the enchanted castle-第2部分

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old　houses；　standing　stout　and　strong；　looked　as　though　they　were
basking　in　the　sunshine　and　enjoying　it。

〃But　are　there　any　woods？〃　asked　Kathleen　as　they　passed　the
market…place。

〃It　doesn't　much　matter　about　woods；〃　said　Gerald　dreamily；　〃we're
sure　to　find　something。　One　of　the　chaps　told　me　his　father　said
when　he　was　a　boy　there　used　to　be　a　little　cave　under　the　bank　in
a　lane　near　the　Salisbury　Road；　but　he　said　there　was　an　enchanted
castle　there　too；　so　perhaps　the　cave　isn't　true　either。〃　〃If　we　were
to　get　horns；〃　said　Kathleen；　〃and　to　blow　them　very　hard　all　the
way；　we　might　find　a　magic　castle。〃　

〃If　you've　got　the　money　to　throw　away　on　horns。。。〃　said　Jimmy
contemptuously。

〃Well；　I　have；　as　it　happens；　so　there！〃　said　Kathleen。　And　the
horns　were　bought　in　a　tiny　shop　with　a　bulging　window　full　of　a
tangle　of　toys　and　sweets　and　cucumbers　and　sour　apples。

And　the　quiet　square　at　the　end　of　the　town　where　the　church　is；
and　the　houses　of　the　most　respectable　people；　echoed　to　the　sound
of　horns　blown　long　and　loud。　But　none　of　the　houses　turned　into
enchanted　castles。　Away　they　went　along　the　Salisbury　Road；
which　was　very　hot　and　dusty；　so　they　agreed　to　drink　one　of　the
bottles　of　ginger…beer。

〃We　might　as　well　carry　the　ginger…beer　inside　us　as　inside　the
bottle；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃and　we　can　hide　the　bottle　and　call　for　it　as
we　come　back。　

Presently　they　came　to　a　place　where　the　road；　as　Gerald　said；
went　two　ways　at　once。

〃That　looks　like　adventures；〃　said　Kathleen；　and　they　took　the
right…hand　road；　and　the　next　time　they　took　a　turning　it　was　a
left…hand　one；　〃so　as　to　be　quite　fair；〃　Jimmy　said；　and　then　a
right…hand　one　and　then　a　left；　and　so　on；　till　they　were　completely
lost。

〃Completely；〃　said　Kathleen；　〃how　jolly！〃　

And　now　trees　arched　overhead；　and　the　banks　of　the　road　were
high　and　bushy。　The　adventurers　had　long　since　ceased　to　blow
their　horns。　It　was　too　tiring　to　go　on　doing　that；　when　there　was　no
one　to　be　annoyed　by　it。

〃Oh；　kriky！〃　observed　Jimmy　suddenly；　〃let's　sit　down　a　bit　and
have　some　of　our　dinner。　We　might　call　it　lunch；　you　know；〃　he
added　persuasively。

So　they　sat　down　in　the　hedge　and　ate　the　ripe　red　gooseberries
that　were　to　have　been　their　dessert。

And　as　they　sat　and　rested　and　wished　that　their　boots　did　not　feel
so　full　of　feet；　Gerald　leaned　back　against　the　bushes；　and　the
bushes　gave　way　so　that　he　almost　fell　over　backward。　Something
had　yielded　to　the　pressure　of　his　back；　and　there　was　the　sound　of
something　heavy　that　fell。

〃Oh；　Jimminy！〃　he　remarked；　recovering　himself　suddenly；　〃there's
something　hollow　in　there　the　stone　I　was　leaning　against　simply
went！〃　

〃I　wish　it　was　a　cave；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃but　of　course　it　isn't。〃　

〃If　we　blow　the　horns　perhaps　it　will　be；〃　said　Kathleen；　and
hastily　blew　her　own。

Gerald　reached　his　hand　through　the　bushes。　〃I　can't　feel　anything
but　air；〃　he　said；　〃it's　just　a　hole　full　of　emptiness。　The　other　two
pulled　back　the　bushes。　There　certainly　was　a　hole　in　the　bank。
〃I'm　going　to　go　in；〃　observed　Gerald。

〃Oh；　don't！〃　said　his　sister。　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't。　Suppose　there
were　snakes！〃　

〃Not　likely；〃　said　Gerald；　but　he　leaned　forward　and　struck　a
match。　〃It　is　a　cave！〃　he　cried；　and　put　his　knee　on　the　mossy　stone
he　had　been　sitting　on；　scrambled　over　it；　and　disappeared。

