The Cooks Decameron | Page 8

rather
frivolous," said Mrs. Gradinger. "I may observe--" but here mercifully
the observation was checked by the entry of Mrs. St. Aubyn Fothergill.
She was a handsome woman, always dominated by an air of serious
preoccupation, sumptuously, but not tastefully dressed. In the social
struggle upwards, wealth was the only weapon she possessed, and
wealth without dexterity has been known to fail before this. She made
efforts, indeed, to imitate Mrs. Sinclair in the elegancies of menage,
and to pose as a woman of mind after the pattern of Mrs. Gradinger; but
the task first named required too much tact, and the other powers of
endurance which she did not possess.
"You'll have some tea, Mrs. Fothergill?" said the Marchesa. "It's so
good of you to have come."
"No, really, I can't take any tea; in fact, I couldn't take any lunch out of
vexation at having to put you off, my dear Marchesa."
"Oh, these accidents will occur. We were just discussing the best way
of getting round them," said the Marchesa. "Now, dear," --speaking to
Mrs. Sinclair--"let's have your plan. Mrs. Gradinger has fastened like a
leech on the Canon and Mrs. Wilding, and won't hear a word of what
you have to say."
"Well, my scheme is just an amplification of your mathematical
illustrations, that we should all learn to cook for ourselves. I regard it
no longer as impossible, or even difficult, since you have informed us
that you are a mistress of the art. We'll start a new school of cookery,
and you shall teach us all you know."
"Ah, my dear Laura, you are like certain English women in the hunting
field. You are inclined to rush your fences," said the Marchesa with a
deprecatory gesture. "And just look at the people gathered here in this
room. Wouldn't they--to continue the horsey metaphor--be rather an
awkward team to drive?"
"Not at all, if you had them in suitable surroundings. Now, supposing
some beneficent millionaire were to lend us for a month or so a nice
country house, we might install you there as Mistress of the stewpans,
and sit at your feet as disciples," said Mrs. Sinclair.
"The idea seems first-rate," said Van der Roet; "and I suppose, if we are

good little boys and girls, and learn our lessons properly, we may be
allowed to taste some of our own dishes."
"Might not that lead to a confusion between rewards and
punishments?" said Sir John.
"If ever it comes to that," said Miss Macdonnell with a mischievous
glance out of a pair of dark, flashing Celtic eyes, "I hope that our
mistress will inspect carefully all pupils' work before we are asked to
eat it. I don't want to sit down to another of Mr. Van der Roet's
Japanese salads made of periwinkles and wallflowers."
"And we must first catch our millionaire," said the Colonel.
During these remarks Mrs. Fothergill had been standing "with parted
lips and straining eyes," the eyes of one who is seeking to "cut in."
Now came her chance. "What a delightful idea dear Mrs. Sinclair's is.
We have been dreadfully extravagant this year over buying pictures,
and have doubled our charitable subscriptions, but I believe I can still
promise to act in a humble way the part of Mrs. Sinclair's millionaire.
We have just finished doing up the 'Laurestinas,' a little place we
bought last year, and it is quite at your service, Marchesa, as soon as
you liketo occupy it."
This unlooked-for proposition almost took away the Marchesa's breath.
"Ah, Mrs. Fothergill," she said, "it was Mrs. Sinclair's plan, not mine.
She kindly wishes to turn me into a cook for I know not how long, just
at the hottest season of the year, a fate I should hardly have chosen for
myself."
"My dear, it would be a new sensation, and one you would enjoy
beyond everything. I am sure it is a scheme every one here will hail
with acclamation," said Mrs. Sinclair. All other conversation had now
ceased, and the eyes of the rest of the company were fixed on the
speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen," she went on, "you have heard my
suggestion, and you have heard Mrs. Fothergill's most kind and
opportune offer of her country house as the seat of our school of
cookery. Such an opportunity is one in ten thousand. Surely all of
us---even the Marchesa--must see that it is one not to be neglected."
"I approve thoroughly," said Mrs. Gradinger; "the acquisition of
knowledge, even in so material a field as that of cookery, is always a
clear gain."
"It will give Gradinger a chance to put in a couple of days at Ascot,"

whispered Van der Roet.
"Where Mrs. Gradinger leads, all must follow, said Miss Macdonnell.
"Take the sense