English
LadyMuriel’ssmileofwelcomecouldnotquiteconcealthelookofsurprisewithwhichsheregardedmynewcompanions.
Ipresentedthemindueform.“ThisisSylvie,LadyMuriel.AndthisisBruno.”
“Anysurname?”sheenquired,hereyestwinklingwithfun.
“No,”Isaidgravely.“Nosurname.”
Shelaughed,evidentlythinkingIsaiditinfun;andstoopedtokissthechildrenasalutetowhichBrunosubmittedwithreluctance:Sylviereturneditwithinterest.
WhilesheandArthur(whohadarrivedbeforeme)suppliedthechildrenwithteaandcake,ItriedtoengagetheEarlinconversation:buthewasrestlessanddistrait,andwemadelittleprogress.
Atlast,byasuddenquestion,hebetrayedthecauseofhisdisquiet.
“Wouldyouletmelookatthoseflowersyouhaveinyourhand?”
“Willingly!”Isaid,handinghimthebouquet.
Botanywas,Iknew,afavoritestudyofhis:andtheseflowersweretomesoentirelynewandmysterious,thatIwasreallycurioustoseewhatabotanistwouldsayofthem.
Theydidnotdiminishhisdisquiet.Onthecontrary,hebecameeverymomentmoreexcitedasheturnedthemover.“TheseareallfromCentralIndia!”
hesaid,layingasidepartofthebouquet.
“Theyarerare,eventhere:andIhaveneverseentheminanyotherpartoftheworld.
ThesetwoareMexican—Thisone—”(Herosehastily,andcarriedittothewindow,toexamineitinabetterlight,theflushofexcitementmountingtohisveryforehead)“—is.
Iamnearlysure—butIhaveabookofIndianBotanyhere—”Hetookavolumefromthebook-shelves,andturnedtheleaveswithtremblingfingers.“Yes!Compareitwiththispicture!Itistheexactduplicate!
ThisisthefloweroftheUpas-tree,whichusuallygrowsonlyinthedepthsofforests;andtheflowerfadessoquicklyafterbeingplucked,thatitisscarcelypossibletokeepitsformorcolorevensofarastheoutskirtsoftheforest!Yetthisisinfullbloom!Wheredidyougettheseflowers?”headdedwithbreathlesseagerness.
IglancedatSylvie,who,gravelyandsilently,laidherfingeronherlips,thenbeckonedtoBrunotofollowher,andranoutintothegarden;andIfoundmyselfinthepositionofadefendantwhosetwomostimportantwitnesseshavebeensuddenlytakenaway.“Letmegiveyoutheflowers!”
Istammeredoutatlast,quite‘atmywit’send’astohowtogetoutofthedifficulty.
“YouknowmuchmoreaboutthemthanIdo!”
“Iacceptthemmostgratefully!Butyouhavenotyettoldme—”theEarlwasbeginning,whenwewereinterrupted,tomygreatrelief,bythearrivalofEricLindon.
ToArthur,however,thenew-comerwas,Isawclearly,anythingbutwelcome.
Hisfacecloudedover:hedrewalittlebackfromthecircle,andtooknofurtherpartintheconversation,whichwaswhollymaintained,forsomeminutes,byLadyMurielandherlivelycousin,whowerediscussingsomenewmusicthathadjustarrivedfromLondon.
“Dojusttrythisone!”hepleaded.“Themusiclookseasytosingatsight,andthesong’squiteappropriatetotheoccasion.”
“ThenIsupposeit’s
‘Fiveo’clocktea!
Evertothee
FaithfulI’llbe,
Fiveo’clocktea!”’
laughedLadyMuriel,asshesatdowntothepiano,andlightlystruckafewrandomchords.
“Notquite:andyetitisakindof‘evertotheefaithfulI’llbe!’It’sapairofhaplesslovers:hecrossesthebrinydeep:andsheisleftlamenting.”
“Thatisindeedappropriate!”sherepliedmockingly,asheplacedthesongbeforeher.
“AndamItodothelamenting?Andwhofor,ifyouplease?”
Sheplayedtheaironceortwicethrough,firstinquick,andfinallyinslow,time;andthengaveusthewholesongwithasmuchgracefuleaseasifshehadbeenfamiliarwithitallherlife:—
“Hesteptsolightlytotheland,
Allinhismanlypride:
Hekissedhercheek,hepressedherhand,
Yetstillsheglancedaside.
