christmas at thompson hall

 christmas at thompson hall

anthony trollop

CHAPTER I.

MRS. BROWN’S SUCCESS.

Every one remembers the severity of the Christmas of 187-  DASH

. I will not designate the year more closely, lest I should enable those who are too curious to investigate the circumstances of this story, and inquire into details which I do not intend to make known.   

french capital , paris

christmas time   unknown the exact year (dash)

bad winter

 Paris ought to be gay; that gayety, prettiness, and liveliness are its aims, as money, commerce, and general business are the aims of London,

London england

vs 

Paris france

a couple arrives at big hotel   concealed named & dates

mr & Mrs brown

the lived together like married,  

mrs brown was wealthy

he married her and stopped working  ..disabled

so Christmas family gathering

her sisiter was gonna introduce a new beau  shes been trying to get him to travel

dude thoought the journey was gonna kill him

but they went

that's where they were heading , when  the storm 

so the hotel  

dude was sick he had bronchitis

sick man in hotel, just wanting to go home

cruel weather

hotel was chilly

they were heading to stratford

by train the next day

dude did not think he could go, he couldn't make it  if he didn't get better tonite

he went to bed

flannel on his throat, he was hoarse, croaky

she could barely here him, 

he sent her to the basement to get some mustard to make a poultice in a hankerchief.   she tucked him in and went down the corridor and down the steps and another corridor and more steps and another corridor and more steps and found private sittings rooms and tried to make her way back and start again.  got lost in the hotel.

saw a porter in white,  large, big bust, like juno

she asked for directions

there was a man in kitchen , 

and the man helped her get back to her room

she counted the steps  and traced the path  to  back to room  333 so she can 

come back

cause she needed that mustard, 

she went back but now its creepy

she made it  back to the medicinal compound

it smelled  a little sour to her, but it was a different brand that normal

walked with the candle back to the room

it was dark

he was sleeping, he was gone about an hour

the snore didn't sound like sick person, she made herself think he was just fine 

he was sleeping good. she was tired too.

she got mad he was sleeping  and shes out wandering around the hotel

she was a British matron which sounded like a nurse

saying if she was at home, shed have a delicate linen bag to stop the mustard from making a mess.  but she put the poultice on his throat .

the guy snored, but didnt wake

she but his bread back down and saw it was the wrong man!

she was struck with horror

stranger opened his eyes but still was snoring

she didn't know what to do, the mustard plaster if left too long, will burn ya

she didnt know what to say if he jumps up

should I say??????????do not move, do not scream

I put a mustard plaister on your chest thinking you were my husband let me clean it off and keep your peace

should she go tell the porter what she did, and let him handle it?

she stepped outta the room

trying to figure out how she even got in here

the room was 353 not 333

so now shes in the hall, her husband still needs the wrap

she's looking for the porter,   everything was dark and deserted

she was cold

it was christmas

she was sad about this whole mess

shes was like....neither of these men are gonna die, fuck it

shes going bed 

no man even died from a mustard plaister

she had the hotel path down now

she opened the door, hoping her man was zzzzzzzzzzzzz

he was not zzzz

he was sitting near the fireplace which was just a spark

he groaned

she said why are you not in bed

he groanded again

she said I tucked you in, why are you out

he said where were you?

she got him back in bed, and told him  a bs story

and was like dead or alive, your getting on the train tomorrrow

to meet her new brother in law

she wanted to go  

they talked  more....he was a little mad there was no mustard

she said there was none that's what took so long, I was looking for it

she said please go to sleep

he said that's impossible

she said we are going tomorrow

he said he was gonna die, the they were cold

shes just fibbing about her night

she was thinking 

everybody needs an apology

to her hubby for lying for the man for the mustang and the porter for stealing the mustatd

she starked packing up for the next days trip

she did not sleep 

she got dressed and sat on the red velvet sofa

he husbands throat is still sore and he was complaining

she laid down with him the night was short, yet long

he got some sleep, '

she couldn't cause she new the other dude was gonna wake up in pain

cause mustard will legit burn ya ( mustard gas)

it was christmas he might been drinking passed out, mustard will burn 

it already been hours

she was wondering if she would recognize her burn victim in the lobby int the morning, she veiled her face

feeling some sort of way, she was scared to even look at the porter 

incase anybody saw her leaving the strange mans room in the middle of the night

she was prepared to defend herself

in cause her  mongrammed personalized hankerchief was found in the guys room

she was freaking out, all she wanted to do was get her the family party

she was adamant she did not commit any crime

despite the victim man with burns and the evidence she left

she felt everybody was staring her  and they were

the porter came flashing the hankerchief looking for the owner

the hubby's like...why was you in dudes room

and porter was like yes, why??

she said it was a mistake, she was lost in the hall

they did not call the police

but the man upstairs was upset and delayed them

she was afraid they were gonna miss the train

the mans name was Mr Jones, who was gonna be on the same train

but he couldn't even dress himself , because of the burn

hubby, still sick himself.... was like,,wtf did you do to that man

he then realized she was fibbing all night

he realized she did try to get him the mustard and do what he needed

he said he wasn't mad, they kissed

she said he wont die cause of the mustard

Mr Jones came down with a loose napkin, he was stiff 

she said it was an accident

he said you interfered with my privacy and comfort

hubby's spoke up, said she thought it was me

he said I'm about to have a wife myself,  he still didn't think it was possible to be an accident. 

he said I wish she would a brought it back to me and not you

the extent of the injury was unknown

he thought it was practical joke not a mistake

they said no violent joke, an accident

why didn't she wake me???

nobody knew

nothing could be done now, too late

they sent a telegram, about the delay

they all got on the omibus instead of a train

she sat away from her victim and her face was veiled

Mr Jones was wondering if he was the only one in the world that happened too and realized his vulnerability, cause she coulda used choloform

he wondered what she looked like cause he never really saw her,

he was sleeping or she was veiled

they arrived at straford

she freed herself from the prescence  of her handsome & hostile victim

they were going to get on a carriage and head to thompson hall

and dude was heading that way too

and dude barnaby jones was still hurting from the burn

aand so the moment is still unpleasant

and the poor victim was thinking  she did it on purpose cause he was going to meet a girl

absurd condition stuck to everybody's memory

it was like a nightmare,  he tried to forget about this long day in paris

and now his assailant in still here with him

Charles Barnaby jones vs, name  burnaby

sister  jane

ran to her boyfriend

hugged him

he loved it...but that hurt

she said what's the matter

he looked at mr brown with eyes ...like wtf do I say

Jane started putting things together, cause both people were delayed

her sister and her bf

and since mr jones personal comfort was suffering

they spoke of it to the whole family

the sisters laughed it off

Jane is like...I hope we all love each other

they met the family,  cousins who were members of parliment

they had Christmas dinne

siron of beef

turkey

minced pies

plum pudding

Mrs brown, told her sister jane thew truth about  everything that happened

she said it was stupid, but it happened

she said she knew she was wrong, she begged for his forgiveness

he forgave her

she swore life long sisterly devotion

the last line

Nevertheless it was a very jovial meeting, and before the evening was over Mr. Jones was happy, and had been brought to acknowledge that the mustard plaster would probably not do him any permanent injury.