yes. Well, very well," he straightened up, "I suppose this place is all right for you?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's quite nice," said Mrs. Carpenter enthusiastically, looking around. "It's very comfortable." "It's too old-fashioned, I'm afraid," said the colonel apologetically. "They're a bunch of old sticklers. No—well—proms or anything." "No, I don't think so," Elvira agreed. She looked around blankly, and it was impossible to connect Bertram with dancing. "I'm afraid they're just a bunch of old sticklers," Luscombe repeated. "Perhaps I should take you to a more modern place. You see, things aren't quite up to date here."

"It's nice here," said Elvira politely. "Only for a few nights," continued Colonel Luscombe, "I think we'll go to a show tonight, a musical—" He said the word hesitantly, as if wondering if he was using the right word. Words, "'Girls, let your hair down,' I guess that's okay?" "Excellent!" exclaimed Mrs. Carpenter. "That's a real pleasure, isn't it, Elvira?" "It's interesting." Elvira said flatly. "And supper? At the Savoy?" Mrs. Carpenter let out another series of exclamations.Colonel Luscomb stole a glance at Elvira, feeling a little better.He thought that Elvira was content with the arrangement, although she had nothing to say in front of Mrs. Carpenter except a very polite assent. "It's not her fault." He said to himself.

He said to Mrs. Carpenter: "Perhaps you would like to see your rooms—to see if it fits..." "Oh, I'm sure they'll fit nicely." "Well, if there's anything you don't like, I'll have them replace it. They know me very well." Miss Gorringe, who is in charge of the front desk, received the visitors very warmly.Rooms 28 and 29 on the third floor share the same bathroom. "I'll go up and unpack," said Mrs. Carpenter. "Perhaps, Elvira, you'd like to chat with Colonel Luscomb for a while." That's tactful, Colonel Luscombe thought.Maybe, a little too obvious.Anyway, it would be nice if she left for a while.But he didn't know what to talk to Elvira about.She was a very quiet girl, but he was not used to being around girls.His wife died in childbirth, and the child—a boy—was raised by his wife's natal family, while one of his older sisters came to help him with the housework.The son is married and has gone to settle in Kenya.His grandchildren are eleven, five, and two-and-a-half years old; the last time they came to play, he talked about football and space science with the older one, played with electric trains for the second, and carried the little one on his back. horse riding.It's easy to get along with kids, but it's not the same with little girls!

He asked Elvira if she wanted something to drink.He was about to suggest a glass of bitter lemon, ginger ale, or orange juice, but Elvira spoke first. "Thank you. I'd like a gin and vermouth." Colonel Luscombe looked at her suspiciously.He guessed that a girl her age—how old was she?sixteen?Or seventeen?-You can drink gin and absinthe indeed.But he dispelled his doubts: Elvira herself knew, for example, the correct Greenwich Mean Time.He ordered a gin and vermouth and a dry sherry. He cleared his throat and asked: "How about Italy?" "Very well, thank you."

"The place where you stayed, the one called Contessa, isn't it too strict?" "She's pretty strict, but I never worry about it." He looked at her, not quite sure if the answer was a bit ambiguous. He went on to say that although he stuttered a bit, it was much more natural than before. "Since I'm your guardian and godfather, I'm afraid we don't know each other well enough. You know, for me...for an old man like me...to know what a girl needs ...at least...I mean, it's kind of hard to know what a girl should have....School education, and then post-school education--in my time they called it appearance development. But now, I think everything More serious, career, eh? Work?

something like that?When do we have to talk about this, is there anything in particular you want to do? " "I want to take secretarial classes," said Elvira dryly. "Oh, you want to be a secretary?" "I don't particularly want to—" "Oh——in that case, then..." "That's exactly what you set out to do," Elvira explained. Colonel Luscombe felt strangely belittled. "My cousins, the Melfords, would you like to live with them? Or—" "Oh, I think so. I like Nancy very much. Cousin Mildred is lovely, too." "So it's all right?"

