The Brother of Daphne | Page 7

convey it, puppets and all, a little way into the wood. It was early yet, but some people
would be passing along the road, and we were not yet ready to combat the curiosity that
the appearance of a Punch and Judy show would be sure to arouse. That done, she would

lie close in the wood with Toby, while I made off home and changed.
As I started off, after settling her in the bracken, I heard the village clock strike the
half-hour. Half-past seven. I gained the house unobserved. No one was abroad except the
servants, but I heard Daphne singing in the bathroom.
I had worn the Pierrot dress two years ago at a fancy-dress ball.
There it lay with its mask at the bottom of the wardrobe. The change was soon completed,
and I stood up a proper Folly, from the skull cap upon my crown to the pumps upon my
feet. It took some time to find the nose, but luck was with me, and at last I ran it to earth
in an old collar-box. Truly an appalling article, it stuck straight out from my face like a
fat, fiery peg, but between that and the mask, my disguise would defy detection.
Suddenly I had a brilliant idea. Sitting down, I scribbled a note to Daphne to the effect
that, owing to a sleepless night, my nerve had forsaken me, and that, unable to face the
terror of the bazaar, I had fled to Town, and should not be back till late. I added that I
should be with her in the spirit, which, after all, was the main thing.
I put on a long overcoat and a soft hat. The nose went into one pocket, the mask into
another. Then I went cautiously downstairs and into the dining-room. It was empty, and
breakfast was partially laid.
In feverish haste I hacked about a pound of meat off a York ham and nearly as much off a
new tongue. Wrapping the slices in a napkin, I thrust them into the pocket with the nose.
To add half a brown loaf to the mask and drain the milk jug was the work of another
moment, and, after laying the note on Daphne's plate, I slipped out of the French
windows and into the bushes as I heard William come down the passage. A quarter of an
hour later I was back again in the wood.
She was sitting on a log, swinging her legs to and fro. When I took off my coat and hat,
she clapped her hands in delight.
"Wait till you see the nose," said I.
When presently I slipped that French monstrosity into place, she laughed so
immoderately that her brown hair broke loose from under the black silk cap and tumbled
gloriously about her shoulders.
"There now," she said. "See what you've done."
"Good for the nose," said I.
"It's all very well to say that, but it took me ages to get it all under the wretched cap this
morning."
"I shouldn't put it back again if I were you. You see," I went on earnestly, "everybody
will know you're a girl, Judy dear."

"Why, Punch?" She drew aside the dust coat and revealed the wide Pierrot trousers she
was wearing.
"Priceless," I admitted. "But what I really love are your feet." She looked concernedly at
her little, high-heeled shoes.
I stooped to flick the dust from their patent leather.
"Thank you, Punch. What shall I do about my hair, then?"
"Wear it in a pig-tail. I'll plait it for you. It'll be worth another sovereign to the Bananas."
"If you put it like that-" she said slowly.
"I do, Judy." If the suggestion was not prompted by motives which were entirely
disinterested, I think I may be forgiven.
"I say, Judy," I said a little later, pausing unnecessarily in my work, and making pretence
to comb with my fingers the tresses as yet ungathered into the plait.
"Yes? What a long time you are!"
Well, there was a knot.
She tried to look round into my face at that, but I vigorously unplaited about two inches,
which seemed to satisfy her. For me, I thought of Penelope and her web and the wooers,
and smiled.
"Well, what is it, Punch?"
"About the mask."
"No good!"
"But, Judy- "
For the next two minutes I did a little listening. When she paused for breath:
"Have some ham," I suggested.
"Bother the ham! Do you hear what I say?"
"I heard you bother the ham."
"Before that?"
"Something about a mask, was it?"
"Give me back my hair," she demanded.

"No, no," I said hastily, "not that! I won't ask again."
"Promise."
"I promise."
When I had finished the plaiting, I tied the