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Italy； she had had to pass through such an arduous
apprenticeship of motherhood that every moment of her waking
hours was packed with things to do at once； and other things to
remember to do later。 There were only five Fulmers； but at
times they were like an army with banners； and their power of
self…multiplication was equalled only by the manner in which
they could dwindle； vanish； grow mute； and become as it were a
single tumbled brown head bent over a book in some corner of the
house in which nobody would ever have thought of hunting for
themand which； of course； were it the bonne's room in the
attic； or the subterranean closet where the trunks were kept；
had been singled out by them for that very reason。
These changes from ubiquity to invisibility would have seemed to
Susy； a few months earlier； one of the most maddening of many
characteristics not calculated to promote repose。 But now she
felt differently。 She had grown interested in her charges； and
the search for a clue to their methods； whether tribal or
individual； was as exciting to her as the development of a
detective story。
What interested her most in the whole stirring business was the
discovery that they had a method。 These little creatures；
pitched upward into experience on the tossing waves of their
parents' agitated lives； had managed to establish a rough…and…
ready system of self…government。 Junie； the eldest （the one who
already chose her mother's hats； and tried to put order in her
wardrobe） was the recognized head of the state。 At twelve she
knew lots of things which her mother had never thoroughly
learned； and Susy； her temporary mother； had never even guessed
at： she spoke with authority on all vital subjects； from
castor…oil to flannel under…clothes； from the fair sharing of
stamps or marbles to the number of helpings of rice…pudding or
jam which each child was entitled to。
There was hardly any appeal from her verdict； yet each of her
subjects revolved in his or her own orbit of independence；
according to laws which Junie acknowledged and respected； and
the interpreting of this mysterious charter of rights and
privileges had not been without difficulty for Susy。
Besides this； there were material difficulties to deal with。
The six of them； and the breathless bonne who cooked and slaved
for them all； had but a slim budget to live on； and； as Junie
remarked； you'd have thought the boys ate their shoes； the way
they vanished。 They ate； certainly； a great deal else； and
mostly of a nourishing and expensive kind。 They had definite
views about the amount and quality of their food； and were
capable of concerted rebellion when Susy's catering fell beneath
their standard。 All this made her life a hurried and harassing
business； but never what she had most feared it would be a
dull or depressing one。
It was not； she owned to herself； that the society of the Fulmer
children had roused in her any abstract passion for the human
young。 She knewhad known since Nick's first kisshow she
would love any child of his and hers； and she had cherished poor
little Clarissa Vanderlyn with a shrinking and wistful
solicitude。 But in these rough young Fulmers she took a
positive delight； and for reasons that were increasingly clear
to her。 It was because； in the first place； they were all
intelligent； and because their intelligence had been fed only on
things worth caring for。 However inadequate Grace Fulmer's
bringing…up of her increasing tribe had been； they had heard in
her company nothing trivial or dull： good music； good books and
good talk had been their daily food； and if at times they
stamped and roared and crashed about like children unblessed by
such privileges； at others they shone with the light of poetry
and spoke with the voice of wisdom。
That had been Susy's discovery： for the first time she was
among awakening minds which had been wakened only to beauty。
》From their cramped and uncomfortable household Grace and Nat
Fulmer had managed to keep out mean envies； vulgar admirations；
shabby discontents； above all the din and confusion the great
images of beauty had brooded； like those ancestral figures that
stood apart on their shelf in the poorest Roman households。
No； the task she had undertaken for want of a better gave Susy
no sense of a missed vocation： 〃mothering〃 on a large scale
would never； she perceived； be her job。 Rather it gave her； in
odd ways； the sense of being herself mothered； of taking her
first steps in the life of immaterial values which had begun to
seem so much more substantial than any she had known。
On the day when she had gone to Grace Fulmer for counsel and
comfort she had little guessed that they would come to her in
this form。 She had found her friend； more than ever distracted
and yet buoyant； riding the large untidy waves of her life with
the splashed ease of an amphibian。 Grace was probably the only
person among Susy's friends who could have understood why she
could not make up her mind to marry Altringham； but at the
moment Grace was too much absorbed in her own problems to pay
much attention to her friend's； and； according to her wont； she
immediately 〃unpacked〃 her difficulties。
Nat was not getting what she had hoped out of his European
opportunity。 Oh； she was enough of an artist herself to know
that there must be fallow periodsthat the impact of new
impressions seldom produced immediate results。 She had allowed
for all that。 But her past experience of Nat's moods had taught
her to know just when he was assimilating； when impressions were
fructifying in him。 And now they were not； and he knew it as
well as she did。 There had been too much rushing about； too
much excitement and sterile flattery 。。。 Mrs。 Melrose？ Well；
yes； for a while 。。。 the trip to Spain had been a love…journey；
no doubt。 Grace spoke calmly； but the lines of her face
sharpened： she had suffered； oh horribly； at his going to Spain
without her。 Yet she couldn't； for the children's sake； afford
to miss the big sum that Ursula Gillow had given her for her
fortnight at Ruan。 And her playing had struck people； and led；
on the way back； to two or three profitable engagements in
private houses in London。 Fashionable society had made 〃a
little fuss〃 about her； and it had surprised and pleased Nat；
and given her a new importance in his eyes。 〃He was beginning
to forget that I wasn't only a nursery…maid； and it's been a
good thing for him to be reminded 。。。 but the great thing is
that with what I've earned he and I can go off to southern Italy
and Sicily for three months。 You know I know how to manage 。。。
and； alone with me； Nat will settle down to work： to observing；
feeling； soaking things in。 It's the only way。 Mrs。 Melrose
wants to take him； to pay all the expenses again…well she
shan't。 I'll pay them。〃 Her worn cheek flushed with triumph。
〃And you'll see what wonders w