particularly fond of the old chroniclers。 The Professor had an
entire shelf of them； many in the original French。 Making believe
to be reading himself； he heard Malvina break into a cheerful laugh；
and went and looked over her shoulder。 She was reading the history
of her own encounter with the proprietor of tin mines； an elderly
gentleman disliking late hours； whom she had turned into a
nightingale。 It occurred to the Professor that prior to the
Arlington case the recalling of this incident would have brought to
her shame and remorse。 Now she seemed to think it funny。
〃A silly trick；〃 commented the Professor。 He spoke quite heatedly。
〃No one has any right to go about changing people。 Muddling up
things they don't understand。 No right whatever。〃
Malvina looked up。 She gave a little sigh。
〃Not for one's own pleasure or revenge；〃 she made answer。 Her tone
was filled with meekness。 It had a touch of self…reproach。 〃That
is very wrong； of course。 But changing them for their own goodat
least； not changing； improving。〃
〃Little hypocrite！〃 muttered the Professor to himself。 〃She's got
back a taste for her old tricks； and Lord knows now where she'll
stop。〃
The Professor spent the rest of the evening among his indexes in
search of the latest information regarding Queen Harbundia。
Meanwhile the Arlington affair had got about the village。 The twins
in all probability had been unable to keep their secret。 Jane； the
dismissed； had looked in to give Mrs。 Muldoon her version of
Thursday night's scene in the Arlington kitchen； and Mrs。 Muldoon；
with a sense of things impending； may unconsciously have dropped
hints。
The Marigolds met the Arlingtons on Sunday； after morning service；
and heard all about it。 That is to say； they met Mr。 Arlington and
the other children； Mrs。 Arlington； with the two elder girls； having
already attended early communion at seven。 Mrs。 Marigold was a
pretty； fluffy； engaging little woman； ten years younger than her
husband。 She could not have been altogether a fool； or she would
not have known it。 Marigold； rising politician； ought； of course；
to have married a woman able to help him； but seems to have fallen
in love with her a few miles out of Brussels； over a convent wall。
Mr。 Arlington was not a regular church…goer； but felt on this
occasion that he owed it to his Maker。 He was still in love with
his new wife。 But not blindly。 Later on a guiding hand might be
necessary。 But first let the new seed get firmly rooted。
Marigold's engagements necessitated his returning to town on Sunday
afternoon； and Mrs。 Marigold walked part of the way with him to the
station。 On her way back across the fields she picked up the
Arlington twins。 Later； she seems to have called in at the cottage
and spoken to Mrs。 Muldoon about Jane； who； she had heard； was in
want of a place。 A little before sunset she was seen by the Doctor
climbing the path to the Warren。 Malvina that evening was missing
for dinner。 When she returned she seemed pleased with herself。
VI。 AND HOW IT WAS FINISHED TOO SOON。
Some days laterit may have been the next week； the exact date
appears to have got mislaidMarigold； M。P。； looked in on the
Professor。 They talked about Tariff Reform； and then Marigold got
up and made sure for himself that the door was tight closed。
〃You know my wife；〃 he said。 〃We've been married six years； and
there's never been a cloud between us except one。 Of course； she's
not brainy。 That is； at least 。 。 。〃
The Professor jumped out of his chair。
〃If you take my advice；〃 he said； 〃you'll leave her alone。〃 He
spoke with passion and conviction。
Marigold looked up。
〃It's just what I wish to goodness I had done；〃 he answered。 〃I
blame myself entirely。〃
〃So long as we see our own mistakes；〃 said the Professor； 〃there is
hope for us all。 You go straight home； young man； and tell her
you've changed your mind。 Tell her you don't want her with brains。
Tell her you like her best without。 You get that into her head
before anything else happens。〃
〃I've tried to；〃 said Marigold。 〃She says it's too late。 That the
light has come to her and she can't help it。〃
It was the Professor's turn to stare。 He had not heard anything of
Sunday's transactions。 He had been hoping against hope that the
Arlington affair would remain a locked secret between himself and
the twins； and had done his best to think about everything else。
〃She's joined the Fabian Society；〃 continued Marigold gloomily。
〃They've put her in the nursery。 And the W。S。P。U。 If it gets about
before the next election I'll have to look out for another
