No, It Is Clearly
Necessary That We Master The Gentle Art Of Eating Eggs Tidily And
Daintily From The Shell.
I have seen English women - very dull ones,
too - do it without apparent effort; I have even seen an
English
infant do it, and that without soiling her apron, or, as Salemina
would say, 'messing her pinafore.' I propose, therefore, that we
order soft-boiled eggs daily; that we send Dawson from the room
directly breakfast is served; and that then and there we have a
class for opening eggs, lowest grade, object method. Any person who
cuts the shell badly, or permits the egg to leak over the rim, or
allows yellow dabs on the plate, or upsets the cup, or stains her
fingers, shall be fined 'tuppence' and locked into her bedroom for
five minutes."
The first morning we were all in the bedroom together, and, there
being no blameless person to collect fines, the wildest civil
disorder prevailed.
On the second day Salemina and I improved slightly, but Francesca
had passed a sleepless night, and her hand trembled (the love-letter
mail had come in from America). We were obliged to tell her, as we
collected 'tuppence' twice on the same egg, that she must either
remain at home, or take an oilcloth pinafore to Marjorimallow Hall.
But 'ease is the lovely result of forgotten toil,' and it is only a
question of time and desire with Americans, we are so clever. Other
nations have to be trained from birth; but as we need only an ounce
of training where they need a pound, we can afford to procrastinate.
Sometimes we procrastinate too long, but that is a trifle.
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