按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
when one of its most eloquent exponents had been besieged
for nearly three hours in a small and extremely
uncomfortable may…tree by an angry boar…pig； while Lady
Carlotta； on the other side of the fence； had proceeded
with the water…colour sketch she was engaged on； and
refused to interfere between the boar and his prisoner。
It is to be feared that she lost the friendship of the
ultimately rescued lady。 On this occasion she merely
lost the train； which gave way to the first sign of
impatience it had shown throughout the journey； and
steamed off without her。 She bore the desertion with
philosophical indifference； her friends and relations
were thoroughly well used to the fact of her luggage
arriving without her。 She wired a vague non…committal
message to her destination to say that she was coming on
〃by another train。〃 Before she had time to think what
her next move might be she was confronted by an
imposingly attired lady； who seemed to be taking a
prolonged mental inventory of her clothes and looks。
〃You must be Miss Hope； the governess I've come to
meet；〃 said the apparition； in a tone that admitted of
very little argument。
〃Very well； if I must I must；〃 said Lady Carlotta to
herself with dangerous meekness。
〃I am Mrs。 Quabarl；〃 continued the lady； 〃and where；
pray； is your luggage？〃
〃It's gone astray；〃 said the alleged governess；
falling in with the excellent rule of life that the
absent are always to blame； the luggage had； in point of
fact； behaved with perfect correctitude。 〃I've just
telegraphed about it；〃 she added； with a nearer approach
to truth。
〃How provoking；〃 said Mrs。 Quabarl； 〃these railway
companies are so careless。 However； my maid can lend you
things for the night；〃 and she led the way to her car。
During the drive to the Quabarl mansion Lady
Carlotta was impressively introduced to the nature of the
charge that had been thrust upon her； she learned that
Claude and Wilfrid were delicate； sensitive 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 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 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 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！ Claude！ Let those children go at once。
Miss Hope； what on earth is the meaning of this scene？〃
〃Early Roman history； the Sabine Women； don't you
know？ It's the Schartz…Metterklume method to make
children understand history by acting it themselves；
fixes it in their memory； you know。 Of course； if；
thanks to your interference； your boys go through life
thinking that the Sabine women ultimately escaped； I
really cannot be held responsible。〃
〃You may be very clever and modern； Miss Hope；〃 said
Mrs。 Quabarl firmly； 〃but I should like you to leave here
by the next train。 Your luggage will be sent after you
as soon as it arrives。〃