East Side Story by Louis Auchincloss

Author:Louis Auchincloss [Auchincloss, Louis]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Usernet, C429, Kat, Extratorrents
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE NEXT YEAR was an onerous one for Alida. She attended all the Society's meetings with an exultant husband who, as predicted by his brother, seemed not in the least surprised that the scales had fallen from her eyes. No doubt he attributed it to divine intervention, and why should it be surprising that the All Powerful should be able to turn the spirit of even the most reluctant mortal? He even boasted about it to his fellow reborns. The hardest part in the whole business for Alida was the necessity of keeping up the appearance of her supposed change of heart to the former dentist and his rapt followers. But it helped her that she feared that any apprehension on Sam's part that she was playing a game would probably put an end to his cure, and he had now given up drinking entirely. Her success might have been precarious, but so far it was complete.

No more complete, however, than her inner dejection. To appear before the world— her world, anyway—as an apostle of a ridiculous sect was a humiliation such as she had never conceived she could endure. Pierre and Eliza, who had not been told of the stratagem—Alida had not trusted their discretion—treated their mother's new "hobby" with the same condescending approval that they had accorded their father's, and Alberta, awestruck at her mother's skill and resolution at taking on so taxing a role, had to confine her admiration to applauding glances. But Alida's women friends, at her boards and clubs, were relentless in their acid comments.

"Is it true, Alida, that you've fallen for this mountebank?"

"Can one really have Forman for dinner?"

"What kind of magic did he pull on you?"

"You, Alida! Of all people! A priestess of the life of reason!"

And all she could do was to shake her head sadly, as if in sorrow at this demonstration of souls so benighted, and imply that she was waiting for the day to come when they, too, would comprehend the truth and the light. But it was torture, and she could only pray for the time when Sam might be pronounced cured and she could confess to a relapse to her old agnosticism.

But the worst had not yet come. The worst was what David had predicted. Sam, one night when they were dining alone, outlined to her gravely Dr. Forman's project for a splendid new retreat and meetinghouse in Westchester County, complete with a library of edifying works, a theater for spiritual dramas, a museum of religious art, and extensive gardens and walks for meditation and recueillement. Forman already had several pledges of "major gifts," and of course, he was looking to Sam for one.

"How much are you thinking of?" Alida's tone was very dry.

"Well, what would you say to half a million?"

She gasped. It was more than a quarter of what he was worth. "I'd say it was twenty times too much! What are you thinking of, Sam? How can you possibly contemplate taking such a hunk

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.