1955-08-22 — Page 4

Madame Maria

■ THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1955, 972

PEOPLE DON'T CHANGE Γ

FACT OR FICTION? Did this story really happon? All the

tales in this series COULD be true- but can YOU sort the

fact from the fiction? Tomorrow the answer will be published.

Altogether it was a dreary rowed the faro to London from

and the only part of it my bother, a "costume," as it year way, then called, from my elder which I could remember with mister, and put up my hair. any pleasure afterwards was the Governesses must have been in month which Marie, en eldar short supply at the moment, for daughter, come to spend in her

ancestral home. 30t the job. There was con- siderable uproar in the family.

Way

promptly and fully

N my middle teens, which coincided, alas, with the infancy of the century, I be- came afflicted by an attack punished for the of wanderlust, which I pains I had caused my

She was only 20, but she had been married for two years and and was the mother of a four-month- mother, old child. She was sill con- for, though momentarily adven- sklored to be delicate and it was ussunged in the only way tugas was naturally timid and partly to try the recuperative

what seemed an quality of me-hours of when, urter open to brooding over an ating and endless journey I arrived at my partly to exhibit the child to his yearning study, of adver- destinatica I was appalled; the grandparents that she had re-

place was so exactly like the turned: tisements in personal

columns. These held more end of Dracula, which in

enticement

for

the

innocent and remote days

very ultimate seemed the horror. The vast grey bag, adventurous-minted than standing is miles and miles of they do now, for English dark pine forest, all the feudal still in state within it, the utter strange-

ness of overything, did call up thoughts of vampires and were

governesses were great demand in many strange places,

My interest was, to begin with, largely academic; I had no qualifications and it was highly unlikely that I should be allowed to leave home until, at the age of 18. I went to train for career which was the very negation of all adventure. However, It so happened that when 1

17 I

Wis

contrived, largely through slickness of pen, to pass an was left, examination and

fallow

as it were, with year ahead.

To

A JOB

iL

wolves.

by NORAH ·

LOFTS

her native air and

AN ANGEL

The languishing lavalld threw the tray and the bowl of soup at the servant.

or embarrassment, tray upon which was set a resentment covered bowl of soup-the first of her state.

"Was fortunate," she said in course of the invalid's light

lilting volee that was all When the cover was the lunchoon.

that remained of her many "Was fortunate that 1 whisked away the odour of it charms.

It was chicken qould yow a little and could reached me. soup, it smelt delicious and set speak English, some thanics for me thinking hungrily of my own which are your duc. approaching meal and hoping that the same soup would be served in the school-room.

I thought her as beautiful as an angel. I also thought her until she noticed me completely spoilt, unbearably affected, voin, imperious and silly. All respon sibility for the child was taken off her hands by whole passe of nurses and malds who had conic with her to augment the already unbelievable number of servants in the house, and she had nothing do all day except to by with bits of embroidery a and read novels.

WE LAUGHED

A PROTEST

Into a

"Was very pleased when in Mra Abbot's house I see the book and know that life hos

with me?"

about Jools

Marle lifted the spoon, sipped been to you more kind" went into what I thought was

Everything in the little room fit, screamed, broke

direst poverty. gabble of Polish so rapid that I indicated the

what shoer bore- curling down to her shoulders The gas ring, one kettle, one did she It was probably dom which decided her to im- could not recognise a word and small saucepan;

How often? prove

her English by cultivating then shouted, "The bell, ring it! cook?

She my pequaintance.

had Ring it! Ring the bell!"

