In the evening dimness of old Mrs. Maldon's sitting-room stood the youthful virgin, Rachel Louisa Fleckring. The prominent fact about her appearance was that shewore an apron. Not one of those white, waist-tied aprons, with or without bibs, worn proudly, uncompromisingly, by a previous generation of unaspiringhousewives and housegirls! But an immense blue pinafore-apron, covering thewhole front of the figure except the head, hands, and toes. Its virtues were that itfully protected the most fragile frock against all the ...
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In the evening dimness of old Mrs. Maldon's sitting-room stood the youthful virgin, Rachel Louisa Fleckring. The prominent fact about her appearance was that shewore an apron. Not one of those white, waist-tied aprons, with or without bibs, worn proudly, uncompromisingly, by a previous generation of unaspiringhousewives and housegirls! But an immense blue pinafore-apron, covering thewhole front of the figure except the head, hands, and toes. Its virtues were that itfully protected the most fragile frock against all the perils of the kitchen; and that itcould be slipped on or off in one second, without any manipulation of tapes, pins, or buttons and buttonholes-for it had no fastenings of any sort and merely yawnedbehind. In one second the drudge could be transformed into the elegant infanta ofboudoirs, and vice versa. To suit the coquetry of the age the pinafore was enrichedwith certain flouncings, which, however, only intensified its unshapen ugliness.On a plain, middle-aged woman such a pinafore would have been intolerable to thesensitive eye. But on Rachel it simply had a piquant and perverse air, because shewas young, with the incomparable, the unique charm of comely adolescence; itsimply excited the imagination to conceive the exquisite treasures of contour andtint and texture which it veiled. Do not infer that Rachel was a coquette. Althoughcomely, she was homely-a "downright" girl, scorning and hating all manner ofpretentiousness. She had a fine best dress, and when she put it on everybody knewthat it was her best; a stranger would have known. Whereas of a coquette none buther intimate companions can say whether she is wearing best or second-best on agiven high occasion. Rachel used the pinafore-apron only with her best dress, andher reason for doing so was the sound, sensible reason that it was the usual andproper thing to
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Seller's Description:
This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has soft covers. In fair condition, suitable as a study copy. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 600grams, ISBN:
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Early Cheap Edition. Hardback. Dust Jacket. 8vo. pp.320. Fiction. One of the Five Towns novels, set in and around 'The Potteries, ' Staffordshire. Originally published in 1914. Publisher's own retained copy with their label on the front cover and front of dust jacket reading 'File Copy. ' A neat edition with original publisher's binding in tobacco brown with black lettering on spine. Dust jacket illustration of multi-coloured tile pattern in diamond repeats. Very good indeed in very good indeed dust jacket. Dust jacket very slightly dusty.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
