malvina of brittany-第7章

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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　those　strange　eyes　the　good　lady　had　a　habit　of
sneaking　away。　　Supposeof　course　the　idea　was　ridiculous；　but
supposesomething　did　happen！　　As　a　psychological　experiment　was
not　one　justified？　　What　was　the　beginning　of　all　science　but
applied　curiosity？　　Malvina　might　be　ableand　willingto　explain
how　it　was　done。　　That　is；　if　anything　did　happen；　which；　of　course；
it　wouldn't；　and　so　much　the　better。　　This　thing　had　got　to　be
ended。

〃It　would　be　using　a　gift　not　for　one's　own　purposes；　but　to　help
others；〃　urged　the　Professor。

〃You　see；〃　urged　Victor；　〃mamma　really　wants　to　be　changed。〃

〃And　papa　wants　it　too；〃　urged　Victoria。

〃It　seems　to　me；　if　I　may　so　express　it；〃　added　the　Professor；　〃that
really　it　would　be　in　the　nature　of　making　amends　forwell；　for…
…for　our　youthful　follies；〃　concluded　the　Professor　a　little
nervously。

Malvina's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　Professor。　　In　the　dim　light　of　the
low…ceilinged　room；　those　eyes　seemed　all　of　her　that　was　visible。

〃You　wish　it？〃　said　Malvina。

It　was　not　at　all　fair；　as　the　Professor　told　himself　afterwards；
her　laying　the　responsibility　on　him。　　If　she　really　was　the
original　Malvina；　lady…in…waiting　to　Queen　Harbundia；　then　she　was
quite　old　enough　to　have　decided　for　herself。　　From　the　Professor's
calculations　she　must　now　be　about　three　thousand　eight　hundred。
The　Professor　himself　was　not　yet　sixty；　in　comparison　a　mere　babe！
But　Malvina's　eyes　were　compelling。

〃Well；　it　can't　do　any　harm；〃　said　the　Professor。　　And　Malvina　seems
to　have　accepted　that　as　her　authority。

〃Let　her　come　to　the　Cross　Stones　at　sundown；〃　directed　Malvina。


The　Professor　saw　the　twins　to　the　door。　　For　some　reason　the
Professor　could　not　have　explained；　they　all　three　walked　out　on
tiptoe。　　Old　Mr。　Brent；　the　postman；　was　passing；　and　the　twins　ran
after　him　and　each　took　a　hand。　　Malvina　was　still　standing　where
the　Professor　had　left　her。　　It　was　very　absurd；　but　the　Professor
felt　frightened。　　He　went　into　the　kitchen；　where　it　was　light　and
cheerful；　and　started　Mrs。　Muldoon　on　Home　Rule。　　When　he　returned
to　the　parlour　Malvina　was　gone。

The　twins　did　not　talk　that　night；　and　decided　next　morning　not　to
say　a　word；　but　just　to　ask　their　mother　to　come　for　an　evening　walk
with　them。　　The　fear　was　that　she　might　demand　reasons。　　But；　quite
oddly；　she　consented　without　question。　　It　seemed　to　the　twins　that
it　was　Mrs。　Arlington　herself　who　took　the　pathway　leading　past　the
cave；　and　when　they　reached　the　Cross　Stones　she　sat　down　and
apparently　had　forgotten　their　existence。　　They　stole　away　without
her　noticing　them；　but　did　not　quite　know　what　to　do　with
themselves。　　They　ran　for　half　a　mile　till　they　came　to　the　wood；
there　they　remained　awhile；　careful　not　to　venture　within；　and　then
they　crept　back。　　They　found　their　mother　sitting　just　as　they　had
left　her。　　They　thought　she　was　asleep；　but　her　eyes　were　wide　open。
They　were　tremendously　relieved；　though　what　they　had　feared　they
never　knew。　　They　sat　down；　one　on　each　side　of　her；　and　each　took　a
hand；　but　in　spite　of　her　eyes　being　open；　it　was　quite　a　time
before　she　seemed　conscious　of　their　return。　　She　rose　and　slowly
looked　about　her；　and　as　she　did　so　the　church　clock　struck　nine。
She　could　not　at　first　believe　it　was　so　late。　　Convinced　by　looking
at　her　watchthere　was　just　light　enough　for　her　to　see　itshe
became　all　at　once　more　angry　than　the　twins　had　ever　known　her；　and
for　the　first　time　in　their　lives　they　both　experienced　the
sensation　of　having　their　ears　boxed。　　Nine　o'clock　was　the　proper
time　for　supper　and　they　were　half　an　hour　from　home；　and　it　was　all
their　fault。　　It　did　not　take　them　half　an　hour。　　It　took　them
twenty　minutes；　Mrs。　Arlington　striding　ahead　and　the　twins　panting
breathless　behind　her。　　Mr。　Arlington　had　not　yet　returned。　　He　came
in　five　minutes　afterwards；　and　Mrs。　Arlington　told　him　what　she
thought　of　him。　　It　was　the　shortest　supper　within　the　twins'
recollection。　　They　found　themselves　in　bed　ten　minutes　in　advance
of　the　record。　　They　could　hear　their　mother's　voice　from　the
kitchen。　　A　jug　of　milk　had　been　overlooked　and　had　gone　sour。　　She
had　given　Jane　a　week's　notice　before　the　clock　struck　ten。

It　was　from　Mr。　Arlington　that　the　Professor　heard　the　news。　　Mr。
Arlington　could　not　stop　an　instant；　dinner　being　at　twelve　sharp
and　it　wanting　but　ten　minutes　to；　but　seems　to　have　yielded　to
temptation。　　The　breakfast　hour　at　the　Manor　Farm　was　now　six　a。m。；
had　been　so　since　Thursday；　the　whole　family　fully　dressed　and　Mrs。
Arlington　presiding。　　If　the　Professor　did　not　believe　it　he　could
come　round　any　morning　and　see　for　himself。　　The　Professor　appears
to　have　taken　Mr。　Arlington's　word　for　it。　　By　six…thirty　everybody
at　their　job　and　Mrs。　Arlington　at　hers；　consisting　chiefly　of
seeing　to　it　for　the　rest　of　the　day　that　everybody　was。　　Lights　out
at　ten　and　everybody　in　bed；　most　of　them　only　too　glad　to　be　there。
〃Quite　right；　keeps　us　all　up　to　the　mark；〃　was　Mr。　Arlington's
opinion　（th