Tea & Antipathy by Miller Anita

Author:Miller, Anita
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Published: 2015-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

23

The Wallace Collection

AFTER WE FINISHED LUNCH, I suggested we walk down to the Wallace Collection.

“I don’t think it’s very far from here. Your father and I loved it when we were here the first time. Our hotel was right around the comer from the Wallace Collection; I can show it to you afterward.”

“Let’s take a cab,” Mark said.

“I think we should walk. It’s not raining for a change. Let’s stroll down.”

We asked the waiter in the hamburger place how far it was to Manchester Square. He said it was a ten-minute walk. I explained to the children that English people reckoned distances in terms of time because they didn’t have our geometrical block system.

“Also they don’t have our attitude toward walking,” Mark said. “Ten minutes means half an hour.”

We strolled off and just as we began to fail physically, we came upon Manchester Square.

“There it is,” I cried triumphantly. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“I have a stomachache,” Bruce said.

“My feet hurt,” Mark said.

“I feel good, I want to see the Museum,” Eric said. “Are there any wax figures there?”

“No, of course not,” I replied irritably. “Do you think I’d ever take you to see wax figures again? There’s some really lovely armor and some beautiful pictures … and the building itself ….”

“Oh, goody, armor,” Eric said. “I love armor.”

We went inside.

“I feel sick,” Bruce said. “My stomach hurts. I want to go home.”

“We’ve come this far,” I said. “Why not look at it? You’ll love it.”

“Just a lot of pictures and some armor?” Mark asked.

“And the building itself,” I said. “Look around. And some French furniture, of course.”

“Oh, furniture, furniture,” Bruce said. “That’s all you care about, furniture.”

“Why don’t you smack him one?” Mark asked.

“My feet hurt, my stomach hurts, and all you care about is furniture,” Bruce said.

“Let’s try to be quiet,” I said. “Everyone is looking at us. Oh, my, look at this beautiful painting. And what do you think of this clock?”

“If I ever talked to you that way, you’d smack me,” Mark said.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Bruce said.

“Ask the man,” I said.

“I want to see the armor,” Eric said sweetly. “Oh, what a lovely place.”

“Eric likes this place,” I said, eyeing him suspiciously. “If I don’t sit down, I’m going to faint,” Mark said.

“I don’t think you should sit there,” I said.

“Why not? There’s no cord over it or anything. It’s a chair, isn’t it?”

“Here, you can’t sit there,” a guard cried, darting forward. “You can’t sit on that chair.”

“I told you,” I said.

“I’m going to faint,” Mark said.

“Shall we go upstairs? They’ve got Gainsboroughs….”

“How can I look at paintings when I’m going to faint?”

“Oh, here’s Bruce,” I said cheerfully. “Feeling better?”

“No, I’m not,” Bruce said, scowling. “I feel worse. My stomach hurts and I want to sit down.”

“Why don’t you both go out in the courtyard and sit on a bench?” I suggested. “I’ll show Eric the armor.”

I showed Eric the armor for quite a while. He seemed to admire it.

“Oh, look at the big horse,” he said.

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