Mrs。 Quabarl； to use a colloquial expression； was
knocked off her perch。 She was one of those imperfectly
self…assured individuals who are magnificent and
autocratic as long as they are not seriously opposed。
The least show of unexpected resistance goes a long way
towards rendering them cowed and apologetic。 When the
new governess failed to express wondering admiration of
the large newly…purchased and expensive car； and lightly
alluded to the superior advantages of one or two makes
which had just been put on the market； the discomfiture
of her patroness became almost abject。 Her feelings were
those which might have animated a general of ancient
warfaring days； on beholding his heaviest battle…elephant
ignominiously driven off the field by slingers and
javelin throwers。
At dinner that evening； although reinforced by her
husband； who usually duplicated her opinions and lent her
moral support generally； Mrs。 Quabarl regained none of
her lost ground。 The governess not only helped herself
well and truly to wine； but held forth with considerable
show of critical knowledge on various vintage matters；
concerning which the Quabarls were in no wise able to
pose as authorities。 Previous governesses had limited
their conversation on the wine topic to a respectful and
doubtless sincere expression of a preference for water。
When this one went as far as to recommend a wine firm in
whose hands you could not go very far wrong Mrs。 Quabarl
thought it time to turn the conversation into more usual
channels。
〃We got very satisfactory references about you from
Canon Teep；〃 she observed； 〃a very estimable man； I
should think。〃
〃Drinks like a fish and beats his wife； otherwise a
very lovable character；〃 said the governess
imperturbably。
〃MY DEAR Miss Hope！ I trust you are exaggerating；〃
exclaimed the Quabarls in unison。
〃One must in justice admit that there is some
provocation；〃 continued the romancer。 〃Mrs。 Teep is
quite the most irritating bridge…player that I have ever
sat down with； her leads and declarations would condone a
certain amount of brutality in her partner； but to souse
her with the contents of the only soda…water syphon in
the house on a Sunday afternoon； when one couldn't get
another； argues an indifference to the comfort of others
which I cannot altogether overlook。 You may think me
hasty in my judgments； but it was practically on account
of the syphon incident that I left。〃
〃We will talk of this some other time；〃 said Mrs。
Quabarl hastily。
〃I shall never allude to it again；〃 said the
governess with decision。
Mr。 Quabarl made a welcome diversion by asking what
studies the new instructress proposed to inaugurate on
the morrow。
〃History to begin with；〃 she informed him。
〃Ah； history；〃 he observed sagely； 〃now in teaching
them history you must take care to interest them in what
they learn。 You must make them feel that they are being
introduced to the life…stories of men and women who
really lived … 〃
〃I've told her all that；〃 interposed Mrs。 Quabarl。
〃I teach history on the Schartz…Metterklume method；〃
said the governess loftily。
〃Ah； yes；〃 said her listeners； thinking it expedient
to assume an acquaintance at least with the name。
* * * *
〃What are you children doing out here？〃 demanded
Mrs。 Quabarl the next morning； on finding Irene sitting
rather glumly at the head of the stairs； while her sister
was perched in an attitude of depressed discomfort on the
window…seat behind her； with a wolf…skin rug almost
covering her。
〃We are having a history lesson；〃 came the
unexpected reply。 〃I am supposed to be Rome； and Viola
up there is the she…wolf； not a real wolf； but the figure
of one that the Romans used to set store by … I forget
why。 Claude and Wilfrid have gone to fetch the shabby
women。〃
〃The shabby women？〃
〃Yes； they've got to carry them off。 They didn't
want to； but Miss Hope got one of father's fives…bats and
said she'd give them a number nine spanking if they
didn't； so they've gone to do it。〃
A loud； angry screaming from the direction of the
lawn drew Mrs。 Quabarl thither in hot haste； fearful lest
the threatened castigation might even now be in process
of infliction。 The outcry； however； came principally
from the two small daughters of the lodge…keeper； who
were being hauled and pushed towards the house by the
panting and dishevelled Claude and Wilfrid； whose task
was rendered even more arduous by the incessant； if not
very effectual； attacks of the captured maidens' small
brother。 The governess； fives…bat in hand； sat
negligently on the stone balustrade； presiding over the
scene with the cold impartiality of a Goddess of Battles。
A furious and repeated chorus of 〃I'll tell muvver〃 rose
