unearths some literary gems.
***
[From the preface]
As for my prose, I apologize. It suffers from too many years on the lunatic fringe of law firms such as Ely Sneed. I was able to curb a regrettable tendency to begin paragraphs with "now," "therefore," and "to wit." My editor's blue pencil took care of the "notwithstandings" and "albeits." An "inasmuch as" may have slipped through, though. You can only do so much.
***
She had once been "on the stage," or had been on the stage once. Whether burlesque, a high school play, or the Royal Shakespeare Company was never made quite clear.
***
Ely Sneed had committees like gardeners have crabgrass....Battle one committee down and another would spring up in its place.
***
[Flapping dept.]
Her voice rose, she rose, her napkin rose and flapped through the air.
***
If I could hear his shoe creaking, what about my watch ticking? The power of suggestion became almost more than I could stand; it sounded like Big Ben was in the closet with me.
***