‘Toogayheseems,’shedarklydreams,
‘Toogallantandtoogay
Tothinkofme—poorsimpleme—
Whenheisfaraway!’
‘IbringmyLovethisgoodlypearl
Acrosstheseas,’hesaid:
‘Agemtodeckthedearestgirl
Thateversailorwed!’
Sheclaspsittight’hereyesarebright:
Herthrobbingheartwouldsay
‘Hethoughtofme—hethoughtofme—
Whenhewasfaraway!’
TheshiphassailedintotheWest:
Herocean-birdisflown:
Adulldeadpainisinherbreast,
Andsheisweakandlone:
Yetthere’sasmileuponherface,
Asmilethatseemstosay
‘He’llthinkofmehe’llthinkofme—
Whenheisfaraway!
‘Thoughwaterswidebetweenusglide,
Ourlivesarewarmandnear:
Nodistancepartstwofaithfulhearts
Twoheartsthatlovesodear:
AndIwilltrustmysailor-lad,
Foreverandaday,
Tothinkofme—tothinkofme—
Whenheisfaraway!’”
Thelookofdispleasure,whichhadbeguntocomeoverArthur’sfacewhentheyoungCaptainspokeofLovesolightly,fadedawayasthesongproceeded,andhelistenedwithevidentdelight.
ButhisfacedarkenedagainwhenEricdemurelyremarked“Don’tyouthink‘mysoldier-lad’wouldhavefittedthetunejustaswell!”
“Why,soitwould!”LadyMurielgailyretorted.“Soldiers,sailors,tinkers,tailors,whatalotofwordswouldfitin!Ithink‘mytinker-ladsoundsbest.Don’tyou?”
Tosparemyfriendfurtherpain,Irosetogo,justastheEarlwasbeginningtorepeathisparticularlyembarrassingquestionabouttheflowers.
“Youhavenotyet—’
“Yes,I’vehadsometea,thankyou!”Ihastilyinterruptedhim.“Andnowwereallymustbegoing.Goodevening,LadyMuriel!”
Andwemadeouradieux,andescaped,whiletheEarlwasstillabsorbedinexaminingthemysteriousbouquet.
LadyMurielaccompaniedustothedoor.“Youcouldn’thavegivenmyfatheramoreacceptablepresent!”shesaid,warmly.“HeissopassionatelyfondofBotany.
I’mafraidIknownothingofthetheoryofit,butIkeephisHortusSiccusinorder.
Imustgetsomesheetsofblotting-paper,anddrythesenewtreasuresforhimbeforetheyfade.
“Thatwon’tbenogoodatall!”saidBruno,whowaswaitingforusinthegarden.
“Whywon’tit?”saidI.“YouknowIhadtogivetheflowers,tostopquestions?
“Yes,itca’n’tbehelped,”saidSylvie:“buttheywillbesorrywhentheyfindthemgone!”
“Buthowwilltheygo?”
“Well,Idon’tknowhow.Buttheywillgo.ThenosegaywasonlyaPhlizz,youknow.Brunomadeitup.”
Theselastwordswereinawhisper,assheevidentlydidnotwishArthurtohear.
Butofthisthereseemedtobelittlerisk:hehardlyseemedtonoticethechildren,butpacedon,silentandabstracted;andwhen,attheentrancetothewood,theybidusahastyfarewellandranoff,heseemedtowakeoutofaday-dream.
Thebouquetvanished,asSylviehadpredicted;andwhen,adayortwoafterwards,ArthurandIoncemorevisitedtheHall,wefoundtheEarlandhisdaughter,withtheoldhousekeeper,outinthegarden,examiningthefasteningsofthedrawing-roomwindow.
“WeareholdinganInquest,”LadyMurielsaid,advancingtomeetus:“andweadmityou,asAccessoriesbeforetheFact,totellusallyouknowaboutthoseflowers.”
“TheAccessoriesbeforetheFactdeclinetoansweranyquestions,”Igravelyreplied.“Andtheyreservetheirdefense.”
“Wellthen,turnQueen’sEvidence,please!
Theflowershavedisappearedinthenight,”shewenton,turningtoArthur,“andwearequitesurenooneinthehousehasmeddledwiththem.
