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Page 93
Shortly after the recital of Mr. Malt's experiences the illumination
began, and we realised what it was to drink coffee in fairyland. Poppa
advises me, however, to attempt no description of the Falls of
Schaffhausen by any light, because "there," he says, "you will come into
competition with Ruskin." The Senator is perfectly satisfied with
Ruskin's description of the Falls; he says he doesn't believe much could
be added to it. Though he himself was somewhat depressed by them, he
found that he liked them so much better than Niagara. I heard him myself
tell five different Alpine climbers, in precise figures, how much more
water went over our own cataract.
It was discovered that evening that Mr. and Mrs. Malt, and Emmeline, and
Miss Callis and the Count were going on to Heidelberg and down the Rhine
by precisely the same train and steamer that we had ourselves selected.
Mrs. Malt was looking forward to the ruins on the embattled Rhine with
all the enthusiasm we had expended upon Venice, but Mr. Malt declared
himself so full of the picturesque already that he didn't know how he
was going to hold another castle.
CHAPTER XXV.
We were on our way from Basle to Heidelberg, I remember, and
Mr. Malt was commenting sarcastically upon Swiss resources for naming
towns as exemplified in "Neuhausen." "There's a lot about this country,"
said Mr. Malt, "that reminds you of the world as it appeared about the
time you built it for yourself every day with blocks, and made it lively
with animals out of your Noah's Ark. I can't say what it is, but that's
a sample of it--'New Houses!' What a baby baa-lamb name for a town! It
would settle the municipality in our part of the world--any railway
would make a circuit of fifty miles to avoid it!"
Mr. Mafferton and I had paused in our conversation, and these remarks
reached us in full. They gave him the opportunity of bending a
sympathetic glance upon me and saying, "How graphic your countrymen are,
Miss Wick." Cologne was only three days off, but Mr. Mafferton never
departed from the proprieties in his form of address. He was in that
respect quite the most docile and respectful person I have ever found it
necessary to keep in suspense.
I said they were not all as pictorial as Mr. Malt, and noticed that his
eye was wandering. It had wandered to Miss Callis, who was snubbing the
Count, and looking wonderfully well. I don't know whether I have
mentioned that she had blue eyes and black hair, but her occupation, of
course, would be becoming to anybody.
"And for the matter of that your country-women, too," said Mr.
Mafferton. "I am much gratified to have the opportunity of making the
acquaintance of another of them in this unexpected way. I find your
friend, Miss Callis, a charming creature."
She wasn't my friend, but the moment did not seem opportune for saying
so.
"I saw you talking a good deal to her yesterday," I said.
Mr. Mafferton twisted his moustache with a look of guilty satisfaction
which I found hard to bear. "Must I cry _Peccavi_?" he said. "You see
you were so--er--preoccupied. You said you would rather hear about the
growth of the Swiss Confederacy and its relation to the Helvetia of the
Ancients another day."
"That was quite true," I said indignantly.
"I found Miss Callis anxious to be informed without delay," said Mr.
Mafferton, with a slightly rebuking accent. "She has a very open mind,"
he went on musingly.
"Oh, wonderfully," I said.
"And a highly retentive memory. It seems she was shown over our place in
Surrey last summer. She described it to me in the most perfect detail.
She must be very observant."
"She's as observant as ever she can be," I remarked. "I expect she could
describe you in the most perfect detail too, if she tried." I sweetened
this with an exterior smile, but I felt extremely rude inside.
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