malvina of brittany-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


fluttering　garments　that　seemed　to　melt　into　the　dawn；　would　hear
coming　fainter　and　fainter　from　the　uplands　an　unknown　song；
mingling　with　the　answering　voices　of　the　birds。

It　was　on　the　uplands　between　dawn　and　sunrise　that　Malvina　made　the
acquaintance　of　the　Arlington　twins。


They　ought；　of　course；　to　have　been　in　bedall　three　of　them；　for
the　matter　of　that。　　The　excuse　for　the　twins　was　their　Uncle
George。　　He　had　been　telling　them　all　about　the　Uffington　spectre
and　Wayland　Smith's　cave；　and　had　given　them　〃Puck〃　as　a　birthday
present。　　They　were　always　given　their　birthday　presents　between
them；　because　otherwise　they　did　not　care　for　them。　　They　had
retired　to　their　respective　bedrooms　at　ten　o'clock　and　taken　it　in
turns　to　lie　awake。　　At　the　first　streak　of　dawn　Victoria；　who　had
been　watching　by　her　window；　woke　Victor；　as　arranged。　　Victor　was
for　giving　it　up　and　going　to　sleep　again；　but　Victoria　reminding
him　of　the　〃oath；〃　they　dressed　themselves　quite　simply；　and　let
themselves　down　by　the　ivy。

They　came　across　Malvina　close　to　the　tail　of　the　White　Horse。　　They
knew　she　was　a　fairy　the　moment　they　saw　her。　　But　they　were　not
frightenedat　least　not　very　much。　　It　was　Victor　who　spoke　first。
Taking　off　his　hat　and　going　down　on　one　knee；　he　wished　Malvina
good　morning　and　hoped　she　was　quite　well。　　Malvina；　who　seemed
pleased　to　see　them；　made　answer；　and　here　it　was　that　Victoria　took
charge　of　the　affair。　　The　Arlington　twins　until　they　were　nine　had
shared　a　French　nurse　between　them；　and　then　Victor；　going　to
school；　had　gradually　forgotten；　while　Victoria；　remaining　at　home；
had　continued　her　conversations　with　〃madame。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Victoria。　　〃Then　you　must　be　a　French　fairy。〃

Now　the　Professor　had　impressed　upon　Malvina　that　for　reasons
needless　to　be　explainedanyhow；　he　never　had　explained　themshe
was　not　to　mention　that　she　was　a　fairy。　　But　he　had　not　told　her　to
deny　it。　　Indeed　how　could　she？　　The　most　that　could　be　expected
from　her　was　that　she　should　maintain　silence　on　the　point。　　So　in
answer　to　Victoria　she　explained　that　her　name　was　Malvina；　and　that
she　had　flown　across　from　Brittany　in　company　with　〃Sir　Arthur；〃
adding　that　she　had　often　heard　of　England　and　had　wished　to　see　it。

〃How　do　you　like　it？〃　demanded　Victoria。

Malvina　confessed　herself　charmed　with　it。　　Nowhere　had　she　ever　met
so　many　birds。　　Malvina　raised　her　hand　and　they　all　three　stood　in
silence；　listening。　　The　sky　was　ablaze　and　the　air　seemed　filled
with　their　music。　　The　twins　were　sure　that　there　were　millions　of
them。　　They　must　have　come　from　miles　and　miles　and　miles；　to　sing
to　Malvina。

Also　the　people。　They　were　so　good　and　kind　and　round。　　Malvina　for
the　present　was　staying　withaccepting　the　protection；　was　how　she
put　it；　of　the　wise　and　learned　Christopher。　　The　〃habitation〃　could
be　seen　from　where　they　stood；　its　chimneys　peeping　from　among　the
trees。　　The　twins　exchanged　a　meaning　glance。　　Had　they　not　all
along　suspected　the　Professor！　　His　black　skull　cap；　and　his　big
hooked　nose；　and　the　yellow…leaved；　worm…eaten　booksof　magic：　　all
doubts　were　now　removedthat　for　hours　he　would　sit　poring　over
through　owlish　gold…rimmed　spectacles！

Victor's　French　was　coming　back　to　him。　　He　was　anxious　to　know　if
Malvina　had　ever　met　Sir　Launcelot〃to　talk　to。〃

