malvina of brittany-第24章

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woman；　as　I　had　judged　from　the　first　look　at　her；　though　suffering
at　the　time　from　a　cold。　　She　hires　a　bicycle　from　Emma　Tidd；　who
only　uses　it　on　a　Sunday；　and；　taking　a　market　basket；　off　she
starts　for　Henley；　Mr。　Parable　saying　he　would　go　with　her　to　show
her　the　way。

They　were　gone　a　goodish　time；　which；　seeing　it's　eight　miles；
didn't　so　much　surprise　me；　and　when　they　got　back　we　all　three　had
dinner　together；　Mr。　Parable　arguing　that　it　made　for　what　he　called
〃labour　saving。〃　　Afterwards　I　cleared　away；　leaving　them　talking
together；　and　later　on　they　had　a　walk　round　the　garden；　it　being　a
moonlight　night；　but　a　bit　too　cold　for　my　fancy。

In　the　morning　I　had　a　chat　with　her　before　he　was　down。　　She　seemed
a　bit　worried。

〃I　hope　people　won't　get　talking；〃　she　says。　　〃He　would　insist　on　my
coming。〃

〃Well；〃　I　says；　〃surely　a　gent　can　bring　his　cook　along　with　him　to
cook　for　him。　　And　as　for　people　talking；　what　I　always　say　is；　one
may　just　as　well　give　them　something　to　talk　about　and　save　them　the
trouble　of　making　it　up。〃

〃If　only　I　was　a　plain；　middle…aged　woman；〃　she　says；　〃it　would　be
all　right。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　be；　all　in　good　time；〃　I　says；　but；　of　course；　I
could　see　what　she　was　driving　at。　　A　nice；　clean；　pleasant…faced
young　woman　she　was；　and　not　of　the　ordinary　class。　　〃Meanwhile；〃　I
says；　〃if　you　don't　mind　taking　a　bit　of　motherly　advice；　you　might
remember　that　your　place　is　the　kitchen；　and　his　the　parlour。　　He's
a　dear　good　man；　I　know；　but　human　nature　is　human　nature；　and　it's
no　good　pretending　it　isn't。〃

She　and　I　had　our　breakfast　together　before　he　was　up；　so　that　when
he　came　down　he　had　to　have　his　alone；　but　afterwards　she　comes　into
the　kitchen　and　closes　the　door。

〃He　wants　to　show　me　the　way　to　High　Wycombe；〃　she　says。　　〃He　will
have　it　there　are　better　shops　at　Wycombe。　　What　ought　I　to　do？〃

My　experience　is　that　advising　folks　to　do　what　they　don't　want　to
do　isn't　the　way　to　do　it。

〃What　d'you　think　yourself？〃　I　asked　her。

〃I　feel　like　going　with　him；〃　she　says；　〃and　making　the　most　of
every　mile。〃

And　then　she　began　to　cry。

〃What's　the　harm！〃　she　says。　　〃I　have　heard　him　from　a　dozen
platforms　ridiculing　class　distinctions。　　Besides；〃　she　says；　〃my
people　have　been　farmers　for　generations。　　What　was　Miss　Bulstrode's
father　but　a　grocer？　　He　ran　a　hundred　shops　instead　of　one。　　What
difference　does　that　make？〃

〃When　did　it　all　begin？〃　I　says。　　〃When　did　he　first　take　notice　of
you　like？〃

〃The　day　before　yesterday；〃　she　answers。　　〃He　had　never　seen　me
before；〃　she　says。　　〃I　was　just　'Cook'something　in　a　cap　and　apron
that　he　passed　occasionally　on　the　stairs。　　On　Thursday　he　saw　me　in
my　best　clothes；　and　fell　in　love　with　me。　　He　doesn't　know　it
himself；　poor　dear；　not　yet；　but　that's　what　he's　done。〃

Well；　I　couldn't　contradict　her；　not　after　the　way　I　had　seen　him
looking　at　her　across　the　table。

〃What　are　your　feelings　towards　him；〃　I　says；　〃to　be　quite　honest？
He's　rather　a　good　catch　for　a　young　person　in　your　position。〃

〃That's　my　trouble；〃　she　says。　　〃I　can't　help　thinking　of　that。　　And
then　to　be　'Mrs。　John　Parable'！　　That's　enough　to　turn　a　woman's
head。〃

〃He'd　be　a　bit　difficult　to　live　with；〃　I　says。

〃Geniuses　always　are；〃　she　says；　〃it's　easy　enough　if　you　just　think
of　them　as　children。　　He'd　be　a　bit　fractious　at　times；　that's　all。
Underneath；　he's　just　the　kindest；　dearest〃

〃Oh；　you　take　your　basket　and　go　to　High　Wycombe；〃　I　says。　　〃He
might　do　worse。〃

I　wasn't　expecting　them　back　soon；　and　they　didn't　come　back　soon。
In　the　afternoon　a　motor　stops　at　the　gate；　and　out　of　it　steps　Miss
Bulstrode；　Miss　Dortonthat's　the　young　lady　that　writes　for
himand　Mr。　Quincey。　　I　told　them　I　couldn't　say　when　he'd　be　back；
and　they　said　it　didn't　matter；　they　just　happening　to　be　passing。

〃Did　anybody　call　on　him　yesterday？〃　asks　Miss　Bulstrode；　careless
like〃a　lady？〃

〃No；〃　I　says；　〃you　are　the　first　as　yet。〃

〃He's　brought　his　cook　down　with　him；　hasn't　he？〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。

