The Japanese Devil Fish Girl Read Online Free Page A

fan. As the plumes unfurled, George was made conscious of a delicate perfume that breathed from this gorgeous item.
     
    ‘I fear that I have become lost,’ said this lady, a damsel in distress. ‘I somehow became separated from my party. It is my own fault, I confess. I became entranced by a showman’s exhibit – an “Holistical Mirror” in which could be viewed the reflection of all of the world and all of its people thereto.’
     
    ‘Indeed?’ said George. ‘Indeed?’
     
    ‘And now I have become a-feared. There are so many rough types here and myself unchaperoned and oh so vulnerable.’
     
    George sought to detect the hint of a certain eroticism in these words. Surely just his wishful thinking.
     
    ‘Allow me to offer my protection,’ said he, with all the gallantry of Don Quixote, or indeed the Chevalier Tannhäuser. ‘And if you know the destination of your party, then please do not think me forward in offering to accompany you to this very destination.’
     
    ‘You are charm personified.’ And the young lady curtseyed a little. ‘I have lately arrived upon the Empress of Mars to attend the concert at the Crystal Palace. But I am somewhat short of sight and know not even how this concert hall might look. If you would be so kind as to escort me there, I would be more than willing to reward you for your trouble.’
     
    ‘To have assisted such a lady as yourself would be sufficient reward in itself,’ said George, who could feel himself rising to certain heights of gallantry.
     
    ‘As you wish,’ the young lady replied. ‘But I do have a spare ticket and it would be such a shame if it went all to waste.’
     
    ‘A spare ticket?’ said George. ‘To the concert?’ said George. ‘To the royal celebratory concert?’ said George.
     
    ‘Indeed,’ said the lady. ‘Indeed.’
     
    ‘Then, madam, I would be grateful beyond words to accept this most generous offer.’
     
    ‘I am not interrupting you? From your work, perhaps?’
     
    ‘My work, perhaps?’ George glanced all around and about. There was much coming and going of many people, but no sign whatsoever of Professor Coffin. ‘I hold to no work,’ said George, of a sudden. ‘I am a gentleman of independent means.’ And he extended his arm to the lady and smiled.
     
    The lady returned a shaded smile to George. ‘Only one small thing,’ said she.
     
    ‘And that is?’
     
    ‘Perhaps you might care to take a small dip in yonder horse trough. You reek rather poorly at present.’
     

4
     
    W ords were penned by George in a hasty missive to his employer, to the effect that he had been called away upon an important matter, would return soon and was regretful of any inconvenience that his absence might cause.
     
    Solicitous and to the point, George considered as he folded the note and wedged it into the door crack of the showman’s wagon. A brisk sojourn at the horse trough, a don of his bowler and George was on his way.
     
    There was, in truth, no great difficulty in finding the way to the Crystal Palace. It stood out upon the hill in the manner that a performing porker pig will stand out at a dowager’s petit déjeuner . Strikingly.
     
    As George made his solemn and dignified approach, revelling in every moment that he had the beautiful woman on his arm, it occurred to him just how much he would love to own such a structure, and perhaps convert it into an indoor country park, where carriage rides might be taken and rare fowl cultivated. George’s face took on a wistful expression that did not go unnoticed.
     
    ‘You appear troubled,’ said the beautiful woman on his arm. ‘What is it that troubles you?’
     
    George glanced down at the lovely creature and realised for the first time that he did not know her name.
     
    ‘I know that we have not been formally introduced,’ he said, ‘as one might be in high society, but allow me to introduce myself to you. I am George Geoffrey Arthur Fox and I am proud to escort