登陆注册
14198700000023

第23章 THE PROLOGUE.(3)

It was all quite clear. She was Malvina, once favourite to Harbundia, Queen of the White Ladies of Brittany. For reasons-- further allusion to which politeness forbade--she had been a wanderer, no one knowing what had become of her. And now the whim had taken her to reappear as a little Breton peasant girl, near to the scene of her past glories. They knelt before her, offering her homage, and all the ladies kissed her. The gentlemen of the party thought their turn would follow. But it never did. It was not their own shyness that stood in their way: one must do them that justice. It was as if some youthful queen, exiled and unknown amongst strangers, had been suddenly recognised by a little band of her faithful subjects, passing by chance that way. So that, instead of frolic and laughter, as had been intended, they remained standing with bared heads; and no one liked to be the first to speak.

She put them at their ease--or tried to--with a gracious gesture.

But enjoined upon them all her wish for secrecy. And so dismissed they seem to have returned to the village a marvellously sober little party, experiencing all the sensations of honest folk admitted to their first glimpse of high society.

They came again next year--at least a few of them--bringing with them a dress more worthy of Malvina's wearing. It was as near as Paris could achieve to the true and original costume as described by the good Friar Bonnet, the which had been woven in a single night by the wizard spider Karai out of moonlight. Malvina accepted it with gracious thanks, and was evidently pleased to find herself again in fit and proper clothes. It was hidden away for rare occasions where only Malvina knew. But the lady who had first kissed her, and whose speciality was fairies, craving permission, Malvina consented to wear it while sitting for her portrait. The picture one may still see in the Palais des Beaux Arts at Nantes (the Bretonne Room). It represents her standing straight as an arrow, a lone little figure in the centre of a treeless moor. The painting of the robe is said to be very wonderful. "Malvina of Brittany" is the inscription, the date being Nineteen Hundred and Thirteen.

The next year Malvina was no longer there. Madame Lavigne, folding knotted hands, had muttered her last paternoster. Pere Jean had urged the convent. But for the first time, with him, she had been frankly obstinate. Some fancy seemed to have got into the child's head. Something that she evidently connected with the vast treeless moor rising southward to where the ancient menhir of King Taramis crowned its summit. The good man yielded, as usual. For the present there were Madame Lavigne's small savings. Suzanne's wants were but few. The rare shopping necessary Father Jean could see to himself. With the coming of winter he would broach the subject again, and then be quite firm. Just these were the summer nights when Suzanne loved to roam; and as for danger! there was not a lad for ten leagues round who would not have run a mile to avoid passing, even in daylight, that cottage standing where the moor dips down to the sealands.

But one surmises that even a fairy may feel lonesome. Especially a banished fairy, hanging as it were between earth and air, knowing mortal maidens kissed and courted, while one's own companions kept away from one in hiding. Maybe the fancy came to her that, after all these years, they might forgive her. Still, it was their meeting place, so legend ran, especially of midsummer nights. Rare it was now for human eye to catch a glimpse of the shimmering robes, but high on the treeless moor to the music of the Lady of the Fountain, one might still hear, were one brave enough to venture, the rhythm of their dancing feet. If she sought them, softly calling, might they not reveal themselves to her, make room for her once again in the whirling circle? One has the idea that the moonlight frock may have added to her hopes. Philosophy admits that feeling oneself well dressed gives confidence.

If all of them had not disappeared--been kissed three times upon the lips by mortal man and so become a woman? It seems to have been a possibility for which your White Lady had to be prepared. That is, if she chose to suffer it. If not, it was unfortunate for the too daring mortal. But if he gained favour in her eyes! That he was brave, his wooing proved. If, added thereto, he were comely, with kind strong ways, and eyes that drew you? History proves that such dreams must have come even to White Ladies. Maybe more especially on midsummer nights when the moon is at its full. It was on such a night that Sir Gerylon had woke Malvina's sister Sighile with a kiss. A true White Lady must always dare to face her fate.

It seems to have befallen Malvina. Some told Father Jean how he had arrived in a chariot drawn by winged horses, the thunder of his passing waking many in the sleeping villages beneath. And others how he had come in the form of a great bird. Father Jean had heard strange sounds himself, and certain it was that Suzanne had disappeared.

