malvina of brittany-第5节

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valley　a　ploughman　had　just　harnessed　his　team；　but　the　village　was
hidden　from　them　by　the　sweep　of　the　hills；　and　no　other　being　was
in　sight。　　He　helped　Malvina　out；　and　leaving　her　seated　on　a　fallen
branch　beneath　a　walnut　tree；　proceeded　cautiously　towards　the
house。　　He　found　a　little　maid　in　the　garden。　　She　had　run　out　of
the　house　on　hearing　the　sound　of　his　propeller　and　was　staring　up
into　the　sky；　so　that　she　never　saw　him　until　he　put　his　hand　upon
her　shoulder；　and　then　was　fortunately　too　frightened　to　scream。　　He
gave　her　hasty　instructions。　　She　was　to　knock　at　the　Professor's
door　and　tell　him　that　his　cousin；　Commander　Raffleton；　was　there；
and　would　he　come　down　at　once；　by　himself；　into　the　orchard。
Commander　Raffleton　would　rather　not　come　in。　　Would　the　Professor
come　down　at　once　and　speak　to　Commander　Raffleton　in　the　orchard。

She　went　back　into　the　house；　repeating　it　all　to　herself；　a　little
scared。

〃Good　God！〃　said　Cousin　Christopher　from　beneath　the　bedclothes。
〃He　isn't　hurt；　is　he？〃

The　little　maid；　through　the　jar　of　the　door；　thought　not。　　Anyhow；
he　didn't　look　it。　　But　would　the　Professor　kindly　come　at　once？
Commander　Raffleton　was　waiting　for　himin　the　orchard。

So　Cousin　Christopher；　in　bedroom　slippers；　without　socks；　wearing　a
mustard…coloured　dressing…gown　and　a　black　skull　cap　upon　his　head
the　very　picture　of　a　friendly　magiciantrotted　hastily　downstairs
and　through　the　garden；　talking　to　himself　about　〃foolhardy　boys〃
and　〃knowing　it　would　happen〃；　and　was　much　relieved　to　meet　young
Arthur　Raffleton　coming　towards　him；　evidently　sound　in　wind　and
limb。　　And　then　began　to　wonder　why　the　devil　he　had　been　frightened
out　of　bed　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　if　nothing　was　the　matter。

But　something　clearly　was。　　Before　speaking　Arthur　Raffleton　looked
carefully　about　him　in　a　manner　suggestive　of　mystery；　if　not　of
crime；　and　still　without　a　word；　taking　Cousin　Christopher　by　the
arm；　led　the　way　to　the　farther　end　of　the　orchard。　　And　there；　on　a
fallen　branch　beneath　the　walnut　tree；　Cousin　Christopher　saw
apparently　a　khaki　coat；　with　nothing　in　it；　which；　as　they
approached　it；　rose　up。

But　it　did　not　rise　very　high。　　The　back　of　the　coat　was　towards
them。　　Its　collar　stood　out　against　the　sky　line。　　But　there　wasn't
any　head。　　Standing　upright；　it　turned　round；　and　peeping　out　of　its
folds　Cousin　Christopher　saw　a　child's　face。　　And　then　looking
closer　saw　that　it　wasn't　a　child。　　And　then　wasn't　quite　sure　what
it　was；　so　that　coming　to　a　sudden　halt　in　front　of　it；　Cousin
Christopher　stared　at　it　with　round　wide　eyes；　and　then　at　Flight
Commander　Raffleton。

It　was　to　Malvina　that　Flight　Commander　Raffleton　addressed　himself。

〃This；〃　he　said；　〃is　Professor　Littlecherry；　my　Cousin　Christopher；
about　whom　I　told　you。〃

It　was　obvious　that　Malvina　regarded　the　Professor　as　a　person　of
importance。　　Evidently　her　intention　was　to　curtsy；　an　operation
that；　hampered　by　those　trailing　yards　of　clinging　khaki；　might
proveso　it　flashed　upon　the　Professornot　only　difficult　but
dangerous。

