The only question upon which
they divided was one of residence. The richer and finer division
spent several weeks of the winter abroad in places like Nice and
Cannes, and the poorer contingent took their holiday from Skeaton in
the summer in Glebeshire or the Lake District. The Constantines and
the Maxses were very fine indeed because they went both to Cannes in
the winter and Scotland in the summer. It was wonderful, considering
how often Mrs. Constantine was away from Skeaton, how solemn and
awe-inspiring an impression she made and retained in the Skeaton
world. Maggie discovered that unless you had a large house with
independent grounds outside the town it was impossible to remain in
Skeaton during the summer months. Oh! the trippers! . . .Oh! the
trippers! Yes, they were terrible-swallowed up the sands, eggshells,
niggers, pierrots, bathing-machines, vulgarity, moonlight embracing,
noise, sand, and dust. If you were any one at all you did not stay
in Skeaton during the summer months-unless, as I have said, you were
so grand that you could disregard it altogether.
It happened that these weeks were wet and windy and Maggie was blown
about from one end of the town to the other.
Pages:
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644