The Double Tongue Read Online Free PDF

easier.
    ‘What has happened, Arieka, is that after all the excitement – I mean after the – well, you are called a little barbarian aren’t you, so may I use a barbarian word I picked up on my travels and say that after the shemozzle this morning your parents find themselves, think themselves in a fix. Now you’ve decided to refuse that young man and, believe me, I agree with you, the way is open for me to propose what I was going to before I heard you were contemplating matrimony. You see, I’m really a rather important person –’
    My father laughed.
    ‘A very important person.’
    ‘If you say so, old friend. Very well. At least an important person in that I can decide a girl is suitable for the service of the shrine at Delphi.’
    ‘Don’t get the wrong idea‚’ my father broke in. ‘You’ll sweep floors.’
    ‘That is putting a rather dreary construction on the offer, don’t you think? You see, my dear, there is a college of priests at Delphi. The Foundation, that is the divinely constituted body which actually runs the place, if you see what I mean, also has to decide what persons are worthy of belonging to the service of the god in however slight and menial a position. You have heard of the Pythia of course? Or I should say in fact the Pythias. At the moment there are two of them. Those distinguished ladies are sacred and divine and utter the oracles of the god’ – my parents and Ionides himself made a sacred sign – ‘but we are not directly concerned with them. After all’ – and he smiled again – ‘we have slaves to do what I may call “the dirty work”!’
    ‘You must think yourself lucky, my girl‚’ said my father. ‘Don’t imagine you’re not costing us anything!’
    ‘The Foundation,’ murmured Ionides, ‘is not a charitable  institution. It must, if I may so phrase it, pay its way. Your father, Anticrates the son of Anticrates, and I have come to an agreement on behalf of your family and the Foundation. Your dowry will be held by the Foundation. On your death – we have to mention such things, my dear, when discussing legal matters – on your death it would become Foundation property in perpetuity. Should you wish to marry at any point the Foundation would return the whole sum to you but keep the interest.’
    ‘Ion, old friend, we should mention the sum to her don’t you think?’
    ‘I am sure a young lady like Arieka would not be interested in such sordid details. I should say, Arieka – now I really think you should uncross your arms, you know! That’s better. You see, what your being a ward of the Foundation really comes to is that I have adopted you and shall be responsible for you. Do you mind that? Could you possibly bear it do you think? I should have to be responsible for your education in your duties and – oh heavens – a whole host of things. I hope we shall be friends.’
    Beside me I heard my mother stir. I also heard in her voice that she had come to boiling point for she fairly hissed the words, ‘Say something!’
    But the words which came out of my mouth were nothing but astonishment.
    ‘W-why me?’
    My father answered the question instantly and grimly.
    ‘Because we’ve paid an arm and a leg to get –’
    ‘Old friend! I think we have all said very nearly enough. The question now is how soon can the girl pack up and come? She has a maid, I suppose? You’ll send her up in a proper vehicle? We have to think of the reputation of the Foundation, you know! To answer your question, Arieka, we think, after what we have heard, that there may be qualities lying dormant – I mean asleep – in you which are – dare I say? – unusual; oh, nothing to be proud of, I assure you, but qualities in which we – well there. Everything will explain itself.’
    ‘Where will she live?’
    ‘Oh, we have the appropriate accommodation, old friend. It’s a large foundation, you know, all those souls! And as I happen to be the Warden –’
    ‘She can