malvina of brittany-第7章

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mean；　in　the　way　of　a　frock　of　any　sort。〃

Malvina；　with　a　smile；　gave　a　little　gesture。　　It　implied　that　all
there　was　of　her　and　hers　stood　before　him。

〃We　shall　have　to　find　you　something；〃　said　the　Professor。
〃Something　in　which　you　can　go　about〃

The　Professor　had　intended　to　say　〃our　world；〃　but　hesitated；　not
feeling　positive　at　the　moment　to　which　he　himself　belonged；
Malvina's　or　Mrs。　Muldoon's。　　So　he　made　it　〃the〃　world　instead。
Another　gesture　conveyed　to　him　that　Malvina　was　entirely　in　his
hands。

〃What　really　have　you　got　on？〃　asked　the　Professor。　　〃I　mean
underneath。　　Is　it　anything　possiblefor　a　day　or　two？〃

Now　Commander　Raffleton；　for　some　reason　of　his　own　not　at　all　clear
to　Malvina；　had　forbidden　the　taking　off　of　the　coat。　　But　had　said
nothing　about　undoing　it。　　So　by　way　of　response　Malvina　undid　it。

Upon　which　the　Professor；　to　Malvina's　surprise；　acted　precisely　as
Commander　Raffleton　had　done。　　That　is　to　say；　he　hastily　re…closed
the　coat；　returning　the　buttons　to　their　buttonholes。

The　fear　may　have　come　to　Malvina　that　she　was　doomed　never　to　be
rid　of　Commander　Raffleton's　coat。

〃I　wonder；〃　mused　the　Professor；　〃if　anyone　in　the　village〃　　The
little　serving　maid　flittering　among　the　gooseberry　bushesshe　was
pretending　to　be　gathering　goose…berriescaught　the　Professor's
eye。

〃We　will　consult　my　chatelaine；　Mrs。　Muldoon；〃　suggested　the
Professor。　　〃I　think　we　shall　be　able　to　manage。〃

The　Professor　tendered　Malvina　his　arm。　　With　her　other　hand　she
gathered　up　the　skirts　of　the　Commander's　coat。

〃I　think；〃　said　the　Professor　with　a　sudden　inspiration　as　they
passed　through　the　garden；　〃I　think　I　shall　explain　to　Mrs。　Muldoon
that　you　have　just　come　straight　from　a　fancy…dress　ball。〃

They　found　Mrs。　Muldoon　in　the　kitchen。　　A　less　convincing　story
than　that　by　which　the　Professor　sought　to　account　to　Mrs。　Muldoon
for　the　how　and　the　why　of　Malvina　it　would　be　impossible　to
imagine。　　Mrs。　Muldoon　out　of　sheer　kindness　appears　to　have　cut　him
short。

〃I'll　not　be　asking　ye　any　questions；〃　said　Mrs。　Muldoon；　〃so
there'll　be　no　need　for　ye　to　imperil　your　immortal　soul。　　If　ye'll
just　give　a　thought　to　your　own　appearance　and　leave　the　colleen　to
me　and　Drusilla；　we'll　make　her　maybe　a　bit　dacent。

The　reference　to　his　own　appearance　disconcerted　the　Professor。　　He
had　not　anticipated；　when　hastening　into　his　dressing　gown　and
slippers　and　not　bothering　about　his　socks；　that　he　was　on　his　way
to　meet　the　chief　lady…in…waiting　of　Queen　Harbundia。　　Demanding
that　shaving　water　should　be　immediately　sent　up　to　him；　he　appears
to　have　retired　into　the　bathroom。

It　was　while　he　was　shaving　that　Mrs。　Muldoon；　knocking　at　the　door；
demanded　to　speak　to　him。　　From　her　tone　the　Professor　came　to　the
conclusion　that　the　house　was　on　fire。　　He　opened　the　door；　and　Mrs。
Muldoon；　seeing　he　was　respectable；　slipped　in　and　closed　it　behind
her。

〃Where　did　ye　find　her？　　How　did　she　get　here？〃　demanded　Mrs。
Muldoon。　　Never　before　had　the　Professor　seen　Mrs。　Muldoon　other
than　a　placid；　good…humoured　body。　　She　was　trembling　from　head　to
foot。

〃I　told　you；〃　explained　the　Professor。　　〃Young　Arthur〃

〃I'm　not　asking　ye　what　ye　told　me；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Muldoon。　　〃I'm
asking　ye　for　the　truth；　if　ye　know　it。〃

The　Professor　put　a　chair　for　Mrs。　Muldoon；　and　Mrs。　Muldoon　dropped
down　upon　it。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　questioned　the　Professor。　　〃What's　happened？〃

Mrs。　Muldoon　glanced　round　her；　and　her　voice　was　an　hysterical
whisper。

〃It's　no　mortal　woman　ye've　brought　into　the　house；〃　said　Mrs。
Muldoon。　　〃It's　a　fairy。〃

Whether　up　to　that　moment　the　Professor　had　really　believed
Malvina's　story；　or　whether　lurking　at　the　back　of　his　mind　there
had　all　along　been　an　innate　conviction　that　the　thing　was　absurd；
the　Professor　himself　is　now　unable　to　say。　　To　the　front　of　the
Professor　lay　Oxfordpolitical　economy；　the　higher　criticism；　the
rise　and　progress　of　rationalism。　　Behind　him；　fading　away　into
the　dim　horizon　of　humanity；　lay　an　unmapped　land　where　for　forty
years　he　had　loved　to　wander；　a　spirit…haunted　land　of　buried
mysteries；　lost　pathways；　leading　unto　hidden　gates　of　knowledge。

