malvina of brittany-第21节

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〃But　the　case　doesn't　come　on　till　Wednesday；〃　says　the　guv'nor。
〃How　do　you　know　it's　going　to　be　fourteen　days？〃

〃Miss　Bulstrode；〃　she　says；　〃she's　seen　the　magistrate。　　He　says　he
always　gives　fourteen　days　in　cases　of　unprovoked　assault。〃

〃But　it　wasn't　unprovoked；〃　says　the　guv'nor。　　〃The　other　man　began
it　by　knocking　off　his　hat。　　It　was　self…defence。〃

〃She　put　that　to　him；〃　she　says；　〃and　he　agreed　that　that　would
alter　his　view　of　the　case。　　But；　you　see；〃　she　continues；　〃we　can't
find　the　other　man。　　He　isn't　likely　to　come　forward　of　his　own
accord。〃

〃The　girl　must　know；〃　says　the　guv'nor〃this　girl　he　picks　up　in
St。　James's　Park；　and　goes　dancing　with。　　The　man　must　have　been
some　friend　of　hers。〃

〃But　we　can't　find　her　either；〃　she　says。　　〃He　doesn't　even　know　her
namehe　can't　remember　it。〃

〃You　will　do　it；　won't　you？〃　she　says。

〃Do　what？〃　says　the　guv'nor　again。

〃The　fourteen　days；〃　she　says。

〃But　I　thought　you　said　he　was　going　to　do　it　himself？〃　he　says。

〃But　he　mustn't；〃　she　says。　　〃Miss　Bulstrode　is　coming　round　to　see
you。　　Think　of　it！　　Think　of　the　headlines　in　the　papers；〃　she　says。
〃Think　of　the　Fabian　Society。　　Think　of　the　Suffrage　cause。　　We
mustn't　let　him。〃

〃What　about　me？〃　says　the　guv'nor。　　〃Doesn't　anybody　care　for　me？〃

〃You　don't　matter；〃　she　says。　　〃Besides；〃　she　says；　〃with　your
influence　you'll　be　able　to　keep　it　out　of　the　papers。　　If　it　comes
out　that　it　was　Mr。　Parable；　nothing　on　earth　will　be　able　to。〃

The　guv'nor　was　almost　as　much　excited　by　this　time　as　she　was。

〃I'll　see　the　Fabian　Society　and　the　Women's　Vote　and　the　Home　for
Lost　Cats　at　Battersea；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　blessed　bag　of
tricks〃

I'd　been　thinking　to　myself；　and　had　just　worked　it　out。

〃What's　he　want　to　take　his　cook　down　with　him　for？〃　I　says。

〃To　cook　for　him；〃　says　the　guv'nor。　　〃What　d'you　generally　want　a
cook　for？〃

〃Rats！〃　I　says。　　〃Does　he　usually　take　his　cook　with　him？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Miss　Dorton。　　〃Now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　he　has
always　hitherto　put　up　with　Mrs。　Meadows。〃

〃You　will　find　the　lady　down　at　Fingest；〃　I　says；　〃sitting　opposite
him　and　enjoying　a　recherche　dinner　for　two。〃

The　guv'nor　slaps　me　on　the　back；　and　lifts　Miss　Dorton　out　of　her
chair。

〃You　get　on　back；〃　he　says；　〃and　telephone　to　Miss　Bulstrode。　　I'll
be　round　at　half…past　twelve。〃

Miss　Dorton　went　out　in　a　dazed　sort　of　condition；　and　the　guv'nor
gives　me　a　sovereign；　and　tells　me　I　can　have　the　rest　of　the　day　to
myself。


Mr。　Condor；　Junior；　considers　that　what　happened　subsequently　goes
to　prove　that　he　was　right　more　than　it　proves　that　he　was　wrong。

Mr。　Condor；　Junior；　also　promised　to　send　us　a　photograph　of　himself
for　reproduction；　but；　unfortunately；　up　to　the　time　of　going　to
press　it　had　not　arrived。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

From　Mrs。　Meadows；　widow　of　the　late　Corporal　John　Meadows；　V。C。；
Turberville；　Bucks；　the　following　further　particulars　were　obtained
by　our　local　representative：

