A House and Its Head by Ivy Compton-Burnett

Author:Ivy Compton-Burnett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Published: 2021-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

‘Hurrah!’ cried Dulcia, waving a note above her head. ‘There is a son born to the Edgeworths! If Alison is held – well, not something of a failure, but not the full success as a consort it was hoped, such feeling will be dispelled to-day.’

‘If Alison is held a failure, what of the other young women in the place?’ said Almeric.

‘I am not going to be depressed by you, devoted knight that you are. I am going through the day, sucking all the sweetness from it. For it is lovely and pleasant news, and Nance puts on me the task of diffusing it. The arrival took place in the small hours, and misses the papers.’

‘Ah, someone is glad of what is good for other people,’ said Mr Bode.

‘You must have some more breakfast, my child,’ said his wife.

‘Oh, now, Mother dearest, don’t you fuss like a dear old hen. I shall not faint by the way. Indeed I suspect I shall come by a good deal of refreshment in the course of my peregrinations. So possess your soul in peace.’

‘I fail to see any likeness in Mother to a hen,’ said Almeric, alone in this view, as that of his parents was of smiling sympathy.

‘I have no time to weigh my words. So don’t fidget and flurry my departure. Bye-bye, parents of mine. Bye-bye, carping brother.’

‘Good-bye,’ said Almeric, adhering to the current phrase.

Dulcia ran up the Smolletts’ drive, and was shown at her request to their breakfast-room.

‘Rejoice!’ she said. ‘Rejoice with me! The Edgeworths have a son! Unto them a son is given! Rejoice with me and all who love them.’

There was a pause.

‘Fabian was sent for in the middle of the night,’ said Florence, without a movement of her face.

Dulcia opened her eyes, and flinging herself against the wall, gave herself to mirth.

‘I am a prize ass!’ she said in choked tones: ‘I am a drivelling idiot. This will be a joke to tell against myself! I shall be glad of such a good tale, and by no means averse to being the heroine of it. It is an excellent round off to my news.’

‘I am sorry you have wasted your time over us.’

‘Wasted!’ said Dulcia, again supported by the wall. ‘Wasted? You and I differ on the relative merits of things! The people who hear my story, will not consider it wasted; and I am the last to wish they should. How you will enjoy making a butt of me, when I am gone! I am more than reconciled to my part.’

‘You will share our breakfast, Miss Dulcia? You will do that for us?’

‘Well, I believe I will, Doctor,’ said Dulcia, glancing about the table. ‘I left home after such a very light meal, to be betimes with my news; and now I find it is not news, I am conscious of an emptiness.’

‘I don’t see how people can know yet,’ said Florence.

‘Well, they will wait for their information,’ said Dulcia, settling her sleeves and addressing herself to the board.

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