A TOP-FLOOR IDYL
by
GEORGE VAN SCHAICK
Author of "Sweetapple Cove," "The Son of the Otter," "The Girl at Big Loon Post"
Illustrated by Chase Emerson
Boston Small, Maynard & Company Publishers
Copyright, 1917, By Small, Maynard & Company (Incorporated)
Printers S. J. Parkhill & Co., Boston, U.S.A.
TO MY DEARLY LOVED SISTER ELISE
[Illustration: And always she was a friend, nothing but the dear friend.]
CONTENTS
I THE NIGHT ALARM
II FRIEDA THE ANGEL
III I WATCH AN INFANT
IV THE BOLT
V GORDON HELPS
VI A BIT OF SUNSHINE
VII THE OTHER WOMAN
VIII WE TAKE AN EXCURSION
IX I HEAR RUMOURS ABOUT GORDON
X THE WORK LOST
XI GORDON VACILLATES
XII GORDON BECOMES ENGAGED
XIII DR. PORTER GOES TO WORK
XIV I BEGIN TO PLOT
XV THE LIGHTNING STROKE
XVI FRANCES READS MY BOOK
XVII MISS VAN ROSSUM CALLS
XVIII DIANA AMONG MORTALS
XIX FRANCES GOES TO THE COUNTRY
XX RICHETTI IS PLEASED
XXI THE CONCERT
XXII GORDON RETURNS
XXIII THE REPAIR OF A BROKEN STRAND
XXIV "THE MOTHER AND CHILD"
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
And always she was a friend, nothing but the dear friend.
No, she was only a woman, with a soul for harmony.
Her lovely head was bent down towards the sleeping mite.
A TOP-FLOOR IDYL
CHAPTER I
THE NIGHT ALARM
I smiled at my friend Gordon, the distinguished painter, lifting up my glass and taking a sip of the _table d'hote_ claret, which the Widow Camus supplies with her famed sixty-five cent repast. It is, I must acknowledge, a somewhat turbid beverage, faintly harsh to the palate, and yet it may serve as a begetter of pleasant illusions. While drinking it, I can close my eyes, being of an imaginative nature, and permit its flavor to bring back memories of ever-blessed _tonnelles_ by the Seine, redolent of fried gudgeons and mirific omelettes, and felicitous with gay laughter.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Top-Floor Idyl by George Van Schaick
- 2: It was finally broken by Gordon
- 3: Even while she was painting Burberry
- 4: The Milliken woman had known her husband
- 5: I suppose a baby had to go with a Murillo
- 6: Gordon left me at the entrance
- 7: Guided by a friendly but shaky balustrade
- 8: Where Frieda Long burrows in a small flat
- 9: An amazingly short time afterwards Frieda was ready
- 10: Frieda Long is hardly thirty eight
- 11: Frieda is a woman of the compelling kind
- 12: Milliken would probably have argued the matter for an hour
- 13: Some day I might bequeath it to a cherished cabbage
- 14: Since Eulalie had ventured to leave the room
- 15: I borrowed my mother's copy and read it all night
- 16: Eulalie shaking the stairs during her cautious
- 17: I wish Gordon McGrath could see her
- 18: The father of this little baby
- 19: Frieda is a waddling and inspired goose
- 20: Frieda has returned my twenty dollar bill
- 21: And we went arm in arm to Camus
- 22: Gordon McGrath says it's the only safe way
- 23: Eulalie startled me by asking suddenly
- 24: After which I discreetly knocked upon the doorframe
- 25: Eulalie is the salt of the earth
- 26: Aunt Lucinda had written that a woman
- 27: Found her rather hard to paint
- 28: I told him about Frances Dupont
- 29: I beg to present my friend Gordon McGrath
- 30: Better give Frieda some money for her and go fishing
- 31: He bowed civilly to Frances Dupont
- 32: And Frieda told her of a woman
- 33: Not a soul will know you at Camus
- 34: I saw Frieda give her arm a good hug
- 35: Milliken that she had the room rented
- 36: I also shut mine and lit the calabash
- 37: Frieda can always be relied on
- 38: Which Frieda is ever so fond of
- 39: The streaming eyes had been dabbed again to dryness
- 40: The services of Eulalie had been obtained
- 41: He was standing before the canvas
- 42: Fellows would ask if I intend to stick to the same old model
- 43: I really believe Gordon has no soul
- 44: It is something due to a Van Rossum
- 45: Destined to bring forth admiration and dollars
- 46: If that sort of thing can cure an ailing infant
- 47: For he was no less a personage than Kid Sullivan
- 48: Thought I'd take the wife and kids over to the Island
- 49: Sullivan confirmed her husband's statements
