Surfeit of Lampreys Read Online Free PDF

photographs.”
    â€œThat building over there is the Tate Gallery,” said Frid.
    â€œShe means the National Gallery, Robin. I suppose you will want to see one or two sights, won’t you?”
    â€œWell, I suppose I ought to.”
    â€œPatch and Mike are at home for the holidays,” said Frid. “It will be good for them to take Robin to some sights.”
    â€œPerhaps I could look some out for myself,” Roberta suggested with diffidence.
    â€œYou’ll find it difficult to begin,” Henry told her. “There’s something so cold-blooded about girding up your loins and going out to find a sight. I’ll come to one occasionally if you like. It may not be so bad once the plunge is taken. We are getting a very public-spirited family, Robin. The twins and I are territorials. I can’t tell you how much we dislike it but we stiffened our upper lips and bit on the bullets and when the war comes we know what we have to do. In the meantime, of course, I’ve got to get a job, now we’re sunk.”
    â€œWe’re not definitely sunk until Uncle G. has spoken,” Frid pointed out.
    â€œUncle G.!” Robin exclaimed. “I’d almost forgotten about him. He’s always sounded like a myth.”
    â€œIt’s to be hoped he doesn’t behave like one,” said Henry. “He’s coming to see us to-morrow. Daddy has sent him an SOS. I can’t tell you how awful he is.”
    â€œAunt V. is worse,” said Frid gloomily. “Let’s face it, Aunt V. is worse. And they’re both coming in order to go into a huddle with Daddy and Mummy about finance. We hope to sting Uncle G. for two thousand.”
    â€œIt’ll all come to Daddy when they’re dead, you see, Robin. They’ve no young of their own.”
    â€œI thought,” said Roberta, “that they were separated.”
    â€œOh, they’re always flying apart and coming together again,” said Frid. “They’re together at the moment. Aunt V. has taken up witchcraft.”
    â€œWhat!”
    â€œWitchcraft,” said Henry. “It’s quite true. She’s a witch. She belongs to a little black-magic club somewhere.”
    â€œI don’t believe you!”
    â€œYou may as well, because it’s true. She started by taking up with a clergyman in Devon who has discovered an evil place on Dartmoor. It seems that he told Aunt V. that he thought he might as well sprinkle some holy water on this evil place but when he went there the holy water was dashed out of his hands by an unseen power. He lent Aunt V. some books about black magic and instead of being horrified she took the wrong turning and thought it sounded fun. I understand she goes to the black mass and everything.”
    â€œHow can you possibly know?”
    â€œHer maid, Miss Tinkerton, told Nanny. Tinkerton says Aunt V. is far gone in black magic. They have meetings at Deepacres. The real Deepacres, you know, in Kent. Aunt V. is always buying books about witchcraft and she’s got a lot of very queer friends. They’ve all got names like Olga and Sonia and Boris. Aunt V. is half-Roumanian, you know,” said Frid.
    â€œHalf-Hungarian, you mean,” corrected Henry.
    â€œWell, all Central European anyway. Her name isn’t Violet at all.”
    â€œWhat is it?” asked Roberta.
    â€œSomething Uncle G. could neither spell nor pronounce so he called her Violet. A thousand years ago he picked her up in Budapest at an embassy. She’s a very sinister sort of woman and quite insane. Probably the witchcraft is a throwback to a gypsy ancestress of sorts. Of course Uncle G.’s simply furious about it, not being a warlock.”
    â€œNaturally,” said Frid. “I suppose he’s afraid she might put a spell on him.”
    â€œI wouldn’t put it past her,” said Henry. “She’s a really evil old thing. She gives me absolute horrors.