malvina of brittany-第3章

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wholesome…minded　things；　dogs。　　No　damned　sentiment　about　them。
What　if　he　had　kissed　her！　　One　is　not　bound　for　life　to　every　woman
one　kisses。　　Not　the　first　time　she　had　been　kissed；　unless　all　the
young　men　in　Brittany　were　blind　or　white　blooded。　　All　this
pretended　innocence　and　simplicity！　　It　was　just　put　on。　　If　not；
she　must　be　a　lunatic。　　The　proper　thing　to　do　was　to　say　good…bye
with　a　laugh　and　a　jest；　start　up　his　machine　and　be　off　to
Englanddear　old　practical；　merry　England；　where　he　could　get
breakfast　and　a　bath。

It　wasn't　a　fair　fight；　one　feels　it。　　Poor　little　prim　Common
Sense；　with　her　defiant；　turned…up　nose　and　her　shrill　giggle　and
her　innate　vulgarity。　　And　against　her　the　stillness　of　the　night；
and　the　music　of　the　ages；　and　the　beating　of　his　heart。

So　it　all　fell　down　about　his　feet；　a　little　crumbled　dust　that　a
passing　breath　of　wind　seemed　to　scatter；　leaving　him　helpless；
spellbound　by　the　magic　of　her　eyes。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked　her。

〃Malvina；〃　she　answered　him。　　〃I　am　a　fairy。〃



III。　HOW　COUSIN　CHRISTOPHER　BECAME　MIXED　UP　WITH　IT。



It　did　just　occur　to　him　that　maybe　he　had　not　made　that　descent
quite　as　successfully　as　he　had　thought　he　had；　that　maybe　he　had
come　down　on　his　head；　that　in　consequence　he　had　done　with　the
experiences　of　Flight　Commander　Raffleton　and　was　now　about　to　enter
on　a　new　and　less　circumscribed　existence。　　If　so；　the　beginning；　to
an　adventuresome　young　spirit；　seemed　promising。　　It　was　Malvina's
voice　that　recalled　him　from　this　train　of　musing。

〃Shall　we　go？〃　she　repeated；　and　this　time　the　note　in　her　voice
suggested　command　rather　than　question。

Why　not？　　Whatever　had　happened　to　him；　at　whatever　plane　of
existence　he　was　now　arrived；　the　machine　apparently　had　followed
him。　　Mechanically　he　started　it　up。　　The　familiar　whir　of　the
engine　brought　back　to　him　the　possibility　of　his　being　alive　in　the
ordinary　acceptation　of　the　term。　　It　also　suggested　to　him　the
practical　advisability　of　insisting　that　Malvina　should　put　on　his
spare　coat。　　Malvina　being　five　feet　three；　and　the　coat　having　been
built　for　a　man　of　six　feet　one；　the　effect　under　ordinary
circumstances　would　have　been　comic。　　What　finally　convinced
Commander　Raffleton　that　Malvina　really　was　a　fairy　was　that；　in
that　coat；　with　the　collar　standing　up　some　six　inches　above　her
head；　she　looked　more　like　one　than　ever。

Neither　of　them　spoke。　　Somehow　it　did　not　seem　to　be　needed。　　He
helped　her　to　climb　into　her　seat　and　tucked　the　coat　about　her
feet。　　She　answered　by　the　same　smile　with　which　she　had　first
stretched　out　her　hand　to　him。　　It　was　just　a　smile　of　endless
content；　as　if　all　her　troubles　were　now　over。　　Commander　Raffleton
sincerely　hoped　they　were。　　A　momentary　flash　of　intelligence
suggested　to　him　that　his　were　just　beginning。

Commander　Raffleton's　subconscious　self　it　must　have　been　that　took
charge　of　the　machine。　　He　seems；　keeping　a　few　miles　inland；　to
have　followed　the　line　of　the　coast　to　a　little　south　of　the　Hague
lighthouse。　　Thereabouts　he　remembers　descending　for　the　purpose　of
replenishing　his　tank。　　Not　having　anticipated　a　passenger；　he　had
filled　up　before　starting　with　a　spare　supply　of　petrol；　an　incident
that　was　fortunate。　　Malvina　appears　to　have　been　interested　in
watching　what　she　probably　regarded　as　some　novel　breed　of　dragon
being　nourished　from　tins　extricated　from　under　her　feet；　but　to
have　accepted　this；　together　with　all　other　details　of　the　flight；
as　in　the　natural　scheme　of　things。　　The　monster　refreshed；　tugged；
spurned　the　ground；　and　rose　again　with　a　roar；　and　the　creeping　sea
rushed　down。