Father Jean heard another version a few weeks later, told him by an English officer of Engineers who had ridden from the nearest station on a bicycle and who arrived hot and ravenously thirsty. And Father Jean, under promise of seeing Suzanne on the first opportunity, believed it. But to most of his flock it sounded an impossible rigmarole, told for the purpose of disguising the truth.

So ends my story--or rather the story I have pieced together from information of a contradictory nature received. Whatever you make of it; whether with the Doctor you explain it away; or whether with Professor Littlecherry, LL.D., F.R.S., you believe the world not altogether explored and mapped, the fact remains that Malvina of Brittany has passed away. To the younger Mrs. Raffleton, listening on the Sussex Downs to dull, distant sounds that make her heart beat, and very nervous of telegraph boys, has come already some of the disadvantages attendant on her new rank of womanhood. And yet one gathers, looking down into those strange deep eyes, that she would not change anything about her, even if now she could.

同类推荐
  • 奇门遁甲秘笈大全

    奇门遁甲秘笈大全

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 公门果报录

    公门果报录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 题晖师影堂

    题晖师影堂

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 存韩

    存韩

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 内经药瀹

    内经药瀹

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 明伦汇编家范典夫妇部

    明伦汇编家范典夫妇部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • EXO之火辣插班生

    EXO之火辣插班生

    她活泼机灵,但脾气暴躁,毒舌,她凭着优异的成绩考上了最好的皇家贵族学校,但在开学第一天,她遇到他们,会发生怎样的故事呢……
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 专属:乱世帝妃之天命

    专属:乱世帝妃之天命

    什么?眼前这个又蠢又丑的白痴居然就是师父口中所说的真名天子?好吧!丑点没关系,但据她前世二十年的经验再加上今生十年的成长让她实在觉得,智商是硬伤啊……“八嘎!谁允许你进我房间了?”……“八嘎!走路不许吃东西!”……“宫九天!离本姑奶奶远点!”……“九天,天命所归,……”“八嘎是什么意思?”“蠢货……”某男欲哭无泪……
  • 让全宇宙都修真

    让全宇宙都修真

    “你看,那颗星就是皮卡丘星了,生长着可怕的放电生物,非常危险。”“还有那颗星,是赛亚星,一种可怕的宇宙种族,战斗力十分强大,能够与我们修真者抗衡。”“对对对,差点忘了,还有那里,葫芦娃星。”“那么,林江,你决定好了吗?要逮捕哪一只呢?作为你的第一次修真血脉洗礼种族!”黑西服男子一脸微笑的看着林江,眼中的意味怎么看也不像怀有好意。PS:新书上传,完本老作者两本保证,质量,更新,都不用担心,求收藏,求推荐,求一切!本书读者群已建立,欢迎一切喜欢老武书的读者加入。群名,修真者:260215230
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 纪元星物语:替补未婚夫

    纪元星物语:替补未婚夫

    穿越到男欢女爱,哦,不,自由恋爱的异星球的修真废材阮媛,要努力甩掉替补未婚夫,接替爷爷当城主。搞大了肚子又如何,说不嫁就不嫁!爱情版简介:阮媛绝不承认爱他,她只是饱受封建礼教毒害,所以习惯性从一而终,谁叫他是第一个看见她小腿样子的男人呢。萧承恩不懂爱,他只知道他需要她,他要讨好她,他要让她离不开他,但是显然他失败了,她只在想搭理他的时候搭理他,在该离开的时候,她掉头就走。
  • 唯你心萌然悸动

    唯你心萌然悸动

    EXO的到来,使她不知所措,最后他们的结局是什么样的呢!
  • 云动苍天

    云动苍天

    皇瑞者,呈上苍吉祥之意,福运伴其身,然修行却难有所成,上苍既然眷顾如斯,为何会如此?破绝地,登仙路。云动苍天,众仙臣服!书友交流群:312428582,老狼期待你的加入!
  • 宫主七嫁

    宫主七嫁

    残月如血,阿尔斯蒂山脉之巅,是谁身揽狂风,脚踏怒云,直啸而上?被称为四大绝世天才之一的“他”,还是被称为佣兵之皇的“他”,还是被选中命定的“他”?弑师,杀亲,叛族,是谁宁与天下为敌也不愿屈服?是被定为废脉偏要逆天而修的“他”,还是身负天珠,内有太初指引的“他”,还是一体双魂,血脉霸天的“他”?万物之始,万物之末。凌飞,从今天起,就是她的名字。且看凌飞如何成就一场叫做凌飞的传奇!(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)