But from under the towels odd defiant trills and bubblings still shook out.
‘Oh, they won’t go on,’ said Mrs Salmon reassuringly. ‘They’ll go to sleep now.’
‘Really,’ said Hermione, politely.
‘They will,’ said Gerald. ‘They will go to sleep automatically, now the impression of evening is produced.’
‘Are they so easily deceived?’ cried Ursula.
‘Oh, yes,’ replied Gerald. ‘Don’t you know the story of Fabre, who, when he was a boy, put a hen’s head under her wing, and she straight away went to sleep? It’s quite true.’
‘And did that make him a naturalist?’