malvina of brittany-第25章
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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
coffee。
〃Ah； yes！ You'd all like some coffee； wouldn't you？〃 says Mr。
Parable。 Miss Bulstrode did not reply； but Mr。 Quincey said he was
cold and would like it。 It was a nasty night； with a thin rain。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 says cook； and we went out together。
Cottages are only cottages； and if people in the parlour persist in
talking loudly； people in the kitchen can't very well help
overhearing。
There was a good deal of talk about 〃fourteen days；〃 which Mr。
Parable said he was going to do himself； and which Miss Dorton said
he mustn't； because； if he did； it would be a victory for the
enemies of humanity。 Mr。 Parable said something about 〃humanity；〃
which I didn't rightly hear； but； whatever it was； it started Miss
Dorton crying； and Miss Bulstrode called Mr。 Parable a 〃blind
Samson；〃 who had had his hair cut by a designing minx who had been
hired to do it。
It was all French to me； but cook was drinking in every word； and
when she returned from taking them in their coffee she made no bones
about it； but took up her place at the door with her ear to the
keyhole。
It was Mr。 Quincey who got them all quiet； and then he began to
explain things。 It seemed that if they could only find a certain
gentleman and persuade him to come forward and acknowledge that he
began a row； that then all would be well。 Mr。 Quincey would be
fined forty shillings； and Mr。 Parable's name would never appear。
Failing that； Mr。 Parable； according to Mr。 Quincey； could do his
fourteen days himself。
〃I've told you once；〃 says Mr。 Parable； 〃and I tell you again； that
I don't know the man's name； and can't give it you。〃
〃We are not asking you to；〃 says Mr。 Quincey。 〃You give us the name
of your tango partner； and we'll do the rest。〃
I could see cook's face； I had got a bit interested myself； and we
were both close to the door。 She hardly seemed to be breathing。
〃I am sorry；〃 says Mr。 Parable； speaking very deliberate…like； 〃but
I am not going to have her name dragged into this business。〃
〃It wouldn't be；〃 says Mr。 Quincey。 〃All we want to get out of her
is the name and address of the gentleman who was so anxious to see
her home。〃
〃Who was he？〃 says Miss Bulstrode。 〃Her husband？〃
〃No；〃 says Mr。 Parable； 〃he wasn't。〃
〃Then who was he？〃 says Miss Bulstrode。 〃He must have been
something to herfiance？〃
〃I am going to do the fourteen days myself；〃 says Mr。 Parable。 〃I
shall come out all the fresher after a fortnight's complete rest and
change。〃
Cook leaves the door with a smile on her face that made her look
quite beautiful； and； taking some paper from the dresser drawer；
began to write a letter。
They went on talking in the other room for another ten minutes； and
then Mr。 Parable lets them out himself； and goes a little way with
them。 When he came back we could hear him walking up and down the
other room。
She had written and stamped the envelope； it was lying on the table。
〃'Joseph Onions； Esq。；'〃 I says； reading the address。 〃'Auctioneer
and House Agent； Broadway； Hammersmith。' Is that the young man？〃
〃That is the young man；〃 she says； folding her letter and putting it
in the envelope。
〃And was he your fiance？〃 I asked。
〃No；〃 she says。 〃But he will be if he does what I'm telling him to
do。〃
〃And what about Mr。 Parable？〃 I says。
〃A little joke that will amuse him later on；〃 she says； slipping a
cloak on her shoulders。 〃How once he nearly married his cook。〃
〃I shan't be a minute；〃 she says。 And； with the letter in her hand；
she slips out。
Mrs。 Meadows； we understand； has expressed indignation at our
publication of this interview； she being under the impression that
she was simply having a friendly gossip with a neighbour。 Our
representative； however； is sure he explained to Mrs。 Meadows that
his visit was official； and； in any case； our duty to the public
must be held to exonerate us from all blame in the matter。
* * *
