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；