Romance Leverson, Ada: The Twelfth Hour. V1. 10-Nov-2013

[weatherwax]

Ada Leverson (née Beddington; 10 October 1862 – 30 August 1933) was a British writer who is now known primarily for her work as a novelist.

She began writing during the 1890s, as a contributor to Black and White, Punch, and The Yellow Book. She was a loyal friend to Oscar Wilde, who called her Sphinx. She was a wit, and a friend of Max Beerbohm; her writing has been compared to Beerbohm's, and the stories of Saki.

“Hallo, Greenstock! Lady Chetwode in?”

“Her ladyship is not at home, sir. But she is sure to see you, Master Savile,” said the butler, with a sudden and depressing change of manner, from correct impassibility to the conventional familiarity of a patronising old retainer.

“Dressing, eh? You look all right Greenstock.”

“Well, I am well, and I am not well, Master Savile, if you can understand that, sir. My harsthma” (so he pronounced it), “‘as been exceedingly troublesome lately.”

“Ah, that’s capital!” Not listening, the boy—he was sixteen, dark, and very handsome, with a determined expression, and generally with an air of more self-control than seemed required for the occasion—walked up deliberately, three steps at a time, knocked, with emphasis, at his sister’s dressing-room door, and said—

“I say, Felicity, can I come in?”

“Who’s there? Don’t come in!”

Upon which invitation he entered the room with a firm step.

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