The Congo Venus by Matthew Head

Author:Matthew Head
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781631941061
Publisher: Felony & Mayhem Press
Published: 2018-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

WE WALKED ALONG toward my room, and as soon as I thought Emily couldn’t hear us I said, “What about this stuff? This Morelli.”

Miss Finney scowled and said, “I don’t know what about it. It hasn’t jelled.”

“What do you mean, it hasn’t jelled?”

“I mean I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I want you to get shaved and dressed and ready to go see Madame de St. Nicaise as soon as that boy gets back. Also I think now I’ll go there with you. And Emily.”

We went into my room and I went into the bathroom to shave. Instead of waiting outside, Miss Finney followed me into the bathroom and sat herself down on the rim of the tub. She sat scowling at first, as I began lathering up, then she seemed to dismiss from her mind whatever was bothering her, and became absorbed in watching me work with the brush.

The minute I had got my mouth covered with lather she asked, “Wonder what Freud or somebody says about shaving?” Just as I got enough lather wiped off to open my mouth she said, “Desire of the male to return to a state of innocence or something, I guess.”

“The last thing I want back is my innocence. I had too much trouble losing it. The reason I shave is my beard itches in hot weather.”

“The reason you shave is social pressure.”

“Look,” I said. “I’m trying to hurry like you said. Do you want me to shave or talk? If you want to waste good shaving time by talking, that’s all right with me, but unless the reason I shave really has something to do with what you’re trying to find out about Liliane Morelli, we’re not getting anywhere. Also you’ll have to get off the edge of that tub or get splashed. I want a bath.”

“Oh, all right. If you don’t want me. I sort of like it in here, though. Intimate.” She got up rather stiffly and straightened herself with the smallest bit of difficulty. “You’re just trying to get rid of a fading missionary who has few enough sentimental pleasures as it is,” she grumbled, “but I’ll go. I’ll be outside. And I do want you to talk. And if you change your mind and call me, I’ll scrub your back.”

She gave me a grin and went out. In a minute I heard the bedsprings creak, then a long sigh. “I’m listening,” she said, and by the time I had finished shaving and bathing and dressing I had told her about the scandal of the “Congo Venus” as I had heard it first in letters from Schmitty, and in bits here and there after I had returned to Léopoldville:

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.