the enchanted castle-第17部分

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〃They　couldn't；〃　said　Mabel　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃they　didn't　know
about　them。　I　don't　believe　anybody　knows　about　them；　except　me
and　you；　and　you're　sworn　to　secrecy。　This；　you　will　remember；
had　been　done　almost　at　the　beginning。　I　know　aunt　doesn't　know。
I　just　found　out　the　spring　by　accident。　Lord　Yalding's　kept　the
secret　well。〃　

〃I　wish　I'd　got　a　secret　like　that　to　keep；〃　said　Gerald。　〃If　the
burglars　do　know；〃　said　Mabel；　〃it'll　all　come　out　at　the　trial。
Lawyers　make　you　tell　everything　you　know　at　trials；　and　a　lot　of
lies　besides。〃　

〃There　won't　be　any　trial；〃　said　Gerald；　kicking　the　leg　of　the　piano
thoughtfully。

〃No　trial？〃

〃It　said　in　the　paper；〃　Gerald　went　on　slowly；　〃'The　miscreants
must　have　received　warning　from　a　confederate；　for　the　admirable
preparations　to　arrest　them　as　they　returned　for　their　ill…gotten
plunder　were　unavailing。　But　the　police　have　a　clew。'〃

〃What　a　pity！〃　said　Mabel。

〃You　needn't　worry　they　haven't　got　any　old　clew；〃　said　Gerald；
still　attentive　to　the　piano　leg。

〃I　didn't　mean　the　clew；　I　meant　the　confederate。〃

〃It's　a　pity　you　think　he's　a　pity；　because　he　was　me；〃　said　Gerald；
standing　up　and　leaving　the　piano　leg　alone。　He　looked　straight
before　him；　as　the　boy　on　the　burning　deck　may　have　looked。

〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　you'll　think　I'm　a　criminal；　but
I　couldn't　do　it。　I　don't　know　how　detectives　can。　I　went　over　a
prison　once；　with　father；　and　after　I'd　given　the　tip　to　Johnson　I
remembered　that；　and　I　just　couldn't。　I　know　I'm　a　beast；　and　not
worthy　to　be　a　British　citizen。〃　

〃I　think　it　was　rather　nice　of　you；〃　said　Mabel　kindly。　〃How　did
you　warn　them？〃

〃I　just　shoved　a　paper　under　the　man's　door　the　one　that　I　knew
where　he　lived　to　tell　him　to　lie　low。〃　

〃Oh！　do　tell　me　what　did　you　put　on　it　exactly？〃　Mabel　warmed　to
this　new　interest。　〃It　said：　'The　police　know　all　except　your　names。
Be　virtuous　and　you　are　safe。　But　if　there's　any　more　burgling　I
shall　split　and　you　may　rely　on　that　from　a　friend。'　I　know　it　was
wrong；　but　I　couldn't　help　it。　Don't　tell　the　others。　They　wouldn't
understand　why　I　did　it。　I　don't　understand　it　myself。〃

〃I　do；　said　Mabel：　it's　because　you've　got　a　kind　and　noble　heart。〃　

〃Kind　fiddlestick；　my　good　child！〃　said　Gerald；　suddenly　losing　the
burning　boy　expression　and　becoming　in　a　flash　entirely　himself。
〃Cut　along　and　wash　your　hands；　you're　as　black　as　ink。〃　

〃So　are　you；〃　said　Mabel；　〃and　I'm　not。　It's　dye　with　me。　Auntie
was　dyeing　a　blouse　this　morning。　It　told　you　how　in　Home　Drivel
and　she's　as　black　as　ink　too；　and　the　blouse　is　all　streaky。　Pity　the
ring　won't　make　just　parts　of　you　invisible　the　dirt；　for　instance。〃　

〃Perhaps；〃　Gerald　said　unexpectedly；　〃it　won't　make　even　all　of
you　invisible　again。〃　

〃Why　not？　You　haven't　been　doing　anything　to　it　have　you？〃
Mabel　sharply　asked。

〃No；　but　didn't　you　notice　you　were　invisible　twenty…one　hours；　I
was　fourteen　hours　invisible；　and　Eliza　only　seven　that's　seven　less
each　time。　And　now　we've　come　to　〃

〃How　frightfully　good　you　are　at　sums！〃　said　Mabel；　awe…struck。

〃You　see；　it's　got　seven　hours　less　each　time；　and　seven　from　seven
is　nought；　it's　got　to　be　something　different　this　time。　And　then
afterwards　it　can't　be　minus　seven；　because　I　don't　see　how　　unless
it　made　you　more　visible　thicker；　you　know。〃　

