malvina of brittany-第7部分

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They　had　all　of　them　been　very　courteous　to　her；　and　some　of　them
indeed　quite　charming。　　But　。　。　。

One　gathers　they　had　never　been　to　Malvina　more　than　mere
acquaintances；　such　as　one　passes　the　time　with　while　waitingand
longing。

〃But　you　liked　Sir　Launcelot；〃　urged　Victor。　　He　was　wishful　that
Malvina　should　admire　Sir　Launcelot；　feeling　how　much　there　was　in
common　between　that　early　lamented　knight　and　himself。　　That　little
affair　with　Sir　Bedivere。　　It　was　just　how　he　would　have　behaved
himself。

Ah！　yes；　admitted　Malvina。　　She　had　〃liked〃　him。　　He　was　always　so
so　〃excellent。〃

〃But　he　was　notnone　of　them　were　my　own　people；　my　own　dear
companions。〃　　The　little　cloud　had　settled　down　again。

It　was　Bruno　who　recalled　the　three　of　them　to　the　period　of
contemporary　history。

Polley　the　cowman's　first　duty　in　the　morning　was　to　let　Bruno　loose
for　a　run。　　He　arrived　panting　and　breathless；　and　evidently
offended　at　not　having　been　included　in　the　escapade。　　He　could　have
given　them　both　away　quite　easily　if　he　had　not　been　the　most
forgiving　of　black…and…tan　collies。　　As　it　was；　he　had　been　worrying
himself　crazy　for　the　last　half…hour；　feeling　sure　they　had
forgotten　the　time。　　〃Don't　you　know　it's　nearly　six　o'clock？　　That
in　less　than　half　an　hour　Jane　will　be　knocking　at　your　doors　with
glasses　of　hot　milk；　and　will　probably　drop　them　and　scream　when　she
finds　your　beds　empty　and　the　window　wide　open。〃　　That　is　what　he
had　intended　should　be　his　first　words；　but　on　scenting　Malvina　they
went　from　him　entirely。　　He　gave　her　one　look　and　flopped　down　flat；
wriggling　towards　her；　whining　and　wagging　his　tail　at　the　same
time。　　Malvina　acknowledged　his　homage　by　laughing　and　patting　his
head　with　her　foot；　and　that　sent　him　into　the　seventh　heaven　of
delight。　　They　all　four　descended　the　hill　together　and　parted　at
the　orchard　gate。　　The　twins　expressed　a　polite　but　quite　sincere
hope　that　they　would　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Malvina　again；　but
Malvina；　seized　maybe　with　sudden　doubts　as　to　whether　she　had
behaved　with　discretion；　appears　to　have　replied　evasively。　　Ten
minutes　later　she　was　lying　asleep；　the　golden　head　pillowed　on　the
round　white　arm；　as　Mrs。　Muldoon　on　her　way　down　to　the　kitchen　saw
for　herself。　　And　the　twins；　fortunate　enough　to　find　a　side　door
open；　slipped　into　the　house　unnoticed　and　scrambled　back　into　their
beds。

It　was　quarter　past　nine　when　Mrs。　Arlington　came　in　herself　and
woke　them　up。　　She　was　short…tempered　with　them　both　and　had
evidently　been　crying。　　They　had　their　breakfast　in　the　kitchen。

During　lunch　hardly　a　word　was　spoken。　　And　there　was　no　pudding。
Mr。　Arlington；　a　stout；　florid　gentleman；　had　no　time　for　pudding。
The　rest　might　sit　and　enjoy　it　at　their　leisure；　but　not　so　Mr。
Arlington。　　Somebody　had　to　see　to　thingsthat　is；　if　they　were　not
to　be　allowed　to　go　to　rack　and　ruin。　　If　other　people　could　not　be
relied　upon　to　do　their　duty；　so　that　everything　inside　the　house
and　out　of　it　was　thrown　upon　one　pair　of　shoulders；　then　it
followed　as　a　natural　consequence　that　that　pair　of　shoulders　could
not　spare　the　necessary　time　to　properly　finish　its　meals。　　This　it
was　that　was　at　the　root　of　the　decay　of　English　farming。　　When
farmers'　wives；　to　say　nothing　of　sons　and　daughters　old　enough　one
might　imagine　to　be　anxious　to　do　something　in　repayment　for　the
money　and　care　lavished　upon　them；　had　all　put　their　shoulders　to
the　wheel；　then　English　farming　had　prospered。　　When；　on　the　other
hand；　other　people　shirked　their　fair　share　of　labour　and
responsibility；　leaving　to　one　pair　of　hands　。　。　。

