Sample
from
The Old Wives' Tale
by
Arnold Bennett
Oxford Progressive English Readers
Grade 5
retold by
L A Hill
The Plan
Mrs Baines's worries during the next three months were much influenced by Sophia's moods. On some days Sophia was the old Sophia, difficult and unpleasant. On other days she was happy, kind and content. It was on those days that Mrs Baines worried most. She did not know for sure, but she suspected that Sophia and Mr Scales were writing to each other.
In fact, Sophia's joy was caused mostly by the flaming fires that had struck her soul during a magical two minutes in Wedgewood Street. She discovered that Mr Scales had come to Bursley in the hope of meeting her. They had walked a short distance together, looking into each other's eyes. At the corner of the street, he had had to go.
'Till next time,' he had murmured. The fire of love had shot from his eyes, setting light to thoughts and feelings in Sophia's head that her mother, fortunately, never even guessed about.
When the time came for Mr Scales's next visit, Mrs Baines made a plan. She decided she would be ill: that meant it would not be polite for him to come into the house. She also hinted to Constance that she should be sure to stay in the shop that morning. She warned Mr Povey not to tell anyone that Mr Scales was coming, and she arranged for Sophia to be busy seeing two customers in the showroom. At first it looked as if Mrs Baines's plan would succeed.
More of this story in
The Old Wives' Tale
by
Arnold Bennett
Oxford Progressive English Readers
Grade 5
ISBN 0 19 586 319 4
This text is copyright Oxford University Press 1995.
If you can read this sample easily, you can enjoy any Oxford Progressive English Reader.
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