The Brother of Daphne

ing some peopl

s because they never get the chanc

o. They simply d

I murmured drowsily. A May a

er they have," said

The bees? It's a ve

simply swarm all over some

udde

king at me, "perhaps you h

r know?" said

find out," said

t to the bee mind that, even were I so indiscreet as to lay hands upon their hive, they would not so far forget themselves as to assail me. At the same time, it is equally on the cards that the inmates of the hive I so foolishly approached w

want them to swarm awfully, and they mig

e no doubt that they would s

l, t

it? And we could have the funeral one day

kep into the new hive tonight somehow,"

help rig

'll y

ffic round by West Hanger. We don't w

turned

the skep, I think,

while we shake the bees out of the skep into it. We'

act, I think I'd better wear a zephyr and running

overed. The face and hands don't really matter,

I'm not afraid of a bee or two.

thousand," said Daphne.

ou, as I do. I have already forgiven Berry.

I heard the wretched girl rea

mies. They will sit at the mouth of a hive

always been rath

all day the clouds hung low and threatening. Misfortune was in the air. Their actual advent I do not recollect, f

fter a while I began to get used to the presence of the bees, and their old s

ill alone, had announced that th

er project as impious, wa

resembling a Swiss c

s and some veils which looked like

r' was the

large, on the top instead of at the end. As touching the 'smoker' the method of procedure was as follows:-One lighted a roll of brown paper, blew It out again and placed it in the n

immediate steps to abate the nuisance in their own simple way. But that, my brothers, is where we are wrong. Where bees are concerned, the 'smoker's' fumes are of a soporific and soothing n

t was what th

the Budget. All was very quiet. A fragrant blue smoke stole up gently from the 'smoker,' which I held at arm's length. B

the 'smoker' when I want

'd take it with you

everything. You must be ready to hand

nk y

hall do something wrong. You'd muc

ds of pounds compensation.

started violently and dropped the

the beastly thing smoking and if-if they should get-er

id Daphne s

the

d y

y be just gettin

another and sneer

desperately, "sheer mu

k chimed a quar

kitchen garden

t as the tomb. It see

by Daphne, and she started against her husband with a little scream. It was a toad. I felt braver. We were no

r. I felt instinctive

me afterwards that I had gone and given it him. That shows

mouth of the skep. He was in time to stop

if rooted t

n them one by one. Three rolled slowly off before as many puffs, intoxicated, doubtless, with delight and drunk with ecstasy. The fourth one he missed. T

y, Berry left the bees on his gauntlet and turned to the one on his wife's veil. The next moment she was reeling against the wall in a paroxysm o

certainly broke the spell, and I turn

odge gates, over a hedge, with eighteen inches

dside wood almost on the top

wn," I

hy

hy. Lie down

eside me, as I sobbed and

t, I listened long and carefully. The resu

girl. She was sitting up no

small and red. Steady grey eyes. She was wearing a soft blue dress of linen, and her brown arms were bare to the elbow. In her hand she had a posy of

all comes of beeing. If

n't look mad," s

n a bonnet, I should have several bees in it. H

she said,

tay," I went on, "be of good beer-I mean cheer. I do not refer to the b

ed more

re you

d out m

rs were at

ich yo

actively interesting myself, resented such active inte

escaped

s winged in the ear, I have bau

at the person of

emselves in this time. Guilty of sacrilege and brawling, they may shortly expect a great plague of toa

really b

ry t

excit

t's very overra

me

very gently with the injured lobe, and by dint of looking out of the far corners of my eyes, I just managed to

I should be inclined to suggest that it was

id a small cool hand firmly on my

she explained. Then, "I believe I

ound. She was quite serious and b

t, you know, as it is in, don't you think perhaps it ha

d my head rou

"Assault and wounding sta

got it out

here?" she said

uns-the terms are synonymous, you know. Large, grey, creepered residence, four recepti

