English
LittledidpoorDoctorWalkerimagineashesatathisbreakfast-tablenextmorningthatthetwosweetgirlswhosatoneithersideofhimweredeepinaconspiracy,andthathe,munchinginnocentlyathismuffins,wasthevictimagainstwhomtheirwileswereplanned.
Patientlytheywaiteduntilatlasttheiropeningcame.
“Itisabeautifulday,”heremarked.“ItwilldoforMrs.Westmacott.Shewasthinkingofhavingaspinuponthetricycle.”
“Thenwemustcallearly.Webothintendedtoseeherafterbreakfast.”
“Oh,indeed!”TheDoctorlookedpleased.
“Youknow,pa,”saidIda,“itseemstousthatwereallyhaveaverygreatadvantageinhavingMrs.Westmacottlivingsonear.”
“Whyso,dear?”
“Well,becausesheissoadvanced,youknow.Ifweonlystudyherwayswemayadvanceourselvesalso.”
“IthinkIhaveheardyousay,papa,”Clararemarked,“thatsheisthetypeofthewomanofthefuture.”
“Iamverypleasedtohearyouspeaksosensibly,mydears.
Icertainlythinkthatsheisawomanwhomyoumayverywelltakeasyourmodel.
ThemoreintimateyouarewithherthebetterpleasedIshallbe.”
“Thenthatissettled,”saidClarademurely,andthetalkdriftedtoothermatters.
AllthemorningthetwogirlssatextractingfromMrs.Westmacotthermostextremeviewastothedutyoftheonesexandthetyrannyoftheother.
Absoluteequality,evenindetails,washerideal.
Enoughoftheparrotcryofunwomanlyandunmaidenly.
Ithadbeeninventedbymantoscarewomanawaywhenshepoachedtoonearlyuponhispreciouspreserves.Everywomanshouldbeindependent.Everywomanshouldlearnatrade.
Itwastheirdutytopushinwheretheywereleastwelcome.
Thentheyweremartyrstothecause,andpioneerstotheirweakersisters.
Whyshouldthewash-tub,theneedle,andthehousekeeper’sbookbeeternallytheirs?
Mighttheynotreachhigher,totheconsulting-room,tothebench,andeventothepulpit?
Mrs.Westmacottsacrificedhertricyclerideinhereagernessoverherpetsubject,andhertwofairdisciplesdrankineveryword,andnotedeverysuggestionforfutureuse.
ThatafternoontheywentshoppinginLondon,andbeforeeveningstrangepackagesbegantobehandedinattheDoctor’sdoor.
Theplotwasripeforexecution,andoneoftheconspiratorswasmerryandjubilant,whiletheotherwasverynervousandtroubled.
WhentheDoctorcamedowntothedining-roomnextmorning,hewassurprisedtofindthathisdaughtershadalreadybeenupsometime.
Idawasinstalledatoneendofthetablewithaspirit-lamp,acurvedglassflask,andseveralbottlesinfrontofher.
Thecontentsoftheflaskwereboilingfuriously,whileavillainoussmellfilledtheroom.
Claraloungedinanarm-chairwithherfeetuponasecondone,ablue-coveredbookinherhand,andahugemapoftheBritishIslandsspreadacrossherlap.“Hullo!”
criedtheDoctor,blinkingandsniffing,“where’sthebreakfast?”
“Oh,didn’tyouorderit?”askedIda.
“I!No;whyshouldI?”Herangthebell.“Whyhaveyounotlaidthebreakfast,Jane?”
“Ifyouplease,sir,MissIdawasaworkin’atthetable.”
“Oh,ofcourse,Jane,”saidtheyoungladycalmly.“Iamsosorry.Ishallbereadytomoveinafewminutes.”
“Butwhatonearthareyoudoing,Ida?”askedtheDoctor.“Thesmellismostoffensive.
And,goodgracious,lookatthemesswhichyouhavemadeuponthecloth!
Why,youhaveburnedaholerightthrough.”
“Oh,thatistheacid,”Idaansweredcontentedly.“Mrs.Westmacottsaidthatitwouldburnholes.”
“Youmighthavetakenherwordforitwithouttrying,”saidherfatherdryly.
“Butlookhere,pa!Seewhatthebooksays:‘Thescientificmindtakesnothingupontrust.Proveallthings!’Ihaveprovedthat.”
“Youcertainlyhave.Well,untilbreakfastisreadyI’llglanceovertheTimes.Haveyouseenit?”
“TheTimes?Oh,dearme,thisisitwhichIhaveundermyspirit-lamp.Iamafraidthereissomeaciduponthattoo,anditisratherdampandtorn.Hereitis.”
TheDoctortookthebedraggledpaperwitharuefulface.“Everythingseemstobewrongto-day,”heremarked.“Whatisthissuddenenthusiasmaboutchemistry,Ida?”
