DOI article:
Gissing, George: The foolish virgin
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27811#0039
By George Gissing 35
The next day she spent about half of her ready-money in the
purchase of clothing—cheap, but such as the self-respect of a
"lady "imperatively demands. She bought cosmetics; she set to
work at removing from her hands the traces of ignoble occupation.
On the day that followed—Sunday—early in the afternoon, she
repaired to a certain corner of Kensington Gardens, where she
came face to face with Mr. Cheeseman.
" I have come," said Rosamund, in a voice of nervous exhilara-
tion which tried to subdue itself. " Please to consider that it is
more than you could expect."
" It is ! A thousand times more ! You are goodness itself."
In Rosamund's eyes the man had not improved since a year ago.
The growth of a beard made him look older, and he seemed in
indifferent health ; but his tremulous delight, his excessive homage,
atoned for the defect. She, on the other hand, was so greatly
changed for the better that Cheeseman beheld her with no less
wonder than admiration. Her brisk step, her upright bearing,
her clear eye, and pure-toned skin contrasted remarkably with the
lassitude and sallowness he remembered ; at this moment, too, she
had a pleasant rosiness of cheek which made her girlish, virginal.
All was set off by the new drapery and millinery, which threw a
shade upon Cheeseman's very respectable but somewhat time-
honoured, Sunday costume.
They spent several hours together, Cheeseman talking of his
faults, his virtues, his calamities, and his hopes, like the impul-
sive, well-meaning, but nerveless fellow that he was. Rosamund
gathered from it all, as she had vaguely learnt from his recent
correspondence, that the alluring widow no longer claimed him ;
but he did not enter into details on this delicate subject. They
had tea at a restaurant by Notting Hill Gate ; then, Miss Jewell
appearing indefatigable, they again strolled in unfrequented ways.
The Yellow Book—Vol. VIII. c At
The next day she spent about half of her ready-money in the
purchase of clothing—cheap, but such as the self-respect of a
"lady "imperatively demands. She bought cosmetics; she set to
work at removing from her hands the traces of ignoble occupation.
On the day that followed—Sunday—early in the afternoon, she
repaired to a certain corner of Kensington Gardens, where she
came face to face with Mr. Cheeseman.
" I have come," said Rosamund, in a voice of nervous exhilara-
tion which tried to subdue itself. " Please to consider that it is
more than you could expect."
" It is ! A thousand times more ! You are goodness itself."
In Rosamund's eyes the man had not improved since a year ago.
The growth of a beard made him look older, and he seemed in
indifferent health ; but his tremulous delight, his excessive homage,
atoned for the defect. She, on the other hand, was so greatly
changed for the better that Cheeseman beheld her with no less
wonder than admiration. Her brisk step, her upright bearing,
her clear eye, and pure-toned skin contrasted remarkably with the
lassitude and sallowness he remembered ; at this moment, too, she
had a pleasant rosiness of cheek which made her girlish, virginal.
All was set off by the new drapery and millinery, which threw a
shade upon Cheeseman's very respectable but somewhat time-
honoured, Sunday costume.
They spent several hours together, Cheeseman talking of his
faults, his virtues, his calamities, and his hopes, like the impul-
sive, well-meaning, but nerveless fellow that he was. Rosamund
gathered from it all, as she had vaguely learnt from his recent
correspondence, that the alluring widow no longer claimed him ;
but he did not enter into details on this delicate subject. They
had tea at a restaurant by Notting Hill Gate ; then, Miss Jewell
appearing indefatigable, they again strolled in unfrequented ways.
The Yellow Book—Vol. VIII. c At