The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett

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Harper & Brothers, 1918 - 444 pages
 

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Page 146 - Have you told your sister about me?" Sylvia asked. Sylvia asked him how long he had made up his mind to ask her to marry him...
Page 361 - Concetta at the Alhambra (by moonlight, naturally); the melodramatic death of Rodrigo, a Spanish urchin to whom Sylvia took a sudden fancy; the crowded street-scenes in Morocco; the flaring egos of the personalities involved in the touring production of the play A Honeymoon in Europe ('"Damn it, Miss Tremayne, didn't I ask you not to go on talking?
Page 133 - ... Sylvia managed to drive a cab with an unruly horse; the lurid moment in which Danny Lewis threatened to kill Sylvia with his clasp-knife, and Sylvia, react-ing instantly, emptied a water-bottle over him; Sylvia's play-acting as an odalisque in the Hall of a Thousand and One Marvels at the Exhibition ('from eleven in the morning till eleven at night on a salary of fourteen shillings a week, all extras to be shared with seven other young ladies similarly engaged'); the pattern of education at Miss...
Page 62 - Sylvia was not surprised that anybody should feel 'backache' — 'she had thus understood her host' — in the presence of 'such contortions'. A second 'lightly clad and equally shrill youth called Sydney' joined Raymond in a choric frenzy. The two chased each other 'round and round, sawing the air with their legs, and tearing roses from their hair to fling at the guests, who flung them back at the dancers'.
Page 145 - ... Cherwell. Close at hand a Sabbath bell chimed a golden monotone; Philip took Sylvia's hand and looked right into her face, as he always did when he was not wearing his glasses: "Little delightful thing, if you won't let me take you away from that inferno of Earl's Court, will you marry me ? Not at once, because it wouldn't be fair to you and it wouldn't be fair to myself. I'm going to make a suggestion that will make you laugh, but it is quite a serious suggestion. I want you to go to school.
Page 310 - And what a childish way of starting a train — blowing a toy horn like that. More like a school treat than a railway journey. And the turkeys! Now I ask you, Sylvia, would you believe it? Four turkeys under the seat and three on the rack over me head. A regular Harlequinade! And every time anybody takes out a cigarette or a bit of bread they offer it all around the compartment. Fortunately I don't look hungry, or they might have been offended. No wonder England's full of aliens. I shall explain...
Page 124 - ... to choke; another customer took advantage of the row to snatch a side of bacon and try to escape, but another customer with a finer moral sense prevented him; a dog, who was sniffing in the entrance, saw the bacon on the floor and tried to seize it, but, getting his tail trodden upon by somebody, he took fright and bit a small boy who was waiting to change a shilling into coppers.
Page 309 - ... original Mrs Gainsborough, was overwhelming in her vulgarity, ignorance, cheerfulness and quintessential Englishness. As a travelling companion of Sylvia, she played an important role in the last third of the novel. On being invited by Sylvia to accompany her to Spain, Mrs Gainsborough exclaimed, Spain! Upon my word I never heard anything like it. We'd better take plenty with us to eat. I knew it reminded me of something. The Spanish Armada! I once heard a clergyman recite the Spanish Armada,...
Page 55 - ... de Conde sitting round a spindle-legged tea-table in this new house that smelled pleasantly of varnish was merely something in a day's work of the life they were leading, like a game of cards. It was a much jollier life than any she had yet known; her alliance with Jimmy had been a very good move; her father was treated as he ought to be treated by being kept under; she was shortly going to have some more clothes. Sylvia sat watching the trio, thinking how much more vividly present Jimmy seemed...
Page 136 - ... feel a curiosity about its meaning : — The epitaph which she wrote for herself at an early age contains the mot juste : ' Here lies Sylvia Scarlett, who was always running away. If she has to live all over again & be the same girl, she accepts no responsibility for anything that may occur '. moth.

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