Read Online Rosy Is My Relative by Gerald Durrell - Free Book Online

pushing at Rosy.
    “What an extraordinary thing,” said the man musingly. “I suppose you aren’t by any chance the person who upset the Monkspepper Hunt? I suppose you must be . . . there can’t be more than one elephant in the district, surely?”
    “I’m afraid so,” said Adrian, “but it was all a horrible mistake, really. We didn’t mean any harm, but you can see the effect the has on horses.”
    “Yes,” agreed the man, “she does appear to have a detrimental effect on them, I will admit Would it be asking too much, my dear fellow, for you to move her a trifle so that we can get past?”
    “Certainly,” said Adrian. “I’ll do the best I can.”
    But Rosy, having gained the road, saw no valid reason for returning to the field. The struggle lasted some time and then Adrian bad an idea. He ran round to the back of the trap and filled Rosy’s tankard with beer. Using this as a bribe he managed to entice her back behind the hedge. Now she was out of view the coachman could get the greys under some sort of control. The man in the lavender coat had watched the whole performance with rapt attention, and when Adrian reappeared he screwed his monocle more firmly into his eye and leant forward.
    “Tell me, my dear chap,” he enquired, “does she drink the beer or just bathe in it?”
    “She drinks it,” said Adrian bitterly.
    “Quite remarkable,” said the man, “a beer-drinking elephant.”
    “I’m terribly sorry we upset your horses,” said Adrian. “Rosy doesn’t mean any harm, really.”
    “Not at all, my dear fellow,” said the man, waving a slender hand. “Don’t mention it, pray. Most diverting experience. Tell me, does the drink anything else besides beer?”
    “Yes,” said Adrian succinctly, “everything.”
    “Fascinating!” said the man, and then added with a gleam of humour in his violet eyes, “If that’s the effect she has on my greys, I’d love to have seen what she did to the hunt.”
    “I must say it was quite spectacular,” Adrian admitted, grinning. “I’ve never seen so many huntsmen fall off at once.”
    The man in the landau gave a crow of laughter, and then, taking off his top hat, he held out a slender hand. “I’m Lord Fenneltree, by the by, and I’m delighted to meet you.”
    “Thank you, sir,” stammered Adrian. “My name’s Rookwhistie, Adrian Rookwhistle, and that’s Rosy.”
    “Charming names,” said his lordship vaguely, and then fell into a reverie, staring into space. Adrian, never having met a lord before, was uncertain what to do. He was not at all sure that he had not been dismissed. He was just about to raise his hat and say good-bye, when his lordship woke up with a start, screwed his monocle more firmly in his eye and glared at him.
    “I’ve been thinking,” said Lord Fenneltree proudly, with the air of one describing a rare phenomenon. “Are you, by any chance, free at the moment?”
    “Well . . . yes,” said Adrian. “I’m just making my way down to the coast.”
    “Capital! Capital!” said his lordship enthusiastically, “it couldn’t have been a more fortunate meeting.”
    “Really!” said Adrian. “Why?”
    “The party,” said his lordship in surprise, “The party, my dear fellow, that’s been occupying my waking and sleeping thoughts for the last month.”
    “Oh, I see,” said Adrian, who did not see at all but wanted to be polite.
    “Don’t you think, Jenkins,” said his lordship to the coachman, “that the elephant would be admirable for the party?”
    “Yes, my lord,” said Jenkins woodenly. “If you say so.”
    “It is so nice to be agreed with,” said Lord Fenneltree, beaming at Adrian.
    “Forgive me,” said Adrian, “but what is it you want me to do exactly?”
    “We cannot discuss it here,” said his lordship firmly, “it’s too fatiguing to hold an intellectual conversation in the back of a landau. If you continue down this road a mile or so you’ll see my house lying on the left-hand