“Oh,IamtryingtoliveuptoMrs.Westmacott’steaching.”
“Quiteright!quiteright!”saidhe,thoughperhapswithlessheartinessthanhehadshownthedaybefore.“Ah,hereisbreakfastatlast!”
Butnothingwascomfortablethatmorning.
Therewereeggswithoutegg-spoons,toastwhichwasleatheryfrombeingkept,dried-uprashers,andgroundsinthecoffee.
Aboveall,therewasthatdreadfulsmellwhichpervadedeverythingandgaveahorribletwangtoeverymouthful.
“Idon’twishtoputadamperuponyourstudies,Ida,”saidtheDoctor,ashepushedbackhischair.“ButIdothinkitwouldbebetterifyoudidyourchemicalexperimentsalittlelaterintheday.”
“ButMrs.Westmacottsaysthatwomenshouldriseearly,anddotheirworkbeforebreakfast.”
“Thentheyshouldchoosesomeotherroombesidesthebreakfast-room.”
TheDoctorwasbecomingjustalittleruffled.
Aturnintheopenairwouldsoothehim,hethought.“Wherearemyboots?”heasked.
Buttheywerenotintheiraccustomedcornerbyhischair.
Upanddownhesearched,whilethethreeservantstookupthequest,stoopingandpeepingunderbook-casesanddrawers.
Idahadreturnedtoherstudies,andClaratoherblue-coveredvolume,sittingabsorbedanddisinterestedamidthebustleandtheracket.
Atlastageneralbuzzofcongratulationannouncedthatthecookhaddiscoveredthebootshungupamongthehatsinthehall.
TheDoctor,veryredandflustered,drewthemon,andstampedofftojointheAdmiralinhismorningwalk.
apictureofthecountryside
AsthedoorslammedIdaburstintoashoutoflaughter.
“Yousee,Clara,”shecried,“thecharmworksalready.
Hehasgonetonumberoneinsteadoftonumberthree.Oh,weshallwinagreatvictory.
You’vebeenverygood,dear;Icouldseethatyouwereonthornstohelphimwhenhewaslookingforhisboots.”
“Poorpapa!Itissocruel.Andyetwhatarewetodo?”
“Oh,hewillenjoybeingcomfortableallthemoreifwegivehimalittlediscomfortnow.Whathorribleworkthischemistryis!Lookatmyfrock!Itisruined.Andthisdreadfulsmell!”
Shethrewopenthewindow,andthrustherlittlegolden-curledheadoutofit.
CharlesWestmacottwashoeingattheothersideofthegardenfence.
“Goodmorning,sir,”saidIda.
“Goodmorning!”Thebigmanleaneduponhishoeandlookedupather.
“Haveyouanycigarettes,Charles?”
“Yes,certainly.”
“Throwmeuptwo.”
“Hereismycase.Canyoucatch!”
Aseal-skincasecamewithasoftthudontothefloor.Idaopenedit.Itwasfull.
“Whatarethese?”sheasked.
“Egyptians.”
“Whataresomeotherbrands?”
“Oh,RichmondGems,andTurkish,andCambridge.Butwhy?”
“Nevermind!”Shenoddedtohimandclosedthewindow.
“Wemustrememberallthose,Clara,”saidshe.
“Wemustlearntotalkaboutsuchthings.
Mrs.Westmacottknowsallaboutthebrandsofcigarettes.Hasyourrumcome?”
“Yes,dear.Itishere.”
“AndIhavemystout.Comealonguptomyroomnow.Thissmellistooabominable.Butwemustbereadyforhimwhenhecomesback.Ifwesitatthewindowweshallseehimcomingdowntheroad.”
Thefreshmorningair,andthegenialcompanyoftheAdmiralhadcausedtheDoctortoforgethistroubles,andhecamebackaboutmiddayinanexcellenthumor.
Asheopenedthehalldoorthevilesmellofchemicalswhichhadspoilthisbreakfastmethimwitharedoubledvirulence.
Hethrewopenthehallwindow,enteredthedining-room,andstoodaghastatthesightwhichmethiseyes.
Idawasstillsittingamongherbottles,withalitcigaretteinherlefthandandaglassofstoutonthetablebesideher.
Clara,withanothercigarette,wasloungingintheeasychairwithseveralmapsspreadoutupontheflooraround.
Herfeetwerestuckuponthecoalscuttle,andshehadatumblerfulofsomereddish-browncompositiononthesmokingtablecloseatherelbow.
TheDoctorgazedfromonetotheotherofthemthroughthethingreyhazeofsmoke,buthiseyesrestedfinallyinasettledstareofastonishmentuponhiselderandmoreseriousdaughter.
“Clara!”hegasped,“Icouldnothavebelievedit!”
“Whatisit,papa?”
“Youaresmoking!”
