Book 125 - "Miss Mapp" by E.F. Benson
Friday, December 23rd, 2005 17:10'And what about Miss Mapp being told?'
'She'll find it out by degrees,' said the ruthless Diva. 'It will hurt more in bits.'
'Oh, but she mustn't be hurt,' said Miss Mackintosh. 'She's too precious, I adore her.'
'So do we,' said Diva. 'But we like her to be found out occasionally. You will, too, when you know her.'
From the garden room of her Georgian house in the town of Tilling, situated at a sharp bend in the road, Miss Elizabeth Mapp has a perfect view of her neighbours' comings and goings. Armed with opera glasses and notebook, she is well-placed to scheme, spread gossip and manipulate the townsfolk, but unfortunately for Elizabeth, her friend and main rival, Godiva 'Diva' Plaistow, usually manages to get her own back. The struggle for social pre-eminence takes place during tea parties, bridge games, rounds of golf and the daily shopping trips, accompanied by malicious gossip, long-held grudges, quarrelling and blatant hypocrisy.
'She'll find it out by degrees,' said the ruthless Diva. 'It will hurt more in bits.'
'Oh, but she mustn't be hurt,' said Miss Mackintosh. 'She's too precious, I adore her.'
'So do we,' said Diva. 'But we like her to be found out occasionally. You will, too, when you know her.'
From the garden room of her Georgian house in the town of Tilling, situated at a sharp bend in the road, Miss Elizabeth Mapp has a perfect view of her neighbours' comings and goings. Armed with opera glasses and notebook, she is well-placed to scheme, spread gossip and manipulate the townsfolk, but unfortunately for Elizabeth, her friend and main rival, Godiva 'Diva' Plaistow, usually manages to get her own back. The struggle for social pre-eminence takes place during tea parties, bridge games, rounds of golf and the daily shopping trips, accompanied by malicious gossip, long-held grudges, quarrelling and blatant hypocrisy.