"My train," I said, "does not had, in her time, an English

icave until half past eight this governers and her knowledge of

evening and I am alone in London. The grammar and the literature

Will you have dinner was quite Impressive; the accent and the little oddities of phrase which

I did so. A maid ran in, was she deplored I found

at, mumbled a "But with such pleasure. Is screamed fascinating and when, as she frightened protest, ran out and most kind. Where, and what BLESS THIS HOUSE to the

often did, she said: "Is wrong. returned with mother who was hour?" book by Norah Lofts,

correct please," 1 would mumble screamed at, who mumbled a who was born in East Anglis

That proverb out the correction with the feel- frightened protest and

who ran and was once a schoolmistr019.

ing that I was being impudent out, to return accompanied by a rushing m where angels fear to She has been married twice

penicious rubbish; and sacrilegious. and lives at Bury St. Edmunds.

third, I stood by, gasping, tread is the "If there were prixes

thinking about the procession of angels tread firmly, fools go 'I should have dultant blography." writes.

servitors in The Jackdaw of niggling along

s2d, botsly, the Savoy Grill,” "I would win one." Reader

Rheims and also about the

but I did not. I thought of of this story nay como to. 4

Borgia poisonings,

transport: I thought, heaven very different conclusion.

And then the Janguishing forgive me, of clothes; and invalid flung the tray and the mentioned a small though not bowl of soup at

restaurant one servant, inexpensive a box on the esr for each stood. others, a

I knew it;

good failed to endear talked about clothes and ways and flung herself, sobbing on reputation; it was, well let's say and Its sartorial myself to the two girls; they of doing the hair as though we the pillows. The three servants, Continental,

Eizlish, knew were both human beings. And

all. sobbing violently, gathered standards were unexacting. knew

of French what. that meant to me ther

the wreckage and trailed out honestly looked forward to giving Polish; a knowledge

cannot be exaggerated.

really good filing was one qualification of the

And iny French,

One day, towards the end of of the room. There had been a her one which and

hair, indubitably, disgustingly, meal. semned adequanto for examina- iver visit, she

was spending & unforgivably a hair ta tion purposes, was infinitely

French governess whom they family commissioned an agency

And

Had adored and they resented In London

them an English governess for two girls me. Te their parents, aristocratic the agency and immensely wealthy, I was aged nine and 11; advertised; I saw the advertise- just another hireling; and, being ment and wrote and was invited foreign, to the servants some- to go for an Interview. I bor- thing not quite human.

remain at school seemed wasteful und uneconomic; 1 pointed this out to my mother so uften, so persistently that at Jaal, through sheer weariness, she said, "Very well then, get a job if you can find anyone to employ you.

Possibly, I exaggerated her kindness to me, but at least she name and knew my Christian more called

times laughed together end

Such imaginary terrors vanish-

Kive

wuy

20

to

within

A faded photograph of myself cd, al that time lies before me as. I rationni things. I was far from od me by it; and we some dealt a smart right-wit at the walking distance of where wo

write and explains the force of happy. her conditimal words. Let us skip the details of puppy-fat, in congruously linked to gangling gth of ilmb, two enorindus plaits and school uniform, not to of im- incution an expression Beasurable stupidity.

no

post

up

The fact remains that a Polish ferior to theirs: they had day in bed, and sent for me to the soup and it had

had talk to her, She lay in bed ruined the poor Indy's

completely appetite for

the whole looking, I thought, lovely and angelic with her half of the dayl

a And there were 40 and wearing a wrap that was mass of ruched. apricot-coloured satin and tace.

In the middle of the conversa- tion a maid arrived bearing a

DODWELL & CO., LTD.

Wine & Spirit Department

ED THE WATE

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GINS AND COCKTAILS

ST STROMMENT

TO ME LAYE

6:40 GIOICE AI

KING OFOLDS

SANDEMAN'S

PORTS & SHERRIES

BY APPOINTM

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VEUVE CLICQUOT

CHAMPAGNE

BY APPOINTMENT

KING FOTOl vi

PIVEYORS OF

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OUTER LIQUIUM, WISEAS

ID THE Left

WYNAND FOCKINK DUTCH LIQUEURS

years,

DID

IT HAPPEN?

41 to be exact and there were two great wars and a social upheaval greater and wider than that brought about by the fall of Rome. I am middle- go no more aged and a-roaming. Two visits to Lon- don in a year is about my mark.