〃Don't！〃　said　Mabel；　〃you　make　my　head　go　round。〃　

〃And　there's　another　odd　thing；〃　Gerald　went　on；　〃when　you're
invisible　your　relations　don't　love　you。　Look　at　your　aunt；　and
Cathy　never　turning　a　hair　at　me　going　burgling。　We　haven't　got　to
the　bottom　of　that　ring　yet。　Crikey！　here's　Mademoiselle　with　the
cakes。　Run；　bold　bandits　wash　for　your　lives！〃　

They　ran

It　was　not　cakes　only；　it　was　plums　and　grapes　and　jam　tarts　and
soda…water　and　raspberry　vinegar；　and　chocolates　in　pretty　boxes
and　pure；　thick；　rich　cream　in　brown　jugs；　also　a　big　bunch　of
roses。　Mademoiselle　was　strangely　merry　for　a　governess。　She
served　out　the　cakes　and　tarts　with　a　liberal　hand；　made　wreaths　of
the　flowers　for　all　their　heads　she　was　not　eating　much　herself
drank　the　health　of　Mabel；　as　the　guest　of　the　day；　in　the　beautiful
pink　drink　that　comes　from　mixing　raspberry　vinegar　and
soda…water；　and　actually　persuaded　Jimmy　to　wear　his　wreath；　on
the　ground　that　the　Greek　gods　as　well　as　the　goddesses　always
wore　wreaths　at　a　feast。

There　never　was　such　a　feast　provided　by　any　French　governess
since　French　governesses　began。　There　were　jokes　and　stories　and
laughter。　Jimmy　showed　all　those　tricks　with　forks　and　corks　and
matches　and　apples　which　are　so　deservedly　popular。
Mademoiselle　told　them　stories　of　her　own　schooldays　when　she
was　〃a　quite　little　girl　with　two　tight　tresses　　so〃；　and　when　they
could　not　understand　the　tresses；　called　for　paper　and　pencil　and
drew　the　loveliest　little　picture　of　herself　when　she　was　a　child
with　two　short　fat　pig…tails　sticking　out　from　her　head　like
knitting…needles　from　a　ball　of　dark　worsted。　Then　she　drew
pictures　of　everything　they　asked　for；　till　Mabel　pulled　Gerald's
jacket　and　whispered：　〃The　acting！〃　

〃Draw　us　the　front　of　a　theatre；〃　said　Gerald　tactfully　〃a　French
theatre。〃　

〃They　are　the　same　thing　as　the　English　theatres；〃　Mademoiselle
told　him。

〃Do　you　like　acting　the　theatre；　I　mean？〃

〃But　yes　I　love　it。〃　

〃All　right；〃　said　Gerald　briefly。　〃We'll　act　a　play　for　you　now　this
afternoon　if　you　like。〃　

〃Eliza　will　be　washing　up；〃　Cathy　whispered；　〃and　she　was
promised　to　see　it。〃　

〃Or　this　evening；〃　said　Gerald　〃and　please；　Mademoiselle；　may
Eliza　come　in　and　look　on？〃

〃But　certainly；〃　said　Mademoiselle；　〃amuse　yourselves　well；　my
children。〃　

〃But　it's　you；〃　said　Mabel　suddenly；　〃that　we　want　to　amuse。
Because　we　love　you　very　much　don't　we；　all　of　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　the　chorus　came　unhesitatingly。　Though　the　others　would
never　have　thought　of　saying　such　a　thing　on　their　own　account。
Yet；　as　Mabel　said　it；　they　found　to　their　surprise　that　it　was　true。

〃Tiens！〃　said　Mademoiselle；　〃you　love　the　old　French　governess？
Impossible；〃　and　she　spoke　rather　indistinctly。

〃You're　not　old；〃　said　Mabel；　〃at　least　not　so　very；　she　added
brightly；　and　you're　as　lovely　as　a　Princess。〃　

〃Go　then；　flatteress！〃　said　Mademoiselle；　laughing；　and　Mabel
went。　The　others　were　already　half…way　up　the　stairs。

