登陆注册
19487700000031

第31章 XINGU December, 1911(8)

This again threw the company into disarray, and Mrs.Ballinger, with an impatient sigh, rejoined: "Why--there IS a book-- naturally...""Then why did Miss Glyde call it a religion?" Laura Glyde started up."A religion? I never--""Yes, you did," Miss Van Vluyck insisted; "you spoke of rites; and Mrs.Plinth said it was a custom."Miss Glyde was evidently making a desperate effort to reinforce her statement; but accuracy of detail was not her strongest point.At length she began in a deep murmur: "Surely they used to do something of the kind at the Eleusinian mysteries--""Oh--" said Miss Van Vluyck, on the verge of disapproval; and Mrs.Plinth protested: "I understood there was to be no indelicacy!"Mrs.Ballinger could not control her irritation."Really, it is too bad that we should not be able to talk the matter over quietly among ourselves.Personally, I think that if one goes into Xingu at all--""Oh, so do I!" cried Miss Glyde.

"And I don't see how one can avoid doing so, if one wishes to keep up with the Thought of the Day--"Mrs.Leveret uttered an exclamation of relief."There--that's it!" she interposed.

"What's it?" the President curtly took her up."Why--it's a--a Thought: I mean a philosophy."This seemed to bring a certain relief to Mrs.Ballinger and Laura Glyde, but Miss Van Vluyck said dogmatically: "Excuse me if I tell you that you're all mistaken.Xingu happens to be a language.""A language!" the Lunch Club cried.

"Certainly.Don't you remember Fanny Roby's saying that there were several branches, and that some were hard to trace? What could that apply to but dialects?"Mrs.Ballinger could no longer restrain a contemptuous laugh."Really, if the Lunch Club has reached such a pass that it has to go to Fanny Roby for instruction on a subject like Xingu, it had almost better cease to exist!""It's really her fault for not being clearer," Laura Glyde put in.

"Oh, clearness and Fanny Roby!" Mrs.Ballinger shrugged."I daresay we shall find she was mistaken on almost every point.""Why not look it up?" said Mrs.Plinth.

As a rule this recurrent suggestion of Mrs.Plinth's was ignored in the heat of discussion, and only resorted to afterward in the privacy of each member's home.But on the present occasion the desire to ascribe their own confusion of thought to the vague and contradictory nature of Mrs.Roby's statements caused the members of the Lunch Club to utter a collective demand for a book of reference.

At this point the production of her treasured volume gave Mrs.Leveret, for a moment, the unusual experience of occupying the centre front; but she was not able to hold it long, for Appropriate Allusions contained no mention of Xingu.

"Oh, that's not the kind of thing we want!" exclaimed Miss Van Vluyck.She cast a disparaging glance over Mrs.Ballinger's assortment of literature, and added impatiently: "Haven't you any useful books?""Of course I have," replied Mrs.Ballinger indignantly; "but I keep them in my husband's dressing-room."From this region, after some difficulty and delay, the parlour- maid produced the W-Z volume of an Encyclopaedia and, in deference to the fact that the demand for it had come from Miss Van Vluyck, laid the ponderous tome before her.

There was a moment of painful suspense while Miss Van Vluyck rubbed her spectacles, adjusted them, and turned to Z; and a murmur of surprise when she said: "It isn't here.""I suppose," said Mrs.Plinth, "it's not fit to be put in a book of reference.""Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed Mrs.Ballinger."Try X."Miss Van Vluyck turned back through the volume, peering short- sightedly up and down the pages, till she came to a stop and remained motionless, like a dog on a point.

"Well, have you found it?" Mrs.Ballinger enquired, after a considerable delay.

"Yes.I've found it," said Miss Van Vluyck in a queer voice.

Mrs.Plinth hastily interposed: "I beg you won't read it aloud if there's anything offensive."Miss Van Vluyck, without answering, continued her silent scrutiny."Well, what IS it?" exclaimed Laura Glyde excitedly.

"DO tell us!" urged Mrs.Leveret, feeling that she would have something awful to tell her sister.

Miss Van Vluyck pushed the volume aside and turned slowly toward the expectant group.

"It's a river."

"A RIVER?"

"Yes: in Brazil.Isn't that where she's been living?""Who? Fanny Roby? Oh, but you must be mistaken.You've been reading the wrong thing," Mrs.Ballinger exclaimed, leaning over her to seize the volume.

