malvina of brittany-第8章

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〃Quite　right；　keeps　us　all　up　to　the　mark；〃　was　Mr。　Arlington's
opinion　（this　was　on　Saturday）。　　Just　what　was　wanted。　　Not　perhaps
for　a　permanency；　and；　of　course；　there　were　drawbacks。　　The
strenuous　lifeseeing　to　it　that　everybody　else　leads　the　strenuous
life；　it　does　not　go　with　unmixed　amiability。　　Particularly　in　the
beginning。　　New…born　zeal：　　must　expect　it　to　outrun　discretion。
Does　not　do　to　discourage　it。　　Modifications　to　be　suggested　later。
Taken　all　round；　Mr。　Arlington's　view　was　that　the　thing　must　be
regarded　almost　as　the　answer　to　a　prayer。　　Mr。　Arlington's　eyes　on
their　way　to　higher　levels；　appear　to　have　been　arrested　by　the
church　clock。　　It　decided　Mr。　Arlington　to　resume　his　homeward　way
without　further　loss　of　time。　　At　the　bend　of　the　lane　the
Professor；　looking　back；　observed　that　Mr。　Arlington　had　broken　into
a　trot。


This　seems　to　have　been　the　end　of　the　Professor；　regarded　as　a　sane
and　intelligent　member　of　modern　society。　　He　had　not　been　sure　at
the　time；　but　it　was　now　revealed　to　him　that　when　he　had　urged
Malvina　to　test　her　strength；　so　to　express　it；　on　the　unfortunate
Mrs。　Arlington；　it　was　with　the　conviction　that　the　result　would
restore　him　to　his　mental　equilibrium。　　That　Malvina　with　a　wave　of
her　wandor　whatever　the　hocus…pocus　may　have　beenwould　be　able
to　transform　the　hitherto　incorrigibly　indolent　and　easy…going　Mrs。
Arlington　into　a　sort　of　feminine　Lloyd　George；　had　not　really
entered　into　his　calculations。

Forgetting　his　lunch；　he　must　have　wandered　aimlessly　about；　not
returning　home　until　late　in　the　afternoon。　　During　dinner　he
appears　to　have　been　rather　restless　and　nervous〃jumpy；〃　according
to　the　evidence　of　the　little　serving　maid。　　Once　he　sprang　out　of
his　chair　as　if　shot　when　the　little　serving　maid　accidentally　let
fall　a　table…spoon；　and　twice　he　upset　the　salt。　　It　was　at　mealtime
that；　as　a　rule；　the　Professor　found　his　attitude　towards　Malvina
most　sceptical。　　A　fairy　who　could　put　away　quite　a　respectable　cut
from　the　joint；　followed　by　two　helpings　of　pie；　does　take　a　bit　of
believing　in。　　To…night　the　Professor　found　no　difficulty。　　The
White　Ladies　had　never　been　averse　to　accepting　mortal　hospitality。
There　must　always　have　been　a　certain　adaptability。　　Malvina；　since
that　fateful　night　of　her　banishment；　had；　one　supposes；　passed
through　varied　experiences。　　For　present　purposes　she　had　assumed
the　form　of　a　jeune　fille　of　the　twentieth　century　（anno　Domini）。
An　appreciation　of　Mrs。　Muldoon's　excellent　cooking；　together　with　a
glass　of　light　sound　claret；　would　naturally　go　with　it。

One　takes　it　that　he　could　not　for　a　moment　get　Mrs。　Arlington　out
of　his　mind。　　More　than　once；　stealing　a　covert　glance　across　the
table；　it　seemed　to　him　that　Malvina　was　regarding　him　with　a
mocking　smile。　　Some　impish　spirit　it　must　have　been　that　had
prompted　him。　　For　thousands　of　years　Malvina　had　ledat　all　events
so　far　as　was　knowna　reformed　and　blameless　existence；　had　subdued
and　put　behind　her　that　fatal　passion　of　hers　for　change：　　in　other
people。　　What　madness　to　have　revived　it！　　And　no　Queen　Harbundia
handy　now　to　keep　her　in　check。　　The　Professor　had　a　distinct
sensation；　while　peeling　a　pear；　that　he　was　being　turned　into　a
guinea…piga　curious　feeling　of　shrinking　about　the　legs。　　So　vivid
was　the　impression；　that　involuntarily　the　Professor　jumped　off　his
chair　and　ran　to　look　at　himself　in　the　mirror　over　the　sideboard。
He　was　not　fully　relieved　even　then。　　It　may　have　been　the　mirror。
It　was　very　old；　one　of　those　things　with　little　gilt　balls　all
round　it；　and　it　looked　to　the　Professor　as　if　his　nose　was　growing
straight　out　of　his　face。　　Malvina；　trusting　he　had　not　been　taken
suddenly　ill；　asked　if　there　was　anything　she　could　do　for　him。　　He
seems　to　have　earnestly　begged　her　not　to　think　of　it。