One　has　the　notion　that　for　Flight　Commander　Raffleton；　as　for　the
rest　of　us；　there　lies　in　wait　to　test　the　heart　of　him　the　ugly　and
the　commonplace。　　So　large　a　portion　of　the　years　will　be　for　him　a
business　of　mean　hopes　and　fears；　of　sordid　struggle；　of　low　cares
and　vulgar　fret。　　But　also　one　has　the　conviction　that　there　will
always　remain　with　him；　to　make　life　wonderful；　the　memory　of　that
night　when；　godlike；　he　rode　upon　the　winds　of　heaven　crowned　with
the　glory　of　the　world's　desire。　　Now　and　again　he　turned　his　head
to　look　at　her；　and　still；　as　ever；　her　eyes　answered　him　with　that
strange　deep　content　that　seemed　to　wrap　them　both　around　as　with　a
garment　of　immortality。　　One　gathers　dimly　something　of　what　he　felt
from　the　look　that　would　unconsciously　come　into　his　eyes　when
speaking　of　that　enchanted　journey；　from　the　sudden　dumbness　with
which　the　commonplace　words　would　die　away　upon　his　lips。　　Well　for
him　that　his　lesser　self　kept　firm　hold　upon　the　wheel　or　maybe　a
few　broken　spars；　tossing　upon　the　waves；　would　have　been　all　that
was　left　to　tell　of　a　promising　young　aviator　who；　on　a　summer　night
of　June；　had　thought　he　could　reach　the　stars。

Half…way　across　the　dawn　came　flaming　up　over　the　Needles；　and　later
there　stole　from　east　to　west　a　long；　low　line　of　mist…enshrouded
land。　　One　by　one　headland　and　cliff；　flashing　with　gold；　rose　out
of　the　sea；　and　the　white…winged　gulls　flew　out　to　meet　them。
Almost　he　expected　them　to　turn　into　spirits；　circling　round　Malvina
with　cries　of　welcome。

Nearer　and　nearer　they　drew；　while　gradually　the　mist　rose　upward　as
the　moonlight　grew　fainter。　　And　all　at　once　the　sweep　of　the　Chesil
Bank　stood　out　before　them；　with　Weymouth　sheltering　behind　it。


It　may　have　been　the　bathing…machines；　or　the　gasometer　beyond　the
railway　station；　or　the　flag　above　the　Royal　Hotel。　　The　curtains　of
the　night　fell　suddenly　away　from　him。　　The　workaday　world　came
knocking　at　the　door。

He　looked　at　his　watch。　　It　was　a　little　after　four。　　He　had　wired
them　at　the　camp　to　expect　him　in　the　morning。　　They　would　be
looking　out　for　him。　　By　continuing　his　course　he　and　Malvina　could
be　there　about　breakfast…time。　　He　could　introduce　her　to　the
colonel：　　〃Allow　me；　Colonel　Goodyer；　the　fairy　Malvina。〃　　It　was
either　that　or　dropping　Malvina　somewhere　between　Weymouth　and
Farnborough。　　He　decided；　without　much　consideration；　that　this
latter　course　would　be　preferable。　　But　where？　　What　was　he　to　do
with　her？　　There　was　Aunt　Emily。　　Hadn't　she　said　something　about
wanting　a　French　governess　for　Georgina？　　True；　Malvina's　French　was
a　trifle　old…fashioned　in　form；　but　her　accent　was　charming。　　And　as
for　salary…　　There　presented　itself　the　thought　of　Uncle　Felix　and
the　three　elder　boys。　　Instinctively　he　felt　that　Malvina　would　not
be　Aunt　Emily's　idea。　　His　father；　had　the　dear　old　gentleman　been
alive；　would　have　been　a　safe　refuge。　　They　had　always　understood
one　another；　he　and　his　father。　　But　his　mother！　　He　was　not　at　all
sure。　　He　visualised　the　scene：　　the　drawing…room　at　Chester
Terrace。　　His　mother's　soft；　rustling　entrance。　　Her　affectionate
but　well…bred　greeting。　　And　then　the　disconcerting　silence　with
which　she　would　await　his　explanation　of　Malvina。　　The　fact　that　she
was　a　fairy　he　would　probably　omit　to　mention。　　Faced　by　his
mother's　gold…rimmed　pince…nez；　he　did　not　see　himself　insisting
upon　that　detail：　　〃A　young　lady　I　happened　to　find　asleep　on　a　moor
in　Brittany。　　And　seeing　it　was　a　fine　night；　and　there　being　just
room　in　the　machine。　　And　sheI　mean　Iwell；　here　we　are。〃　　There
would　follow　such　a　painful　silence；　and　then　the　raising　of　the
delicately　arched　eyebrows：　　〃You　mean；　my　dear　lad；　that　you　have
allowed　this〃there　would　be　a　slight　hesitation　here〃this　young
person　to　leave　her　home；　her　people；　her　friends　and　relations　in
Brittany；　in　order　to　attach　herself　to　you。　　May　I　ask　in　what
capacity？〃