〃Allow　me；〃　said　the　Professor。

His　idea　was　to　help　Malvina　out　of　Commander　Raffleton's　coat；　and
Malvina　was　preparing　to　assist　him。　　Commander　Raffleton　was　only
just　in　time。

〃I　don't　think；〃　said　Commander　Raffleton。　　〃If　you　don't　mind　I
think　we'd　better　leave　that　for　Mrs。　Muldoon。〃

The　Professor　let　go　the　coat。　　Malvina　appeared　a　shade
disappointed。　　One　opines　that　not　unreasonably　she　may　have　thought
to　make　a　better　impression　without　it。　　But　a　smiling　acquiescence
in　all　arrangements　made　for　her　welfare　seems　to　have　been　one　of
her　charms。

〃Perhaps；〃　suggested　Commander　Raffleton　to　Malvina　while
refastening　a　few　of　the　more　important　buttons；　〃if　you　wouldn't
mind　explaining　yourself　to　my　Cousin　Christopher　just　exactly　who
and　what　you　areyou'd　do　it　so　much　better　than　I　should。〃　　（What
Commander　Raffleton　was　saying　to　himself　was：　　〃If　I　tell　the　dear
old　Johnny；　he'll　think　I'm　pulling　his　leg。　　It　will　sound
altogether　different　the　way　she　will　put　it。〃）　　〃You're　sure　you
don't　mind？〃

Malvina　hadn't　the　slightest　objection。　　She　accomplished　her
curtsyor　rather　it　looked　as　if　the　coat　were　curtsyingquite
gracefully；　and　with　a　dignity　one　would　not　have　expected　from　it。

〃I　am　the　fairy　Malvina；〃　she　explained　to　the　Professor。　　〃You　may
have　heard　of　me。　　I　was　the　favourite　of　Harbundia；　Queen　of　the
White　Ladies　of　Brittany。　　But　that　was　long　ago。〃

The　friendly　magician　was　staring　at　her　with　a　pair　of　round　eyes
that　in　spite　of　their　amazement　looked　kindly　and　understanding。
They　probably　encouraged　Malvina　to　complete　the　confession　of　her
sad　brief　history。

〃It　was　when　King　Heremon　ruled　over　Ireland；〃　she　continued。　　〃I
did　a　very　foolish　and　a　wicked　thing；　and　was　punished　for　it　by
being　cast　out　from　the　companionship　of　my　fellows。　　Since
then〃the　coat　made　the　slightest　of　pathetic　gestures〃I　have
wandered　alone。〃

It　ought　to　have　sounded　so　ridiculous　to　them　both；　told　on　English
soil　in　the　year　One　Thousand　Nine　Hundred　and　Fourteen　to　a　smart
young　officer　of　Engineers　and　an　elderly　Oxford　Professor。　　Across
the　road　the　doctor's　odd　man　was　opening　garage　doors；　a　noisy　milk
cart　was　clattering　through　the　village　a　little　late　for　the　London
train；　a　faint　odour　of　eggs　and　bacon　came　wafted　through　the
garden；　mingled　with　the　scent　of　lavender　and　pinks。　　For　Commander
Raffleton；　maybe；　there　was　excuse。　　This　story；　so　far　as　it　has
gone；　has　tried　to　make　that　clear。　　But　the　Professor！　　He　ought　to
have　exploded　in　a　burst　of　Homeric　laughter；　or　else　to　have　shaken
his　head　at　her　and　warned　her　where　little　girls　go　to　who　do　this
sort　of　thing。

Instead　of　which　he　stared　from　Commander　Raffleton　to　Malvina；　and
from　Malvina　back　to　Commander　Raffleton　with　eyes　so　astonishingly
round　that　they　might　have　been　drawn　with　a　compass。

〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　said　the　Professor。　　〃But　this　is　most
extraordinary！〃