The　Professor　had　taught　Malvina　cribbage；　and　usually　of　an　evening
they　played　a　hand　or　two。　　But　to…night　the　Professor　was　not　in
the　mood；　and　Malvina　had　contented　herself　with　a　book。　　She　was
particularly　fond　of　the　old　chroniclers。　　The　　Professor　had　an
entire　shelf　of　them；　many　in　the　original　French。　　Making　believe
to　be　reading　himself；　he　heard　Malvina　break　into　a　cheerful　laugh；
and　went　and　looked　over　her　shoulder。　　She　was　reading　the　history
of　her　own　encounter　with　the　proprietor　of　tin　mines；　an　elderly
gentleman　disliking　late　hours；　whom　she　had　turned　into　a
nightingale。　　It　occurred　to　the　Professor　that　prior　to　the
Arlington　case　the　recalling　of　this　incident　would　have　brought　to
her　shame　and　remorse。　　Now　she　seemed　to　think　it　funny。

〃A　silly　trick；〃　commented　the　Professor。　　He　spoke　quite　heatedly。
〃No　one　has　any　right　to　go　about　changing　people。　　Muddling　up
things　they　don't　understand。　　No　right　whatever。〃

Malvina　looked　up。　　She　gave　a　little　sigh。

〃Not　for　one's　own　pleasure　or　revenge；〃　she　made　answer。　　Her　tone
was　filled　with　meekness。　　It　had　a　touch　of　self…reproach。　　〃That
is　very　wrong；　of　course。　　But　changing　them　for　their　own　goodat
least；　not　changing；　improving。〃

〃Little　hypocrite！〃　muttered　the　Professor　to　himself。　　〃She's　got
back　a　taste　for　her　old　tricks；　and　Lord　knows　now　where　she'll
stop。〃

The　Professor　spent　the　rest　of　the　evening　among　his　indexes　in
search　of　the　latest　information　regarding　Queen　Harbundia。


Meanwhile　the　Arlington　affair　had　got　about　the　village。　　The　twins
in　all　probability　had　been　unable　to　keep　their　secret。　　Jane；　the
dismissed；　had　looked　in　to　give　Mrs。　Muldoon　her　version　of
Thursday　night's　scene　in　the　Arlington　kitchen；　and　Mrs。　Muldoon；
with　a　sense　of　things　impending；　may　unconsciously　have　dropped
hints。

The　Marigolds　met　the　Arlingtons　on　Sunday；　after　morning　service；
and　heard　all　about　it。　　That　is　to　say；　they　met　Mr。　Arlington　and
the　other　children；　Mrs。　Arlington；　with　the　two　elder　girls；　having
already　attended　early　communion　at　seven。　　Mrs。　Marigold　was　a
pretty；　fluffy；　engaging　little　woman；　ten　years　younger　than　her
husband。　　She　could　not　have　been　altogether　a　fool；　or　she　would
not　have　known　it。　　Marigold；　rising　politician；　ought；　of　course；
to　have　married　a　woman　able　to　help　him；　but　seems　to　have　fallen
in　love　with　her　a　few　miles　out　of　Brussels；　over　a　convent　wall。
Mr。　Arlington　was　not　a　regular　church…goer；　but　felt　on　this
occasion　that　he　owed　it　to　his　Maker。　　He　was　still　in　love　with
his　new　wife。　　But　not　blindly。　　Later　on　a　guiding　hand　might　be
necessary。　　But　first　let　the　new　seed　get　firmly　rooted。
Marigold's　engagements　necessitated　his　returning　to　town　on　Sunday
afternoon；　and　Mrs。　Marigold　walked　part　of　the　way　with　him　to　the
station。　　On　her　way　back　across　the　fields　she　picked　up　the
Arlington　twins。　　Later；　she　seems　to　have　called　in　at　the　cottage
and　spoken　to　Mrs。　Muldoon　about　Jane；　who；　she　had　heard；　was　in
want　of　a　place。　　A　little　before　sunset　she　was　seen　by　the　Doctor
climbing　the　path　to　the　Warren。　　Malvina　that　evening　was　missing
for　dinner。　　When　she　returned　she　seemed　pleased　with　herself。



VI。　　AND　HOW　IT　WAS　FINISHED　TOO　SOON。



Some　days　laterit　may　have　been　the　next　week；　the　exact　date
appears　to　have　got　mislaidMarigold；　M。P。；　looked　in　on　the
Professor。　　They　talked　about　Tariff　Reform；　and　then　Marigold　got
up　and　made　sure　for　himself　that　the　door　was　tight　closed。

