登陆注册
32365000000016

第16章 HOW IT WAS TOLD TO MRS. MARIGOLD.(2)

"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 ****** amends for--well, 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 watch--there was just light enough for her to see it--she 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 (this was on Saturday). Just what was wanted. Not perhaps for a permanency; and, of course, there were drawbacks. The strenuous life--seeing 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.

同类推荐
  • The Green Mummy

    The Green Mummy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 文房四谱

    文房四谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Massacre at Paris

    Massacre at Paris

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 蒙求

    蒙求

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 理惑论

    理惑论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 小羊不好惹

    小羊不好惹

    他用千年灵力和邪神打赌,只为救爱人一命。可为什么,他还是只能眼睁睁看着爱人死去?既然这个世界容不下他和他的爱人,那,就把这个世界毁灭好了!言情小说,言情小说,言情小说。修炼升级不是主流,打架也不是主流。
  • 异界东方龙

    异界东方龙

    一颗附着龙神残破灵魂的龙珠,一个在一次战斗中牺牲的特种战士,神秘而古老的六界功法,终将制造出怎样的新一代龙神。这一切的一切都将发生在一个奇异的异界之上,这里有着一种奇异的职业,这不是法师也不是战士,他们是这个世界的主宰,一群拥有人类和魔兽的双重灵魂,拥有法师的魔法战士的武技还能变化成魔兽的强大存在,他们就是兽魂战士,这奇异的世界主角又将上演怎样的传奇
  • 黄子韬TAO爱恋

    黄子韬TAO爱恋

    EXO十二只的故事,在一位小女孩的生活里出现,他们和这位小女孩会擦出什么样的火花呢?
  • 穿越之王妃是神棍

    穿越之王妃是神棍

    为了救人,她捉鬼之时意外魂穿异世,成为可怜兮兮的没身世的小孤女。不过没关系,她能力非凡,乃天师界有名的金手指。“洛大师,您捉鬼的能力如何?”“无人能及。”“那助人姻缘的手段怎样?”“放心,逢劝必分!”“。。。。”此文全靠胡扯,不喜者甚入,年代架空,强迫者请绕道而行。
  • 万能吸取

    万能吸取

    回老家的一次意外,吴限获得了一枚可以通往其他世界的戒指,戒指被自己吸取成了自己的超能力,不仅能吸取万物强化自身,还可以获得其拥有的能力,两个世界也慢慢揭开了神秘的面纱。
  • 锦绣医妃之庶女不善

    锦绣医妃之庶女不善

    她是现代唐门医药圣手,穿越架空异世,既是南宫王府的庶出四小姐,人人避讳的天煞孤星。又是一路上救死扶伤口碑极好的医仙之徒,更是王府唯一一个与美貌沾不上边无德无才的女儿。人善被人欺,别以为她沉默久了,就是个好欺负的茬。伪善的姐妹,薄凉的父亲,咄咄逼人的嫡母,这帐得一个个来算。他是人人敬畏的战神王爷,传闻陌王爷貌美骁战,不近女色,却有有断袖之癖。可是,明明是断袖,她怎么就怀孕了呢?“妹妹,对不起,我不是故意要抢你的心上人。”貌若天仙的大姐楚楚可怜,手却炫耀似紧紧挽着男人的手。赵晋看着眼前神色不明的少女面带歉意,“绯月,是我对不起你。可你要是真心对我,就该放手。”本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 坚守一生

    坚守一生

    福州刚刚解放的时候,打入国军内部的地下党爱上了国军司令官的女儿。就在这个时候,国军败退金门岛,那个地下党也奉命前往厦门就职,虽然厦门与金门岛只有一步之遥,可是他们俩切不能相见,更不知道对方过的好不好;但双方都不离不弃的爱着对方,直到永远。
  • 晨抿曙光

    晨抿曙光

    他是无节操,无下限,三观尽毁,撒赖队出身的新人帅气小主播——励珉。他是跟伪娘一样,天天穿女装,长着一副妖娆女人脸的反串艺人——许晨。一个小主播,一个艺人,两人将擦出怎样的火花,请大家收看《晨珉曙光》,了解YY中当个主播是否轻松!玩过YY的童鞋要出来冒个泡!!!哎,来拉人的~(≧▽≦)/~
  • 棉花糖与彩虹糖

    棉花糖与彩虹糖

    如果生活不够甜,如果爱情不够甜,那就来吃糖。我把梦里的颜色堆到这里,用一篇篇短篇给自己织就一张温柔的网。兜住所有悲伤、难过。第一篇:彩虹糖此后如竟没有炬火,你便是唯一的光。
  • 从现在开始当男神

    从现在开始当男神

    这是一个骚破天际的故事,平行世界,妖兽群起,麒麟,凤凰等传说中的生物纷纷现世。本没有觉醒神子系统的林轩偶得酷帅系统,且看林轩如何一枝独秀。林轩:“以前,我是个好人,直到……”