constituencythat's all。〃
〃How did you hear about her？〃 asked the Professor。
〃I didn't hear about her；〃 answered Marigold。 〃If I had I mightn't
have gone up to town。 You think it right；〃 he added； 〃toto
encourage such people？〃
〃Who's encouraging her？〃 demanded the professor。 〃If fools didn't
go about thinking they could improve every other fool but
themselves； this sort of thing wouldn't happen。 Arlington had an
amiable； sweet…tempered wife； and instead of thanking God and
keeping quiet about it； he worries her out of her life because she
is not the managing woman。 Well； now he's got the managing woman。
I met him on Wednesday with a bump on his forehead as big as an egg。
Says he fell over the mat。 It can't be done。 You can't have a
person changed just as far as you want them changed and there stop。
You let 'em alone or you change them altogether； and then they don't
know themselves what they're going to turn out。 A sensible man in
your position would have been only too thankful for a wife who
didn't poke her nose into his affairs； and with whom he could get
away from his confounded politics。 You've been hinting to her about
once a month； I expect； what a tragedy it was that you hadn't
married a woman with brains。 Well； now she's found her brains and
is using them。 Why shouldn't she belong to the Fabian Society and
the W。S。P。U？ Shows independence of character。 Best thing for you
to do is to join them yourself。 Then you'll be able to work
together。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Marigold rising。 〃I didn't know you agreed with
her。〃
〃Who said I agreed with her？〃 snapped the Professor。 〃I'm in a very
awkward position。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Marigoldhe was hesitating with the door in his
hand〃it wouldn't be of any use my seeing her myself？〃
〃I believe；〃 said the Professor； 〃that she is fond of the
neighbourhood of the Cross Stones towards sundown。 You can choose
for yourself； but if I were you I should think twice about it。〃
〃I was wondering；〃 said Marigold； 〃whether； if I put it to her as a
personal favour； she might not be willing to see Edith again and
persuade her that she was only joking？〃
A light began to break upon the Professor。
〃What do you think has happened？〃 he asked。
〃Well；〃 explained Marigold； 〃I take it that your young foreign
friend has met my wife and talked politics to her； and that what has
happened is the result。 She must be a young person of extraordinary
ability； but it would be only losing one convert； and I could make
it up to her inin other ways。〃 He spoke with unconscious pathos。
It rather touched the Professor。
〃It might mean；〃 said the Professor〃that is； assuming that it can
be done at allMrs。 Marigold's returning to her former self
entirely； taking no further interest in politics whatever。〃
〃I should be so very grateful；〃 answered Marigold。
The Professor had mislaid his spectacles； but thinks there was a
tear in Marigold's eye。
〃I'll do what I can；〃 said the Professor。 〃Of course； you mustn't
count on it。 It may be easier to start a woman thinking than to
stop her； even for a〃 The Professor checked himself just in time。
〃I'll talk to her；〃 he said； and Marigold gripped his hand and
departed。
It was about time he did。 The full extent of Malvina's activities
during those few midsummer weeks； till the return of Flight
Commander Raffleton； will never perhaps be fully revealed。
According to the Doctor； the whole business has been grossly
exaggerated。 There are those who talk as if half the village had
been taken to pieces； altered and improved and sent back home again
in a mental state unrecognisable by their own mothers。 Certain it
is that Dawson； R。A。； generally described by everybody except his
wife as 〃a lovable little man；〃 and whose only fault was an
incurable habit of punning； both in seasonif such a period there
beand more often out； suddenly one morning smashed a Dutch
interior； fifteen inches by nine； over the astonished head of Mrs。
Dawson。 It clung round her neck； recalling biblical pictures of the
head of John the Baptist； and the frame…work had to be sawn through
before she could get it off。 As to the story about his having been
caught by Mrs。 Dawson's aunt kissing the housemaid behind the
waterbutt； that； as the Doctor admits； is a bit of bad luck that
might have happened to anyone。 But whether there was really any
evidence connecting him with Dolly Calthorpe's unaccountable missing
of the last train home； is of course； a more serious matter。 Mrs。
Dawson；