A　breathless　pause　followed。

〃You　all　right？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Yes；　come　on。　You'd　better　come　feet　first　there's　a　bit　of　a　drop。〃　

〃I'll　go　next；〃　said　Kathleen；　and　went　feet　first；　as　advised。　The
feet　waved　wildly　in　the　air。

〃Look　out！〃　said　Gerald　in　the　dark；　〃you'll　have　my　eye　out。　Put
your　feet　down；　girl；　not　up。　It's　no　use　trying　to　fly　here　there's　no
room。〃　

He　helped　her　by　pulling　her　feet　forcibly　down　and　then　lifting
her　under　the　arms。　She　felt　rustling　dry　leaves　under　her　boots；
and　stood　ready　to　receive　Jimmy；　who　came　in　head　first；　like　one
diving　into　an　unknown　sea。

〃It　is　a　cave；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃The　young　explorers；〃　explained　Gerald；　blocking　up　the　hole　of
entrance　with　his　shoulders；　〃dazzled　at　first　by　the　darkness　of　the
cave；　could　see　nothing。〃　

〃Darkness　doesn't　dazzle；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃I　wish　we'd　got　a　candle；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Yes；　it　does；〃　Gerald　contradicted　〃could　see　nothing。　But　their
dauntless　leader；　whose　eyes　had　grown　used　to　the　dark　while　the
clumsy　forms　of　the　others　were　bunging　up　the　entrance；　had
made　a　discovery。　

〃Oh；　what！〃　Both　the　others　were　used　to　Gerald's　way　of　telling　a
story　while　he　acted　it；　but　they　did　sometimes　wish　that　he　didn't
talk　quite　so　long　and　so　like　a　book　in　moments　of　excitement。

〃He　did　not　reveal　the　dread　secret　to　his　faithful　followers　till　one
and　all　had　given　him　their　word　of　honour　to　be　calm。〃　

〃We'll　be　calm　all　right；〃　said　Jimmy　impatiently。〃Well；　then；〃　said
Gerald；　ceasing　suddenly　to　be　a　book　and　becoming　a　boy；
〃there's　a　light　over　there　look　behind　you！〃　

They　looked。　And　there　was。　A　faint　greyness　on　the　brown　walls
of　the　cave；　and　a　brighter　greyness　cut　off　sharply　by　a　dark　line；
showed　that　round　a　turning　or　angle　of　the　cave　there　was
daylight。

〃Attention！〃　said　Gerald；　at　least；　that　was　what　he　meant；　though
what　he　said　was　〃Shun！〃　as　becomes　the　son　of　a　soldier。　The
others　mechanically　obeyed。

〃You　will　remain　at　attention　till　I　give　the　word　〃Slow　march！'　on
which　you　will　advance　cautiously　in　open　order；　following　your
hero　leader；　taking　care　not　to　tread　on　the　dead　and　wounded。〃

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't！〃　said　Kathleen。

〃There　aren't　any；〃　said　Jimmy；　feeling　for　her　hand　in　the　dark；
〃he　only　means；　take　care　not　to　tumble　over　stones　and　things〃　

Here　he　found　her　hand；　and　she　screamed。

〃It's　only　me；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃I　thought　you'd　like　me　to　hold　it。　But
you're　just　like　a　girl。〃　

Their　eyes　had　now　begun　to　get　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　and
all　could　see　that　they　were　in　a　rough　stone　cave；　that　went
straight　on　for　about　three　or　four　yards　and　then　turned　sharply　to
the　right。

〃Death　or　victory！〃　remarked　Gerald。　〃Now；　then　Slow　march！〃　

He　advanced　carefully；　picking　his　way　among　the　loose　earth　and
stones　that　were　the　floor　of　the　cave。

〃A　sail；　a　sail！〃　he　cried；　as　he　turned　the　corner。

〃How　splendid！〃　Kathleen　drew　a　long　breath　as　she　came　out　into
the　sunshine。

〃I　don't　see　any　sail；〃　said　Jimmy；　following。

The　narrow　passage　ended　in　a　round　arch　all　fringed　with　ferns
and　creepers。　They　passed　through　the　arch　into　a　deep；　narrow
gully　whose　banks　were　of　stones；　moss…covered；　and　in　the
crannies　grew　more　ferns　and　long　grasses。　Trees　growing　on　the
top　of　the　bank　arched　across；　and　the　sunlight　came　through　in
changing　patches　of　brightness；　turning　the　gully　to　a　roofed
corridor　of　goldy…green。　The　path；　which　was　of　greeny…grey
flagstones　where　heaps　of　leaves　had　drifted；　sloped　steeply　down；
and　at　the　end　of　it　was　another　round　arch；　quite　dark　inside；
above　which　rose　rocks　and　grass　and　bushes。

