the enchanted castle-第16部分

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all　these　whoppers；　because　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you　they　couldn't
have；　Jerry。　How　could　he　say　all　that？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Gerald；　trying　to　be　fair；　〃you　know；　after　all；　the　chap
had　to　say　something。　I'm　glad　I　〃　He　stopped　abruptly。

〃You're　glad　you　what？〃

〃No　matter；〃　said　he；　with　an　air　of　putting　away　affairs　of　state。
〃Now；　what　are　we　going　to　do　today？　The　faithful　Mabel
approaches；　she　will　want　her　ring。　And　you　and　Jimmy　want　it
too。　Oh；　I　know。　Mademoiselle　hasn't　had　any　attention　paid　to　her
for　more　days　than　our　hero　likes　to　confess。〃　

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　always　call　yourself　'our　hero'；　said　Jimmy；
〃you　aren't　mine；　anyhow。〃　

〃You're　both　of　you　mine；〃　said　Kathleen　hastily。

〃Good　little　girl。〃　Gerald　smiled　annoyingly。　〃Keep　baby　brother　in
a　good　temper　till　Nursie　comes　back。〃　

〃You're　not　going　out　without　us？〃　Kathleen　asked　in　haste。

〃I　haste　away；

'Tis　market　day；〃

sang　Gerald；

〃And　in　the　market　there

Buy　roses　for　my　fair。

If　you　want　to　come　too；　get　your　boots　on；　and　look　slippy　about
it。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　come；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　sniffed。

Kathleen　turned　a　despairing　look　on　Gerald。

〃Oh；　James；　James；〃　said　Gerald　sadly；　〃how　difficult　you　make　it
for　me　to　forget　that　you're　my　little　brother！　If　ever　I　treat　you　like
one　of　the　other　chaps；　and　rot　you　like　I　should　Turner　or
Moberley　or　any　of　my　pals　well；　this　is　what　comes　of　it。〃　

〃You　don't　call　them　your　baby　brothers；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　truly。

〃No；　and　I'll　take　precious　good　care　I　don't　call　you　it　again。　Come
on；　my　hero　and　heroine。　The　devoted　Mesrour　is　your　salaaming
slave。〃　

The　three　met　Mabel　opportunely　at　the　corner　of　the　square　where
every　Friday　the　stalls　and　the　awnings　and　the　green　umbrellas
were　pitched；　and　poultry；　pork；　pottery；　vegetables；　drapery；
sweets；　toys；　tools；　mirrors；　and　all　sorts　of　other　interesting
merchandise　were　spread　out　on　trestle　tables；　piled　on　carts　whose
horses　were　stabled　and　whose　shafts　were　held　in　place　by　piled
wooden　cases；　or　laid　out；　as　in　the　case　of　crockery　and　hardware；
on　the　bare　flag…stones　of　the　market…place。

The　sun　was　shining　with　great　goodwill；　and；　as　Mabel　remarked；
〃all　Nature　looked　smiling　and　gay。〃　There　were　a　few　bunches　of
flowers　among　the　vegetables；　and　the　children　hesitated；　balanced
in　choice。

〃Mignonette　is　sweet；〃　said　Mabel。

〃Roses　are　roses；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Carnations　are　tuppence；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　Gerald；　sniffing
among　the　bunches　of　tightly…tied　tea…roses；　agreed　that　this　settled
it。

So　the　carnations　were　bought；　a　bunch　of　yellow　ones；　like
sulphur；　a　bunch　of　white　ones　like　clotted　cream；　and　a　bunch　of
red　ones　like　the　cheeks　of　the　doll　that　Kathleen　never　played
with。　They　took　the　carnations　home；　and　Kathleen's　green
hair…ribbon　came　in　beautifully　for　tying　them　up；　which　was
hastily　done　on　the　doorstep。

Then　discreetly　Gerald　knocked　at　the　door　of　the　drawing…room；
where　Mademoiselle　seemed　to　sit　all　day。

〃Entrez！〃　came　her　voice；　and　Gerald　entered。　She　was　not
reading；　as　usual；　but　bent　over　a　sketch…book；　on　the　table　was　an
open　colour…box　of　un…English　appearance；　and　a　box　of　that
slate…coloured　liquid　so　familiar　alike　to　the　greatest　artist　in
watercolours　and　to　the　humblest　child　with　a　sixpenny　paintbox。

〃With　all　of　our　loves；〃　said　Gerald；　laying　the　flowers　down
suddenly　before　her。

