Overture to Death Read Online Free PDF

Silver King
I should think,” said Dinah.
    Henry and Dr. Templett laughed. Miss Campanula thrust out her bosom, turned scarlet in the face, and said:
    “In my humble opinion, Dinah, it is none the worse for that.”
    “It’s so amusing,” said Miss Prentice. “You remember it, Jocelyn, don’t you? There’s that little bit where Lord Sylvester pretends to be his own tailor and proposes to Lady Maude, thinking she’s her own lady’s maid. Such an original notion and so ludicrous.”
    “It has thrown generations of audiences into convulsions,” agreed Henry.
    “Henry,” said the squire.
    “Sorry, Father. But honestly, as a dramatic device — ”
    “
Simple Susan
,” said Miss Campanula hotly, “may be old-fashioned in the sense that it contains no disgusting innuendoes. It does not depend on vulgarity for its fun, and that’s more than can be said for most of your modern comedies.”
    “How far does Lord Sylvester go — ” began Dinah.
    “Dinah!” said the rector quietly.
    “All right, Daddy. Sorry. I only — ”
    “How old is Lord Sylvester?” interrupted the squire suddenly.
    “Oh, about forty-five or fifty,” murmured Miss Prentice.
    “Why not do the
Private Secretary
?” inquired Henry.
    “I never thought
The Private Secretary
a very nice play,” said Miss Prentice. “I expect I’m prejudiced.” And she gave the rector a reverent smile.
    “I agree,” said Miss Campanula. “I always thought it in the worst of taste. I may be old-fashioned but I don’t like jokes about the cloth.”
    “I don’t think
The Private Secretary
ever did us much harm,” said the rector mildly. “But aren’t we wandering from the point? Miss Campanula has moved that we do a play called
Simple Susan
. Miss Prentice has seconded her. Has anybody else a suggestion to make?”
    “Yes,” said Selia Ross, “I have.”

CHAPTER THREE
They Choose a Play
    i
    If Mrs. Ross had taken a ticking bomb from her handbag and placed it on the table, the effect could have been scarcely more devastating. What she did produce was a small green book. Seven pairs of eyes followed the movements of her thin, scarlet-tipped hands. Seven pairs of eyes fastened, as if mesmerised, on the black letters of the book cover. Mrs. Ross folded her hands over the book and addressed the meeting.
    “I do hope you’ll all forgive me for making my suggestion,” she said, “but it’s the result of a rather odd coincidence. I’d no idea of your meeting until Dr. Templett called in this afternoon, but I happened to be reading this play and when he appeared the first thing I said was, ‘Some time or other we simply
must
do this thing.’ Didn’t I, Billy? I mean, it’s absolutely marvellous. All the time I was reading it I kept thinking how perfect it would be for some of you to do it in aid of one of the local charities. There are two parts in it that would be simply ideal for Miss Prentice and Miss Campanula. The Duchess and her sister. The scene they have with General Talbot is one of the best in the play. It simply couldn’t be funnier and you’d be magnificent as the General, Mr. Jernigham.”
    She paused composedly and looked sideways at the squire. Nobody spoke, though Miss Campanula wetted her lips. Selia Ross waited for a moment, smiling frankly, and then she said:
    “Of course I didn’t realise you had already chosen a play. Naturally I wouldn’t have dreamt of coming if I had known. It’s all this man’s fault.” She gave Dr. Templett a sort of comradely jog with her elbow. “He bullied me into it. I ought to have apologised and crept away at once, but I just couldn’t resist telling you about my discovery.” She opened her eyes a little wider and turned them on the rector. “Perhaps if I left it with you, Mr. Copeland, the committee might just like to glance at it before they quite decide.
Please
don’t think I want a part in it or anything frightful like that. It’s just that it
is
so good, and I’d be