The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood

Author:Maryrose Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

Mrs. Apple struck a pose in the manner of a Roman consul about to address the senate. . . .

Beowulf jumped off the table, and the three Incorrigibles arranged themselves in a row. Cassiopeia’s wreath kept slipping over her eyes.

“In honor of the great orations of antiquity,” Alexander intoned.

“And Lumawoo’s speech,” Cassiopeia added, pushing her errant wreath into position.

“And Mr. Gibbon’s book, too.” Beowulf held up the volume, although it was too weighty a work to keep in the air for very long.

“We have made three tableaux vivant of ancient Rome,” Alexander finished. “First tableau: The Assassination of Julius Caesar.”

The children sprang into position. Alexander played the part of Caesar, which was evident by the noble way he held one hand to his temple, as if his mind were filled with thoughts of empire. Moments later, his siblings snuck up behind him, bearing imaginary daggers. With many sharp cries they ran him through.

“Et tu, Beowulf?” he groaned as his brother pretended to stab him once more. Then he crumpled, his toga flapping dramatically on the way down.

After a moment of reverence for the fallen Caesar and a round of applause from Penelope and Mrs. Apple, the three children readied themselves for their next tableau. This time Beowulf announced the title. “Second tableau: The Roman Colosseum.”

The Incorrigibles joined hands and formed a circle, as you might do to play ring around the rosy. In this way they meant to show the great open-air stadium in which the popular entertainments of Rome were held. These included high-speed chariot races, armed gladiators who fought to the death, and the feeding of unlucky people to hungry lions. Evidently, the Romans’ idea of what constituted a good show involved a great many gruesome ends.

“Your Colosseum is colossal,” Mrs. Apple said approvingly.

Now it was Cassiopeia’s turn. Grandly, she proclaimed: “Third and last tableau: Fall of Rome!” Whereupon all three children collapsed to the ground, laughing uproariously at their own joke.

“Children, this is excellent work.” Penelope glanced at the door. There was still no sign of Miss Mortimer.

Cassiopeia jumped to her feet and tugged at her governess’s sleeve. “Your turn! Speech all done?”

“Speech all done! Speech all done!” the boys chanted, still in high spirits from their success with the tableaux. In fact, they could not help but reenact the Fall of Rome several more times, as it was great fun to keep collapsing and getting up again.

Penelope could barely make herself heard over the noise. “Well . . . not exactly . . . that is to say . . . when Miss Mortimer returns, I will explain. . . .”

And then, just as in one of those marvelous old stories in which you only have to say the magic words to make the genie in the lamp appear, no sooner had Penelope said “Miss Mortimer” than the kind headmistress herself swept into the room, the children’s paintings balanced on her outstretched arms. “Good news, Incorrigibles,” she called out gaily as she carefully put the artwork on the table.

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