jane ellis
If you please.
Many are waiting.
mrs. abigail blass
Is he to care for them?
In my absence?
Cathryn is soon to begin school. Who will make sure her clothes are correct? Maribeth has a bad foot and is self-conscious and often comes home in tears. To whom will she cry? Alice is nervous, for she has submitted a poem. It is not a very good poem. I have a plan to give her Shakespeare to read, and Dante, and we will work on some poems together.
They seem especially dear to me now. During this pause. Fortunately, it is a minor surgery only. A rare opportunity, really, for a person to pause and take stock of her— jane ellis
Mrs. Ellis was a stately, regal woman, always surrounded by three gelatinous orbs floating about her person, each containing a likeness of one of her daughters. At times these orbs grew to extreme size, and would bear down upon her, and crush out her blood and other fluids as she wriggled beneath their terrible weight, refusing to cry out, as this would indicate displeasure, and at other times these orbs departed from her and she was greatly tormented, and must rush about trying to find them, and when she did, would weep in relief, at which time they would once again begin bearing down upon her; but the worst torment of all for Mrs. Ellis was when one of the orbs would establish itself before her eyes exactly life-sized and become completely translucent and she would thus be able to mark the most fine details of the clothing, facial expression, disposition, etc., of the daughter inside, who, in a heartfelt manner, would begin explaining some difficulty into which she had lately been thrust (especially in light of Mrs. Ellis’s sudden absence). Mrs. Ellis would show the most acute judgment and abundant love as she explained, in a sympathetic voice, how the afflicted child might best address the situation at hand—but alas (herein lay the torment) the child could not see or hear her in the least, and would work herself, before the eyes of Mrs. Ellis, into ever-increasing paroxysms of despair, as the poor woman began to dash about, trying to evade the orb, which would pursue her with what can only be described as a sadistic intelligence, anticipating her every move, thrusting itself continually before her eyes, which, as far as I could tell, were incapable, at such times, of closing.
the reverend everly thomas
On other days, everyone she met manifested as a giant mustache with legs.
hans vollman
Yes, her way is hard.
roger bevins iii
Not so hard. She’s a rich one.
You can tell by her voice.
mrs. abigail blass
Young sir, may I ask—a kindness?
jane ellis
Snooty.
mrs. abigail blass
If you are allowed back to that previous place, will you check Cathryn’s clothing and console Maribeth and tell Alice it is not a sin to fail in one’s first attempt? Assure them I have been thinking of them since I arrived here and am trying to make my way home, and that even as the ether was administered, I was thinking of them, of them and only—
jane ellis
Take the money, I said. I am calm.
mr. maxwell boise
Again pushed aside?
Because I am small?
mrs. abigail blass
Perhaps it is because you are so dirty.
roger bevins iii
I live close to the ground, sir. As I believe you— mrs. abigail blass
Your slippers are absolutely black with filth.
roger bevins iii
Take the money, I said. I am calm.
You will also, sir, please, remain calm, I said. We have no enmity between us of which I am aware. Let us regard this as a simple business transaction. I will hand you my wallet, just so, and then, with your permission, be on my— No, no, no.
No no no.
Entirely the wrong & illogical thing for you to— Low stars, blurred rooftops.
& I am punc tured.
mr. maxwell boise
Try now, Mrs. Blass.
roger bevins iii
Mrs. Blass, notoriously frugal, filthy, gray-haired, and tiny (smaller than a baby), spent her nights racing about, gnawing at rocks and twigs, gathering these things to her, defending them zealously, passing the long hours counting and recounting these meager possessions.
the reverend everly thomas
The opportunity to finally address the lad, there in front of that festive crowd, struck that diminutive lady with a sudden case of stage-fright.
hans vollman
You have one thousand three hundred dollars in the First Bank, I believe?
the reverend everly thomas
Yes.