I　have　done　for　Mr。　Parable　now　for　some　years　past；　my　cottage
being　only　a　mile　off；　which　makes　it　easy　for　me　to　look　after　him。

Mr。　Parable　likes　the　place　to　be　always　ready　so　that　he　can　drop
in　when　he　chooses；　he　sometimes　giving　me　warning　and　sometimes
not。　　It　was　about　the　end　of　last　monthon　a　Friday；　if　I　remember
rightlythat　he　suddenly　turned　up。

As　a　rule；　he　walks　from　Henley　station；　but　on　this　occasion　he
arrived　in　a　fly；　he　having　a　young　woman　with　him；　and　she　having　a
baghis　cook；　as　he　explained　to　me。　　As　a　rule；　I　do　everything
for　Mr。　Parable；　sleeping　in　the　cottage　when　he　is　there；　but　to
tell　the　truth；　I　was　glad　to　see　her。　　I　never　was　much　of　a　cook
myself；　as　my　poor　dead　husband　has　remarked　on　more　than　one
occasion；　and　I　don't　pretend　to　be。　　Mr。　Parable　added；　apologetic
like；　that　he　had　been　suffering　lately　from　indigestion。

〃I　am　only　too　pleased　to　see　her；〃　I　says。　　〃There　are　the　two　beds
in　my　room；　and　we　shan't　quarrel。〃　　She　was　quite　a　sensible　young
woman；　as　I　had　judged　from　the　first　look　at　her；　though　suffering
at　the　time　from　a　cold。　　She　hires　a　bicycle　from　Emma　Tidd；　who
only　uses　it　on　a　Sunday；　and；　taking　a　market　basket；　off　she
starts　for　Henley；　Mr。　Parable　saying　he　would　go　with　her　to　show
her　the　way。

They　were　gone　a　goodish　time；　which；　seeing　it's　eight　miles；
didn't　so　much　surprise　me；　and　when　they　got　back　we　all　three　had
dinner　together；　Mr。　Parable　arguing　that　it　made　for　what　he　called
〃labour　saving。〃　　Afterwards　I　cleared　away；　leaving　them　talking
together；　and　later　on　they　had　a　walk　round　the　garden；　it　being　a
moonlight　night；　but　a　bit　too　cold　for　my　fancy。

In　the　morning　I　had　a　chat　with　her　before　he　was　down。　　She　seemed
a　bit　worried。

〃I　hope　people　won't　get　talking；〃　she　says。　　〃He　would　insist　on　my
coming。〃

〃Well；〃　I　says；　〃surely　a　gent　can　bring　his　cook　along　with　him　to
cook　for　him。　　And　as　for　people　talking；　what　I　always　say　is；　one
may　just　as　well　give　them　something　to　talk　about　and　save　them　the
trouble　of　making　it　up。〃

〃If　only　I　was　a　plain；　middle…aged　woman；〃　she　says；　〃it　would　be
all　right。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　be；　all　in　good　time；〃　I　says；　but；　of　course；　I
could　see　what　she　was　driving　at。　　A　nice；　clean；　pleasant…faced
young　woman　she　was；　and　not　of　the　ordinary　class。　　〃Meanwhile；〃　I
says；　〃if　you　don't　mind　taking　a　bit　of　motherly　advice；　you　might
remember　that　your　place　is　the　kitchen；　and　his　the　parlour。　　He's
a　dear　good　man；　I　know；　but　human　nature　is　human　nature；　and　it's
no　good　pretending　it　isn't。〃

She　and　I　had　our　breakfast　together　before　he　was　up；　so　that　when
he　came　down　he　had　to　have　his　alone；　but　afterwards　she　comes　into
the　kitchen　and　closes　the　door。

〃He　wants　to　show　me　the　way　to　High　Wycombe；〃　she　says。　　〃He　will
have　it　there　are　better　shops　at　Wycombe。　　What　ought　I　to　do？〃

My　experience　is　that　advising　folks　to　do　what　they　don't　want　to
do　isn't　the　way　to　do　it。

