OCR Text |
Show -242- Then ghe disappeared into the kitchen. The dinner xas a t r a d i t i o n a l one, but not a traditional Christmas dinner. The Professor's daughter had prepared a potroast xrith mashed potatoes and gravy, string beans, peas, and salad. It xas the kind of meal the Professor liked"; His daughter said they had oaten so much chicken and turkey since Thanksgiving, she couldn't think of serving i t tonight. The meal xas eaten hurriedly, without too much ceremony, although the table had a festive look, xrith a vase of red and white carnations in the center. Four of the six wine glasses xrere red xrith the cabernet, the other txro xrhito xrith the children's milk. The Professor, eating no more than half of xrhat his Son-in- law consumed, f e l t stuffed by the end of the meal, and he was glad there would be a l i t t l e wait before the dessert and coffee. The empty dishes xrere hurried axay into the kitchen, where his son-in-laxr xashed them while the txro xromen straightened the kitchen counters and cleaned up the stove. The children remained in the front room playing a game of cards on the floor before the t r e e . The Professor stood in the kitchen smoking his after-dinner cigarette, trying, but failing, to find something to do to help. The f i r s t of the two couples arrived only a few minutes after the time set for their appearance. The man xas a slim, medium-tall actor, whom the Professor had seen recently performing a r e a l l y remarkable Tartuffe. His xrife xas short and dark, |