"For now, it's fine." Colonel Luscombe did not know what to say to that.He was thinking about what to say next when Elvira spoke.Her words are simple and direct. "Do I have some money?" Again he paused before answering, looking at her thoughtfully and carefully.Then he said: "Yes, you've got a lot of money. Or, you're going to get it at twenty-one." "Who's holding it now?" He smiled, "Now someone keeps it for you, and a certain amount is deducted from your income every year to pay for your living expenses and education expenses."

"Are you a trustee?" "I'm one of them. There are three in total." "What happens if I die?" "Come on, come on, Elvira, you're not going to die. Don't talk nonsense!" "I hope not - but who knows, is there? A plane crashed last week and everyone died." "Well, that's not going to happen to you," said Luscombe firmly. "You can't really know," Elvira said, "I just want to know who's going to get my money if I die?" "I don't know a thing," said the colonel impatiently. "Why do you ask?"

"That might be interesting," Elvira said thoughtfully. "I wonder if it's worth someone else killing me?" "Really, Elvira! It's meaningless talk. I don't understand why your mind keeps dwelling on these things." "Oh, just some thoughts, people always want to know the truth." "You don't think about the Mafia or anything?" "Oh no. That would be silly. Who's going to get my money if I get married?" "I reckon it's your husband. But actually..." "Are you sure?" "No, I'm not at all sure, it depends on the terms of the power of attorney. But, you're not married yet, so why worry? " Elvira didn't answer.She seemed lost in thought.At last she came out of her trance and asked: "Have you seen my mother?" "Sometimes. But not often." "Where is she now?" "Oh—abroad." "Where is it abroad?" "France...Portugal, I don't know very well." "Does she want to see me?" Her clear eyes looked into his eyes.He didn't know how to answer.At this moment, should I tell her the truth, or be vague?Or a white lie?What can you say to a girl who asks such simple questions and has such complex answers?He said sadly: "I have no idea." Her eyes searched his face, very serious.Luscomb felt very uncomfortable and panicked.The girl must have doubted—clearly doubted.Any girl can do it. He said, "You can't think... I mean it's hard to explain. Your mother was, well, very different from..." Elvira nodded vigorously. "I know, I read about her a lot in the papers, she's special, isn't she? In fact, she's pretty amazing." "Yes," agreed the colonel, "exactly. She's a very wonderful person," he paused, then went on, "but a wonderful person often..." He paused and began again. "It's not always bliss to be a mother to someone amazing. Trust me, because it's true." "You don't really like talking about the truth of things, do you? But I think what you just said is true." They both sat there, staring at the two copper-clad doors that led to the outside world. Suddenly, the door was flung open--with such force seldom was anyone in Bertram's Hotel--and a young man strode in and walked straight to the reception desk.He is wearing a black leather jacket.His energy made Bertram's Hotel a museum in comparison.The people here are like dusty relics from a bygone age.He bent down to Miss Gorringe and asked: "Does Ms. Sedgwick live here?" At this moment Miss Gorringe's smile of welcome was absent from her face.Her gaze was icy.she says: "Yes." Then, reluctantly, he stretched out his hand to the phone, "Do you want to—" "No," said the young man, "I just wanted to leave her a note." He took the note out of his leather jacket pocket and pushed it along the mahogany counter. "I just want to make sure it's the hotel." There was a tinge of distrust in his voice.He looked around, then turned toward the door.His eyes flicked nonchalantly over the people sitting around him, and likewise over Luscombe and Elvira.Luscomb felt suddenly a violent anger. "Damn it," he thought, "Elvira is a pretty girl. When I was a lad, I must have noticed such a pretty girl, especially in these old antiques. But the young man seemed to have little interest in pretty girls. He turned to the counter, raising his voice a little, as if to call Miss Gorringe's attention. He asked: "What's the phone number here? 1129?" "No," replied Miss Gorringe, "3925." "Regen District?" "No, Mayfair." He nodded, then walked quickly to the door, pushed it open, and made an explosion-like sound as he had entered, leaving two swinging doors behind. Everyone took a deep breath and found it difficult to resume their interrupted conversations. "Well," said Colonel Luscombe, rather inappropriately, as if at a loss for