"It's the only XINGU in the Encyclopaedia; and she HAS been living in Brazil," Miss Van Vluyck persisted.

"Yes: her brother has a consulship there," Mrs.Leveret eagerly interposed.

"But it's too ridiculous! I--we--why we ALL remember studying Xingu last year--or the year before last," Mrs.Ballinger stammered.

"I thought I did when YOU said so," Laura Glyde avowed."I said so?" cried Mrs.Ballinger.

同类推荐
  • 佛说四无所畏经

    佛说四无所畏经

    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。
  • 会昌解颐录

    会昌解颐录

    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。
  • The Great God Pan

    The Great God Pan

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 御览诗

    御览诗

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 周易参同契注·阴长生

    周易参同契注·阴长生

    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
  • 祸水天下之六宫无妃

    祸水天下之六宫无妃

    她明明是卓一,杀手卓一。可是却没有人相信她是卓一,阿塔说她是红巫石带来的,是那红遍天下的祸水人物之女,是众望所归的红巫石的主人。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 相约在这里

    相约在这里

    “夏娜娜!你这辈子!休想从我身边溜走!休想看别的男生一眼!休想生我的气!休想不理我!休想···”“凭什么!”“因为你是我的!永远都是!”女孩害羞的笑了···
  • 天道大择

    天道大择

    魔族入侵千年后,九州之中,却迎来了一场始料未及的大劫,一块昌盛繁荣的大陆,因此毁灭,武者人人自危,时光荏苒,魔族又将复苏?重犯九州?毁灭的废墟之上,孤岛之中,一个青年读着古籍,目光眺望远方......九州漫天繁星,辰星不落!凌辰星,少时,自灾变发生后,便被父亲送来这荒岛,但他的征程,从这里,开始,属于他的,崛起征程
  • 世界心

    世界心

    (他是一个先知,他拥有全世界女人都为之疯狂的面孔,拥有别人一辈子都挣不来的财富,一瞬间,他失去了所有。一个特殊的使命,一个特殊的交易,一个特殊的身份。从此,他有了新的生活,新的身份。)
  • 天书变

    天书变

    随天地初开,人世间混沌成形,出现了天、地、人三本奇书。地书,可以操控森罗万物,改变世事,但就是不能改写天书,也不能改变人的自由意志;人书,是一本最神秘的书,从来都没有人见过,也不知道它拥有什么力量;至于天书,则记载的是人间的命运,由始至终钜细无遗,不能变,也不能改。相传只要集齐天、地、人三书,就可以操控苍穹宇宙,创造命运,成为万劫以来独一无二的真神。为保三界太平,创世神盘古大帝将地书滞留神界,人书下藏地府,而天书则遗落人间。千百万年来,地、人二书相继认主,唯独天书苦苦等待着命中注定的那个人出现,由此才引发出一系列的传奇故事。挽歌出品未必是精品,但反应现实写照的《天书变》绝对值得你一读!!!书友群:151294684还在等什么,快来申请吧!!
  • 神奇的地球家园

    神奇的地球家园

    《神奇的地球家园》带领青少年朋友探寻地球上的一些神奇的事物,如火山为什么会爆发,ufo是怎么回事,海市蜃楼是怎么回事等等,通过这些看似神秘的现象揭示一些科学方面的知识。
  • 一语多译英语

    一语多译英语

    本书内容丰富,分类明朗。内容涉及日常生活,求职工作,休闲娱乐,出门旅行,友好交际,情感表达等。表达灵活,语言地道。多种灵活的表达,易于吸引读者的学习兴趣,多种表达源于大量英文作品,避免汉语式的英语,是说一口流利、地道英语的最佳选择。形式活泼,易学易用。让读者的学习变得轻松愉快,易于接受。
  • 都市师徒

    都市师徒

    他,异世妖王,魂穿地球,她,血魔公主,惨遭灭族,一只师傅,一只徒弟,看他们混迹都市,等级练气源气炼骨筑基金丹元婴半仙仙人半神神,每一层分一至九星
  • At the Earth's Core

    At the Earth's Core

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵界修行实录

    灵界修行实录

    随手写写自己的回忆,感谢人生给我丰富的内涵