malvina of brittany-第22节

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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
was　hiding　in　the　corner　where　we　keep　the　coke。　　I　didn't　see　any
good　in　making　a　fuss；　so　I　left　her　there。　　When　I　got　back　to　the
kitchen；　cook　asked　me　if　we'd　got　any　parsley。

〃You'll　find　a　bit　in　the　front；〃　I　says；　〃to　the　left　of　the　gate；〃
and　she　went　out。　　She　came　back　looking　scared。

〃Anybody　keep　goats　round　here？〃　she　asked　me。

〃Not　that　I　know　of；　nearer　than　Ibstone　Common；〃　I　says。

〃I　could　have　sworn　I　saw　a　goat's　face　looking　at　me　out　of　the
gooseberry　bushes　while　I　was　picking　the　parsley；〃　she　says。　　〃It
had　a　beard。〃

〃It's　the　half　light；〃　I　says。　　〃One　can　imagine　anything。〃

〃I　do　hope　I'm　not　getting　nervy；〃　she　says。

I　thought　I'd　have　another　look　round；　and　made　the　excuse　that　I
wanted　a　pail　of　water。　　I　was　stooping　over　the　well；　which　is　just
under　the　mulberry　tree；　when　something　fell　close　to　me　and　lodged
upon　the　bricks。　　It　was　a　hairpin。　　I　fixed　the　cover　carefully
upon　the　well　in　case　of　accident；　and　when　I　got　in　I　went　round
myself　and　was　careful　to　see　that　all　the　curtains　were　drawn。

Just　before　we　three　sat　down　to　dinner　again　I　took　cook　aside。

〃I　shouldn't　go　for　any　stroll　in　the　garden　to…night；〃　I　says。
〃People　from　the　village　may　be　about；　and　we　don't　want　them
gossiping。〃　　And　she　thanked　me。

Next　night　they　were　there　again。　　I　thought　I　wouldn't　spoil　the
dinner；　but　mention　it　afterwards。　　I　saw　to　it　again　that　the
curtains　were　drawn；　and　slipped　the　catch　of　both　the　doors。　　And
just　as　well　that　I　did。

I　had　always　heard　that　Mr。　Parable　was　an　amusing　speaker；　but　on
previous　visits　had　not　myself　noticed　it。　　But　this　time　he　seemed
ten　years　younger　than　I　had　ever　known　him　before；　and　during
dinner；　while　we　were　talking　and　laughing　quite　merry　like；　I　had
the　feeling　more　than　once　that　people　were　meandering　about
outside。　　I　had　just　finished　clearing　away；　and　cook　was　making　the
coffee；　when　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door。

〃Who's　that？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。　　〃I　am　not　at　home　to　anyone。〃

〃I'll　see；〃　I　says。　　And　on　my　way　I　slipped　into　the　kitchen。

〃Coffee　for　one；　cook；〃　I　says；　and　she　understood。　　Her　cap　and
apron　were　hanging　behind　the　door。　　I　flung　them　across　to　her；　and
she　caught　them；　and　then　I　opened　the　front　door。

They　pushed　past　me　without　speaking；　and　went　straight　into　the
parlour。　　And　they　didn't　waste　many　words　on　him　either。

〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　Miss　Bulstrode。

〃Where's　who？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。

〃Don't　lie　about　it；〃　said　Miss　Bulstrode；　making　no　effort　to
control　herself。　　〃The　hussy　you've　been　dining　with？〃

〃Do　you　mean　Mrs。　Meadows？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。

I　thought　she　was　going　to　shake　him。

〃Where　have　you　hidden　her？〃　she　says。

It　was　at　that　moment　cook　entered　with　the　coffee。

If　they　had　taken　the　trouble　to　look　at　her　they　might　have　had　an
idea。　　The　tray　was　trembling　in　her　hands；　and　in　her　haste　and
excitement　she　had　put　on　her　cap　the　wrong　way　round。　　But　she　kept
control　of　her　voice；　and　asked　if　she　should　bring　some　more
coffee。

