Tipping the Velvet Read Online Free PDF Page A

upon mine, or his lips at my cheek, I found inside me. I was sure that when she stepped upon the stage unbearable, like blasts of steam rather than caresses; even it would be like putting a match to the wick, and I would the pressure of Alice's sleeve against my arm, and the flare up, golden and incandescent but somehow painfully warmth of Father's face against my neck as he leaned to ask and shamefully bright; and my family and my beau would us our opinion of the show, made me flinch, and sweat, and shrink away from me, appalled.
    squirm in my seat.
    Of course, when she strode before the footlights at last, no It was as if I had been forced to pass the evening amongst such thing occurred. I saw Davy look my way and give a strangers. Their pleasure in the details of the show - which I wink, and heard Father's whisper: 'Here's the very gal, then, had sat through so often, so impatiently - struck me as at last'; but when I glowed and sparkled it was evidently incomprehensible, idiotic. When they sang out the chorus with a dark and secret flame which no one - except Alice, along with the maddening Merry Randalls, and shrieked perhaps -looked for or saw.
    with laughter at the comedian's jokes; when they gazed As I had feared, however, I felt horribly far from Miss round-eyed at the staggering mentalist and called the Butler that night. Her voice was as strong, her face as human loop back on to the stage for another tumble, I lovely, as before; but I had been used to hearing the breaths chewed my nails. As Kitty Butler's appearance grew more she drew between the phrases, used to catching the glimmer imminent, I became ever more agitated and more wretched.
    of the limes upon her lip, the shadow of her lashes on her I could not but long for her to step upon the stage again; but powdered cheek. Now I felt as though I was watching her 25

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    through a pane of glass, or with my ears stopped up with I heard Mother ask, How did the lady in the evening dress wax. When she finished her set my family cheered, and read all those numbers with a blindfold on?
    Freddy stamped his feet and whistled. Davy called, 'Stone The cheers were fading, Tricky's candle was out; the me, if she ain't just as wonderful as Nancy painted her!' -
    gasoliers flared, making us blink. Kitty Butler had looked then he leaned across Alice's lap to wink and add, Though for me - had raised her head and looked for me; and I was not so wonderful that I'd spend a shilling a week on train lost and sitting with strangers.
    tickets to come and see her every night!' I didn't answer I spent the next day, Sunday, at the cockle-stall; and when him. Kitty Butler had come back for her encore, and had Freddy called that night to ask me out walking, I said I was already drawn the rose from her lapel; but it was no comfort too tired. That day was cooler, and by Monday the weather to me at all to know my family liked her - indeed, it made seemed really to have broken. Father came back to the me more wretched still. I gazed again at the figure in the Parlour full-time, and I spent the day in the kitchen, gutting shaft of limelight and thought quite bitterly, you would be and filleting. We worked till almost seven: I had just marvellous, if I were here or not. You would be marvellous, enough time between the closing of the shop and the without my admiration. I might as well be at home, putting leaving of the Canterbury train to change my dress, to pull crab-meat in a paper cone, for all you know of me!
    on a pair of elastic-sided boots and to sit down with Father But even as I thought it, something rather curious and Mother, Alice, Davy and Rhoda for a hasty supper.
    happened. She had reached the end of her song - there was They thought it more than strange, I knew, that I should be the business with the flower and the pretty girl; and when returning to the Palace yet again; Rhoda, in particular, this was done she wheeled into the wing. And as she did it I seemed greatly tickled by the