unearths some literary gems.
From The Poisoned Chocolates Case, by Anthony Berkeley:
***
It was an assembly of which any organiser might have been proud. Roger this evening was not only proud but excited too, because he was going to startle them; and it is always exciting to startle personages.
***
“Hear, hear,” said a tall, good-looking woman on the right of the table, in the clear tones of one very well accustomed to saying “hear, hear” weightily at appropriate moments during speeches, in case no one else did.
***
“You seem to be putting the odds at somewhere round about a million to one. I should put them at six to one. Permutations and combinations, you know.”
“Damn your permutations, sir!” riposted Sir Charles with vigour. “And your combinations too.”
Mr. Bradley turned to Roger. “Mr. Chariman, is it within the rules of this club for one member to insult another member’s underwear?”
***
And what if it should actually turn out to be true? After all, such a thing was conceivable enough. Murders have been committed for the sake of lovely ladies often enough before; so why not for the lovely daughter of a pompous old silk? Oh God, oh Montreal.
***
[After much gasping by various characters.]
Alone without a gasp sat Alicia Dammers.
***
“I have not yet specifically accused anyone of the crime, Sir Charles,” she said, with a cold dignity that was only marred by the fact that her hat, which had apparently been sharing its mistress’s emotions, was now perched rakishly over her left ear.
***
Mabel, she knew, might look like one sort of fool, talk like another sort, and behave like a third; and yet really she was not a fool at all.
***
The motion was carried unanimously. Mrs. Fielder-Flemming would have liked to vote against it, but she had never yet belonged to any committee where all motions were not carried unanimously, and habit was too strong for her.
***
For probably the first time in her life Mrs. Verreker-le-Mesurer had given somebody a constructive idea.
***
Mr. Bradley stroked his moustache and mentally shot his cuffs.