D

?

had

So we met, and in the diminutive ante-room, drank dry Martin's and nibbled olives

and salted almonds. Out of the bent, battered, shrivelled frame of her something of the old spark fashed. She had spent 10 months In Ravensbruck, that In- Lamous

was

20

Splendid

I thought...n sound, good meal. I thrust aside, having learned the nonsense of scriti- ment, the thought of all those hungry years. . . .

Don't miss the Atles, Family's adventures.

THE HOLIDAY (contd.)

"I GOT THE BUS-IT'S A DAMN SIGHT QUICKER."

London Express Servics

Russell Spurr: Inside the People's

China

place, digusting!" he said.

We moved in to the pinklamped table. She ordered soup, minestrone,

and I glad, for that is a nourishing Ол onc of these, in the dish. chose the same, pre- autumn of last year, the friend tending an avidity which I did with whom I spent the might not, actually, feci. And spoke of her litle dressmaker," follow? Sole bonne femme and m expression which all women steak Chateaubriant. use as though their sewing was done by gnomes. This one was

Pole,

refugee, and she claimed, oddly enough, to have known me as a young woman. A book of mine, suitably inscribed. had happened to lie on the table when the poor little thing had

cover back in place. It took a come to do a fitting. Wasn't it Coinci- a strange coincidence?

plush curtains now being con All right, you've guessed it...

little hammering. One of them plaster and yards of the maroon dence enough to set mo agog,

produced a coll of baling wire demned under the latest govern- but if you guessed "hair in the

from This pocket and fiddled ment economy drive. "What is her name?"

soup," you are wrong. A truc-

Beethoven this More music, life story mustn't have too many I am not ordinarily a about beneath the nacelle.

that would *Scmething

traveller. unp:onounceable, coincidences, and

air

He stepped back, wiping his time, and a flattering but un- Western We call her Madame Marie have been too much. But it is

Who ever persuaded reckon I have flown. 30,000 hands on some gauze, when us pooling. Who over the name she used true that the soup was set down, miles in the past

turned propeller. that wos

the world's best cooks that when she had a little shop. She and the waiter

asked In the began with hats, but they didn't

sée it go round.

outlots, bedraggled cabbage and pay, so now she sews,"

I TRIED to LOOK BRAVE

ON THIS PLANE TRIP

WEARY

The

UNWIPED

IR travel is perfectly One of those gong clashing my passport and took it away operas, that scarcely in his finger tips as though he safe in China. Every Chinese

blended with Cossack groans. were afraid of contamination. one tells me so. There

Hankow Not, at least, at six o'clock The new

airport are fewer crashes per pas- in the moming.

building is hardly bigger than a goodsized city bus terminal, But senger mile than anywhere

Two oil-stained men out on it displays a Ufo-size statue of else in the world. That's the apron had got the engine. Mao Tse-tung in greying while what everyone says.

I only wish I could be lieve them.

nervous

traditional manner whether months.

medam wished for cheese and he

grated in the Parmesan with tender care. And Madame Marie

looked at me, smiled, made an apologetic gesture.

PATIENCE up her spoon, looked at it,

*was.

"Mndeme Maric" still just discernible on the "Am sorry. Is dirty spoon," shabby paint over, the window she said. · which now displayed sweets and The sad woman cigafettos.

I

It's only when I see a nut- happy Chinese mechanic pulling vital parts out of the vintage Dakota I'm booked to travel in, that I begin a mental check-up en my insurance policies.

They both seemed surprised to foreigners Ilve on frizzled

Agonising Climb

banana fritters? Fortunately, I

hungry

Who

could, be, puzzled

Hube ching the group pondering over the small removed from That was the cue for luggage pile of parts they'd

and we were the same troublesome engine?. and passengers

Perhaps they'd give up at last ace and re-route

us by train? But I began checking very hard stowed aboard together et the same time. The only difference The plane at Canton airport.

solved suddenly

the between us was that the luggage no, someone And I looked and saw one of simply didn't look fit to fly.