words. "Oh, really! These young people these days..." Elvira smiled. "You recognize him, don't you?" she said. "You know who he is?" She inspired him further, with a tone of awe, "Ladislas Malinowski." "Oh, that guy," the name did sound familiar to Luscombe, "a race car driver." "Yeah, he was world champion two years in a row. He had a bad crash a year ago and broke a lot of bones. But I think he's driving again now." She looked up to hear, "He It’s a racing car now.” The roar of the engine came from the road outside into Bertram's Hotel.Colonel Luscombe saw that Elvira was one of Ladislas Malinowski's admirers. "Well," he thought, "it's better than pop singers, crooners, Beatles singers with long hair, or whatever they call themselves." Luscombe told the young People's perceptions are always outdated. The hotel door opened again.Both Elvira and Colonel Luscombe looked there expectantly, but Bertram's Hotel was back to normal.It was nothing more than a self-conscious old priest who entered.He stood looking around for a moment, with a puzzled look on his face, as if he didn't know where he was or how he got here.Such experiences were nothing new to Canon Pennyfather.When he took the train, he often couldn't remember where he came from, where he was going, or why he took the train!He's had it walking the streets, he's had it sitting in committee halls.It just happened that when he was sitting in the pew in the church, he didn't know whether he had finished his sermon or was about to begin. "I think I know the old man," said Luscombe, staring at him. "What's his name? I want to live here a lot. Abercrombie? Archdeacon Abercrombie--no, Not Abercrombie, but looks alike." Elvira glanced over at Canon Pennyfather without interest.Compared with race car drivers, he is not attractive at all.Although, by her own admission, from her time in Italy, she had a faint admiration for the cardinals, whom she thought conspicuous in any case, she was in the bottom of her heart for missionaries of any kind. Not very interested. Canon Pennyfather's face gradually brightened, and he nodded approvingly.He already recognized where he was.It must have been at Bertram's Hotel, where he spent the night on his travels.He's going--where is he going, Chadminster?No, no, he's just come from Chadminster.He's going to- Definitely - a meeting in Lucerne.Smiling happily, he stepped forward to the reception counter and was warmly greeted by Miss Gorringe. "Nice to meet you, Canon Pennyfather, you look very well." "Thank you—thank you—I had a bad cold last week, but I'm fine now. You've got room for me! Did I write?" Miss Gorringe reassured him. "Oh, yes, Canon Pennyfather, we have your letter. We have room number nineteen reserved for you, the one you stayed in last time." "Thank you - thank you, well, let me see - I will be staying in this room for four days. Actually, I am going to Lucerne, I will be away for a night, but please keep this room, I will leave most of my things Here, just take a small bag to Switzerland. It won't be any trouble, will it?" Miss Gorringe reassured him again. "Everything will be arranged. You have explained it very clearly in your letter." Others may not use the word "clear".Since he wrote the letter at length, "full" might be a better word. All anxiety was gone, and Canon Pennyfather breathed a sigh of relief, and was taken to Room Nineteen together with his luggage. In room twenty-eight Mrs. Carpenter had taken off her crown of violets and was carefully arranging her nightgown on the pillow at the head of the bed.She looked up when Elvira entered. "Ah, here you come, honey. Want me to help you unpack?" "No, thank you," Elvira said politely, "you know, I'm not going to take out too many things." "Which bedroom do you want? The bathroom is in the middle. I told them to put your luggage in the one a little farther away. I think it might be a bit noisy." "It's very kind of you," Elvira said, without any emotion in her voice. "You really don't need my help?" "No thanks, I really don't need to. I think I might have to take a shower." "Yeah, I think that's a pretty good idea. Would you like to do the washing first? I want to pack things up first." Elvira nodded.She went into the adjoining bathroom, closed the door, and bolted it.She went into her room, opened the suitcase, and threw a few things on the bed.Then she undressed, changed into her dressing gown, went into the bathroom and turned on the water.Then she went back to her room and sat on the bed with the phone next to it.She listened for a short while in case anyone would disturb her, then picked up the receiver. "This is room 29, please connect me to Regent 1129, please?"