the enchanted castle-第22部分

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I　had　been　there　I　should　have　looked　the　other　way；　so　as　not　to
see　whether　Gerald　yielded　himself　to　the　same　abandonment。

The　newcomer　he　appeared　to　be　a　gamekeeper　Gerald　decided
later　looked　down　on　well；　certainly　on　Mabel；　and　said：

〃Come　on；　don't　be　a　little　duffer。〃　（He　may　have　said；　〃a　couple　of
little　duffers　。）　〃Who　is　it；　and　what's　it　all　about？〃

〃I　can't　possibly　tell　you；〃　Gerald　panted。

〃We　shall　have　to　see　about　that；　shan't　we；〃　said　the　newcomer
amiably。　〃Come　out　into　the　moonlight　and　let's　review　the
situation。〃

Gerald；　even　in　that　topsy…turvy　state　of　his　world；　found　time　to
think　that　a　gamekeeper　who　used　such　words　as　that　had　most
likely　a　romantic　past。　But　at　the　same　time　he　saw　that　such　a　man
would　be　far　less　easy　to　〃square〃　with　an　unconvincing　tale　than
Eliza；　or　Johnson；　or　even　Mademoiselle。　In　fact；　he　seemed；　with
the　only　tale　that　they　had　to　tell；　practically　unsquarable。

Gerald　got　up　if　he　was　not　up　already；　or　still　up　　and　pulled　at　the
limp　and　now　hot　hand　of　the　sobbing　Mabel；　and　as　he　did　so　the
unsquarable　one　took　his　hand；　and　thus　led　both　children　out　from
under　the　shadow　of　Flora's　dome　into　the　bright　white　moonlight
that　carpeted　Flora's　steps。　Here　he　sat　down；　a　child　on　each　side
of　him；　drew　a　hand　of　each　through　his　velveteen　arm；　pressed
them　to　his　velveteen　sides　in　a　friendly；　reassuring　way；　and　said：
〃Now　then！　Go　ahead！〃　

Mabel　merely　sobbed。　We　must　excuse　her。　She　had　been　very
brave；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　all　heroines；　from　Joan　of　Arc　to
Grace　Darling；　have　had　their　sobbing　moments。

But　Gerald　said：　〃It's　no　use。　If　I　made　up　a　story　you'd　see　through
it。〃

〃That's　a　compliment　to　thy　discernment；　anyhow；〃　said　the
stranger。　〃What　price　telling　me　the　truth？〃

〃If　we　told　you　the　truth；〃　said　Gerald；　〃you　wouldn't　believe　it。〃

〃Try　me；〃　said　the　velveteen　one。　He　was　clean…shaven；　and　had
large　eyes　that　sparkled　when　the　moonlight　touched　them。

〃I　can't；〃　said　Gerald；　and　it　was　plain　that　he　spoke　the　truth。
〃You'd　either　think　we　were　mad；　and　get　us　shut　up；　or　else　Oh；
it's　no　good。　Thank　you　for　helping　us；　and　do　let　us　go　home。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　said　the　stranger　musingly；　〃whether　you　have　any
imagination。〃　

〃Considering　that　we　invented　them　〃　Gerald　hotly　began；　and
stopped　with　late　prudence。

〃If　by　'them'　you　mean　the　people　whom　I　helped　you　to　imprison
in　yonder　tomb；〃　said　the　Stranger；　loosing　Mabel's　hand　to　put　his
arm　round　her；　〃remember　that　I　saw　and　heard　them。　And　with　all
respect　to　your　imagination；　I　doubt　whether　any　invention　of
yours　would　be　quite　so　convincing。〃　

Gerald　put　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his　chin　in　his　hands。

〃Collect　yourself；〃　said　the　one　in　velveteen；　〃and　while　you　are
collecting；　let　me　just　put　the　thing　from　my　point　of　view。　I　think
you　hardly　realize　my　position。　I　come　down　from　London　to　take
care　of　a　big　estate。〃　

〃I　thought　you　were　a　gamekeeper；〃　put　in　Gerald。

Mabel　put　her　head　on　the　stranger's　shoulder。　〃Hero　in　disguise；
then；　I　know；〃　she　sniffed。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　he；　〃bailiff　would　be　nearer　the　mark。　On　the　very
first　evening　I　go　out　to　take　the　moonlit　air；　and　approaching　a
white　building；　hear　sounds　of　an　agitated　scuffle；　accompanied　by
frenzied　appeals　for　assistance。　Carried　away　by　the　enthusiasm　of
the　moment；　I　do　assist　and　shut　up　goodness　knows　who　behind　a
stone　door。　Now；　is　it　unreasonable　that　I　should　ask　who　it　is　that
I've　shut　up　helped　to　shut　up；　I　mean；　and　who　it　is　that　I've
assisted？〃