'White

an outcast-a wanderer upon the face

she said, ignoring my que

ot so

es, but I laid a ha

ou going to

be late f

n your head. The b

nse

oment going about like raging lions

pass you

the village

m going,

red at me and her gl

me," said I, "and why

As we approached White Ladies, a solitary bee sang by us and startled me. My nerves were on edge. I breathe

s came from a distance a faint, drowsy

down the straight white road, ha

rl. But all the time the hum was

ever come. It seemed as if someo

large stable yard. There stood a lonely brougham, h

es, as we turned in, and

she gaspe

oor and push her in was the work of a moment. Then I stumbled in after her and slammed

ck against the cushions sobbing and gasping for br

, still breathing hard with her eyes shut. But she seemed to know I was looki

hand on

I said. "You turn

ry bad, thanks. I thi

s unwarrantable assault. It's me they're after. They want to swarm on me. Or else they've recognized one of their enemies. They said, 'That's a beer, one of the beers. Let us slay him, and

d have some air

o close it if necessary. But the bees kept to the ot

are we to d

while,"

appen to have such a thing

ope

ty," I said

t you," she said. "

bees. I'm going to get a pack of toads and hunt them. I shall

ttle

please. It's t

no, t

ful," I said. "Wh

opposite seat. I took off

d suddenly, "wha

ight out. Simply not done in the best circl

les. I'm only very common and vulgar and actua

"You are still young. If you begin

old me yesterday that to-night I should be sitting shut up in a horseless brougham

t there you are, lass, y

ed at me

n the devil dri

ked a

id I, "but it's not impene

ugh she laid a

lad, but put my

tinctively we both shrank back into the brougham. It was quit

t?" she w

tler, I

he going

ht to know, too," I added reflectively. "

ss or two and gazed i

" she m

man moves across the stable. Lo, he leads forth a horse. There now." I turned to her triumphantly. "The horse you fancy, madam, will also run, and the-ah-fee is one guinea. You don't fancy any horse, madam? Ah, but you will. Very soon

ng and putting a little hand o

we heard it come across the yard, and the next moment we fel

stifled cry and set a h

"for the love of Heaven, sit sti

, l

re in

re are w

ut away from the

ile we cowered in the depths of the brougham, the coachman mou

, slowly into the village and to the left again. I

y strong. It makes rather a good paperweight, imparts a homely soupcon of farmyard life into one's correspondence, you know. The P.M. had to give up reading my letters-said they made him feel as if he'd gone to the country. Ah, we are now within a stone's throw of the church-a noble edifice, complete with one bell. Hullo! Stand by with that ankle, lass; we're going to the doctor's. You'll li

out. Then I closed the door very carefully and looked at the coachman. His e

" I said c

e opposite side and was peering into the depths of the brougham. When he had felt all o

, I'm

d. "Don't antici

that, gettin' into a private broom wiv yeller wheels an' frightenin' an hon

his head toward the lamp, th

d in error attributed it to the clemency of the weather. But pray be cove

ponderous sarcasm. "G

tily, "not all. Do y

erly. "Justice. I wonde

ve," I said shortly. "Among other maladies y

ared

r," he said, after a while, "but being

by the vulgar erroneously denominated a 'dollar'. Take

e partially undressed, in the traditional fashion, and

d to th

food, even if they do want to paint us. And we can ri

they've only just about got back. And, as I was dining out

ens, I'm afraid you'll have

given up dinner in

e. But what about

o say if you'll be good enough to tell me where

e that I recognized came thr

us proud. I had fourteen. Just cast your eye-your critical eye-over this arm and take your pick. How do y

as the voic

another voice. "I can

the car and was just wondering what was

my companion. "Was it

red a

lad?" she

it was. But h

teen months, still, after being at school in France together for two

who bit me on the nose, aged four, under

in self-de

was I

ied to

man had begun to undress a

g time ago," I

n, twice sh

, the light wen

faith in pro

her opene

aid the wo

th your de

ghed h

u come f

w me introduce my cousin. Dr. Fletcher-Mi

the leech. "I took elev

say, there's no chance of their getting bee hyd

appeared, smelling l

back; did he? I'm so awfully sorry Berry and I weren't

ped.

al, wer

me. So our brougham ha

id her band

s I was going home to dress abo

g?" said

ink of it, he was

risk pace

d Daphne, "or I

drigal, "I met him

t din

her of us dress. In fact we did

ut you and Berr

his head round the d

look upon your face as you cleared the second celery bed. At the time I thought-but never mind. I now reali

for assista

ed to his wife: "M'dear, I'm afraid he w

ds," said I.