“Tryingto,papa.Ifinditalittledifficult,forIhavenotbeenusedtoit.”
“Butwhy,inthenameofgoodness—”
“Mrs.Westmacottrecommendsit.”
“Oh,aladyofmatureyearsmaydomanythingswhichayounggirlmustavoid.”
“Oh,no,”criedIda,“Mrs.Westmacottsaysthatthereshouldbeonelawforall.Haveacigarette,pa?”
“No,thankyou.Ineversmokeinthemorning.”
“No?Perhapsyoudon’tcareforthebrand.Whatarethese,Clara?”
“Egyptians.”
“Ah,wemusthavesomeRichmondGemsorTurkish.Iwish,pa,whenyougointotown,youwouldgetmesomeTurkish.”
“Iwilldonothingofthekind.Idonotatallthinkthatitisafittinghabitforyoungladies.IdonotagreewithMrs.Westmacottuponthepoint.”
“Really,pa!Itwasyouwhoadvisedustoimitateher.”
“Butwithdiscrimination.Whatisitthatyouaredrinking,Clara?”
“Rum,papa.”
“Rum?Inthemorning?”Hesatdownandrubbedhiseyesasonewhotriestoshakeoffsomeevildream.“Didyousayrum?”
“Yes,pa.TheyalldrinkitintheprofessionwhichIamgoingtotakeup.”
“Profession,Clara?”
“Mrs.Westmacottsaysthateverywomanshouldfollowacalling,andthatweoughttochoosethosewhichwomenhavealwaysavoided.”
“Quiteso.”
“Well,Iamgoingtoactuponheradvice.Iamgoingtobeapilot.”
“MydearClara!Apilot!Thisistoomuch.”
“Thisisabeautifulbook,papa.‘TheLights,Beacons,Buoys,Channels,andLandmarksofGreatBritain.’Hereisanother,‘TheMasterMariner’sHandbook.’Youcan’timaginehowinterestingitis.”
“Youarejoking,Clara.Youmustbejoking!”
“Notatall,pa.Youcan’tthinkwhatalotIhavelearnedalready.
I’mtocarryagreenlighttostarboardandaredtoport,withawhitelightatthemast-head,andaflare-upeveryfifteenminutes.”
“Oh,won’titlookprettyatnight!”criedhersister.
“AndIknowthefog-signals.Oneblastmeansthatashipsteerstostarboard,twotoport,threeastern,fourthatitisunmanageable.
Butthismanaskssuchdreadfulquestionsattheendofeachchapter.Listentothis:‘Youseearedlight.
Theshipisontheporttackandthewindatnorth;whatcourseisthatshipsteeringtoapoint?’”
TheDoctorrosewithagestureofdespair.“Ican’timaginewhathascomeoveryouboth,”saidhe.
“Mydearpapa,wearetryinghardtoliveuptoMrs.Westmacott’sstandard.”
“Well,ImustsaythatIdonotadmiretheresult.
Yourchemistry,Ida,mayperhapsdonoharm;butyourscheme,Clara,isoutofthequestion.
HowagirlofyoursensecouldeverentertainsuchanotionismorethanIcanimagine.
ButImustabsolutelyforbidyoutogofurtherwithit.”
“But,pa,”askedIda,withanairofinnocentinquiryinherbigblueeyes,“whatarewetodowhenyourcommandsandMrs.Westmacott’sadviceareopposed?Youtoldustoobeyher.
Shesaysthatwhenwomentrytothrowofftheirshackles,theirfathers,brothersandhusbandsaretheveryfirsttotrytorivetthemonagain,andthatinsuchamatternomanhasanyauthority.”
“DoesMrs.WestmacottteachyouthatIamnottheheadofmyownhouse?”TheDoctorflushed,andhisgrizzledhairbristledinhisanger.
“Certainly.Shesaysthatallheadsofhousesarerelicsofthedarkages.”
TheDoctormutteredsomethingandstampedhisfootuponthecarpet.
Thenwithoutawordhepassedoutintothegardenandhisdaughterscouldseehimstridingfuriouslyupanddown,cuttingofftheheadsoftheflowerswithaswitch.
“Oh,youdarling!Youplayedyourpartsosplendidly!”criedIda.
“Buthowcruelitis!WhenIsawthesorrowandsurpriseinhiseyesIverynearlyputmyarmsabouthimandtoldhimall.Don’tyouthinkwehavedoneenough?”
“No,no,no.Notnearlyenough.Youmustnotturnweaknow,Clara.
ItissofunnythatIshouldbeleadingyou.Itisquiteanewexperience.ButIknowIamright.
Ifwegoonaswearedoing,weshallbeabletosayallourlivesthatwehavesavedhim.
Andifwedon’t,oh,Clara,weshouldneverforgiveourselves.”
Share this article to
FINISH