FATHER WILLIAM’S STORY
can never rest until the book is torn into ninety thousand pieces, and scattered to the four winds of heaven.”
“Father William will fetch it,” said Lucy.
“He’ll never come back,” said Minora. “Why, oh why, didn’t you go with him?”
“Because he hates to be interrupted,” said Lucy solemnly. “I asked you not to interrupt; but never mind, it doesn’t matter now,” she added quickly, for Minora looked quite grieved and hurt, as if she were going to cry. “Tell us what our dear Major C is doing? Where is he?”
“He’s all right,” said Minora, “he’s at home. He says he will stay at home, too. You see, Queen Harmony was rather annoyed about all the disturbance. She told Major C and me we ought to keep to our own staircase and mind our own business. She told Father Time if he couldn’t keep better order she’d have to beat him. Indeed, she scolded us all round, and said she’d make all the Scales chromatic, if they didn’t keep their Sharps and Flats in order,” and Minora shuddered. ‘Then she sent me to fetch the book of Betty Barber, to bring it to her.”
“What was she going to do with it?” asked Lucy.
“I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Minora, “but I thought perhaps she would be less angry if I took it to her.”
Thirteen-fourteenths dived to the bottom of his pockets, and pulled out the sheet of the book which Minora had taken from Father William. He looked at it carefully.
“Look, Minora,” he said, “the piece about Major C is on this very sheet, funnily enough. Take that to Queen Harmony—that is the part of the book she will be interested in—and ask her to destroy it. If we can only get it, we will destroy the rest.”
Minora took the sheet and looked at it, and Half-term peeped over her shoulder.
“Yes, that’s it,” he said, “The very piece—‘I think C Major is very dull! I shall let my children play C major sometimes with sharps and flats, and sometimes without.’”
“Queen Harmony is quite certain to tear that into little pieces,”
