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160 The Freelands
Then Tod said: "Go ahead, old man!
You've got something to say about the
youngsters, haven't you?"
How on earth did he know that? But
then Tod had a sort of queer prescience.
"Well," he brought out with an effort,
"don't you think it's a pity to embroil
your young people in village troubles?
We've been hearing from Stanley "
Kirsteen interrupted in her calm, staccato
voice with just the faintest lisp:
"Stanley would not understand."
She had put her arm through Tod's, but
never removed her eyes from her brotherin-law's
face.
"Possibly," said Felix, "but you must
remember that Stanley, John, and myself
represent ordinary—what shall we say—
level-headed opinion."
"With which we have nothing in common,
I'm afraid."
Felix glanced from her to Tod. The
fellow had his head on one side and seemed
listening to something in the distance.
And Felix felt a certain irritation.
"It's all very well," he said, "but I
think you really have got to look at your
children's future from a larger point of
view. You don't surely want them to
fly out against things before they've had
a chance to see life for themselves."
She answered:
"The children know more of life than
most young people. They've seen it close
to, they've seen its realities. They know
what the tyranny of the countryside
means."
"Yes, yes," said Felix, "but youth is
youth."
"They ar: not too young to know and
feel the truth."
Felix was impressed. How those narrowing
eyes shone ! What conviction in
that faintly lisping voice !
'I am a fool for my pains,' he thought,
and only said:
" Well, what about this invitation, anyway?"
"Yes; it will be just the thing for them
at the moment."
The words had to Felix a somewhat sinister
import. He knew well enough that
she did not mean by them what others
would have meant. But he said: "When
shall we expect them? Tuesday, I suppose,
would be best for Clara, after her
week-end. Is there no chance of you and
Tod?"
She quaintly wrinkled her lips into not
quite a smile, and answered:
" Tod shall say. Do you hear, Tod ? "
"In the meadow. It was there yesterday—first
time this year."
Felix slipped his arm through his
brother's.
"Quite so, old man."
"What?" said Tod. "Ah ! let's go in.
I'm awfully hungry." . . .
Sometimes out of a calm sky a few drops
fall, the twigs rustle, and far away is
heard the muttering of thunder; the traveller
thinks: ' A storm somewhere about.'
Then all once more is so quiet and peaceful
that he forgets he ever had that
thought, and goes on his way careless.
So with Felix returning to Becket in
Stanley's car. That woman's face, those
two young heathens—the unconscious
Tod!
There was mischief in the air above that
little household. But once more the
smooth gliding of the cushioned car, the
soft peace of the meadows so permanently
at grass, the churches, mansions, cottages
embowered among their elms, the slowflapping
flight of the rooks and crows
lulled Felix to quietude, and the faint far
muttering of that thunder died away.
Nedda was in the drive when he returned,
gazing at a nymph set up there by
Clara. It was a good thing, procured
from Berlin, well known for sculpture,
and beginning to green over already, as
though it had been there a long time—a
pretty creature with shoulders drooping,
eyes modestly cast down, and a sparrow
perching on her head.
"Well, Dad?"
"They're coming."
"When?"
" On Tuesday—the youngsters, only."
" You might tell me a little about them."
But Felix only smiled. His powers
of description faltered before that task;
and, proud of those powers, he did not
choose to subject them to failure.
VIII
NOT till three o'clock that Saturday did
the Bigwigs begin to come. Lord and
Lady Britto first from Erne by car; then