Fair Margaret - Page 26/206

Margaret uttered an involuntary exclamation of surprise.

'Of course it is!' he exclaimed. 'I know who washes my fingers. I don't

know who washes the forks, nor who used them last. If one stopped to

think about it, one would never use a fork or a spoon that was not

one's own or washed by oneself. I am sure that every sort of disease is

caught from other people's forks and spoons.' 'What a horrible idea!' exclaimed Margaret with disgust. 'I shall never

want to eat at a hotel or a restaurant again.' 'You will forget it,' replied Logotheti reassuringly. 'Civilisation

makes us forget a great many little things of the sort, I assure you!' 'But is there no way of protecting oneself?' Margaret asked.

'It is absurd!' cried Madame Bonanni. 'I don't believe in germs and

microbes and such silly things! If they exist we are full of them, and

I have no doubt they do us good.' 'It would be just as easy to boil the forks and spoons for ten minutes

in clean water, after they are washed,' observed Logotheti. 'But after

all, fingers are safer.' 'Things taste better with fingers,' said Madame Bonanni thoughtfully.

'In the East,' Logotheti answered, 'people pour water on their hands

after each course. Why don't you try that?' 'I wash my hands afterwards; it is less trouble.' Logotheti laughed, but Margaret was disgusted, and did not even smile.

Madame Bonanni's proceedings had made an impression on her which it

would be hard to forget, and she sat silent for a while, not tasting

what followed.

'Logotheti,' said Madame Bonanni later, with her mouth full of

strawberries and cream, 'you must do something for me.' 'An investment, dear lady? I suppose you want some of the bonds of the

new electric road, don't you? They are not to be had, but of course you

shall have them at once. Or else you have decided to give your whole

fortune to an eccentric charity. Is that it?' 'No,' answered the singer, swallowing. 'This charming young lady--what

is your name, my dear? I have forgotten it twenty times this morning!' 'Donne. Margaret Donne.' 'This charming Miss Donne sings, Logotheti.' 'So I gathered while we were talking.' 'No, you didn't! You gathered no such thing! She told you that she took

lessons, perhaps. But I tell you that she sings. It is quite

different.' Madame Bonanni pushed away her plate, planted her large white elbows on

the table and looked thoughtfully at Margaret. Logotheti looked at the

young girl, too, for he knew very well what his old friend meant by the

simple statement, slightly emphasised.