Somebodymusthaveenteredbythewindow—”
“Butthefasteningshavenotbeentamperedwith,”saidtheEarl.
“Itmusthavebeenwhileyouweredining,myLady,”saidthehousekeeper.
“Thatwasit,saidtheEarl.“Thethiefmusthaveseenyoubringtheflowers,”turningtome,“andhavenoticedthatyoudidnottakethemaway.
Andhemusthaveknowntheirgreatvalue—theyaresimplypriceless!”heexclaimed,insuddenexcitement.
“Andyounevertoldushowyougotthem!”saidLadyMuriel.
“Someday,”Istammered,“Imaybefreetotellyou.Justnow,wouldyouexcuseme?”
TheEarllookeddisappointed,butkindlysaid“Verywell,wewillasknoquestions.”
“ButweconsideryouaverybadQueen’sEvidence,”LadyMurieladdedplayfully,asweenteredthearbor.
“Wepronounceyoutobeanaccomplice:andwesentenceyoutosolitaryconfinement,andtobefedonbreadandbutter.Doyoutakesugar?”
“Itisdisquieting,certainly,”sheresumed,whenall‘creature-comforts’hadbeendulysupplied,“tofindthatthehousehasbeenenteredbyathiefinthisout-of-the-wayplace.
Ifonlytheflowershadbeeneatables,onemighthavesuspectedathiefofquiteanothershape—”
“Youmeanthatuniversalexplanationforallmysteriousdisappearances,‘thecatdidit’?”saidArthur.
“Yes,”shereplied.“Whataconvenientthingitwouldbeifallthieveshadthesameshape!It’ssoconfusingtohavesomeofthemquadrupedsandothersbipeds!”
“Ithasoccurredtome,”saidArthur,“asacuriousprobleminTeleology—theScienceofFinalCauses,”headded,inanswertoanenquiringlookfromLadyMuriel.
“AndaFinalCauseis—?”
“Well,supposewesay—thelastofaseriesofconnectedevents—eachoftheseriesbeingthecauseofthenext—forwhosesakethefirsteventtakesplace.”
“Butthelasteventispracticallyaneffectofthefirst,isn’tit?Andyetyoucallitacauseofit!”
Arthurponderedamoment.“Thewordsareratherconfusing,Igrantyou,”hesaid.“Willthisdo?
Thelasteventisaneffectofthefirst:butthenecessityforthateventisacauseofthenecessityforthefirst.”
“Thatseemsclearenough,”saidLadyMuriel.“Nowletushavetheproblem.”
“It’smerelythis.Whatobjectcanweimagineinthearrangementbywhicheachdifferentsize(roughlyspeaking)oflivingcreatureshasitsspecialshape?
Forinstance,thehumanracehasonekindofshape—bipeds.
Anotherset,rangingfromtheliontothemouse,arequadrupeds.
Godownasteportwofurther,andyoucometoinsectswithsixlegs—hexapods—abeautifulname,isitnot?
Butbeauty,inoursenseoftheword,seemstodiminishaswegodown:thecreaturebecomesmore—Iwon’tsay‘ugly’ofanyofGod’screatures—moreuncouth.
And,whenwetakethemicroscope,andgoafewstepslowerstill,wecomeuponanimalculae,terriblyuncouth,andwithaterriblenumberoflegs!”
“Theotheralternative,”saidtheEarl,“wouldbeadiminuendoseriesofrepetitionsofthesametype.
Nevermindthemonotonyofit:let’sseehowitwouldworkinotherways.
Beginwiththeraceofmen,andthecreaturestheyrequire:letussayhorses,cattle,sheep,anddogswedon’texactlyrequirefrogsandspiders,dowe,Muriel?”
LadyMurielshudderedperceptibly:itwasevidentlyapainfulsubject.“Wecandispensewiththem,”shesaidgravely.
“Well,thenwe’llhaveasecondraceofmen,half-a-yardhigh—”
“—whowouldhaveonesourceofexquisiteenjoyment,notpossessedbyordinarymen!”Arthurinterrupted.
“Whatsource?”saidtheEarl.
“Why,thegrandeurofscenery!Surelythegrandeurofamountain,tome,dependsonitssize,relativetome?
Doubletheheightofthemountain,andofcourseit’stwiceasgrand.