The ilving problem with a flourish and backc was roped down. so many behind

the counter sald with those spoons which

take for granted, Air travel is still an expensive freight perched precariously on everything went inside,

the Morc turning et the propelier, weary patience, "Oh, yes. You diners-out

The Com- in boxes on either side of 'In a washing up luxury in China,

pinne. A casual young man, more urgent discussions. The go in the next door and up the washed stairs, I just have this lock-up machine, carelessly rinsed, un-munists have concent there who turned out to be the co- pilot came out to watch, amoking

ond wiped, returned to the table restoring and expanding the rall-

cigsrolle

leaning and she lives over,"

with a small grey circle, a ghost ways and that is still the way pilot, came out and checked our a

nonchalantly on a fuelling truck, frayed safety straps. nost people travel.

At hist he strolled yawning The stairs were bare and dirty, smear haunting the bowl of it.

Services with Lense Lend

The Dakota warmed up lazily underneath the engine, nodded the door at the top unpainted, They brought a fresh spoon; American Dakotos were indescribably bleak; but there they brought more coup because, opened to the main cities of at the end of the runway and vaguely and waved to the control

suddenly trundled into the air. wis the card, "Madame Marie, the first instalment had soled China at the beginning of this The wheels Mc. EWAN-YOUNGER LTD.

came up Dressmaking” 1 knocked on it ....they did all that was in their your. They rim infrequently.

I had power to us timidly, i sweat, 05

do but it was useless, and irregularly. The slightest body with a shuddering thump beföre we were off the concrete.. ever knocked on that other door. All appetite had flown...

sign of bad weather suspends all "The wings flapped, the frame- have called this story flights or sets the wretched work creaked as a slow agonis- She was indeed "little" now; "People Don't Change," but of passengers down at a far distant ing climb began over ricefields, grown old; 20 years at least

that is a lie. She had airport.); COLTEO

treetops and a fast approaching alder than her age and utterly changed a little. Nobody's ears

ridge, of rocky hills. unrecognizablec.

were boxed. Or were they? Were mine?

MARTELL

:

COGNAC BRANDY

HUNT ROOPE & CO., LTD.

PORTS & SHERRIES

PABST

BLUE RIBBON BEER

BOTTLED DEER

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As of old, it was she who war wall-possessed. Sho called me by name; took my hand, wald how.agreeable 'li was to'soo me. after all these years. She made me ton, bolling the water in, a ti kettle on a gas-ring which stood on a bare wooden table. Nearby stood two old-ftshioned flat-froeus, the tools of him trade. She offered, comunitat“ne shb had.

WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED

010 IT HEALLY RAPPEN"

ANO

Surprised Men

only

tower.

into the

Into The Clouds

I tried to look brave as I got aboard for the last lapto Peking.

Another breath-taking take- I wondered if I looked as off, compleated by a long climb- frightened

Mellow asing

ing passengers.

tum over the Yangle. Tho great twin cities of Hankow and

There seems to be a deliberate policy to

But, of course, they weren't Wuchana spun perilously algae; I by Fall courage Journeying

Mon Wed frightened. They were all fel caught an uncomfortably Inti- The Dakota that was to lake ing Ul. The anxieties of the cale glimpse of rail sidings, broad 'streets and river steamers before me to. Feking was undergoing a next three bumpy hours to the Dakota staggered into the final check when I handed over Honkow were forgotten in the

around

[my luggage, The big bare scurrying for paper bags, and The Chinos zamily rolspel

and clouds. booking berminal was quito glasses of water hadET

bost ot into desolate control empty apart from: a Chinese, The sun had seized

to be Hankow miffled. Its boat down the cabine. They

Feking's buay voler

snlly who provide photon", the, hèdazzling, runwind, bestu? kattil we bumped?

itrave ilk with

idspeakers ground out the limp ms

to