For　that　was　precisely　how　it　would　look；　and　not　only　to　his
mother。　　Suppose　by　a　miracle　it　really　represented　the　facts。
Suppose　that；　in　spite　of　the　overwhelming　evidence　in　her
favourof　the　night　and　the　moon　and　the　stars；　and　the　feeling
that　had　come　to　him　from　the　moment　he　had　kissed　hersuppose
that；　in　spite　of　all　this；　it　turned　out　that　she　wasn't　a　fairy。
Suppose　that　suggestion　of　vulgar　Common　Sense；　that　she　was　just　a
little　minx　that　had　run　away　from　home；　had　really　hit　the　mark。
Suppose　inquiries　were　already　on　foot。　　A　hundred　horse…power
aeroplane　does　not　go　about　unnoticed。　　Wasn't　there　a　law　about
this　sort　of　thingsomething　about　〃decoying〃　and　〃young　girls〃？
He　hadn't　〃decoyed〃　her。　　If　anything；　it　was　the　other　way　about。
But　would　her　consent　be　a　valid　defence？　　How　old　was　she？　　That
would　be　the　question。　　In　reality　he　supposed　about　a　thousand
years　or　so。　　Possibly　more。　　Unfortunately；　she　didn't　look　it。　　A
coldly　suspicious　magistrate　would　probably　consider　sixteen　a　much
better　guess。　　Quite　possibly　he　was　going　to　get　into　a　devil　of　a
mess　over　this　business。　　He　cast　a　glance　behind　him。　　Malvina
responded　with　her　changeless　smile　of　ineffable　content。　　For　the
first　time　it　caused　him　a　distinct　feeling　of　irritation。

They　were　almost　over　Weymouth　by　this　time。　　He　could　read　plainly
the　advertisement　posters　outside　the　cinema　theatre　facing　the
esplanade：　　〃Wilkins　and　the　Mermaid。　　Comic　Drama。〃　　There　was　a
picture　of　the　lady　combing　her　hair；　also　of　Wilkins；　a　stoutish
gentleman　in　striped　bathing　costume。

That　mad　impulse　that　had　come　to　him　with　the　first　breath　of　dawn；
to　shake　the　dwindling　world　from　his　pinions；　to　plunge　upward
towards　the　stars　never　to　returnhe　wished　to　Heaven　he　had
yielded　to　it。

And　then　suddenly　there　leapt　to　him　the　thought　of　Cousin
Christopher。


Dear　old　Cousin　Christopher；　fifty…eight　and　a　bachelor。　　Why　had　it
not　occurred　to　him　before？　　Out　of　the　sky　there　appeared　to
Commander　Raffleton　the　vision　of　〃Cousin　Christopher〃　as　a　plump；
rubicund　angel　in　a　panama　hat　and　a　pepper…and…salt　tweed　suit
holding　out　a　lifebelt。　　Cousin　Christopher　would　take　to　Malvina　as
some　motherly　hen　to　an　orphaned　duckling。　　A　fairy　discovered
asleep　beside　one　of　the　ancient　menhirs　of　Brittany。　　His　only　fear
would　be　that　you　might　want　to　take　her　away　before　he　had　written
a　paper　about　her。　　He　would　be　down　from　Oxford　at　his　cottage。
Commander　Raffleton　could　not　for　the　moment　remember　the　name　of
the　village。　　It　would　come　to　him。　　It　was　northwest　of　Newbury。
You　crossed　Salisbury　Plain　and　made　straight　for　Magdalen　Tower。
The　Downs　reached　almost　to　the　orchard　gate。　　There　was　a　level
stretch　of　sward　nearly　half　a　mile　long。　　It　seemed　to　Commander
Raffleton　that　Cousin　Christopher　had　been　created　and　carefully
preserved　by　Providence　for　this　particular　job。

He　was　no　longer　the　moonstruck　youth　of　the　previous　night；　on　whom
phantasy　and　imagination　could　play　what　pranks　they　chose。　　That
part　of　him　the　keen；　fresh　morning　air　had　driven　back　into　its
cell。　　He　was　Commander　Raffleton；　an　eager　and　alert　young　engineer
with　all　his　wits　about　him。　　At　this　point　that　has　to　be
remembered。　　Descending　on　a　lonely　reach　of　shore　he　proceeded　to
again　disturb　Malvina　for　the　purpose　of　extracting　tins。　　He
expected　his　passenger　would　in　broad　daylight　prove　to　be　a　pretty；
childish…looking　girl；　somewhat　dishevelled；　with；　maybe；　a　tinge　of
blue　about　the　nose；　the　natu