Halvemyheight,andyouproducethesameeffect.”
“Happy,happy,happySmall!”LadyMurielmurmuredrapturously.“NonebuttheShort,nonebuttheShort,nonebuttheShortenjoytheTall!”
“Butletmegoon,”saidtheEarl.“We’llhaveathirdraceofmen,fiveincheshigh;afourthrace,aninchhigh—”
“Theycouldn’teatcommonbeefandmutton,I’msure!”LadyMurielinterrupted.
“True,mychild,Iwasforgetting.Eachsetmusthaveitsowncattleandsheep.”
“Anditsownvegetation,”Iadded.“Whatcouldacow,aninchhigh,dowithgrassthatwavedfaraboveitshead?”
“Thatistrue.Wemusthaveapasturewithinapasture,sotospeak.
Thecommongrasswouldserveourinch-highcowsasagreenforestofpalms,whileroundtherootofeachtallstemwouldstretchatinycarpetofmicroscopicgrass.
Yes,Ithinkourschemewillworkfairlywell.
Anditwouldbeveryinteresting,comingintocontactwiththeracesbelowus.
Whatsweetlittlethingstheinch-highbull-dogswouldbe!
IdoubtifevenMurielwouldrunawayfromoneofthem!”
“Don’tyouthinkweoughttohaveacrescendoseries,aswell?”saidLadyMuriel.“Onlyfancybeingahundredyardshigh!
Onecoulduseanelephantasapaper-weight,andacrocodileasapairofscissors!”
“Andwouldyouhaveracesofdifferentsizescommunicatewithoneanother?”Ienquired.“Wouldtheymakewarononeanother,forinstance,orenterintotreaties?”
“Warwemustexclude,Ithink.Whenyoucouldcrushawholenationwithoneblowofyourfist,youcouldn’tconductwaronequalterms.
Butanything,involvingacollisionofmindsonly,wouldbepossibleinouridealworld—forofcoursewemustallowmentalpowerstoall,irrespectiveofsize.
“Perhapsthefairestrulewouldbethat,thesmallertherace,thegreatershouldbeitsintellectualdevelopment!”
“Doyoumeantosay,”saidLadyMuriel,“thatthesemanikinsofaninchhigharetoarguewithme?”
“Surely,surely!”saidtheEarl.“Anargumentdoesn’tdependforitslogicalforceonthesizeofthecreaturethatuttersit!”
Shetossedherheadindignantly.“Iwouldnotarguewithanymanlessthansixincheshigh!”shecried.“I’dmakehimwork!”
“Whatat?”saidArthur,listeningtoallthisnonsensewithanamusedsmile.
“Embroidery!”shereadilyreplied.“Whatlovelyembroiderytheywoulddo!”
“Yet,iftheydiditwrong,”Isaid,“youcouldn’targuethequestion.Idon’tknowwhy:butIagreethatitcouldn’tbedone.”
“Thereasonis,”saidLadyMuriel,“onecouldn’tsacrificeone’sdignitysofar.”
“Ofcourseonecouldn’t!”echoedArthur.“Anymorethanonecouldarguewithapotato.Itwouldbealtogether—excusetheancientpun—infradig.!”
“Idoubtit,”saidI.“Evenapundoesn’tquiteconvinceme.”
“Well,ifthatisnotthereason,”saidLadyMuriel,“whatreasonwouldyougive?”
Itriedhardtounderstandthemeaningofthisquestion:butthepersistenthummingofthebeesconfusedme,andtherewasadrowsinessintheairthatmadeeverythoughtstopandgotosleepbeforeithadgotwellthoughtout:soallIcouldsaywas“Thatmustdependontheweightofthepotato.”
IfelttheremarkwasnotsosensibleasIshouldhavelikedittobe.
ButLadyMurielseemedtotakeitquiteasamatterofcourse.
“Inthatcase—”shebegan,butsuddenlystarted,andturnedawaytolisten.“Don’tyouhearhim?”shesaid.“He’scrying.Wemustgotohim,somehow.”
AndIsaidtomyself“That’sverystrange.
IquitethoughtitwasLadyMurieltalkingtome.Why,it’sSylvieallthewhile!”
AndImadeanothergreatefforttosaysomethingthatshouldhavesomemeaninginit.“Isitaboutthepotato?”
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