Mademoiselle　sat　in　the　drawing…room　as　usual；　and　it　was　a　good
thing　that　she　was　not　engaged　in　serious　study；　for　it　seemed　that
the　door　opened　and　shut　almost　ceaselessly　all　throughout　the
afternoon。　Might　they　have　the　embroidered　antimacassars　and　the
sofa　cushions？　Might　they　have　the　clothes…line　out　of　the
washhouse？　Eliza　said　they　mightn't；　but　might　they？　Might　they
have　the　sheepskin　hearth…rugs？　Might　they　have　tea　in　the　garden；
because　they　had　almost　got　the　stage　ready　in　the　dining…room；
and　Eliza　wanted　to　set　tea？　Could　Mademoiselle　lend　them　any
coloured　clothes　scarves　or　dressing…gowns；　or　anything　bright？
Yes；　Mademoiselle　could；　and　did　silk　things；　surprisingly　lovely
for　a　governess　to　have。

Had　Mademoiselle　any　rouge？　They　had　always　heard　that　French
ladies　No。　Mademoiselle　hadn't　and　to　judge　by　the　colour　of　her
face；　Mademoiselle　didn't　need　it。　Did　Mademoiselle　think　the
chemist　sold　rouge　or　had　she　any　false　hair　to　spare？　At　this
challenge　Mademoiselle's　pale　fingers　pulled　out　a　dozen　hairpins；
and　down　came　the　loveliest　blue…black　hair；　hanging　to　her　knees
in　straight；　heavy　lines。

〃No；　you　terrible　infants；〃　she　cried。　〃I　have　not　the　false　hair；　nor
the　rouge。　And　my　teeth　you　want　them　also；　without　doubt？〃

She　showed　them　in　a　laugh。

〃I　said　you　were　a　Princess；〃　said　Mabel；　〃and　now　I　know。　You're
Rapunzel。　Do　always　wear　your　hair　like　that！　May　we　have　the
peacock　fans；　please；　off　the　mantelpiece；　and　the　things　that　loop
back　the　curtains；　and　all　the　handkerchiefs　you've　got？〃

Mademoiselle　denied　them　nothing。　They　had　the　fans　and　the
handkerchiefs　and　some　large　sheets　of　expensive　drawing…paper
out　of　the　school　cupboard；　and　Mademoiselle's　best　sable
paint…brush　and　her　paint…box。

〃Who　would　have　thought；〃　murmured　Gerald；　pensively　sucking
the　brush　and　gazing　at　the　paper　mask　he　had　just　painted；　〃that
she　was　such　a　brick　in　disguise？　I　wonder　why　crimson　lake
always　tastes　just　like　Liebig's　Extract。〃

Everything　was　pleasant　that　day　somehow。　There　are　some　days
like　that；　you　know；　when　everything　goes　well　from　the　very
beginning；　all　the　things　you　want　are　in　their　places；　nobody
misunderstands　you；　and　all　that　you　do　turns　out　admirably。　How
different　from　those　other　days　which　we　all　know　too　well；　when
your　shoe…lace　breaks；　your　comb　is　mislaid；　your　brush　spins　on
its　back　on　the　floor　and　lands　under　the　bed　where　you　can't　get　at
it　you　drop　the　soap；　your　buttons　come　off；　an　eyelash　gets　into
your　eye；　you　have　used　your　last　clean　handkerchief；　your　collar　is
frayed　at　the　edge　and　cuts　your　neck；　and　at　the　very　last　moment
your　suspender　breaks；　and　there　is　no　string。　On　such　a　day　as　this
you　are　naturally　late　for　breakfast；　and　everyone　thinks　you　did　it
on　purpose。　And　the　day　goes　on　and　on；　getting　worse　and　worse
you　mislay　your　exercise…book；　you　drop　your　arithmetic　in　the
mud；　your　pencil　breaks；　and　when　you　open　your　knife　to　sharpen
the　pencil　you　split　your　nail。　On　such　a　day　you　jam　your　thumb
in　doors；　and　muddle　the　messages　you　are　sent　on　by　grown…ups。
You　upset　your　tea；　and　your　bread…and…butter　won't　hold　together
for　a　moment。　And　when　at　last　you　get　to　bed　usually　in　disgrace
it　is　no　comfort　at　all　to　you　to　know　that　not　a　single　bit　of　it　is
your　own　fault。

This　day　was　not　one　of　those　days；　as　you　will　have　noticed。　Even
the　tea　in　the　garden　there　was　a　bricked　bit　by　a　rockery　that　made
a　steady　floor　for　the　tea…table　was　most　delightful；　though　the
thoughts　of　four　out　of　the　five　were　busy　with　the　coming　play；
and　the　fifth　had　thoughts　of　her　own　that　had　had　nothing　to　do
with　tea　or　acting。

Then　there　was　an　interval　of　slamming　doors；　interesting　silences；
feet　that　flew　up　and　down　st