so　far　as　she　could　help　it；　no　breath　of　suspicion　that　Malvina　was
  other　than　what　in　Drusilla's　holiday　frock　she　would　appear　to　be
  should　escape　into　the　village。　　It　was　quite　a　pleasant　little
  frock　of　a　summery　character；　with　short　sleeves　and　loose　about　the
  neck；　and　fitted　Malvina；　in　every　sense；　much　better　than　the　most
  elaborate　confection　would　have　done。　　The　boots　were　not　so
  successful。　　Malvina　solved　the　problem　by　leaving　them　behind　her；
  together　with　the　stockings；　whenever　she　went　out。　　That　she　knew
  this　was　wrong　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　invariably　she　tried　to
  hide　them。　　They　would　be　found　in　the　most　unlikely　places；　hidden
  behind　books　in　the　Professor's　study；　crammed　into　empty　tea
  canisters　in　Mrs。　Muldoon's　storeroom。　　Mrs。　Muldoon　was　not　to　be
  persuaded　even　to　abstract　them。　　The　canister　with　its　contents
  would　be　placed　in　silence　upon　the　Professor's　table。　　Malvina　on
  returning　would　be　confronted　by　a　pair　of　stern；　unsympathetic
  boots。　　The　corners　of　the　fairy　mouth　would　droop　in　lines
  suggestive　of　penitence　and　contrition。
  Had　the　Professor　been　firm　she　would　have　yielded。　　But　from　the
  black　accusing　boots　the　Professor　could　not　keep　his　eyes　from
  wandering　to　the　guilty　white　feet；　and　at　once　in　his　heart
  becoming　〃counsel　for　the　defence。〃　　Must　get　a　pair　of　sandals　next
  time　he　went　to　Oxford。　　Anyhow；　something　more　dainty　than　those
  grim；　uncompromising　boots。
  Besides；　it　was　not　often　that　Malvina　ventured　beyond　the　orchard。
  At　least　not　during　the　day　timeperhaps　one　ought　to　say　not
  during　that　part　of　the　day　time　when　the　village　was　astir。　　For
  Malvina　appears　to　have　been　an　early　riser。　　Somewhere　about　the
  middle　of　the　night；　as　any　Christian　body　would　have　timed　it；　Mrs。
  Muldoonwaking　and　sleeping　during　this　period　in　a　state　of　high
  nervous　tensionwould　hear　the　sound　of　a　softly　opened　door；
  peeping　from　a　raised　corner　of　the　blind；　would　catch　a　glimpse　of
  fluttering　garments　that　seemed　to　melt　into　the　dawn；　would　hear
  coming　fainter　and　fainter　from　the　uplands　an　unknown　song；
  mingling　with　the　answering　voices　of　the　birds。
  It　was　on　the　uplands　between　dawn　and　sunrise　that　Malvina　made　the
  acquaintance　of　the　Arlington　twins。
  They　ought；　of　course；　to　have　been　in　bedall　three　of　them；　for
  the　matter　of　that。　　The　excuse　for　the　twins　was　their　Uncle
  George。　　He　had　been　telling　them　all　about　the　Uffington　spectre
  and　Wayland　Smith's　cave；　and　had　given　them　〃Puck〃　as　a　birthday
  present。　　They　were　always　given　their　birthday　presents　between
  them；　because　otherwise　they　did　not　care　for　them。　　They　had
  retired　to　their　respective　bedrooms　at　ten　o'clock　and　taken　it　in
  turns　to　lie　awake。　　At　the　first　streak　of　dawn　Victoria；　who　had
  been　watching　by　her　window；　woke　Victor；　as　arranged。　　Victor　was
  for　giving　it　up　and　going　to　sleep　again；　but　Victoria　reminding
  him　of　the　〃oath；〃　they　dressed　themselves　quite　simply；　and　let
  themselves　down　by　the　ivy。
  They　came　across　Malvina　close　to　the　tail　of　the　White　Horse。　　They
