malvina of brittany-第4章
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spare coat。 Malvina being five feet three； and the coat having been
built for a man of six feet one； the effect under ordinary
circumstances would have been comic。 What finally convinced
Commander Raffleton that Malvina really was a fairy was that； in
that coat； with the collar standing up some six inches above her
head； she looked more like one than ever。
Neither of them spoke。 Somehow it did not seem to be needed。 He
helped her to climb into her seat and tucked the coat about her
feet。 She answered by the same smile with which she had first
stretched out her hand to him。 It was just a smile of endless
content； as if all her troubles were now over。 Commander Raffleton
sincerely hoped they were。 A momentary flash of intelligence
suggested to him that his were just beginning。
Commander Raffleton's subconscious self it must have been that took
charge of the machine。 He seems； keeping a few miles inland； to
have followed the line of the coast to a little south of the Hague
lighthouse。 Thereabouts he remembers descending for the purpose of
replenishing his tank。 Not having anticipated a passenger； he had
filled up before starting with a spare supply of petrol； an incident
that was fortunate。 Malvina appears to have been interested in
watching what she probably regarded as some novel breed of dragon
being nourished from tins extricated from under her feet； but to
have accepted this； together with all other details of the flight；
as in the natural scheme of things。 The monster refreshed； tugged；
spurned the ground； and rose again with a roar； and the creeping sea
rushed down。
One has the notion that for Flight Commander Raffleton； as for the
rest of us； there lies in wait to test the heart of him the ugly and
the commonplace。 So large a portion of the years will be for him a
business of mean hopes and fears； of sordid struggle； of low cares
and vulgar fret。 But also one has the conviction that there will
always remain with him； to make life wonderful； the memory of that
night when； godlike； he rode upon the winds of heaven crowned with
the glory of the world's desire。 Now and again he turned his head
to look at her； and still； as ever； her eyes answered him with that
strange deep content that seemed to wrap them both around as with a
garment of immortality。 One gathers dimly something of what he felt
from the look that would unconsciously come into his eyes when
speaking of that enchanted journey； from the sudden dumbness with
which the commonplace words would die away upon his lips。 Well for
him that his lesser self kept firm hold upon the wheel or maybe a
few broken spars； tossing upon the waves； would have been all that
was left to tell of a promising young aviator who； on a summer night
of June； had thought he could reach the stars。
Half…way across the dawn came flaming up over the Needles； and later
there stole from east to west a long； low line of mist…enshrouded
land。 One by one headland and cliff； flashing with gold； rose out
of the sea； and the white…winged gulls flew out to meet them。
Almost he expected them to turn into spirits； circling round Malvina
with cries of welcome。
Nearer and nearer they drew； while gradually the mist rose upward as
the moonlight grew fainter。 And all at once the sweep of the Chesil
Bank stood out before them； with Weymouth sheltering behind it。
It may have been the bathing…machines； or the gasometer beyond the
railway station； or the flag above the Royal Hotel。 The curtains of
the night fell suddenly away from him。 The workaday world came
knocking at the door。
He looked at his watch。 It was a little after four。 He had wired
them at the camp to expect him in the morning。 They would be
looking out for him。 By continuing his course he and Malvina could
be there about breakfast…time。 He could introduce her to the
colonel： 〃Allow me； Colonel Goodyer； the fairy Malvina。〃 It was
either that or dropping Malvina somewhere between Weymouth and
Farnborough。 He decided； without much consideration； that this
latter course would be preferable。 But where？ What was he to do
with her？ There was Aunt Emily。 Hadn't she said something about
wanting a French governess for Georgina？ True； Malvina's French was
a trifle old…fashioned in form； but her accent was charming。 And as
for salary… There presented itself the thought of Uncle Felix and
the three elder boys。 Instinctively he felt that Malvina would not
be Aunt Emily's idea。 His father； had the dear old gentleman been
alive； would have been a safe refuge。 They had always understood
one another； he and his father。 But his mother！ He was not at all
sure。 He visualised the scene： the drawing…room at Chester
Terrace。 His mother's soft； rustling entrance。 Her affectionate
but well…bred greeting。 And then the disconcerting silence with
which she would await his explanation of Malvina。 The fact that she
was a fairy he would probably omit to mention。 Faced by his
mother's gold…rimmed pince…nez； he did not see himself insisting
upon that detail： 〃A young lady I happened to find asleep on a moor
in Brittany。 And seeing it was a fine night； and there being just
room in the machine。 And sheI mean Iwell； here we are。〃 There
would follow such a painful silence； and then the raising of the
delicately arched eyebrows： 〃You mean； my dear lad； that you have
allowed this〃there would be a slight hesitation here〃this young
person to leave her home； her people； her friends and relations in
Brittany； in order to attach herself to you。 May I ask in what
capacity？〃
For that was precisely how it would look； and not only to his
mother。 Suppose by a miracle it really represented the facts。
Suppose that； in spite of the overwhelming evidence in her
favourof the night and the moon and the stars； and the feeling
that had come to him from the moment he had kissed hersuppose
that； in spite of all this； it turned out that she wasn't a fairy。
Suppose that suggestion of vulgar Common Sense； that she was just a
little minx that had run away from home； had really hit the mark。
Suppose inquiries were already on foot。 A hundred horse…power
aeroplane does not go about unnoticed。 Wasn't there a law about
this sort of thingsomething about 〃decoying〃 and 〃young girls〃？
He hadn't 〃decoyed〃 her。 If anything； it was the other way about。
But would her consent be a valid defence？ How old was she？ That
would be the question。 In reality he supposed about a thousand
years or so。 Possibly more。 Unfortunately； she didn't look it。 A
coldly suspicious magistrate would probably consider sixteen a much
better guess。 Quite possibly he was going to get into a devil of a
mess over this business。 He cast a glance behind him。 Malvina
responded with her changeless smile of ineffable content。 For the
first time it caused him a distinct feeling of irritation。
They were almost over Weymouth by this time。 He could read plainly
the advertisement posters outside the cinema theatre facing the
esplanade： 〃Wilkins and the Mermaid。 Comic Drama。〃 There was a
picture of the lady combing her hair； also of Wilkins； a stoutish
gentleman in striped bathing costume。
That mad impulse that had come to him with the first breath of dawn；
to shake the dwindling world from his pinions； to plunge upward
towards the stars never to returnhe wished to Heaven he had
yielded to it。
And then suddenly there leapt to him the thought of Cousin
Christopher。
Dear old Cousin Christopher； fifty…eight and a bachelor。 Why had it
not occurred to him before？ Out of the sky there appeared to
Commander Raffleton the vision of 〃Cousin Christopher〃 as a plump；
rubicund angel in a panama hat and a pepper…and…salt tweed suit
holding out a lifebelt。 Cousin Christopher would take to Malvina as
some motherly hen to an orphaned duckling。 A fairy discovered
asleep beside one of the ancient menhirs of Brittany。 His only fear
would be that you might want to take her away before he had written
a paper about her。 He would be down from Oxford at his cottage。
Commander Raffleton could not for the moment remember the name of
the village。 It would come to him。