〃What　d'you　think　yourself？〃　I　asked　her。

〃I　feel　like　going　with　him；〃　she　says；　〃and　making　the　most　of
every　mile。〃

And　then　she　began　to　cry。

〃What's　the　harm！〃　she　says。　　〃I　have　heard　him　from　a　dozen
platforms　ridiculing　class　distinctions。　　Besides；〃　she　says；　〃my
people　have　been　farmers　for　generations。　　What　was　Miss　Bulstrode's
father　but　a　grocer？　　He　ran　a　hundred　shops　instead　of　one。　　What
difference　does　that　make？〃

〃When　did　it　all　begin？〃　I　says。　　〃When　did　he　first　take　notice　of
you　like？〃

〃The　day　before　yesterday；〃　she　answers。　　〃He　had　never　seen　me
before；〃　she　says。　　〃I　was　just　'Cook'something　in　a　cap　and　apron
that　he　passed　occasionally　on　the　stairs。　　On　Thursday　he　saw　me　in
my　best　clothes；　and　fell　in　love　with　me。　　He　doesn't　know　it
himself；　poor　dear；　not　yet；　but　that's　what　he's　done。〃

Well；　I　couldn't　contradict　her；　not　after　the　way　I　had　seen　him
looking　at　her　across　the　table。

〃What　are　your　feelings　towards　him；〃　I　says；　〃to　be　quite　honest？
He's　rather　a　good　catch　for　a　young　person　in　your　position。〃

〃That's　my　trouble；〃　she　says。　　〃I　can't　help　thinking　of　that。　　And
then　to　be　'Mrs。　John　Parable'！　　That's　enough　to　turn　a　woman's
head。〃

〃He'd　be　a　bit　difficult　to　live　with；〃　I　says。

〃Geniuses　always　are；〃　she　says；　〃it's　easy　enough　if　you　just　think
of　them　as　children。　　He'd　be　a　bit　fractious　at　times；　that's　all。
Underneath；　he's　just　the　kindest；　dearest〃

〃Oh；　you　take　your　basket　and　go　to　High　Wycombe；〃　I　says。　　〃He
might　do　worse。〃

I　wasn't　expecting　them　back　soon；　and　they　didn't　come　back　soon。
In　the　afternoon　a　motor　stops　at　the　gate；　and　out　of　it　steps　Miss
Bulstrode；　Miss　Dortonthat's　the　young　lady　that　writes　for
himand　Mr。　Quincey。　　I　told　them　I　couldn't　say　when　he'd　be　back；
and　they　said　it　didn't　matter；　they　just　happening　to　be　passing。

〃Did　anybody　call　on　him　yesterday？〃　asks　Miss　Bulstrode；　careless
like〃a　lady？〃

〃No；〃　I　says；　〃you　are　the　first　as　yet。〃

〃He's　brought　his　cook　down　with　him；　hasn't　he？〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。

〃Yes；〃　I　says；　〃and　a　very　good　cook　too；〃　which　was　the　truth。

〃I'd　like　just　to　speak　a　few　words　with　her；〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode。

〃Sorry；　m'am；〃　I　says；　〃but　she's　out　at　present；　she's　gone　to
Wycombe。〃

〃Gone　to　Wycombe！〃　they　all　says　together。

〃To　market；〃　I　says。　　〃It's　a　little　farther；　but；　of　course；　it
stands　to　reason　the　shops　there　are　better。〃

They　looked　at　one　another。

〃That　settles　it；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃Delicacies　worthy　to　be　set
before　her　not　available　nearer　than　Wycombe；　but　must　be　had。
There's　going　to　be　a　pleasant　little　dinner　here　to…night。〃

〃The　hussy！〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode；　under　her　breath。

They　whispered　together　for　a　moment；　then　they　turns　to　me。

〃Good　afternoon；　Mrs。　Meadows；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃You　needn't　say
we　called。　　He　wanted　to　be　alone；　and　it　might　vex　him。〃

I　said　I　wouldn't；　and　I　didn't。　　They　climbed　back　into　the　motor
and　went　off。

Before　dinner　I　had　call　to　go　into　the　woodshed。　　I　heard　a
scuttling　as　I　opened　the　door。　　If　I　am　not　mistaken；　Miss　Dorton