- 50: Frieda is much given to exaggeration
- 51: Madame Dupont has gone to my cousin
- 52: Your limitations are frightful
- 53: And Frieda and I offered him a small baby carriage
- 54: And Frieda does the same thing
- 55: It has been said that the Van Rossums
- 56: But Frieda frowned upon woolly lambs
- 57: Frieda took the chafing dish for a housewifely cleaning
- 58: Frieda seized upon the chocolates
- 59: He thanked Frieda for playing to us
- 60: Frieda followed her to her room
- 61: Lest my readers be already weary of Camus
- 62: Felicie was there and deplored the fact that
- 63: I thought it was Lorimer the Lorimer
- 64: Gordon at once came to my rescue
- 65: Lorimer stood before the picture
- 66: But that as a weathercock Gordon was the limit
- 67: We can take little Paul with us
- 68: For a wonder Frieda was silent
- 69: You are not Madame Paul Dupont
- 70: Frieda looked at me indulgently
- 71: He made me take lunch at the studio
- 72: I supposed that Gordon had seen those lines
- 73: For the dead and gone McGraths dealt in pottery
- 74: Frieda and Frances were in my room
- 75: Frieda was digging her nails into my hand
- 76: And Frieda and I wrung his hand
- 77: All his spare hours he would now spend with Miss Van Rossum
- 78: Perhaps mistaking me for Frieda
- 79: Cole who writes the most delightful books
- 80: The Van Rossums are going to Florida
- 81: I was glad when I reached the sidewalk again
- 82: Gaiement je chante et chanterai
- 83: Especially when it is nonsense
- 84: Assuring Frances that he is teaching her gratuitously
- 85: Until there was a knock at my door and Frieda came in
- 86: That beer is getting flat in your glass
- 87: After which he lit a match for his cigar
- 88: Her rackets and her golf clubs
- 89: Crazy to fling the palette to the floor
- 90: Chapter xvifrances reads my book
- 91: And repeated the process on a second copy for Frances
- 92: Maker of successes and destroyer of many hopes
- 93: My baby looked more beautiful than ever to me
- 94: A vision upstanding though silent
- 95: Never could they become my very own
- 96: David Cole seems to have changed
- 97: I had an introduction to him from Jamieson
- 98: And is entitled to a bit of extravagance
- 99: I don't suppose I would do for the nymph
- 100: Frances grew somewhat anxious about Baby Paul
- 101: Dupont through the medium of my friend Gordon's talent
- 102: For a moment Frances looked away
- 103: Miss Van Rossum read it over at least twice
- 104: And Frieda went right up to her
- 105: The chauffeur jiggled something
- 106: I found my two friends discussing Miss Van Rossum
- 107: For nothing on earth would I fake an interview
- 108: You're a very attractive and bewitching young fraud
- 109: The hills were clad in tender greens
- 110: Whereat Eulalie smiled in approval
- 111: And we will take Eulalie and Baby with us
- 112: Of tenderness she displayed only to Baby Paul
- 113: Useless dream would have been ended because Gordon is right
- 114: Who saw to what Gordon was pleased to call his rubbish
- 115: Eulalie joined in the cackling
- 116: Just a sweet old melody heard a thousand times
- 117: In three weeks I give my concert
- 118: Frieda had spent the whole afternoon with Frances
- 119: Eulalie was circling around Frances
- 120: Frances and Frieda stood on the sidewalk
- 121: I want to introduce Professor Lambley
- 122: As a further encore she sang Rossini's Stabat Mater
- 123: Frieda refused to be dropped off at her flat
- 124: I am glad she is taking Eulalie with her
- 125: The crowd behind me pressed me forward
- 126: Else he would have cabled me also
- 127: After I had inspected Baby Paul
- 128: The Rochambeau would dock at eleven
- 129: Haven't seen a peanut cart for over a year
- 130: Wonder who's the infernal idiot calling up now
- 131: Gordon and I have already kissed one another a few times
- 132: But I'm the same impossible Gordon
- 133: It I don't think it's charity
- 134: Eulalie gave a clamorous sigh of relief
- 135: And Miss Follansbee awaited the coming of Dr
- 136: Milliken came up to attend to the room
- 137: And Frieda had gone off and haled her back