  knew　she　was　a　fairy　the　moment　they　saw　her。　　But　they　were　not
  frightenedat　least　not　very　much。　　It　was　Victor　who　spoke　first。
  Taking　off　his　hat　and　going　down　on　one　knee；　he　wished　Malvina
  good　morning　and　hoped　she　was　quite　well。　　Malvina；　who　seemed
  pleased　to　see　them；　made　answer；　and　here　it　was　that　Victoria　took
  charge　of　the　affair。　　The　Arlington　twins　until　they　were　nine　had
  shared　a　French　nurse　between　them；　and　then　Victor；　going　to
  school；　had　gradually　forgotten；　while　Victoria；　remaining　at　home；
  had　continued　her　conversations　with　〃madame。〃
  〃Oh！〃　said　Victoria。　　〃Then　you　must　be　a　French　fairy。〃
  Now　the　Professor　had　impressed　upon　Malvina　that　for　reasons
  needless　to　be　explainedanyhow；　he　never　had　explained　themshe
  was　not　to　mention　that　she　was　a　fairy。　　But　he　had　not　told　her　to
  deny　it。　　Indeed　how　could　she？　　The　most　that　could　be　expected
  from　her　was　that　she　should　maintain　silence　on　the　point。　　So　in
  answer　to　Victoria　she　explained　that　her　name　was　Malvina；　and　that
  she　had　flown　across　from　Brittany　in　company　with　〃Sir　Arthur；〃
  adding　that　she　had　often　heard　of　England　and　had　wished　to　see　it。
  〃How　do　you　like　it？〃　demanded　Victoria。
  Malvina　confessed　herself　charmed　with　it。　　Nowhere　had　she　ever　met
  so　many　birds。　　Malvina　raised　her　hand　and　they　all　three　stood　in
  silence；　listening。　　The　sky　was　ablaze　and　the　air　seemed　filled
  with　their　music。　　The　twins　were　sure　that　there　were　millions　of
  them。　　They　must　have　come　from　miles　and　miles　and　miles；　to　sing
  to　Malvina。
  Also　the　people。　They　were　so　good　and　kind　and　round。　　Malvina　for
  the　present　was　staying　withaccepting　the　protection；　was　how　she
  put　it；　of　the　wise　and　learned　Christopher。　　The　〃habitation〃　could
  be　seen　from　where　they　stood；　its　chimneys　peeping　from　among　the
  trees。　　The　twins　exchanged　a　meaning　glance。　　Had　they　not　all
  along　suspected　the　Professor！　　His　black　skull　cap；　and　his　big
  hooked　nose；　and　the　yellow…leaved；　worm…eaten　booksof　magic：　　all
  doubts　were　now　removedthat　for　hours　he　would　sit　poring　over
  through　owlish　gold…rimmed　spectacles！
  Victor's　French　was　coming　back　to　him。　　He　was　anxious　to　know　if
  Malvina　had　ever　met　Sir　Launcelot〃to　talk　to。〃
  A　little　cloud　gathered　upon　Malvina's　face。　　Yes；　she　had　known
  them　all：　　King　Uthur　and　Igraine　and　Sir　Ulfias　of　the　Isles。
  Talked　with　them；　walked　with　them　in　the　fair　lands　of　France。　　（It
  ought　to　have　been　England；　but　Malvina　shook　her　head。　　Maybe　they
  had　travelled。）　　It　was　she　who　had　saved　Sir　Tristram　from　the
  wiles　of　Morgan　le　Fay。　　〃Though　that；　of　course；〃　explained
  Malvina；　〃was　never　known。〃
  The　twins　were　curious　why　it　should　have　been　〃of　course；〃　but　did
  not　like　to　interrupt　again。　　There　were　others　before　and　after。
  Most　of　them　the　twins　had　never　heard　of　until　they　came　to
  Charlemagne；　beyond　which　Malvina's　reminiscences　appeared　to　fade。
  They　had　all　of　them　been　very　courteous　to　her；　and　some　of　them
  indeed　quite　charming。　　But　。　。　。