〃Was　there　a　King　Heremon　of　Ireland？〃　asked　Commander　Raffleton。
The　Professor　was　a　well…known　authority　on　these　matters。

〃Of　course　there　was　a　King　Heremon　of　Ireland；〃　answered　the
Professor　quite　petulantlyas　if　the　Commander　had　wanted　to　know
if　there　had　ever　been　a　Julius　Caesar　or　a　Napoleon。　　〃And　so　there
was　a　Queen　Harbundia。　　Malvina　is　always　spoken　of　in　connection
with　her。〃

〃What　did　she　do？〃　inquired　Commander　Raffleton。　　They　both　of　them
seemed　to　be　oblivious　of　Malvina's　presence。

〃I　forget　for　the　moment；〃　confessed　the　professor。　　〃I　must　look　it
up。　　Something；　if　I　remember　rightly；　in　connection　with　the
daughter　of　King　Dancrat。　　He　founded　the　Norman　dynasty。　　William
the　Conqueror　and　all　that　lot。　　Good　Lord！〃

〃Would　you　mind　her　staying　with　you　for　a　time　until　I　can　make
arrangements；〃　suggested　Commander　Raffleton。　　〃I'd　be　awfully
obliged　if　you　would。〃

What　the　Professor's　answer　might　have　been　had　he　been　allowed　to
exercise　such　stock　of　wits　as　he　possessed；　it　is　impossible　to
say。　　Of　course　he　was　interestedexcited；　if　you　will。　　Folklore；
legend；　tradition；　these　had　been　his　lifelong　hobbies。　　Apart　from
anything　else；　here　at　least　was　a　kindred　spirit。　　Seemed　to　know　a
thing　or　two。　　Where　had　she　learned　it？　　Might　not　there　be　sources
unknown　to　the　Professor？

But　to　take　her　in！　　To　establish　her　in　the　only　spare　bedroom。　　To
introduce　heras　what？　to　English　village　society。　　To　the　new
people　at　the　Manor　House。　　To　the　member　of　Parliament　with　his
innocent　young　wife　who　had　taken　the　vicarage　for　the　summer。　　To
Dawson；　R。A。；　and　the　Calthorpes！

He　might；　had　he　thought　it　worth　his　while；　have　found　some
respectable　French　family　and　boarded　her　out。　　There　was　a　man　he
had　known　for　years　at　Oxford；　a　cabinetmaker；　the　wife　a　most
worthy　woman。　　He　could　have　gone　over　there　from　time　to　time；　his
notebook　in　his　pocket；　and　have　interviewed　her。

Left　to　himself；　he　might　have　behaved　as　a　sane　and　rational
citizen；　or　he　might　not。　　There　are　records　favouring　the　latter
possibility。　　The　thing　is　not　certain。　　But　as　regards　this
particular　incident　in　his　career　he　must　be　held　exonerated。　　The
decision　was　taken　out　of　his　hands。

To　Malvina；　on　first　landing　in　England；　Commander　Raffleton　had
stated　his　intention　of　leaving　her　temporarily　in　the　care　of　the
wise　and　learned　Christopher。　　To　Malvina；　regarding　the　Commander
as　a　gift　from　the　gods；　that　had　settled　the　matter。　　The　wise　and
learned　Christopher；　of　course；　knew　of　this　coming。　　In　all
probability　it　was　heunder　the　guidance　of　the　godswho　had
arranged　the　whole　sequence　of　events。　　There　remained　only　to
tender　him　her　gratitude。　　She　did　not　wait　for　the　Professor's
reply。　　The　coat　a　little　hindered　her　but；　on　the　other　hand；　added
perhaps　an　appealing　touch　of　its　own。　　Taking　the　wise　and　learned
Christopher's　hand　in　both　her　own；　she　knelt　and　kissed　it。

And　in　that　quaint　archaic　French　of　hers；　that　long　study　of　the
Chronicles　of　Froissart　enabled　the　Professor　to　understand：

〃I　thank　you；〃　she　sa