〃But　it　is　that　you　are　a　dear　child。　For　this　it　must　that　I　embrace
you　no？〃　And　before　Gerald　could　explain　that　he　was　too　old；　she
kissed　him　with　little　quick　French　pecks　on　the　two　cheeks。

〃Are　you　painting？〃　he　asked　hurriedly；　to　hide　his　annoyance　at
being　treated　like　a　baby。

〃I　achieve　a　sketch　of　yesterday；〃　she　answered；　and　before　he　had
time　to　wonder　what　yesterday　would　look　like　in　a　picture　she
showed　him　a　beautiful　and　exact　sketch　of　Yalding　Towers。

〃Oh；　I　say　ripping！〃　was　the　critic's　comment。　〃I　say；　mayn't　the
others　come　and　see？〃　The　others　came；　including　Mabel；　who
stood　awkwardly　behind　the　rest；　and　looked　over　Jimmy's
shoulder。

〃I　say；　you　are　clever；〃　said　Gerald　respectfully。

〃To　what　good　to　have　the　talent；　when　one　must　pass　one's　life　at
teaching　the　infants？〃　said　Mademoiselle。

〃It　must　be　fairly　beastly；〃　Gerald　owned。

〃You；　too；　see　the　design？〃　Mademoiselle　asked　Mabel；　adding：　〃A
friend　from　the　town；　yes？〃

〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Mabel　politely。　〃No；　I'm　not　from　the　town。
I　live　at　Yalding　Towers。〃　

The　name　seemed　to　impress　Mademoiselle　very　much。　Gerald
anxiously　hoped　in　his　own　mind　that　she　was　not　a　snob。

〃Yalding　Towers；〃　she　repeated；　〃but　this　is　very　extraordinary。　Is
it　possible　that　you　are　then　of　the　family　of　Lord　Yalding？〃

〃He　hasn't　any　family；〃　said　Mabel；　〃he's　not　married。〃　

〃I　would　say　are　you　how　you　say？　cousin　sister　　niece？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mabel；　flushing　hotly；　〃I'm　nothing　grand　at　all。　I'm
Lord　Yalding's　housekeeper's　niece。〃　

〃But　you　know　Lord　Yalding；　is　it　not？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mabel；　〃I've　never　seen　him。〃　

〃He　comes　then　never　to　his　chateau？〃

〃Not　since　I've　lived　there。　But　he's　coming　next　week。〃　

〃Why　lives　he　not　there？〃　Mademoiselle　asked。

〃Auntie　says　he's　too　poor；〃　said　Mabel；　and　proceeded　to　tell　the
tale　as　she　had　heard　it　in　the　housekeeper's　room：　how　Lord
Yalding's　uncle　had　left　all　the　money　he　could　leave　away　from
Lord　Yalding　to　Lord　Yalding's　second　cousin；　and　poor　Lord
Yalding　had　only　just　enough　to　keep　the　old　place　in　repair；　and
to　live　very　quietly　indeed　somewhere　else；　but　not　enough　to　keep
the　house　open　or　to　live　there；　and　how　he　couldn't　sell　the　house
because　it　was　〃in　tale　。

〃What　is　it　then　in　tail？〃　asked　Mademoiselle。

〃In　a　tale　that　the　lawyers　write　out；〃　said　Mabel；　proud　of　her
knowledge　and　flattered　by　the　deep　interest　of　the　French
governess；　〃and　when　once　they've　put　your　house　in　one　of　their
tales　you　can't　sell　it　or　give　it　away；　but　you　have　to　leave　it　to
your　son；　even　if　you　don't　want　to。〃　

〃But　how　his　uncle　could　he　be　so　cruel　to　leave　him　the　chateau
and　no　money？〃　Mademoiselle　asked；　and　Kathleen　and　Jimmy
stood　amazed　at　the　sudden　keenness　of　her　interest　in　what
seemed　to　them　the　dullest　story。

〃Oh；　I　can　tell　you　that　too；〃　said　Mabel。　〃Lord　Yalding　wanted　to
marry　a　lady　his　uncle　didn't　want　him　to；　a　barmaid　or　a　ballet
lady　or　something；　and　he　wouldn't　give　her　up；　and　his　uncle　said；
'Well　then；'　and　left　everything　to　the　cousin。〃　

〃And　you　say　he　is　not　married。〃

〃No　the　lady　went　into　a　convent；　I　expect　she's　bricked…up　alive
by　now。〃　

〃Bricked　？〃

〃In　a　wall；　you　know；：　said　Mabel；　pointing　explainingly　at　the
pink　and　gilt　roses　of　the　wall…paper；　〃shut　up　to　kill　them。　That's
what　they　do　to　you　in　convents。〃　