It　was　the　eldest　Arlington　girl's　quite　audible　remark　that　pa
could　have　eaten　two　helpings　of　pudding　while　he　had　been　talking；
that　caused　Mr。　Arlington　to　lose　the　thread　of　his　discourse。　　To
put　it　quite　bluntly；　what　Mr。　Arlington　meant　to　say　was　this：　　He
had　never　wanted　to　be　a　farmerat　least　not　in　the　beginning。
Other　men　in　his　position；　having　acquired　competency　by　years　of
self…sacrificing　labour；　would　have　retired　to　a　well…earned
leisure。　　Having　yielded　to　persuasion　and　taken　on　the　job；　he　was
going　to　see　it　through；　and　everybody　else　was　going　to　do　their
share　or　there　would　be　trouble。

Mr。　Arlington；　swallowing　the　remains　of　his　glass　in　a　single　gulp；
spoilt　a　dignified　exit　by　violently　hiccoughing；　and　Mrs。　Arlington
rang　the　bell　furiously　for　the　parlourmaid　to　clear　away。　　The
pudding　passed　untouched　from　before　the　very　eyes　of　the　twins。　　It
was　a　black…currant　pudding　with　brown　sugar。

That　night　Mrs。　Arlington　appears　to　have　confided　in　the　twins；
partly　for　her　own　relief　and　partly　for　their　moral　benefit。　　If
Mrs。　Arlington　had　enjoyed　the　blessing　in　disguise　of　a　less
indulgent　mother；　all　might　have　been　well。　　By　nature　Mrs。
Arlington　had　been　endowed　with　an　active　and　energetic　temperament。
〃Miss　Can't…sit…still…a…minute；〃　her　nurse　had　always　called　her。
Unfortunately　it　had　been　allowed　to　sink　into　disuse；　was　now　in
all　probability　beyond　hope　of　recovery。　　Their　father　was　quite
right。　　When　they　had　lived　in　Bayswater　and　the　business　was　in
Mincing　Lane　it　did　not　matter。　　Now　it　was　different。　　A　farmer's
wife　ought　to　be　up　at　six；　she　ought　to　see　that　everybody　else　was
up　at　six；　servants　looked　after；　kept　up　to　the　mark；　children
encouraged　by　their　mother's　example。　　Organisation。　　That　was　what
was　wanted。　　The　day　mapped　out；　to　every　hour　its　appointed　task。
Then；　instead　of　the　morning　being　gone　before　you　could　turn
yourself　round；　and　confusion　made　worse　confounded　by　your　leaving
off　what　you　were　doing　and　trying　to　do　six　things　at　once　that　you
couldn't　remember　whether　you　had　done　or　whether　you　hadn't　。　。　。

Here　Mrs。　Arlington　appears　to　have　dissolved　into　tears。　　Generally
speaking；　she　was　a　placid；　smiling；　most　amiable　lady；　quite
delightful　to　have　about　the　house　provided　all　you　demanded　of　her
were　pleasant　looks　and　a　sunny　disposition。　　The　twins　appear　to
have　joined　their　tears　to　hers。　　Tucked　in　and　left　to　themselves；
one　imagines　the　problem　being　discussed　with　grave　seriousness；
much　whispered　conversation；　then　slept　upon；　the　morning　bringing
with　it　ideas。　　The　result　being　that　the　next　evening；　between　high
tea　and　supper；　Mrs。　Muldoon；　answering　herself　the　knock　at　the
door；　found　twin　figures　standing　hand　in　hand　on　the　Professor's
step。

They　asked　her　if　〃the　Fairy〃　was　in。



V。　　HOW　IT　WAS　TOLD　TO　MRS。　MARIGOLD。



There　was　no　need　of　the　proverbial　feather。　　Mrs。　Muldoon　made　a
grab　at　the　settle　but　missed　it。　　She　caught　at　a　chair；　but　that
gave　way。　　It　was　the　floor　that　finally　stopped　her。

〃We're　so　sorry；〃　apologised　Victor。　　〃We　thought　you　knew。　　We
ought　to　have　said　Mademoiselle　Malvina。〃

