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！
neglected。
〃Teresa；〃 she exclaimed impressively； 〃after those
two young people have been thrown together so
dramatically； nothing can be quite the same again between
them。 Bertie has done more than save Dora's life； he has
earned her affection。 One cannot help feeling that Fate
has consecrated them for one another。〃
〃Exactly what the vicar's wife said when Bertie
saved Sybil from the elk a year or two ago；〃 observed
Teresa placidly； 〃I pointed out to her that he had
rescued Mirabel Hicks from the same predicement a few
months previously； and that priority really belonged to
the gardener's boy； who had been rescued in the January
of that year。 There is a good deal of sameness in
country life； you know。〃
〃It seems to be a very dangerous animal；〃 said one
of the guests。
〃That's what the mother of the gardener's boy said；〃
remarked Teresa； 〃she wanted me to have it destroyed； but
I pointed out to her that she had eleven children and I
had only one elk。 I also gave her a black silk skirt；
she said that though there hadn't been a funeral in her
family she felt as if there had been。 Anyhow； we parted
friends。 I can't offer you a silk skirt； Emily； but you
may have another cup of tea。 As I have already remarked；
there are muffins in the grate。〃
Teresa dosed the discussion； having deftly conveyed
the impression that she considered the mother of the
gardener's boy had shown a far more reasonable spirit
than the parents of other elk…assaulted victims。
〃Teresa is devoid of feeling；〃 said Mrs。 Yonelet
afterwards to the vicar's wife； 〃to sit there； talking of
muffins； with an appalling tragedy only narrowly averted
… 〃
〃Of course you know whom she really intends Bertie
to marry？〃 asked the vicar's wife； 〃I've noticed it for
some time。 The Bickelbys' German governess。〃
〃A German governess！ What an idea！〃 gasped Mrs。
Yonelet。
〃She's of quite good family； I believe；〃 said the
vicar's wife； 〃and not at all the mouse…in…the…back…
ground sort of person that governesses are usually
supposed to be。 In fact； next to Teresa； she's about the
most assertive and combative personality in the
neighbourhood。 She's pointed out to my husband all sorts
of errors in his sermons； and she gave Sir Laurence a
public lecture on how he ought to handle the hounds。 You
know how sensitive Sir Laurence is about any criticism of
his Mastership； and to have a governess laying down the
law to him nearly drove him into a fit。 She's behaved
like that to every one； except； of course； Teresa； and
every one has been defensively rude to her in return。
The Bickelbys are simply too afraid of her to get rid of
her。 Now isn't that exactly the sort of woman whom
Teresa would take a delight in installing as her
successor？ Imagine the discomfort and awkwardness in the
county if we suddenly found that she was to be the future
hostess at the Hall。 Teresa's only regret will be that
she won't be alive to see it。〃
〃But；〃 objected Mrs。 Yonelet； 〃surely Bertie hasn't
shown the least sign of being attracted in that quarter？〃
〃Oh； she's quite nice…looking in a way； and dresses
well； and plays a good game of tennis。 She often comes
across the park with messages from the Bickelby mansion；
and one of these days Bertie will rescue her from the
elk； which has become almost a habit with him； and Teresa
will say that Fate has consecrated them to one another。
Bertie might not be disposed to pay much attention to the
consecrations of Fate； but he would not dream of opposing
his grandmother。〃
The vicar's wife spoke with the quiet authority of
one who has intuitive knowledge； and in her heart of
hearts Mrs。 Yonelet believed her。
Six months later the elk had to be destroyed。 In a
fit of exceptional moroseness it had killed the
Bickelbys' German governess。 It was an irony of its fate
that it should achieve popularity in the last moments of
its career； at any rate； it established； the record of
being the only living thing that had permanently thwarted
Teresa Thropplestance's plans。
Dora Yonelet broke off her engagement with an Indian
civilian； and married Bertie three months after his
grandmother's death … Teresa did not long survive the
German governess fiasco。 At Christmas time every year