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Mademoiselle；　〃in　convents　are　very　kind　good
women；　there　is　but　one　thing　in　convents　that　is　detestable　the
locks　on　the　doors。　Sometimes　people　cannot　get　out；　especially
when　they　are　very　young　and　their　relations　have　placed　them
there　for　their　welfare　and　happiness。　But　brick　how　you　say　it？　
enwalling　ladies　to　kill　them。　No　it　does　itself　never。　And　this　lord　
he　did　not　then　seek　his　lady？〃

〃Oh；　yes　he　sought　her　right　enough；〃　Mabel　assured　her；　〃but
there　are　millions　of　convents；　you　know；　and　he　had　no　idea
where　to　look；　and　they　sent　back　his　letters　from　the　post…office；
and　〃

〃Ciel！〃　cried　Mademoiselle；　〃but　it　seems　that　one　knows　all　in　the
housekeeper's　saloon。〃　

〃Pretty　well　all；〃　said　Mabel　simply。

〃And　you　think　he　will　find　her？　No？〃

〃Oh；　he'll　find　her　all　right；〃　said　Mabel；　〃when　he's　old　and　broken
down；　you　know　and　dying；　and　then　a　gentle　Sister　of　Charity　will
soothe　his　pillow；　and　just　when　he's　dying　she'll　reveal　herself　and
say：　'My　own　lost　love！'　and　his　face　will　light　up　with　a　wonderful
joy　and　he'll　expire　with　her　beloved　name　on　his　parched　lips。〃　

Mademoiselle's　was　the　silence　of　sheer　astonishment。　〃You　do　the
prophecy；　it　appears？〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Oh　no；〃　said　Mabel；　〃I　got
that　out　of　a　book。　I　can　tell　you　lots　more　fatal　love…stories　any
time　you　like。〃　

The　French　governess　gave　a　little　jump；　as　though　she　had
suddenly　remembered　something。

〃It　is　nearly　dinner…time；〃　she　said。　〃Your　friend　Mabelle；　yes　will
be　your　convivial；　and　in　her　honour　we　will　make　a　little　feast。
My　beautiful　flowers　　put　them　to　the　water；　Kathleen。　I　run　to　buy
the　cakes。　Wash　the　hands；　all；　and　be　ready　when　I　return。〃　

Smiling　and　nodding　to　the　children；　she　left　them；　and　ran　up　the
stairs。

〃Just　as　if　she　was　young；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃She　is　young；〃　said　Mabel。　〃Heaps　of　ladies　have　offers　of
marriage　when　they　re　no　younger　than　her。　I've　seen　lots　of
weddings　too；　with　much　older　brides。　And　why　didn't　you　tell　me
she　was　so　beautiful？〃

〃Is　she？〃　asked　Kathleen。

〃Of　course　she　is；　and　what　a　darling　to　think　of　cakes　for　me；　and
calling　me　a　convivial！〃　

〃Look　here；〃　said　Gerald；　〃I　call　this　jolly　decent　of　her。　You
know；　governesses　never　have　more　than　the　meanest　pittance；　just
enough　to　sustain　life；　and　here　she　is　spending　her　little　all　on　us。
Supposing　we　just　don't　go　out　today；　but　play　with　her　instead。　I
expect　she's　most　awfully　bored　really。〃　

〃Would　she　really　like　it？〃　Kathleen　wondered。　〃Aunt　Emily　says
grown…ups　never　really　like　playing。　They　do　it　to　please　us。　

〃They　little　know；〃　Gerald　answered；　〃how　often　we　do　it　to　please
them。〃　

〃We've　got　to　do　that　dressing…up　with　the　Princess　clothes　anyhow
we　said　we　would；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Let's　treat　her　to　that。〃　

〃Rather　near　tea…time；〃　urged　Jimmy；　〃so　that　there'll　be　a
fortunate　interruption　and　the　play　won't　go　on　for　ever。〃　

〃I　suppose　all　the　things　are　safe？〃　Mabel　asked。

〃Quite。　I　told　you　where　I　put　them。　Come　on；　Jimmy；　let's　help　lay
the　table。　We'll　get　Eliza　to　put　out　the　best　china。〃　

They　went。

〃It　was　lucky；〃　said　Gerald；　struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　〃that　the
burglars　didn't　go　for　the　diamonds　in　the　treasure…chamber。〃　

〃They　couldn't；〃　said　Mabel　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃they　didn't　know
about　them。　I