Chapter 4 Lots of Parkinsons

‘Lots of Parkinsons,’ said Tuppence as they ate. ‘A long way back but anamazing lot of them. Old ones, young ones and married ones. Burstingwith Parkinsons. And Capes¹, and Griffins and Underwoods and Over-woods. Curious to have both of them, isn’t it?’
‘I had a friend called George Underwood,’ said Tommy.
‘Yes, I’ve known Underwoods, too. But not Overwoods.’
‘Male or female?’ said Thomas, with slight interest.
‘A girl, I think it was. Rose Overwood.’
‘Rose Overwood,’ said Tommy, listening to the sound of it. ‘I don’t thinksomehow it goes awfully² well together.’ He added, ‘I must ring up thoseelectricians after lunch. Be very careful, Tuppence, or you’ll put your footthrough the landing upstairs.’
‘Then I shall be a natural death, or an unnatural³ death, one of the two.’
‘A curiosity death,’ said Tommy. ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’
‘Aren’t you at all curious?’ asked Tuppence.
‘I can’t see any earthly reason for being curious. What have we got forpudding?’
‘Treacle tart⁴.’
‘Well, I must say, Tuppence, it was a delicious meal.’
‘I’m very glad you liked it,’ said Tuppence.
‘What is that parcel outside the back door? Is it that wine we ordered?’
‘No,’ said Tuppence, ‘it’s bulbs.’
‘Oh,’ said Tommy, ‘bulbs.’
‘Tulips,’ said Tuppence. ‘I’ll go and talk to old Isaac about them.’
‘Where are you going to put them?’
‘I think along the centre path in the garden.’
‘Poor old fellow, he looks as if he might drop dead any minute,’ saidTommy.
‘Not at all,’ said Tuppence. ‘He’s enormously tough, is Isaac. I’ve dis-covered, you know, that gardeners are like that. If they’re very goodgardeners they seem to come to their prime when they’re over eighty, butif you get a strong, hefty-looking young man about thirty-five who says,“I’ve always wanted to work in a garden,” you may be quite sure that he’sprobably no good at all. They’re just prepared to brush up a few leavesnow and again and anything you want them to do they always say it’s thewrong time of year, and as one never knows oneself when the right timeof year is, at least I don’t, well then, you see, they always get the better ofyou. But Isaac’s wonderful. He knows about everything.’ Tuppence added,‘There ought to be some crocuses as well. I wonder if they’re in the parcel,too. Well, I’ll go out and see. It’s his day for coming and he’ll tell me allabout it.’

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