02 April 2012

Menace to Society

For those who enjoy Wodehouse, I am reading a riotous book:
The Adventures of Sally

Here is an excerpt, describing a dark moment during a formal dinner party
during which three of the guests—the Murphy brothers and Sally's brother—
are behaving badly.

Sally debated in her mind for an instant the advisability of throwing an orange at her brother. There was one lying ready to her hand, and his glistening shirt-front offered an admirable mark; but she restrained herself. After all, if a hostess yields to her primitive impulses, what happens? Chaos. She had just frowned down the exuberance of the rebellious Murphys, and she felt that if, even with the highest motives, she began throwing fruit, her influence for good in that quarter would be weakened.


And this, following Sally's interference in someone's personal travails.

Daylight brought no comforting answer to the question. Breakfast failed to manufacture an easy mind. Sally got off the train at the Grand Central station in a state of remorseful concern. She declined the offer of Mr. Carmyle to drive her to the boarding-house, and started to walk there, hoping that the crisp morning air would effect a cure.  She wondered now how she could ever have looked with approval on her rash act. She wondered what demon of interference and meddling had possessed her, to make her blunder into people's lives, upsetting them. She wondered that she was allowed to go around loose. She was nothing more nor less than a menace to society.


Have you never wondered how or why you are allowed to go around loose? 
I know I have.  Regularly.

2 comments:

  1. Haworth,
    I possibly have upset someone somewhere along the way. I am direct.!!

    As for throwing the orange.. I dont have a brother. I do have a sister (no not her..she is too sweet)..but i can think of others i would love to throw one at.

    nice post.
    thanks
    val

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Val. I've had my "nearly thrown an orange" moments, too!

    ReplyDelete