young Mrs。 Thropplestance hangs an extra large festoon of
evergreens on the elk horns that decorate the hall。
〃It was a fearsome beast；〃 she observes to Bertie；
〃but I always feel that it was instrumental in bringing
us together。〃
Which； of course； was true。
〃DOWN PENS〃
〃HAVE you written to thank the Froplinsons for what
they sent us？〃 asked Egbert。
〃No；〃 said Janetta； with a note of tired defiance in
her voice； 〃I've written eleven letters to…day expressing
surprise and gratitude for sundry unmerited gifts； but I
haven't written to the Froplinsons。〃
〃Some one will have to write to them；〃 said Egbert。
〃I don't dispute the necessity； but I don't think
the some one should be me；〃 said Janetta。 〃I wouldn't
mind writing a letter of angry recrimination or heartless
satire to some suitable recipient； in fact； I should
rather enjoy it； but I've come to the end of my capacity
for expressing servile amiability。 Eleven letters to…day
and nine yesterday； all couched in the same strain of
ecstatic thankfulness： really； you can't expect me to sit
down to another。 There is such a thing as writing
oneself out。〃
〃I've written nearly as many；〃 said Egbert； 〃and
I've had my usual business correspondence to get through；
too。 Besides； I don't know what it was that the
Froplinsons sent us。〃
〃A William the Conqueror calendar；〃 said Janetta；
〃with a quotation of one of his great thoughts for every
day in the year。〃
〃Impossible；〃 said Egbert； 〃he didn't have three
hundred and sixty…five thoughts in the whole of his life；
or； if he did； he kept them to himself。 He was a man of
action； not of introspection。〃
〃Well； it was William Wordsworth； then；〃 said
Janetta； 〃I know William came into it somewhere。〃
〃That sounds more probable；〃 said Egbert； 〃well；
let's collaborate on this letter of thanks and get it
done。 I'll dictate； and you can scribble it down。 'Dear
Mrs。 Froplinson … thank you and your husband so much for
the very pretty calendar you sent us。 It was very good
of you to think of us。' 〃
〃You can't possibly say that；〃 said Janetta； laying
down her pen。
〃It's what I always do say； and what every one says
to me；〃 protested Egbert。
〃We sent them something on the twenty…second；〃 said
Janetta； 〃so they simply HAD to think of us。 There was
no getting away from it。〃
〃What did we send them？〃 asked Egbert gloomily。
〃Bridge…markers；〃 said Janetta； 〃in a cardboard
case； with some inanity about 'digging for fortune with a
royal spade' emblazoned on the cover。 The moment I saw
it in the shop I said to myself 'Froplinsons' and to the
attendant 'How much？' When he said 'Ninepence；' I gave
him their address； jabbed our card in； paid tenpence or
elevenpence to cover the postage； and thanked heaven。
With less sincerity and infinitely more trouble they
eventually thanked me。〃
〃The Froplinsons don't play bridge；〃 said Egbert。
〃One is not supposed to notice social deformities of
that sort；〃 said Janetta； 〃it wouldn't be polite。
Besides； what trouble did they take to find out whether
we read Wordsworth with gladness？ For all they knew or
cared we might be frantically embedded in the belief that
all poetry begins and ends with John Masefield； and it
might infuriate or depress us to have a daily sample of
Wordsworthian products flung at us。〃
〃Well； let's get on with the letter of thanks；〃 said
Egbert。
〃Proceed；〃 said Janetta。
〃 'How clever of you to guess that Wordsworth is our
favourite poet；' 〃 dictated Egbert。
Again Janetta laid down her pen。
〃Do you realise what that means？〃 she asked； 〃a
Wordsworth booklet next Christmas； and another calendar
the Christmas after； with the same problem of having to
write suitable letters of thankfulness。 No； the best
thing to do is to drop all further allusion to the
calendar and switch off on to some other topic。〃
〃But what other topic？〃
〃Oh； something like this： 'What do you think of the
New Year Honours List？ A friend of ours made such a
clever remark when he read it。' Then you can stick in
any remark that comes into your head； it needn't be
clever。 The Froplinsons won't know whether it is or
isn't。〃
〃We don't even know on which side they are in
politics；〃 objected Egbert； 〃and anyhow you can't
suddenly dismiss the subject of the calendar。 Surely
there must be some intelligent rem