Prev | Current Page 304 | Next

Gissing, George, 1857-1903

"The Unclassed"

Well, we'd been staring at a mummy for
about a quarter of an hour, and neither of us said anything, when
all at once a rare idea came into my head. 'Sally,' I said, glancing
round to see that there was no one by, 'that mummy was very likely a
pretty girl like you, once.' 'Do you think so?' she said, with that
look of hers which makes me feel like a galvanic battery. 'I do,' I
said, 'and what's more, there may once have been another mummy, a
man-mummy, standing by her just as I am standing by you, and wanting
very much to ask her something, and shaking in his shoes for fear he
shouldn't get the right answer.' 'Did the mummies wear shoes when
they were alive?' she asked, all at once. 'Wear shoes!' I cried out.
'I can't tell you, Sally; but one thing I feel very sure of, and
that is that they had hearts. Now, suppose,' I said, 'we're those
two mummies--' 'I'm sure it's bad luck!' interrupted Sally. 'Oh no,
it isn't,' said I, seeing something in her face which made me think
it was the opposite. 'Let me go on. Now, suppose the one mummy said
to the other, "Sally--"' '_Were_ the girl-mummies called Sally?'
she interrupted again. 'Sure I can't say,' said I, 'but we'll
suppose so.


Pages:
292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316