'Yes, make one tune, and then the babies can sing it.'
'But I can't.'
'But if Herr Schenk and Séraphine can?'
'But those aren't their own tunes.'
'Oh, but mummies can make everything,' said April, looking up at her mother with the sweetest smile of absolute confidence. April's smile was so pretty that it made you think her much prettier than she was really. The mother used to feel sure that if angels ever smiled they must do it just like that.
'But I can't make tunes,' repeated the mother, beginning to feel uncomfortable, and wishing she had left the Flinders family alone.
'Oh!' cried all the babies together, and laughed aloud. They were not to be taken in like that, so their mummy needn't think so. Was there ever anything that mummies could not do? And their mummy? They looked at each other and shrieked with laughter, the idea was so very ridiculous.
'Do you know how I feel, babies?' said the mother quickly. 'Just like a game of Oranges and Lemons. I am sure it would do me a great deal of good. Shall we play?'
But this had no effect. 'No, no,' they cried, jumping up and crowding round her, 'we only wants Flinders! Make music, mummy!'