〃Ah；　yes！　You'd　all　like　some　coffee；　wouldn't　you？〃　says　Mr。
Parable。　　Miss　Bulstrode　did　not　reply；　but　Mr。　Quincey　said　he　was
cold　and　would　like　it。　　It　was　a　nasty　night；　with　a　thin　rain。

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　says　cook；　and　we　went　out　together。

Cottages　are　only　cottages；　and　if　people　in　the　parlour　persist　in
talking　loudly；　people　in　the　kitchen　can't　very　well　help
overhearing。

There　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　〃fourteen　days；〃　which　Mr。
Parable　said　he　was　going　to　do　himself；　and　which　Miss　Dorton　said
he　mustn't；　because；　if　he　did；　it　would　be　a　victory　for　the
enemies　of　humanity。　　Mr。　Parable　said　something　about　〃humanity；〃
which　I　didn't　rightly　hear；　but；　whatever　it　was；　it　started　Miss
Dorton　crying；　and　Miss　Bulstrode　called　Mr。　Parable　a　〃blind
Samson；〃　who　had　had　his　hair　cut　by　a　designing　minx　who　had　been
hired　to　do　it。

It　was　all　French　to　me；　but　cook　was　drinking　in　every　word；　and
when　she　returned　from　taking　them　in　their　coffee　she　made　no　bones
about　it；　but　took　up　her　place　at　the　door　with　her　ear　to　the
keyhole。

It　was　Mr。　Quincey　who　got　them　all　quiet；　and　then　he　began　to
explain　things。　　It　seemed　that　if　they　could　only　find　a　certain
gentleman　and　persuade　him　to　come　forward　and　acknowledge　that　he
began　a　row；　that　then　all　would　be　well。　　Mr。　Quincey　would　be
fined　forty　shillings；　and　Mr。　Parable's　name　would　never　appear。
Failing　that；　Mr。　Parable；　according　to　Mr。　Quincey；　could　do　his
fourteen　days　himself。

〃I've　told　you　once；〃　says　Mr。　Parable；　〃and　I　tell　you　again；　that
I　don't　know　the　man's　name；　and　can't　give　it　you。〃

〃We　are　not　asking　you　to；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃You　give　us　the　name
of　your　tango　partner；　and　we'll　do　the　rest。〃

I　could　see　cook's　face；　I　had　got　a　bit　interested　myself；　and　we
were　both　close　to　the　door。　　She　hardly　seemed　to　be　breathing。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　says　Mr。　Parable；　speaking　very　deliberate…like；　〃but
I　am　not　going　to　have　her　name　dragged　into　this　business。〃

〃It　wouldn't　be；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃All　we　want　to　get　out　of　her
is　the　name　and　address　of　the　gentleman　who　was　so　anxious　to　see
her　home。〃

〃Who　was　he？〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode。　　〃Her　husband？〃

〃No；〃　says　Mr。　Parable；　〃he　wasn't。〃

〃Then　who　was　he？〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode。　　〃He　must　have　been
something　to　herfiance？〃

〃I　am　going　to　do　the　fourteen　days　myself；〃　says　Mr。　Parable。　　〃I
shall　come　out　all　the　fresher　after　a　fortnight's　complete　rest　and
change。〃

Cook　leaves　the　door　with　a　smile　on　her　face　that　made　her　look
quite　beautiful；　and；　taking　some　paper　from　the　dresser　drawer；
began　to　write　a　letter。

They　went　on　talking　in　the　other　room　for　another　ten　minutes；　and
then　Mr。　Parable　lets　them　out　himself；　and　goes　a　little　way　with
them。　　When　he　came　back　we　could　hear　him　walking　up　and　down　the
other　room。

