The Glassblower's Children by Maria Gripe

Author:Maria Gripe
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781590177457
Publisher: New York Review Books
Published: 2014-02-20T05:00:00+00:00

11

THE LORD AND Lady were completely satisfied with their governess. It was wonderful, too, how she was teaching the children, though it wasn’t necessary. Her frequent singing lessons were perhaps a little disturbing because Nana sang such high notes, but she told them that the children were very unmusical and had to practice often, so it really wasn’t her fault.

And there’d been no broken glasses at all since Nana came to the House. No one could deny that she was wonderful.

There was only one problem. You could overlook the fact that she had to eat every other hour, but her naps after eating were undeniably awkward. Not because she slept, but because her sleep was so noisy; she disturbed the whole House.

Every other hour, for fifteen minutes, all work stopped throughout the House. Everyone looked at everyone else in dismay: Nana is sleeping again.

It was more or less like a thunderstorm. There was nothing anyone could do about it; the storm had to have its own way. No one was exactly scared, just shaken, riled, unable to get hold of himself until it had passed.

That’s what it felt like when Nana slept.

The Lady suffered more than anyone else, for her bedroom was directly under the children’s. The storms raged right over her head. She didn’t feel that she ought to move just because of Nana. But finally, it was just too much.

She decided to move Nana instead. The children could be moved to another part of the House. But Nana would hear none of it. She said no, curtly. This room suited her. Here she kept her trunk full of school books, and here was her suitcase with all her costumes, which she always brought along in case she became an opera singer—and that’s what she would have become if only people’s hearing were a little better, she said, staring at the Lady’s ears so accusingly that the Lady drew herself back. She had no desire to discuss ears with Nana.

Another time, when the Lord quietly tried to point out to Nana that both her suitcase and her trunk could be moved along with her, if necessary, he was pierced by such a fierce stare that he trembled.

“I WILL NOT be moved about!” thundered Nana, and there the subject was dropped. They would just have to find another solution.

One day the Lord came home with a huge bottle of pills to cure snoring. Since the pills were supposed to quiet noises, he thought they might even help Nana. All he had to do was persuade her to take them. But she was easily riled, so he had to be careful not to upset her.

When she came in one morning complaining of exhaustion, the Lord hurried out and fetched the pill bottle. He told her the pills would give her a lot more energy, and that she should take one with every meal.

Nana took the pills and everyone waited excitedly.

But the only result was that she slept for half an hour instead of fifteen minutes.

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