Mr。 Joseph Onions； of the Broadway； Hammersmith； auctioneer and
house agent； expressed himself to our representative as most
surprised at the turn that events had subsequently taken。 The
letter that Mr。 Onions received from Miss Comfort Price was explicit
and definite。 It was to the effect that if he would call upon a
certain Mr。 Quincey； of Harcourt Buildings； Temple； and acknowledge
that it was he who began the row at the Earl's Court Exhibition on
the evening of the twenty…seventh； that then the engagement between
himself and Miss Price； hitherto unacknowledged by the lady； might
be regarded as a fact。
Mr。 Onions； who describes himself as essentially a business man；
decided before complying with Miss Price's request to take a few
preliminary steps。 As the result of judiciously conducted
inquiries； first at the Vine Street Police Station； and secondly at
Twickenham； Mr。 Onions arrived later in the day at Mr。 Quincey's
chambers； with； to use his own expression； all the cards in his
hand。 It was Mr。 Quincey who； professing himself unable to comply
with Mr。 Onion's suggestion； arranged the interview with Miss
Bulstrode。 And it was Miss Bulstrode herself who； on condition that
Mr。 Onions added to the undertaking the further condition that he
would marry Miss Price before the end of the month； offered to make
it two hundred。 It was in their joint interestMr。 Onions
regarding himself and Miss Price as now onethat Mr。 Onions
suggested her making it three； using such arguments as； under the
circumstances； naturally occurred to himas； for example； the
damage caused to the lady's reputation by the whole proceedings；
culminating in a night spent by the lady； according to her own
account； on Ham Common。 That the price demanded was reasonable Mr。
Onions considers as proved by Miss Bulstrode's eventual acceptance
of his terms。 That； having got out of him all that he wanted； Mr。
Quincey should have 〃considered it his duty〃 to communicate the
entire details of the transaction to Miss Price； through the medium
of Mr。 Andrews； thinking it 〃as well she should know the character
of the man she proposed to marry；〃 Mr。 Onions considers a gross
breach of etiquette as between gentlemen； and having regard to Miss
Price's after behaviour； Mr。 Onions can only say that she is not the
girl he took her for。
Mr。 Aaron Andrews； on whom our representative called； was desirous
at first of not being drawn into the matter； but on our
representative explaining to him that our only desire was to
contradict false rumours likely to be harmful to Mr。 Parable's
reputation； Mr。 Andrews saw the necessity of putting our
representative in possession of the truth。
She came back on Tuesday afternoon； explained Mr。 Andrews； and I had
a talk with her。
〃It is all right； Mr。 Andrews；〃 she told me； 〃they've been in
communication with my young man； and Miss Bulstrode has seen the
magistrate privately。 The case will be dismissed with a fine of
forty shillings； and Mr。 Quincey has arranged to keep it out of the
papers。〃
〃Well； all's well that ends well；〃 I answered； 〃but it might have
been better； my girl； if you had mentioned that young man of yours a
bit earlier。〃
〃I did not know it was of any importance；〃 she explained。 〃Mr。
Parable told me nothing。 If it hadn't been for chance； I should
never have known what was happening。〃
I had always liked the young woman。 Mr。 Quincey had suggested my
waiting till after Wednesday。 But there seemed to me no particular
object in delay。
〃Are you fond of him？〃 I asked her。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃I am fonder than〃 And then she stopped
herself suddenly and flared scarlet。 〃Who are you talking about？〃
she demanded。
〃This young man of yours；〃 I said。 〃Mr。What's his nameOnions？〃
〃Oh； that？〃 she answered。 〃Oh； yes； he's all right。〃
〃And if he wasn't？〃 I said； and she looked at me hard。
〃I told him；〃 she said； 〃that if he would do what I asked him to do；
I'd marry him。 And he seems to have done it。〃
〃There are ways of doing everything；〃 I said； and； seeing it wa