She　had　written　and　stamped　the　envelope；　it　was　lying　on　the　table。

〃'Joseph　Onions；　Esq。；'〃　I　says；　reading　the　address。　　〃'Auctioneer
and　House　Agent；　Broadway；　Hammersmith。'　Is　that　the　young　man？〃

〃That　is　the　young　man；〃　she　says；　folding　her　letter　and　putting　it
in　the　envelope。

〃And　was　he　your　fiance？〃　I　asked。

〃No；〃　she　says。　　〃But　he　will　be　if　he　does　what　I'm　telling　him　to
do。〃

〃And　what　about　Mr。　Parable？〃　I　says。

〃A　little　joke　that　will　amuse　him　later　on；〃　she　says；　slipping　a
cloak　on　her　shoulders。　　〃How　once　he　nearly　married　his　cook。〃

〃I　shan't　be　a　minute；〃　she　says。　　And；　with　the　letter　in　her　hand；
she　slips　out。


Mrs。　Meadows；　we　understand；　has　expressed　indignation　at　our
publication　of　this　interview；　she　being　under　the　impression　that
she　was　simply　having　a　friendly　gossip　with　a　neighbour。　　Our
representative；　however；　is　sure　he　explained　to　Mrs。　Meadows　that
his　visit　was　official；　and；　in　any　case；　our　duty　to　the　public
must　be　held　to　exonerate　us　from　all　blame　in　the　matter。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

Mr。　Joseph　Onions；　of　the　Broadway；　Hammersmith；　auctioneer　and
house　agent；　expressed　himself　to　our　representative　as　most
surprised　at　the　turn　that　events　had　subsequently　taken。　　The
letter　that　Mr。　Onions　received　from　Miss　Comfort　Price　was　explicit
and　definite。　　It　was　to　the　effect　that　if　he　would　call　upon　a
certain　Mr。　Quincey；　of　Harcourt　Buildings；　Temple；　and　acknowledge
that　it　was　he　who　began　the　row　at　the　Earl's　Court　Exhibition　on
the　evening　of　the　twenty…seventh；　that　then　the　engagement　between
himself　and　Miss　Price；　hitherto　unacknowledged　by　the　lady；　might
be　regarded　as　a　fact。

Mr。　Onions；　who　describes　himself　as　essentially　a　business　man；
decided　before　complying　with　Miss　Price's　request　to　take　a　few
preliminary　steps。　　As　the　result　of　judiciously　conducted
inquiries；　first　at　the　Vine　Street　Police　Station；　and　secondly　at
Twickenham；　Mr。　Onions　arrived　later　in　the　day　at　Mr。　Quincey's
chambers；　with；　to　use　his　own　expression；　all　the　cards　in　his
hand。　　It　was　Mr。　Quincey　who；　professing　himself　unable　to　comply
with　Mr。　Onion's　suggestion；　arranged　the　interview　with　Miss
Bulstrode。　　And　it　was　Miss　Bulstrode　herself　who；　on　condition　that
Mr。　Onions　added　to　the　undertaking　the　further　condition　that　he
would　marry　Miss　Price　before　the　end　of　the　month；　offered　to　make
it　two　hundred。　　It　was　in　their　joint　interestMr。　Onions
regarding　himself　and　Miss　Price　as　now　onethat　Mr。　Onions
suggested　her　making　it　three；　using　such　arguments　as；　under　the
circumstances；　naturally　occurred　to　himas；　for　example；　the
damage　caused　to　the　lady's　reputation　by　the　whole　proceedings；
culminating　in　a　night　spent　by　the　lady；　according　to　her　own
account；　on　Ham　Common。　　That　the　price　demanded　was　reasonable　Mr。
Onions　considers　as　proved　by　Miss　Bulstrode's　eventual　acceptance
of　his　terms。　　That；　having　got　out　of　him　all　that　he　wanted；　Mr。
Quincey　should　have　〃considered　it　his　duty〃　to　communicate　the
entire　details　of　the　transaction　to　Miss　Price；