〃Yes；〃　I　says；　〃and　a　very　good　cook　too；〃　which　was　the　truth。

〃I'd　like　just　to　speak　a　few　words　with　her；〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode。

〃Sorry；　m'am；〃　I　says；　〃but　she's　out　at　present；　she's　gone　to
Wycombe。〃

〃Gone　to　Wycombe！〃　they　all　says　together。

〃To　market；〃　I　says。　　〃It's　a　little　farther；　but；　of　course；　it
stands　to　reason　the　shops　there　are　better。〃

They　looked　at　one　another。

〃That　settles　it；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃Delicacies　worthy　to　be　set
before　her　not　available　nearer　than　Wycombe；　but　must　be　had。
There's　going　to　be　a　pleasant　little　dinner　here　to…night。〃

〃The　hussy！〃　says　Miss　Bulstrode；　under　her　breath。

They　whispered　together　for　a　moment；　then　they　turns　to　me。

〃Good　afternoon；　Mrs。　Meadows；〃　says　Mr。　Quincey。　　〃You　needn't　say
we　called。　　He　wanted　to　be　alone；　and　it　might　vex　him。〃

I　said　I　wouldn't；　and　I　didn't。　　They　climbed　back　into　the　motor
and　went　off。

Before　dinner　I　had　call　to　go　into　the　woodshed。　　I　heard　a
scuttling　as　I　opened　the　door。　　If　I　am　not　mistaken；　Miss　Dorton
was　hiding　in　the　corner　where　we　keep　the　coke。　　I　didn't　see　any
good　in　making　a　fuss；　so　I　left　her　there。　　When　I　got　back　to　the
kitchen；　cook　asked　me　if　we'd　got　any　parsley。

〃You'll　find　a　bit　in　the　front；〃　I　says；　〃to　the　left　of　the　gate；〃
and　she　went　out。　　She　came　back　looking　scared。

〃Anybody　keep　goats　round　here？〃　she　asked　me。

〃Not　that　I　know　of；　nearer　than　Ibstone　Common；〃　I　says。

〃I　could　have　sworn　I　saw　a　goat's　face　looking　at　me　out　of　the
gooseberry　bushes　while　I　was　picking　the　parsley；〃　she　says。　　〃It
had　a　beard。〃

〃It's　the　half　light；〃　I　says。　　〃One　can　imagine　anything。〃

〃I　do　hope　I'm　not　getting　nervy；〃　she　says。

I　thought　I'd　have　another　look　round；　and　made　the　excuse　that　I
wanted　a　pail　of　water。　　I　was　stooping　over　the　well；　which　is　just
under　the　mulberry　tree；　when　something　fell　close　to　me　and　lodged
upon　the　bricks。　　It　was　a　hairpin。　　I　fixed　the　cover　carefully
upon　the　well　in　case　of　accident；　and　when　I　got　in　I　went　round
myself　and　was　careful　to　see　that　all　the　curtains　were　drawn。

Just　before　we　three　sat　down　to　dinner　again　I　took　cook　aside。

〃I　shouldn't　go　for　any　stroll　in　the　garden　to…night；〃　I　says。
〃People　from　the　village　may　be　about；　and　we　don't　want　them
gossiping。〃　　And　she　thanked　me。

Next　night　they　were　there　again。　　I　thought　I　wouldn't　spoil　the
dinner；　but　mention　it　afterwards。　　I　saw　to　it　again　that　the
curtains　were　drawn；　and　slipped　the　catch　of　both　the　doors。　　And
just　as　well　that　I　did。

I　had　always　heard　that　Mr。　Parable　was　an　amusing　speaker；　but　on
previous　visits　had　not　myself　noticed　it。　　But　this　time　he　seemed
ten　years　younger　than　I　had　ever　known　him　before；　and　during
dinner；　while　we　were　talking　and　laughing　quite　merry　like；　I　had
the　feeling　more　than　once　that　people　were　meandering　about
outside。　　I　had　just　finished　clearing　away；　and　cook　was　making　the
coffee；　when　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door。

〃Who's　that？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。　　〃I　am　not　at　home　to　anyone。〃

〃I'll　see；〃　I　says。　　And　on　my　way　I　slipped　into　the　kitchen。

〃Coffee　for　one；　cook；〃　I　says；　and　she　understood。　　Her　cap　and
apron　were　hanging　behind　the　door。　　I　flung　them　across　to　her；　and
she　caught　them；　and　then　I　opened　the　front　door。

They　pushed　past　me　without　speaking；　and　went　straight　into　the
parlour。　　And　they　didn't　waste　many　words　on　him　either。

〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　Miss　Bulstrode。

〃Where's　who？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。

〃Don't　lie　about　it；〃　said　Miss　Bulstrode；　making　no　effort　to
control　herself。　　〃The　hussy　you've　been　dining　with？〃

〃Do　you　mean　Mrs。　Meadows？〃　says　Mr。　Parable。

I　thought　she　was　going　to　shake　him。

〃Where　have　you　hidden　her？〃　she　says。

It　was　at　that　moment　cook　entered　with　the　coffee。

If　they　had　taken　the　trouble　to　look　at　her　they　might　have　had　an
idea。　　The　tray　was　trembling　in　her　hands；　and　in　her　haste　and
excitement　she　had　put　on　her　cap　the　wrong　way　round。　　But　she　kept
control　of　her　voice；　and　asked　if　she　should　bring　some　more