beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第20章
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young people； that Irene had the artistic temperament highly developed；
and that Viola was something or other else of a mould equally
commonplace among children of that class and type in the twentieth
century。
〃I wish them not only to be TAUGHT；〃 said Mrs。 Quabarl； 〃but
INTERESTED in what they learn。 In their history lessons； for instance；
you must try to make them feel that they are being introduced to the life…
stories of men and women who really lived； not merely committing a
mass of names and dates to memory。 French； of course； I shall expect
you to talk at meal…times several days in the week。〃
〃I shall talk French four days of the week and Russian in the
remaining three。〃
〃Russian？ My dear Miss Hope； no one in the house speaks or
understands Russian。〃
〃That will not embarrass me in the least；〃 said Lady Carlotta coldly。
Mrs。 Quabarl； to use a colloquial expression； was knocked off her
perch。 She was one of those imperfectly self…assured individuals who
are magnificent and autocratic as long as they are not seriously opposed。
The least show of unexpected resistance goes a long way towards
rendering them cowed and apologetic。 When the new governess failed
to express wondering admiration of the large newly…purchased and
expensive car； and lightly alluded to the superior advantages of one or
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two makes which had just been put on the market； the discomfiture of
her patroness became almost abject。 Her feelings were those which
might have animated a general of ancient warfaring days； on beholding
his heaviest battle…elephant ignominiously driven off the field by
slingers and javelin throwers。
At dinner that evening； although reinforced by her husband； who
usually duplicated her opinions and lent her moral support generally；
Mrs。 Quabarl regained none of her lost ground。 The governess not only
helped herself well and truly to wine； but held forth with considerable
show of critical knowledge on various vintage matters； concerning
which the Quabarls were in no wise able to pose as authorities。
Previous governesses had limited their conversation on the wine topic to
a respectful and doubtless sincere expression of a preference for water。
When this one went as far as to recommend a wine firm in whose hands
you could not go very far wrong Mrs。 Quabarl thought it time to turn the
conversation into more usual channels。
〃We got very satisfactory references about you from Canon Teep；〃
she observed； 〃a very estimable man； I should think。〃
〃Drinks like a fish and beats his wife； otherwise a very lovable
character；〃 said the governess imperturbably。
〃MY DEAR Miss Hope！ I trust you are exaggerating；〃 exclaimed
the Quabarls in unison。
〃One must in justice admit that there is some provocation；〃
continued the romancer。 〃Mrs。 Teep is quite the most irritating bridge…
player that I have ever sat down with； her leads and declarations would
condone a certain amount of brutality in her partner； but to souse her
with the contents of the only soda…water syphon in the house on a
Sunday afternoon； when one couldn't get another； argues an indifference
to the comfort of others which I cannot altogether overlook。 You may
think me hasty in my judgments； but it was practically on account of
the syphon incident that I left。〃
〃We will talk of this some other time；〃 said Mrs。 Quabarl hastily。
〃I shall never allude to it again；〃 said the governess with decision。
Mr。 Quabarl made a welcome diversion by asking what studies the
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new instructress proposed to inaugurate on the morrow。
〃History to begin with；〃 she informed him。
〃Ah； history；〃 he observed sagely； 〃now in teaching them history you
must take care to interest them in what they learn。 You must make
them feel that they are being introduced to the life…stories of men and
women who really lived … 〃
〃I've told her all that；〃 interposed Mrs。 Quabarl。
〃I teach history on the Schartz…Metterklume method；〃 said the
governess loftily。
〃Ah； yes；〃 said her listeners； thinking it expedient to assume an
acquaintance at least with the name。
* * * *
〃What are you children doing out here？〃 demanded Mrs。 Quabarl
the next morning； on finding Irene sitting rather glumly at the head of
the stairs； while her sister was perched in an attitude of depressed
discomfort on the window…seat behind her； with a wolf…skin rug almost
covering her。
〃We are having a history lesson；〃 came the unexpected reply。 〃I am
supposed to be Rome； and Viola up there is the she…wolf； not a real wolf；
but the figure of one that the Romans used to set store by … I forget
why。 Claude and Wilfrid have gone to fetch the shabby women。〃
〃The shabby women？〃
〃Yes； they've got to carry them off。 They didn't want to； but Miss
Hope got one of father's fives…bats and said she'd give them a number
nine spanking if they didn't； so they've gone to do it。〃
A loud； angry screaming from the direction of the lawn drew Mrs。
Quabarl thither in hot haste； fearful lest the threatened castigation might
even now be in process of infliction。 The outcry； however； came
principally from the two small daughters of the lodge…keeper； who
were being hauled and pushed towards the house by the panting and
dishevelled Claude and Wilfrid； whose task was rendered even more
arduous by the incessant； if not very effectual； attacks of the captured
maidens' small brother。 The governess； fives…bat in hand； sat
negligently on the stone balustrade； presiding over the scene with the
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cold impartiality of a Goddess of Battles。 A furious and repeated chorus
of 〃I'll tell muvver〃 rose from the lodge…children； but the lodge…mother；
who was hard of hearing； was for the moment immersed in the
preoccupation of her washtub。
After an apprehensive glance in the direction of the lodge （the good
woman was gifted with the highly militant temper which is sometimes
the privilege of deafness） Mrs。 Quabarl flew indignantly to the rescue of
the struggling captives。
〃Wilfrid！