〃You　know　my　wife；〃　he　said。　　〃We've　been　married　six　years；　and
there's　never　been　a　cloud　between　us　except　one。　　Of　course；　she's
not　brainy。　　That　is；　at　least　。　。　。〃

The　Professor　jumped　out　of　his　chair。

〃If　you　take　my　advice；〃　he　said；　〃you'll　leave　her　alone。〃　　He
spoke　with　passion　and　conviction。

Marigold　looked　up。

〃It's　just　what　I　wish　to　goodness　I　had　done；〃　he　answered。　　〃I
blame　myself　entirely。〃

〃So　long　as　we　see　our　own　mistakes；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃there　is
hope　for　us　all。　　You　go　straight　home；　young　man；　and　tell　her
you've　changed　your　mind。　　Tell　her　you　don't　want　her　with　brains。
Tell　her　you　like　her　best　without。　　You　get　that　into　her　head
before　anything　else　happens。〃

〃I've　tried　to；〃　said　Marigold。　　〃She　says　it's　too　late。　　That　the
light　has　come　to　her　and　she　can't　help　it。〃

It　was　the　Professor's　turn　to　stare。　　He　had　not　heard　anything　of
Sunday's　transactions。　　He　had　been　hoping　against　hope　that　the
Arlington　affair　would　remain　a　locked　secret　between　himself　and
the　twins；　and　had　done　his　best　to　think　about　everything　else。

〃She's　joined　the　Fabian　Society；〃　continued　Marigold　gloomily。
〃They've　put　her　in　the　nursery。　　And　the　W。S。P。U。　　If　it　gets　about
before　the　next　election　I'll　have　to　look　out　for　another
constituencythat's　all。〃

〃How　did　you　hear　about　her？〃　asked　the　Professor。

〃I　didn't　hear　about　her；〃　answered　Marigold。　　〃If　I　had　I　mightn't
have　gone　up　to　town。　　You　think　it　right；〃　he　added；　〃toto
encourage　such　people？〃

〃Who's　encouraging　her？〃　demanded　the　professor。　　〃If　fools　didn't
go　about　thinking　they　could　improve　every　other　fool　but
themselves；　this　sort　of　thing　wouldn't　happen。　　Arlington　had　an
amiable；　sweet…tempered　wife；　and　instead　of　thanking　God　and
keeping　quiet　about　it；　he　worries　her　out　of　her　life　because　she
is　not　the　managing　woman。　　Well；　now　he's　got　the　managing　woman。
I　met　him　on　Wednesday　with　a　bump　on　his　forehead　as　big　as　an　egg。
Says　he　fell　over　the　mat。　　It　can't　be　done。　　You　can't　have　a
person　changed　just　as　far　as　you　want　them　changed　and　there　stop。
You　let　'em　alone　or　you　change　them　altogether；　and　then　they　don't
know　themselves　what　they're　going　to　turn　out。　　A　sensible　man　in
your　position　would　have　been　only　too　thankful　for　a　wife　who
didn't　poke　her　nose　into　his　affairs；　and　with　whom　he　could　get
away　from　his　confounded　politics。　　You've　been　hinting　to　her　about
once　a　month；　I　expect；　what　a　tragedy　it　was　that　you　hadn't
married　a　woman　with　brains。　　Well；　now　she's　found　her　brains　and
is　using　them。　　Why　shouldn't　she　belong　to　the　Fabian　Society　and
the　W。S。P。U？　　Shows　independence　of　character。　　Best　thing　for　you
to　do　is　to　join　them　yourself。　　Then　you'll　be　able　to　work
together。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Marigold　rising。　　〃I　didn't　know　you　agreed　with
her。〃

〃Who　said　I　agreed　with　her？〃　snapped　the　Professor。　　〃I'm　in　a　very
awkward　position。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Marigoldhe　was　hesitating　with　the　door　in　his
hand〃it　wouldn't　be　of　any　use　my　seeing　her　myself？〃

〃I　believe；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃that　she　is　fond　of　the
neighbourhood　of　the　Cross　Stones　towards　sundown。　　You　can　choose
for　yourself；　but　if　I　were　you　I　should　think　twice　about　it。〃

〃I　was　wondering；〃　said　Marigold；　〃whether；　if　I　put　it　to　her　as　a
personal　favour；　she　might　not　be　willing　to　see　Edith　again　and
persuade　her　that　she　was　only　joking？〃

A　light　began　to　break　upon　the　Professor。

〃What　do　you　think　has　happened？〃　he　asked。

〃Well；〃　explained　Marigold；　〃I　take　it　that　your　young　foreign
friend　has　met　my　wife　and　talked　politics　to　her；　and　that　what　has
happened　is　the　result。　　She　must　be　a　young　person　of　extraordinary
ability；　but　it　would　be　only　losing　one