from the lodge…children； but the lodge…mother； who was
hard of hearing； was for the moment immersed in the
preoccupation of her washtub。
After an apprehensive glance in the direction of the
lodge （the good woman was gifted with the highly militant
temper which is sometimes the privilege of deafness） Mrs。
Quabarl flew indignantly to the rescue of the struggling
captives。
〃Wilfrid！ Claude！ Let those children go at once。
Miss Hope； what on earth is the meaning of this scene？〃
〃Early Roman history； the Sabine Women； don't you
know？ It's the Schartz…Metterklume method to make
children understand history by acting it themselves；
fixes it in their memory； you know。 Of course； if；
thanks to your interference； your boys go through life
thinking that the Sabine women ultimately escaped； I
really cannot be held responsible。〃
〃You may be very clever and modern； Miss Hope；〃 said
Mrs。 Quabarl firmly； 〃but I should like you to leave here
by the next train。 Your luggage will be sent after you
as soon as it arrives。〃
〃I'm not certain exactly where I shall be for the
next few days；〃 said the dismissed instructress of youth；
〃you might keep my luggage till I wire my address。 There
are only a couple of trunks and some golf…clubs and a
leopard cub。〃
〃A leopard cub！〃 gasped Mrs。 Quabarl。 Even in her
departure this extraordinary person seemed destined to
leave a trail of embarrassment behind her。
〃Well； it's rather left off being a cub； it's more
than half…grown； you know。 A fowl every day and a rabbit
on Sundays is what it usually gets。 Raw beef makes it
too excitable。 Don't trouble about getting the car for
me； I'm rather inclined for a walk。〃
And Lady Carlotta strode out of the Quabarl horizon。
The advent of the genuine Miss Hope； who had made a
mistake as to the day on which she was due to arrive；
caused a turmoil which that good lady was quite unused to
inspiring。 Obviously the Quabarl family had been
woefully befooled； but a certain amount of relief came
with the knowledge。
〃How tiresome for you； dear Carlotta；〃 said her
hostess； when the overdue guest ultimately arrived； 〃how
very tiresome losing your train and having to stop
overnight in a strange place。〃
〃Oh dear； no；〃 said Lady Carlotta； 〃not at all
tiresome … for me。〃
THE SEVENTH PULLET
〃IT'S not the daily grind that I complain of；〃 said
Blenkinthrope resentfully； 〃it's the dull grey sameness
of my life outside of office hours。 Nothing of interest
comes my way； nothing remarkable or out of the common。
Even the little things that I do try to find some
interest in don't seem to interest other people。 Things
in my garden； for instance。〃
〃The potato that weighed just over two pounds；〃 said
his friend Gorworth。
〃Did I tell you about that？〃 said Blenkinthrope； 〃I
was telling the others in the train this morning。 I
forgot if I'd told you。〃
〃To be exact you told me that it weighed just under
two pounds； but I took into account the fact that
abnormal vegetables and freshwater fish have an after…
life； in which growth is not arrested。〃
〃You're just like the others；〃 said Blenkinthrope
sadly； 〃you only make fun of it。〃
〃The fault is with the potato； not with us；〃 said
Gorworth； 〃we are not in the least interested in it
because it is not in the least interesting。 The men you
go up in the train with every day are just in the same
case as yourself； their lives are commonplace and not
very interesting to themselves； and they certainly are
not going to wax enthusiastic over the commonplace events
in other men's lives。 Tell them something startling；
dramatic； piquant that has happened to yourself or to
someone in your family； and you will capture their
interest at once。 They will talk about you with a
certain personal pride to all their acquaintances。 'Man
I know intimately； fellow called Blenkinthrope； lives
down my way； had two of his fingers clawed clean off by a
lobster he was carrying home to supper。 Doctor says
entire hand may have to come off。' Now that is
conversation of a very high order。 But imagine walking
into a tennis club with the remark： 'I know a man who has
grown a potato weighing two and a quarter pounds。'〃
〃But hang it all； my dear fellow；〃 said
Blenkinthrope impatiently； 〃haven't I just told you that
nothing of a remarkable nature ever happens to me？〃
〃Invent something；〃 said Gorworth。 Since winning a
prize for excellence in Scriptural knowledge at a
preparatory school he had felt licensed to be a little
more unscrupulous than the circle he moved in。 Much
might surely be excused to one who in early life could
give a list of seventeen trees mentioned in the Old
Testament。
〃What sort of thing？〃asked Blenkinthrope； somewhat
snappishly。
〃A snake got into your hen…run yesterday morning and