A　little　cloud　gathered　upon　Malvina's　face。　　Yes；　she　had　known
them　all：　　King　Uthur　and　Igraine　and　Sir　Ulfias　of　the　Isles。
Talked　with　them；　walked　with　them　in　the　fair　lands　of　France。　　（It
ought　to　have　been　England；　but　Malvina　shook　her　head。　　Maybe　they
had　travelled。）　　It　was　she　who　had　saved　Sir　Tristram　from　the
wiles　of　Morgan　le　Fay。　　〃Though　that；　of　course；〃　explained
Malvina；　〃was　never　known。〃

The　twins　were　curious　why　it　should　have　been　〃of　course；〃　but　did
not　like　to　interrupt　again。　　There　were　others　before　and　after。
Most　of　them　the　twins　had　never　heard　of　until　they　came　to
Charlemagne；　beyond　which　Malvina's　reminiscences　appeared　to　fade。

They　had　all　of　them　been　very　courteous　to　her；　and　some　of　them
indeed　quite　charming。　　But　。　。　。

One　gathers　they　had　never　been　to　Malvina　more　than　mere
acquaintances；　such　as　one　passes　the　time　with　while　waitingand
longing。

〃But　you　liked　Sir　Launcelot；〃　urged　Victor。　　He　was　wishful　that
Malvina　should　admire　Sir　Launcelot；　feeling　how　much　there　was　in
common　between　that　early　lamented　knight　and　himself。　　That　little
affair　with　Sir　Bedivere。　　It　was　just　how　he　would　have　behaved
himself。

Ah！　yes；　admitted　Malvina。　　She　had　〃liked〃　him。　　He　was　always　so
so　〃excellent。〃

〃But　he　was　notnone　of　them　were　my　own　people；　my　own　dear
companions。〃　　The　little　cloud　had　settled　down　again。

It　was　Bruno　who　recalled　the　three　of　them　to　the　period　of
contemporary　history。

Polley　the　cowman's　first　duty　in　the　morning　was　to　let　Bruno　loose
for　a　run。　　He　arrived　panting　and　breathless；　and　evidently
offended　at　not　having　been　included　in　the　escapade。　　He　could　have
given　them　both　away　quite　easily　if　he　had　not　been　the　most
forgiving　of　black…and…tan　collies。　　As　it　was；　he　had　been　worrying
himself　crazy　for　the　last　half…hour；　feeling　sure　they　had
forgotten　the　time。　　〃Don't　you　know　it's　nearly　six　o'clock？　　That
in　less　than　half　an　hour　Jane　will　be　knocking　at　your　doors　with
glasses　of　hot　milk；　and　will　probably　drop　them　and　scream　when　she
finds　your　beds　empty　and　the　window　wide　open。〃　　That　is　what　he
had　intended　should　be　his　first　words；　but　on　scenting　Malvina　they
went　from　him　entirely。　　He　gave　her　one　look　and　flopped　down　flat；
wriggling　towards　her；　whining　and　wagging　his　tail　at　the　same
time。　　Malvina　acknowledged　his　homage　by　laughing　and　patting　his
head　with　her　foot；　and　that　sent　him　into　the　seventh　heaven　of
delight。　　They　all　four　descended　the　hill　together　and　parted　at
the　orchard　gate。　　The　twins　expressed　a　polite　but　quite　sincere
hope　that　they　would　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Malvina　again；　but
Malvina；　seized　maybe　with　sudden　doubts　as　to　whether　she　had
behaved　with　discretion；　appears　to　have　replied　evasively。　　Ten
minutes　later　she　was　lying　asleep；　the　golden　head　pillowed　on　the
round　white　arm；　as　Mrs。　Muldoon　on　her　way　down　to　the　kitchen　saw
for　herself。　　And　the　twins；　fortunate　enough　to　find　a　side　door
open；　slipped　into　the　house　unnoticed　and　scrambled　back　into　their
beds。

It　was　quarter　past　nine　when　Mrs。　Arlington　came　in　herself　and
woke　them　up。　　She　was　short…tempered　with　them　both　and　had
evidently　been　crying。　　They　had　their　breakfast　in　the　kitchen。

During　lunch　hardly　a　word　was　spoken。　　And　there　was　no　pudding。
Mr。　Arlington；　a　stout；　florid　gentleman；　had　no　time　for　pudding。
The　rest　might　sit　and　enjoy　it　at　their　leisure；　but　not　so　Mr。
Arlington。　　Somebody　had　to　see　to　thingsthat　is；　if　they　were　not
to　be　allowed　to　go　to　rack　and　ruin。　　If　other　people　could　not　be
relied　upon　to　do　their　duty；　so　that　everything　inside　the　house
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　persuas