Read "Vile Bodies" by Evelyn Waugh online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Ten days later Adam bought some flowers at the corner of Wigmore Street and went to call on Miss Runcible at her nursing home. He was shown first into the matron's room. She had numerous photographs in silver frames and a very nasty fox terrier. She smoked a cigarette in a greedy way, making slight sucking noises.
"Just taking a moment off in my den," she explained. "Down, Spot, down. But I can see you're fond of dogs," she added, as Adam gave Spot a halfhearted pat on the head. "So you want to see Miss Runcible? Well, I ought to warn you first that she must have no kind of excitement whatever. She's had a severe shock. Are you a relation, may I ask?"