The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-10-07
Chapter II
MRs. MELLIsH AGAIN

MMaS. MELLISH came into the II.
AvA brary. Nobody would have
known that she had been cooking.
She wore her black afternoon dress.
with medallion brooch depicting
o pink church leaning q little side
ways against a background OF
bright blue sky. she had an air OF
dignity and leisured calm as she
came to q standstilI at q respectful
distance and waited for Nan to
speak.
"Please sic down." said Nan.
''I'd rather stand. ma'am."
Did she do It on purpose? Did she
know how difficnlt It was to talk
to someone who stands literally, as
well as morally, on her dignity?
Nan braced herself.
"I'd like you to sit, Mrs. Mellish. "
She indicated chair near her own.
After o momentary hesitation
Mrs. Mellish advanced another
chair one without arms and
straight in the back. Upon the ex-
IRENE edge OF this chair she seated
herself. her body stifhy erect. and
her hands neatly folded After a
suitable pause she said:
eyes. ma'am?"
Nan leaned forward.
II want you to help me-"
Mrs. Mellish registered a blank
inability to understand how she
could possibly be OF any assistance
to Mrs. Weare. After a further
pause she again said:
Yes. ma'am?"
Were In great trouble about
Mr.. Weare," said Nan.
Mrs. Mellish said Yes, ma'am?'
for the third time.
Nan got up abruptly. II she were
to sit still and listen to Mrs. Mel
Iish saying "Yes, ma'amf" anything
might happen. she felt q passionate
desire to pick up the nearest book
and send II crashing through the
window. or, better stilL straight at
Mrs. MeIiish's head.
She let the curtain fall and turned
round again.
You've known Jervis . Ions
time"
Yes, masana.s
aYou knew him when ne was &
little boy"
eyes, ma'am.s
you've known him all those
years. We're in dreadful trouble
about hifn--we think--that some
thing-must have happened"
Yes, ma,am?", said hrs. Mellish
There was q little heavy brass
box on the telephone-table; Il wal
used to hold stamps. Nan wrenched
her eyes away from II. She wanted
to pick II up and throw Il 1t Hrs
Mellish--hard. With an effort. shs
stood where she was.
DO you know Of anytAing thai
might have taken him away sud
denly?"
Mrs. Mellish considered this "a
silence. She had been brought up e
tell the truth. and ciassed Tying with
dirt, unpunctuality. gossip and
communism. There we're worse sins
such as stealing. atheism. ana I'm
morality; but they hardly cazne
within the purview ox ths rsspec
table. After d suitable pauss sfs
compromised BY saying:
II can't say that I do"
YOU'D tell me II yon DIE
woulda't you? Mr.. Francis has gon4
to New York 10 make inquired
theFs. butt don't feel 70 if JeFvil
had gone TO New York"
Nan turned away ana walked d
the end Of the room ana hack again
Mrs. Meilish never moved at eli
She was sitting there because shl
had been ordered 70 eft: otherwise
she would have risen when Mrs
Wears had risen: but. hayins beez
ordered to sit. cit she would uns
she was ordered TO rise a stubborn
sense OF her own superiority upheii
her. She knew her place. II Mrs
wsare dian't know hers. She looked
up and saw Nan standing over her
aAfrs. Meilish--y0n know some
thing. What Is ityH
Mrs. Mellish reinforced her dig
nifty. This wasn't any way for q
mistress to behave. and she didn'i
hold with it.
lyon know something"
indeed. ma'am--"