malvina of brittany-第8节

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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。　Arlington；　over　the　nuts　and　wine。

〃It's　pure　laziness。　　Oh；　yes；　it　is。　　My　friends　say　I'm　so
'restful'；　but　that's　the　proper　explanation　of　itborn　laziness。
And　yet　I　try。　　You　have　no　idea；　Professor　Littlecherry；　how　much　I
try。〃　　So　Mrs。　Arlington；　laughingly；　while　admiring　the　Professor's
roses。

Besides；　how　absurd　to　believe　that　Malvina　could　possibly　change
anybody！　　Way　back；　when　the　human　brain　was　yet　in　process　of
evolution；　such　things　may　have　been　possible。　　Hypnotic　suggestion；
mesmeric　influence；　dormant　brain　cells　quickened　into　activity　by
magnetic　vibration。　　All　that　had　been　lost。　　These　were　the　days　of
George　the　Fifth；　not　of　King　Heremon。　　What　the　Professor　was
really　after　was：　　How　would　Malvina　receive　the　proposal？　　Of
course　she　would　try　to　get　out　of　it。　　A　dear　little　thing。　　But
could　any　sane　man；　professor　of　mathematics　。　。　。

Malvina　was　standing　beside　him。　　No　one　had　remarked　her　entrance。
The　eyes　of　the　twins　had　been　glued　upon　the　wise　and　learned
Christopher。　　The　Professor；　when　he　was　thinking；　never　saw
anything。　　Still；　it　was　rather　startling。

〃We　should　never　change　what　the　good　God　has　once　fashioned；〃　said
Malvina。　　She　spoke　very　gravely。　　The　childishness　seemed　to　have
fallen　from　her。

〃You　didn't　always　think　so；〃　said　the　Professor。　　It　nettled　the
Professor　that　all　idea　of　this　being　a　good　joke　had　departed　with
the　sound　of　Malvina's　voice。　　She　had　that　way　with　her。

She　made　a　little　gesture。　　It　conveyed　to　the　Professor　that　his
remark　had　not　been　altogether　in　good　taste。

〃I　speak　as　one　who　has　learned；〃　said　Malvina。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　Professor。　　〃I　ought　not　to　have　said
that。〃

Malvina　accepted　the　Professor's　apology　with　a　bow。

〃But　this　is　something　very　different；〃　continued　the　Professor。
Quite　another　interest　had　taken　hold　of　the　Professor。　　It　was　easy
enough　to　summon　Dame　Commonsense　to　one's　aid　when　Malvina　was　not
present。　　Before