〃It's　like　the　outside　of　a　railway　tunnel；〃　said　James。

〃It's　the　entrance　to　the　enchanted　castle；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Let's
blow　the　horns。〃

〃Dry　up！〃　said　Gerald。　〃The　bold　Captain；　reproving　the　silly
chatter　of　his　subordinates　；〃

〃I　like　that！〃　said　Jimmy；　indignant。

〃I　thought　you　would；〃　resumed　Gerald　〃of　his　subordinates；　bade
them　advance　with　caution　and　in　silence；　because　after　all　there
might　be　somebody　about；　and　the　other　arch　might　be　an
ice…house　or　something　dangerous。

〃What？〃　asked　Kathleen　anxiously。

〃Bears；　perhaps；〃　said　Gerald　briefly。

〃There　aren't　any　bears　without　bars　in　England；　anyway；〃　said
Jimmy。　〃They　call　bears　bars　in　America；〃　he　added　absently。

〃Quick　march！〃　was　Gerald's　only　reply。

And　they　marched。　Under　the　drifted　damp　leaves　the　path　was
firm　and　stony　to　their　shuffling　feet。　At　the　dark　arch　they
stopped。

〃There　are　steps　down；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃It　is　an　ice…house；〃　said　Gerald。

〃Don't　let's；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Our　hero；〃　said　Gerald；　〃who　nothing　could　dismay；　raised　the
faltering　hopes　of　his　abject　minions　by　saying　that　he　was　jolly
well　going　on；　and　they　could　do　as　they　liked　about　it。〃　

〃If　you　call　names；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃you　can　go　on　by　yourself。　He
added；　〃So　there！〃　

〃It's　part　of　the　game；　silly；〃　explained　Gerald　kindly。　〃You　can　be
Captain　tomorrow；　so　you'd　better　hold　your　jaw　now；　and　begin　to
think　about　what　names　you'll　call　us　when　it's　your　turn。〃

Very　slowly　and　carefully　they　went　down　the　steps。　A　vaulted
stone　arched　over　their　heads。　Gerald　struck　a　match　when　the　last
step　was　found　to　have　no　edge；　and　to　be；　in　fact；　the　beginning　of
a　passage；　turning　to　the　left。

〃This；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃will　take　us　back　into　the　road。〃

〃Or　under　it；〃　said　Gerald。　〃We've　come　down　eleven　steps。〃　

They　went　on；　following　their　leader；　who　went　very　slowly　for
fear；　as　he　explained；　of　steps。　The　passage　was　very　dark。

〃I　don't　half　like　it！〃　whispered　Jimmy。

Then　came　a　glimmer　of　daylight　that　grew　and　grew；　and
presently　ended　in　another　arch　that　looked　out　over　a　scene　so　like
a　picture　out　of　a　book　about　Italy　that　everyone's　breath　was　taken
away；　and　they　simply　walked　forward　silent　and　staring。　A　short
avenue　of　cypresses　led；　widening　as　it　went；　to　a　marble　terrace
that　lay　broad　and　white　in　the　sunlight。　The　children；　blinking；
leaned　their　arms　on　the　broad；　flat　balustrade　and　gazed。
Immediately　below　them　was　a　lake　just　like　a　lake　in　〃The
Beauties　of　Italy〃　a　lake　with　swans　and　an　island　and　weeping
willows；　beyond　it　were　green　slopes　dotted　with　groves　of　trees；
and　amid　the　trees　gleamed　the　white　limbs　of　statues。　Against　a
little　hill　to　the　left　was　a　round　white　building　with　pillars；　and　to
the　right　a　waterfall　came　tumbling　down　among　mossy　stones　to
splash　into　the　lake。　Steps　fed　from　the　terrace　to　the　water；　and
other　steps　to　the　green　lawns　beside　it。　Away　across　the　grassy
slopes　deer　were　feeding；　and　in　the　distance　where　the　groves　of
trees　thickened　into　what　looked　almost　a　forest　were　enormous
shapes　of　grey　stone；　like　nothing