Lonelyheart 4122

Начало книги

Arthur Henry Spain, butcher, of Harlow Place, Flaxborough, awoke one morning from a dream in which he had been asking all his customers how to spell “phlegm” and thought—quite inconsequentially: I haven’t seen anything of Lilian lately.

He nudged his wife.

“What do you reckon’s up with Lil?”

“Up with her? What do you mean?”

“Well, she’s not been round for ages.”

“She suits herself.”

“I’ve not seen her in the shop either.”

Mrs Spain pondered a moment. Then she shrugged away whatever thought had wriggled into her mind. “Oh, you know what Lil is. Probably taken the huff about something.”

“I’ll ask Mrs Maple.”

“Just as you like.”

Mr Spain did ask Mrs Maple. He had a word with Doris Bycroft, too. Then with the window cleaner from Cadwell Avenue. Quite casually, in the way of daily business. But none of them remembered having seen Mrs Lilian Bannister during the past two or even three weeks. Mr Spain resolved to call at her house on his very next early closing day.

Читать дальше →