VII

Symford,innocentvillage,wenttobedveryearlybutearlyasitwentlongbeforeithadgotthereonthiseveningitcontainednofamilythathadnotheardofthearrivalsatBaker'sFarm.FromthevicaragethenewshadfilteredthataprettyyoungladycalledSchultzwasstayingtherewithherunclefromtheagent'shousethenewsthatalunaticcalledNeumannwasstayingtherewithhisnieceandaboutsupper-time,whileitwasstillwonderingatthissuddeninfluxofrelatedGermans,camethepostmistressandsaidthattheboyfromBaker'swhofetchedthelettersknewnothingwhateverofanyonecalledSchultz.Hehad,saidthepostmistress,grownquiteangryandforgottenthegreaterandbyfarthebetterpartofhismannerswhensheaskedhimhowhecouldstandthereandsaysuchthingsafteralltheyearshehadattendedSunday-schoolandifhewerenotafraidtheearthwouldopenandswallowhimup,andhehadstucktoitwithanobstinacythathadatlengthconvincedherthatonlyoneuncleandniecewereatBaker's,andtheirnamewasNeumann.Headdedthattherewasanotheryoungladytherewhosenamehecouldn'tcatch,butwhosatontheedgeofherbedalldaycryingandrefusingsustenance.Appeasedbythepostmistress'sapologiesforherfirstunbeliefheendedbybeinganxioustogivealltheinformationinhispower,andcamebackquitealongwaytotellherthathehadforgottentosaythathismotherhadsaidthattheniece'sChristiannamewasMaria-Theresa. "Butwhat,then,"saidthevicar'swifetothevicarwhenthisnewshadfilteredthroughthevicaragewallstotheverysofawhereshesat,"hasbecomeoftheniececalledEthel?" "Idon'tknow,"saidthevicar,helplessly. "Perhapssheistheonewhocriedallday." "Mydear,wemetherinthechurchyard." "Perhapstheyareforgers,"suggestedthevicar'swife. "Mydear?" "Oranarchists." "Kate?" Thevicar'swifesaidnomore,butsilentlymadeuphermindtogotheverynextdayandcallatBaker's.ItwouldbeterribleifabadinfluencegotintoSymford,herparishthatshehadkeptinsuchgoodorderforsolong.Besides,shehadanofficialpositionasthewifeofthevicarandcouldandoughttocalloneverybody.Hercallwouldnotbindher,anymorethanthecallofadistrictvisitorwould,toinvitethecalled-upontoherhouse.Perhapstheywerequitedecent,andshecouldaskthegirluptotheTuesdayeveningsintheparish-roomhardlytothevicarage,becauseofherdaughterNetta.Ontheotherhand,iftheylookedlikewhatsheimaginedanarchistsorforgerslooklike,shewouldmerelyleaveleafletsandbeoutwhentheyreturnedhercall. Robin,allunawareofhismother'sthoughts,waslongingtoaskhertogotoBaker'sandtakehimwithherasafirststeptowardstheacquaintanceafterwhichhissoulthirsted,butherefrainedforvariousdiscreetreasonsbasedonanintimateknowledgeofhismother'scharacterandhespenttheeveningperfectingaplanthatshouldintroducehimintotheinteriorofBaker'swithoutherhelp.Theplanwasofabarbaroussimplicity:hewasgoingtochooseanumbrellafromthecollectionthatyea