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Chronicles of Froissart enabled the Professor to understand：
〃I thank you；〃 she said； 〃for your noble courtesy and hospitality。〃
In some mysterious way the whole affair had suddenly become imbued
with the dignity of an historical event。 The Professor had the
sudden impressionand indeed it never altogether left him so long
as Malvina remainedthat he was a great and powerful personage。 A
sister potentate； incidentallythough； of course； in high politics
such points are immaterialthe most bewilderingly beautiful being
he had ever seen； had graciously consented to become his guest。 The
Professor； with a bow that might have been acquired at the court of
King Rene； expressed his sense of the honour done to him。 What else
could a self…respecting potentate do？ The incident was closed。
Flight Commander Raffleton seems to have done nothing in the
direction of re…opening it。 On the contrary； he appears to have
used this precise moment for explaining to the Professor how
absolutely necessary it was that he should depart for Farnborough
without another moment's loss of time。 Commander Raffleton added
that he would 〃look them both up again〃 the first afternoon he could
get away； and was sure that if the Professor would get Malvina to
speak slowly； he would soon find her French easy to understand。
It did occur to the Professor to ask Commander Raffleton where he
had found Malvinathat is； if he remembered。 Also what he was
going to do about herthat is； if he happened to know。 Commander
Raffleton； regretting his great need of haste； explained that he had
found Malvina asleep beside a menhir not far from Huelgoat； in
Brittany； and was afraid that he had woke her up。 For further
particulars； would the Professor kindly apply to Malvina？ For
himself； he would never； he felt sure； be able to thank the
professor sufficiently。
In conclusion； and without giving further opportunity for
discussion； the Commander seems to have shaken his Cousin
Christopher by the hand with much enthusiasm； and then to have
turned to Malvina。 She did not move； but her eyes were fixed on
him。 And he came to her slowly。 And without a word he kissed her
full upon the lips。
〃That is twice you have kissed me；〃 said Malvinaand a curious
little smile played round her mouth。 〃The third time I shall
become a woman。〃
IV。 HOW IT WAS KEPT FROM MRS。 ARLINGTON。
What surprised the Professor himself； when he came to think of it；
was that； left alone with Malvina； and in spite of all the
circumstances； he felt neither embarrassment nor perplexity。 It was
as if； so far as they two were concerned； the whole thing was quite
simplealmost humorous。 It would be the other people who would
have to worry。
The little serving maid was hovering about the garden。 She was
evidently curious and trying to get a peep。 Mrs。 Muldoon's voice
could be heard calling to her from the kitchen。 There was this
question of clothes。
〃You haven't brought anything with you？〃 asked the Professor。 〃I
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 Malv