Mrs。　Muldoon　regained　her　feet；　and　without　answering　walked
straight　into　the　study。

〃They　want　to　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Muldoon；　〃if　the　Fairy's　in。〃　　The
Professor；　with　his　back　to　the　window；　was　reading。　　The　light　in
the　room　was　somewhat　faint。

〃Who　wants　to　know？〃　demanded　the　Professor。

〃The　twins　from　the　Manor　House；〃　explained　Mrs。　Muldoon。

〃But　what？but　who？〃　began　the　Professor。

〃Shall　I　say　'not　at　home'？〃　suggested　Mrs。　Muldoon。　　〃Or　hadn't　you
better　see　them　yourself。〃

〃Show　them　in；〃　directed　the　Professor。

They　came　in；　looking　a　little　scared　and　still　holding　one　another
by　the　hand。　　They　wished　the　Professor　good　evening；　and　when　he
rose　they　backed　away　from　him。　　The　Professor　shook　hands　with
them；　but　they　did　not　let　go；　so　that　Victoria　gave　him　her　right
hand　and　Victor　his　left；　and　then　at　the　Professor's　invitation
they　sat　themselves　down　on　the　extreme　edge　of　the　sofa。

〃I　hope　we　do　not　disturb　you；〃　said　Victor。　　〃We　wanted　to　see
Mademoiselle　Malvina。〃

〃Why　do　you　want　to　see　Mademoiselle　Malvina？〃　inquired　the
Professor。

〃It　is　something　very　private；〃　said　Victor。

〃We　wanted　to　ask　her　a　great　favour；〃　said　Victoria。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃but　she　isn't　in。　　At　least；　I
don't　think　so。〃　　（The　Professor　never　was　quite　sure。　　〃She　slips
in　and　out　making　no　more　noise　than　a　wind…driven　rose　leaf；〃　was
Mrs。　Muldoon's　explanation。）　　〃Hadn't　you　better　tell　me？　　Leave　me
to　put　it　to　her。〃

They　looked　at　one　another。　　It　would　never　do　to　offend　the　wise
and　learned　Christopher。　　Besides；　a　magician；　it　is　to　be　assumed；
has　more　ways　than　one　of　learning　what　people　are　thinking。

〃It　is　about　mamma；〃　explained　Victoria。　　〃We　wondered　if　Malvina
would　mind　changing　her。〃

The　Professor　had　been　reading　up　Malvina。　　It　flashed　across　him
that　this　had　always　been　her　speciality：　　Changing　people。　　How　had
the　Arlington　twins　discovered　it？　　And　why　did　they　want　their
mother　changed？　　And　what　did　they　want　her　changed　into？　　It　was
shocking　when　you　come　to　think　of　it！　　The　Professor　became
suddenly　so　stern；　that　if　the　twins　could　have　seen　his
expressionwhich；　owing　to　the　fading　light；　they　couldn'tthey
would　have　been　too　frightened　to　answer。

〃Why　do　you　want　your　mother　changed？〃　demanded　the　Professor。　　Even
as　it　was　his　voice　alarmed　them。

〃It's　for　her　own　good；〃　faltered　Victoria。

〃Of　course　we　don't　mean　into　anything；〃　explained　Victor。

〃Only　her　inside；〃　added　Victoria。

〃We　thought　that　Malvina　might　be　able　to　improve　her；〃　completed
Victor。

It　was　still　very　disgraceful。　　What　were　we　coming　to　when　children
went　about　clamouring　for　their　mothers　to　be　〃improved〃！　　The
atmosphere　was　charged　with　indignation。　　The　twins　felt　it。

〃She　wants　to　be；〃　persisted　Victoria。　　〃She　wants　to　be　energetic
and　to　get　up　early　in　the　morning　and　do　things。〃

〃You　see；〃　added　Victor；　〃she　was　never　properly　brought　up。〃


The　Professor　maintains　stoutly　that　his　only　intention　was　a　joke。
It　was　not　even　as　if　anything　objectionable　had　been　suggested。
The　Professor　himself　had　on　occasions　been　made　the　confidant　of
both。

〃Best　woman　that　ever　lived；　if　only　one　could　graft　a　little　energy
upon　her。　　No　sense　of　time。　　Too　easy…going。　　No　idea　of　keeping
people　up　to　the　mark。〃　　So　Mr。　Ar