Would you care to hear, Mr Hackett, said the lady, about the night that Larry was born?
Oh do tell him, my dear, said the gentleman.
Well, said the lady, that morning at breakfast Goff turns to me and he says, Tetty, he says, Tetty, my pet, I should very much like to invite Thompson, Cream and Coulquhoun to help us eat the duck, if I felt sure you felt up to it. Why, my dear, says I, I never felt fitter in my life. Those were my words, were they not?
I believe they were, said Goff.
Well, said Tetty, when Thompson comes into the dining-room, followed by Cream and Berry (Coulquhoun I remember had a previous engagement), I was already seated at the table. There was nothing strange in that, seeing I was the only lady present. You did not find that strange, did you, my love?
Certainly not, said Goff, most natural.
The first mouthful of duck had barely passed my lips, said Tetty, when Larry leaped in my wom.
Your what? said Mr Hackett.
My wom, said Tetty.
You know, said Goff, her woom.
How embarrassing for you, said Mr Hackett.
I continued to eat, drink and make light conversation, said Tetty, and Larry to leap, like a salmon.
What an experience for you, said Mr Hackett.
There were moments, I assure you, when I thought he would tumble out on the floor, at my feet.
Merciful heavens, you felt him slipping, said Mr Hackett.
No trace of this dollar appeared on my face, said Tetty. Did it, my dear?
Not a trace, said Goff.
Nor did my sense of humour desert me. What rolypoly, said Mr Berry, I remember, turning to me with a smile, what delicious rolypoly, it melts in the mouth. Not only in the mouth, sir, I replied, without an instant’s hesitation, not only in the mouth, my dear sir. Not too osy with the sweet, I thought.
Not too what? said Mr Hackett.
Osy, said Goff. You know, not too osy.
With the coffee and liqours, labour was in full swing, Mr Hackett, I give you my solemn word, under the groaning board.
Swing is the word, said Goff.
You knew she was pregnant, said Mr Hackett.
Why er, said Goff, you see er, I er, we er —
Tetty’s hand fell heartily on Mr Hackett’s thigh.
He thought I was coy, she cried. Hahahaha. Haha. Ha.
Haha, said Mr Hackett.
I was greatly worried I admit, said Goff.
Finally they retired, did you not? said Tetty.
We did indeed, said Goff, we retired to the billiard-room, for a game of slosh.
I went up those stairs, Mr Hackett, said Tetty, on my hands and knees, wringing the carpetrods as though they were made of raffia.
You were in such anguish, said Mr Hackett.
Three minutes later I was a mother.
Unassisted, said Goff.
I did everything with my own hands, said Tetty, everything.
She severed the cord with her teeth, said Goff, not having a scissors to her hand. What do you think of that?
I would have snapped it across my knee, if necessary, said Tetty.
That is a thing I often wondered, said Mr Hackett, what it feels like to have the string cut.
For the mother or the child? said Goff.
For the mother, said Mr Hackett. I was not found under a cabbage, I believe.
For the mother, said Tetty, the feeling is one of relief, of great relief, as when the guests depart. All my subsequent strings were severed by Professor Cooper, but the feeling was always the same, one of riddance.
Oh do tell him, my dear, said the gentleman.
Well, said the lady, that morning at breakfast Goff turns to me and he says, Tetty, he says, Tetty, my pet, I should very much like to invite Thompson, Cream and Coulquhoun to help us eat the duck, if I felt sure you felt up to it. Why, my dear, says I, I never felt fitter in my life. Those were my words, were they not?
I believe they were, said Goff.
Well, said Tetty, when Thompson comes into the dining-room, followed by Cream and Berry (Coulquhoun I remember had a previous engagement), I was already seated at the table. There was nothing strange in that, seeing I was the only lady present. You did not find that strange, did you, my love?
Certainly not, said Goff, most natural.
The first mouthful of duck had barely passed my lips, said Tetty, when Larry leaped in my wom.
Your what? said Mr Hackett.
My wom, said Tetty.
You know, said Goff, her woom.
How embarrassing for you, said Mr Hackett.
I continued to eat, drink and make light conversation, said Tetty, and Larry to leap, like a salmon.
What an experience for you, said Mr Hackett.
There were moments, I assure you, when I thought he would tumble out on the floor, at my feet.
Merciful heavens, you felt him slipping, said Mr Hackett.
No trace of this dollar appeared on my face, said Tetty. Did it, my dear?
Not a trace, said Goff.
Nor did my sense of humour desert me. What rolypoly, said Mr Berry, I remember, turning to me with a smile, what delicious rolypoly, it melts in the mouth. Not only in the mouth, sir, I replied, without an instant’s hesitation, not only in the mouth, my dear sir. Not too osy with the sweet, I thought.
Not too what? said Mr Hackett.
Osy, said Goff. You know, not too osy.
With the coffee and liqours, labour was in full swing, Mr Hackett, I give you my solemn word, under the groaning board.
Swing is the word, said Goff.
You knew she was pregnant, said Mr Hackett.
Why er, said Goff, you see er, I er, we er —
Tetty’s hand fell heartily on Mr Hackett’s thigh.
He thought I was coy, she cried. Hahahaha. Haha. Ha.
Haha, said Mr Hackett.
I was greatly worried I admit, said Goff.
Finally they retired, did you not? said Tetty.
We did indeed, said Goff, we retired to the billiard-room, for a game of slosh.
I went up those stairs, Mr Hackett, said Tetty, on my hands and knees, wringing the carpetrods as though they were made of raffia.
You were in such anguish, said Mr Hackett.
Three minutes later I was a mother.
Unassisted, said Goff.
I did everything with my own hands, said Tetty, everything.
She severed the cord with her teeth, said Goff, not having a scissors to her hand. What do you think of that?
I would have snapped it across my knee, if necessary, said Tetty.
That is a thing I often wondered, said Mr Hackett, what it feels like to have the string cut.
For the mother or the child? said Goff.
For the mother, said Mr Hackett. I was not found under a cabbage, I believe.
For the mother, said Tetty, the feeling is one of relief, of great relief, as when the guests depart. All my subsequent strings were severed by Professor Cooper, but the feeling was always the same, one of riddance.
Samuel Beckett, Watt