‘But if the type is unknown, the phenomenon is not – our ancestors, who did not have Willers’ blind faith in the articles of science – had a word for it: they called such beings changelings. None of this business would have seemed as strange to them as it does to us because they had only to suffer religious dogmatism, which was not so dogmatic as scientific dogmatism.
‘The idea of the changeling, therefore, far from being novel, is both old and so widely distributed that it is unlikely to have arisen, or to have persisted, without cause, and occasional support. True, one has not encountered the idea of it taking place on such a scale as this, but quantity does not, in this case, affect the quality of the event; it simply confirms it. All these sixty-one golden-eyed children we have here are intruders, changelings: they are cuckoo-children.
‘Now, the important thing about the cuckoo is not how the egg got into the nest, nor why that nest was chosen; the real matter for concern comes after it has been hatched – what, in fact, it will attempt to do next. And that, whatever it may be, will be motivated by its instinct for survival, an instinct characterized chiefly by utter ruthlessness.’
Alan pondered a little.
‘You really think you’ve got a sound analogy there?’ he asked, uneasily.
‘I’m perfectly certain of it,’ Zellaby asserted.
The two of them fell silent for some little time, Zellaby lying back in his chair with his hands behind his head, Alan staring unseeingly across the lawn. At length:
‘All right,’ he said. ‘I suppose most of us have been hoping that once the babies arrived things would straighten out. I admit that it doesn’t look like it now. But what are you expecting to happen?’
‘I’m just being expectant, not specific – except that I don’t think it will be anything pleasant,’ Zellaby replied. ‘The cuckoo survives because it is tough and single-purposed. That is why I hope you will take Ferrelyn away – and keep her away.
‘Nothing satisfactory can come of this, at best. Do your utmost to make her forget this changeling in order that she may have a normal life. It will be difficult at first, no doubt, but not so hard if she has a child that is really her own.’
Alan rubbed the furrows on his forehead.
‘It is difficult,’ he said. ‘In spite of the way it happened, she does have a maternal feeling for it – a well, a sort of physical affection, and a sense of obligation, you know.’
‘But of course. That’s how it works. That’s why the poor hen works herself to death feeding the greedy cuckoo-chick. It’s a form of confidence-trick, as I told you – the callous exploitation of a natural proclivity. The existence of such a proclivity is important to the continuation of a species, but, after all, in a civilized society we cannot afford to give way to all the natural urges, can we? In this case, Ferrelyn must simply refuse to be blackmailed through her better instincts.’
‘If,’ said Alan slowly, ‘if Angela’s child had turned out to be one of them, what would you have done?’
‘I should have done what I am advising you to do for Ferrelyn. Taken her away. I should also have cut off our connexion with Midwich by selling this house, fond as we both are of it. I may have to do that yet, even though she is not directly involved. It depends how the situation develops. One waits to see. The potentialities are unknown, but I don’t care for the logical implications. Therefore the sooner Ferrelyn is out of it, the happier I shall be. I don’t propose to say anything about it to her myself. For one thing it is a matter for you to settle between you; for another, there is the risk that by crystallizing a not very clear misgiving I might do the wrong thing – make it appear as a challenge to be met, for instance. You have a positive alternative to offer. However, if it is difficult, and you need something to tip the balance, Angela and I will back you up quite fully.’
Alan nodded slowly.
‘I hope that won’t be necessary – I don’t think it will be. We both know really that we can’t just go on like this. Now you’ve given me a push, we’ll get it settled.’
They continued to sit, in silent contemplation. Alan was aware of some relief that his fragmentary feelings and suspicions had been collected for him into a form which warranted action. He was also considerably impressed, for he could recall no previous conversation with his father-in-law in which Zellaby, spurning one tempting diversion after another, had held so stoutly to his course. Moreover, the speculations which could arise were interesting and numerous. He was on the point of raising one or two of them himself when he was checked by the sight of Angela crossing the lawn towards them.
She sat down in the chair on the other side of her husband, and demanded a cigarette. Zellaby gave her one and held out the match. He watched her take the first few puffs.
‘Trouble?’ he inquired.
‘I’m not quite sure. I’ve just had Margaret Haxby on the telephone. She’s gone.’
Zellaby lifted his eyebrows.
‘You mean, cleared out?’
‘Yes. She was speaking from London.’
‘Oh,’ said Zellaby, and lapsed into thought. Alan asked who Margaret Haxby was.
‘Oh, I’m sorry. You probably don’t know her. She’s one of Mr Crimm’s young ladies – or was. One of the brightest of them, I understand. Academically Dr Margaret Haxby – Ph.D., London.’
‘One of the – er – afflicted?’ Alan inquired.
‘Yes. And one of the most resentful,’ Angela said. ‘Now she’s made up her mind to beat it, and gone – leaving Midwich holding the baby. Literally.’
‘But where do you come in, my dear?’ Zellaby inquired.
‘Oh, she just decided I was a reliable subject for official notification. She said she’d have rung Mr Crimm, but he’s away today. She wanted to arrange about the baby.’
‘Where is it now?’
‘Where she was staying. In the older Mrs Dorry’s cottage.’
‘And she’s just walked out on it?’
‘That’s it. Mrs Dorry doesn’t know yet. I’ll have to go and tell her.’
‘This could be awkward,’ Zellaby said. ‘I can see a pretty panic starting up among the other women who’ve taken these girls in. They’ll all be throwing them out overnight before they get left in the cart, too. Can’t we stall? Give Crimm time to get back and do something? After all, his girls aren’t a village responsibility – not primarily, anyway. Besides, she might change her mind.’
Angela shook her head.
‘Not this one, I think. She’s not done it on the spur of the moment. She’s been over it pretty carefully, in fact. Her line is: She never asked to come to Midwich, she was simply posted here. If they’d posted her to a yellow-fever area they’d be responsible for the consequences; well, they posted her here, and through no fault of her own she caught this instead; now it’s up to them to deal with it.’
‘H’m,’ said Zellaby. ‘One has a feeling that that parallelism is not going to be accepted in government circles nem. con. However …?’
‘Anyway, that’s her contention. She repudiates the child entirely. She says she is no more responsible for it than if it had been left on her doorstep, and there is, therefore, no reason why she should put up with, or be expected to put up with, the wrecking of her life, or her work, on account of it.’
‘With the upshot that it is now thrown on the parish – unless she intends to pay for it, of course.’
‘Naturally, I asked about that. She said that the village and The Grange could fight out the responsibility between them; it certainly was not hers. She will refuse to pay anything, since payment might be legally construed as admission of liability. Nevertheless, Mrs Dorry, or any other person of good character who cares to take the baby on, will receive a rate of two pounds a week, sent anonymously and irregularly.’
‘You’re right, my dear. She has been thinking it out; this is going to need looking into. What is the effect if this repudiation is allowed to go unchallenged? I imagine legal responsibility for the child has to be established somewhere. How is that done? Get the Relieving Officer in, and slap a court order on her, do you suppose?’
‘I don’t know, but she’s thought of something of the kind happening. If it does, she intends to fight it in court. She claims that medical evidence will establish that the child cannot possibly be hers; from this it will be argued that as she was placed in loco parentis without her knowledge or consent, she cannot be held responsible. Failing this, it is still open to her to bring an action against the Ministry for negligence resulting in her being placed in a position of jeopardy; or it might be for conniving at assault; or, possibly, procuring. She isn’t sure.’