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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。 It was northwest of Newbury。
You crossed Salisbury Plain and made straight for Magdalen Tower。
The Downs reached almost to the orchard gate。 There was a level
stretch of sward nearly half a mile long。 It seemed to Commander
Raffleton that Cousin Christopher had been created and carefully
preserved by Providence for this particular job。
He was no longer the moonstruck youth of the previous night； on whom
phantasy and imagination could play what pranks they chose。 That
part of him the keen； fresh morning air had driven back into its
cell。 He was Commander Raffleton； an eager and alert young engineer
with all his wits about him。 At this point that has to be
remembered。 Descending on a lonely reach of shore he proceeded to
again disturb Malvina for the purpose of extracting tins。 He
expected his passenger would in broad daylight prove to be a pretty；
childish…looking girl； somewhat dishevelled； with； maybe； a tinge of
blue about the nose； the natural result of a three…hours' flight at
fifty miles an hour。 It was with a startling return of his original
sensations when first she had come to life beneath his kiss that he
halted a few feet away and stared at her。 The night was gone； and
the silence。 She stood there facing the sunlight； clad in a
Burberry overcoat half a dozen sizes too large for her。 Beyond her
was a row of bathing…machines； and beyond that again a gasometer。 A
goods train half a mile away was noisily shunting trucks。
And yet the glamour was about her still； something indescribable but
quite palpablesomething out of which she looked at you as from
another world。
He took her proffered hand； and she leapt out lightly。 She was not
in the least dishevelled。 It seemed as if the air must be her
proper element。 She looked about her； interested； but not curious。
Her first thought was for the machine。
〃Poor thing！〃 she said。 〃He must be tired。〃
That faint tremor of fear that had come to him when beneath the
menhir's shadow he had watched the opening of her eyes； returned to
him。 It was not an unpleasant sensation。 Rather it added a
piquancy to their relationship。 But it was distinctly real。 She
watched the feeding of the monster； and then he came again and stood
beside her on the yellow sands。
〃England！〃 he explained with a wave of his hand。 One fancies she
had the impression that it belonged to him。 Graciously she repeated
the name。 And somehow； as it fell from her lips； it conjured up to
Commander Raffleton a land of wonder and romance。
〃I have heard of it；〃 she added。 〃I think I shall like it。〃
He answered that he hoped she would。 He was deadly serious about
it。 He possessed； generally speaking； a sense of humour； but for
the moment this must have deserted him。 He told her he was going to
leave her in the care of a wise and learned man called 〃Cousin
Christopher〃； his description no doubt suggesting to Malvina a
friendly magician。 He himself would have to go away for a little
while； but would return。
It did not seem to matter to Malvina； these minor details。 It was
evidentthe idea in her mindthat he had been appointed to her。
Whether as master or servant it was less easy to conjecture：
probably a mixture of both； with preference towards the latter。
He mentioned again that he would not be away for longer than he
could help。 There was no necessity for this repetition。 She wasn't
doubting it。
Weymouth with its bathing machines and its gasometer faded away。
King Rufus was out a…hunting as they passed over the New Forest； and
from Salisbury Plain； as they looked down； the pixies waved their
hands and laughed。 Later； they heard the clang of the anvil；
telling them they were in the neighbourhood of Wayland Smith's cave；
and so planed down sweetly and without a jar just beyond Cousin
Christopher's orchard gate。
A shepherd's boy was whistling somewhere upon the Downs； and in the
valley a ploughman had just harnessed his team； but the village was
hidden from them by the sweep of the hills； an