  One　gathers　they　had　never　been　to　Malvina　more　than　mere
  acquaintances；　such　as　one　passes　the　time　with　while　waitingand
  longing。
  〃But　you　liked　Sir　Launcelot；〃　urged　Victor。　　He　was　wishful　that
  Malvina　should　admire　Sir　Launcelot；　feeling　how　much　there　was　in
  common　between　that　early　lamented　knight　and　himself。　　That　little
  affair　with　Sir　Bedivere。　　It　was　just　how　he　would　have　behaved
  himself。
  Ah！　yes；　admitted　Malvina。　　She　had　〃liked〃　him。　　He　was　always　so
  so　〃excellent。〃
  〃But　he　was　notnone　of　them　were　my　own　people；　my　own　dear
  companions。〃　　The　little　cloud　had　settled　down　again。
  It　was　Bruno　who　recalled　the　three　of　them　to　the　period　of
  contemporary　history。
  Polley　the　cowman's　first　duty　in　the　morning　was　to　let　Bruno　loose
  for　a　run。　　He　arrived　panting　and　breathless；　and　evidently
  offended　at　not　having　been　included　in　the　escapade。　　He　could　have
  given　them　both　away　quite　easily　if　he　had　not　been　the　most
  forgiving　of　black…and…tan　collies。　　As　it　was；　he　had　been　worrying
  himself　crazy　for　the　last　half…hour；　feeling　sure　they　had
  forgotten　the　time。　　〃Don't　you　know　it's　nearly　six　o'clock？　　That
  in　less　than　half　an　hour　Jane　will　be　knocking　at　your　doors　with
  glasses　of　hot　milk；　and　will　probably　drop　them　and　scream　when　she
  finds　your　beds　empty　and　the　window　wide　open。〃　　That　is　what　he
  had　intended　should　be　his　first　words；　but　on　scenting　Malvina　they
  went　from　him　entirely。　　He　gave　her　one　look　and　flopped　down　flat；
  wriggling　towards　her；　whining　and　wagging　his　tail　at　the　same
  time。　　Malvina　acknowledged　his　homage　by　laughing　and　patting　his
  head　with　her　foot；　and　that　sent　him　into　the　seventh　heaven　of
  delight。　　They　all　four　descended　the　hill　together　and　parted　at
  the　orchard　gate。　　The　twins　expressed　a　polite　but　quite　sincere
  hope　that　they　would　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Malvina　again；　but
  Malvina；　seized　maybe　with　sudden　doubts　as　to　whether　she　had
  behaved　with　discretion；　appears　to　have　replied　evasively。　　Ten
  minutes　later　she　was　lying　asleep；　the　golden　head　pillowed　on　the
  round　white　arm；　as　Mrs。　Muldoon　on　her　way　down　to　the　kitchen　saw
  for　herself。　　And　the　twins；　fortunate　enough　to　find　a　side　door
  open；　slipped　into　the　house　unnoticed　and　scrambled　back　into　their
  beds。
  It　was　quarter　past　nine　when　Mrs。　Arlington　came　in　herself　and
  woke　them　up。　　She　was　short…tempered　with　them　both　and　had
  evidently　been　crying。　　They　had　their　breakfast　in　the　kitchen。
  During　lunch　hardly　a　word　was　spoken。　　And　there　was　no　pudding。
  Mr。　Arlington；　a　stout；　florid　gentleman；　had　no　time　for　pudding。
  The　rest　might　sit　and　enjoy　it　at　their　leisure；　but　not　so　Mr。
  Arlington。　　Somebody　had　to　see　to　thingsthat　is；　if　they　were　not
  to　be　allowed　to　go　to　rack　and　ruin。　　If　other　people　could　not　be
  relied　upon　to　do　their　duty；　so　that　everything　inside　the　house
  and　out　of　it　was　thrown　upon　one　pair　of　shoulders；　then　it
  followed　as　a　natural　consequence　that　that　pair　of　shoulders　could
  not　spare　the　necessary　time　to　pr