And　now　upon　the　trembling　balance　descended　Mrs。　Muldoon　plump。

〃How　do　you　know？〃　demanded　the　Professor。

〃Shure；　don't　I　know　the　mark？〃　replied　Mrs。　Muldoon　almost
contemptuously。　　〃Wasn't　my　own　sister's　child　stolen　away　the　very
day　of　its　birth　and　in　its　place〃

The　little　serving　maid　tapped　at　the　door。

Mademoiselle　was　〃finished。〃　　What　was　to　be　done　with　her？

〃Don't　ask　me；〃　protested　Mrs。　Muldoon；　still　in　a　terrified
whisper。　　〃I　couldn't　do　it。　　Not　if　all　the　saints　were　to　go　down
upon　their　knees　and　pray　to　me。〃

Common…sense　argument　would　not　have　prevailed　with　Mrs。　Muldoon。
The　Professor　felt　that；　added　to　which　he　had　not　any　handy。　　He
directed；　through　the　door；　that　〃Mademoiselle〃　should　be　shown　into
the　dining…room；　and　listened　till　Drusilla's　footsteps　had　died
away。

〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　the　White　Ladies？〃　whispered　the　Professor
to　Mrs。　Muldoon。

There　was　not　much　in　the　fairy　line；　one　takes　it；　that　Mrs。
Muldoon　had　not　heard　of　and　believed。　　Was　the　Professor　sure？

The　Professor　gave　Mrs。　Muldoon　his　word　of　honour　as　a　gentleman。
The　〃White　Ladies；〃　as　Mrs。　Muldoon　was　of　course　aware；　belonged　to
the　〃good　people。〃　　Provided　nobody　offended　her　there　was　nothing
to　fear。

〃Shure；　it　won't　be　meself　that'll　cross　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Muldoon。

〃She　won't　be　staying　very　long；〃　added　the　Professor。　　〃We　will
just　be　nice　to　her。〃

〃She's　got　a　kind　face；〃　admitted　Mrs。　Muldoon；　〃and　a　pleasant　way
with　her。〃　　The　good　body's　spirits　were　perceptibly　rising。　　The
favour　of　a　〃White　Lady〃　might　be　worth　cultivating。

〃We　must　make　a　friend　of　her；〃　urged　the　Professor；　seizing　his
opportunity。

〃And　mind；〃　whispered　the　Professor　as　he　opened　the　door　for　Mrs。
Muldoon　to　slip　out；　〃not　a　word。　　She　doesn't　want　it　known。〃

One　is　convinced　that　Mrs。　Muldoon　left　the　bathroom　resolved　that；
so　far　as　she　could　help　it；　no　breath　of　suspicion　that　Malvina　was
other　than　what　in　Drusilla's　holiday　frock　she　would　appear　to　be
should　escape　into　the　village。　　It　was　quite　a　pleasant　little
frock　of　a　summery　character；　with　short　sleeves　and　loose　about　the
neck；　and　fitted　Malvina；　in　every　sense；　much　better　than　the　most
elaborate　confection　would　have　done。　　The　boots　were　not　so
successful。　　Malvina　solved　the　problem　by　leaving　them　behind　her；
together　with　the　stockings；　whenever　she　went　out。　　That　she　knew
this　was　wrong　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　invariably　she　tried　to
hide　them。　　They　would　be　found　in　the　most　unlikely　places；　hidden
behind　books　in　the　Professor's　study；　crammed　into　empty　tea
canisters　in　Mrs。　Muldoon's　storeroom。　　Mrs。　Muldoon　was　not　to　be
persuaded　even　to　abstract　them。　　The　canister　with　its　contents
would　be　placed　in　silence　upon　the　Professor's　table。　　Malvina　on
returning　would　be　confronted　by　a　pair　of　stern；　unsympathetic
boots。　　The　corners　of　the　fairy　mouth　would　droop　in　lines
suggestive　of　penitence　and　contrition。

Had　the　Professor　been　firm　she　would　have　yielded。　　But　from　the
black　accusing　boots　the　Professor　could　not　keep　his　eyes　from
wandering　to　the　guilty　white　feet；　and　at　once　in　his　heart
becoming　〃counsel　for　the　defence。〃　　Must　get　a　pair　of　sandals　next
time　he　went　to　Oxford。　　Anyhow；　something　more　dainty　than　those
grim；　uncompromising　boots。

Besides；　it　was　not　often　that　Malvina　ventured　beyond　the　orchard。
At　least　not　during　the　day　timeperhaps　one　ought　to　say　not
during　that　part　of　the　day　time　when　the　village　was　astir。　　For
Malvina　appears　to　have　been　an　early　riser。　　Somewhere　about　the
middle　of　the　night；　as　any　Christian　body　would　have　timed　it；　Mrs。
Muldoonwaking　and　sleeping　during　this　period　in　a　state　of　high
nervous　tensionwould　hear　the　sound　of　a　softly　opened　door；
peeping　from　a　raised　corner　of　the　blind；　would　catch　a　glimpse　of
fluttering　garments　that　seemed　to　melt　into　the　dawn；　would　hear
coming　fainter　and　fainter