Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances

by James Branch Cabell

  VI

  Economics of Math

  What forthwith happened at the pool of Haranton is not nicely adapted toexact description, but it was sufficiently curious to give Manuel'sthoughts a new turn, although it did not seem, even so, to make themhappy thoughts. Certainly it was not with any appearance of merrimentthat Manuel returned to his half-sister Math, who was the miller's wife.

  "And wherever have you been all this week?" says Math, "with the pigsrooting all over creation, and with that man of mine forever flingingyour worthlessness in my face, and with that red-haired Suskind comingout of the twilight a-seeking after you every evening and pestering mewith her soft lamentations? And for the matter of that, whatever are youglooming over?"

  "I have cause, and cause to spare."

  Manuel told her of his adventures upon Vraidex, and Math said thatshowed what came of neglecting his proper business, which was attendanceon her husband's pigs. Manuel then told her of what had just befallen bythe pool of Haranton.

  Math nodded. "Take shame to yourself, young rascal with your Niaferhardly settled down in paradise, and with your Suskind wailing for youin the twilight! But that would be Alianora the Unattainable Princess.Thus she comes across the Bay of Biscay, traveling from the far land ofProvence, in, they say, the appearance of a swan: and thus she bathes inthe pool wherein strange dreams engender: and thus she slips into therobe of the Apsarasas when it is high time to be leaving such impudentknaves as you have proved yourself to be."

  "Yes, yes! a shift made all of shining white feathers, Sister. Here is afeather that was broken from it as I clutched at her."

  Math turned the feather in her hand. "Now to be sure! and did you eversee the like of it! Still, a broken feather is no good to anybody, and,as I have told you any number of times, I cannot have trash littering upmy kitchen."

  So Math dropped this shining white feather into the fire, on which shewas warming over a pot of soup for Manuel's dinner, and they watchedthis feather burn.

  Manuel says, sighing, "Even so my days consume, and my youth goes out ofme, in a land wherein Suskind whispers of uncomfortable things, andwherein there are no maids so clever and dear as Niafer, nor so lovelyas Alianora."

  Math said: "I never held with speaking ill of the dead. So may luck andfair words go with your Niafer in her pagan paradise. Of your Suskindtoo"--Math crossed herself,--"the less said, the better. But as for yourAlianora, no really nice girl would be flying in the face of heaven andshowing her ankles to five nations, and bathing, on a Monday too, inplaces where almost anybody might come along. It is not proper, but Iwonder at her parents."

  "But, Sister, she is a princess!"

  "Just so: therefore I burned the feather, because it is not wholesomefor persons of our station in life to be robbing princesses of anything,though it be only of a feather."

  "Sister, that is the truth! It is not right to rob anybody of anything,and this would appear to make another bond upon me and anotherobligation to be discharged, because in taking that feather I have takenwhat did not belong to me."

  "Boy, do not think you are fooling me, for when your face gets that lookon it, I know you are considering some nonsense over and above thenonsense you are talking. However, from your description of the affair,I do not doubt that gallivanting, stark-naked princess thought you werefor taking what did not belong to you. Therefore I burned the feather,lest it be recognized and bring you to the gallows or to a worse place.So why did you not scrape your feet before coming into my clean kitchen?and how many times do you expect me to speak to you about that?"

  Manuel said nothing. But he seemed to meditate over something thatpuzzled him. In the upshot he went into the miller's chicken-yard, andcaught a goose, and plucked from its wing a feather.

  Then Manuel put on his Sunday clothes.

  "Far too good for you to be traveling in," said Math.

  Manuel looked down at his half-sister, and once or twice he blinkedthose shining strange eyes of his. "Sister, if I had been properlydressed when I was master of the doubtful palace, the Lady Gisele wouldhave taken me quite seriously. I have been thinking about herobservations as to my elbows."

  "The coat does not make the man," replied Math piously.

  "It is your belief in any such saying that has made a miller's wife ofyou, and will keep you a miller's wife until the end of time. Now Ilearned better from my misadventures upon Vraidex, and from my talkingwith that insane Horvendile about the things which have been and somethings which are to be."

  Math, who was a wise woman, said queerly, "I perceive that you areletting your hair grow."

  Manuel said, "Yes."

  "Boy, fast and loose is a mischancy game to play."

  "And being born, also, is a most hazardous speculation, Sister, yet weperforce risk all upon that cast."

  "Now you talk stuff and nonsense--"

  "Yes, Sister; but I begin to suspect that the right sort of stuff andnonsense is not unremunerative. I may be wrong, but I shall afford mynotion a testing."

  "And after what shiftless idiocy will you be chasing now, to neglectyour work?"

  "Why, as always, Sister, I must follow my own thinking and my owndesire," says Manuel, lordlily, "and both of these are for a flightabove pigs."

  Thereafter Manuel kissed Math, and, again without taking leave ofSuskind in the twilight, or of anyone else, he set forth for the farland of Provence.