〃It's　reasonable　enough；〃　Gerald　admitted。

〃Well　then；〃　said　the　stranger。

〃Well　then；〃　said　Gerald；　〃the　fact　is　No；〃　he　added　after　a　pause；
〃the　fact　is；　I　simply　can't　tell　you。〃

〃Then　I　must　ask　the　other　side；〃　said　Velveteens。　〃Let　me　go　I'll
undo　that　door　and　find　out　for　myself。〃　

〃Tell　him；〃　said　Mabel；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　〃Never　mind　if
he　believes　or　not。　We　can't　have　them　let　out。〃　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Gerald；　〃I'll　tell　him。　Now　look　here；　Mr。　Bailiff；
will　you　promise　us　on　an　English　gentleman's　word　of　honour　
because；　of　course；　I　can　see　you're　that；　bailiff　or　not　will　you
promise　that　you　won't　tell　any　one　what　we　tell　you　and　that　you
won't　have　us　put　in　a　lunatic　asylum；　however　mad　we　sound？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃I　think　I　can　promise　that。　But　if　you've
been　having　a　sham　fight　or　anything　and　shoved　the　other　side
into　that　hole；　don't　you　think　you'd　better　let　them　out？　They'll　be
most　awfully　frightened；　you　know。　After　all；　I　suppose　they　are
only　children。〃　

〃Wait　till　you　hear；〃　Gerald　answered。　〃They're　not　children　not
much！　Shall　I　just　tell　about　them　or　begin　at　the　beginning？〃

〃The　beginning；　of　course；〃　said　the　stranger。

Mabel　lifted　her　head　from　his　velveteen　shoulder　and　said；　〃Let
me　begin；　then。　I　found　a　ring；　and　I　said　it　would　make　me
invisible。　I　said　it　in　play。　And　it　did。　I　was　invisible　twenty…one
hours。　Never　mind　where　I　got　the　ring。　Now；　Gerald；　you　go　on。〃　

Gerald　went　on；　for　quite　a　long　time　he　went　on；　for　the　story　was
a　splendid　one　to　tell。

〃And　so；〃　he　ended；　〃we　got　them　in　there；　and　when　seven　hours
are　over；　or　fourteen；　or　twenty…one；　or　something　with　a　seven　in
it；　they'll　just　be　old　coats　again。　They　came　alive　at　half…past　nine。
I　think　they'll　stop　being　it　in　seven　hours　that's　half…past　four。　Now
will　you　let　us　go　home？〃〃I'll　see　you　home；〃　said　the　stranger　in　a
quite　new　tone　of　exasperating　gentleness。　〃Come　let's　be　going。〃　

〃You　don't　believe　us；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Of　course　you　don　t。　Nobody
could。　But　I　could　make　you　believe　if　I　chose。〃　

All　three　stood　up；　and　the　stranger　stared　in　Gerald's　eyes　till
Gerald　answered　his　thought。

〃No；　I　don't　look　mad；　do　I？〃

〃No；　you　aren't。　But；　come；　you're　an　extraordinarily　sensible　boy；
don't　you　think　you　may　be　sickening　for　a　fever　or　something？〃

〃And　Cathy　and　Jimmy　and　Mademoiselle　and　Eliza；　and　the　man
who　said　'Guy　Fawkes；　swelp　me！'　and　you；　you　saw　them　move　
you　heard　them　call　out。　Are　you　sickening　for　anything？〃

〃No　or　at　least　not　for　anything　but　information。　Come；　and　I'll　see
you　home。〃　

〃Mabel　lives　at　the　Towers；〃　said　Gerald；　as　the　stranger　turned
into　the　broad　drive　that　leads　to　the　big　gate。

〃No　relation　to　Lord　Yalding；〃　said　Mabel　hastily　〃　housekeeper's
niece。〃　She　was　holding　on　to　his　hand　all　the　way。　At　the　servants
entrance　she　put　up　her　face　to　be　kissed；　and　went　in。

〃Poor　little　thing！〃　said　the　bailiff；　as　they　went　down　the　drive
towards　the　gate。

He　went　with　Gerald　to　the　door　of　the　school。

〃Look　here；〃　said　Gerald　at　parting。　〃I　know　what　you're　going　to
do。　You're　going　to　try　to　undo　that　door。〃　

〃Discerning！〃　said　the　stranger。

〃Well　don't。　Or；　anyway；　wait　till　daylight　and　let　us　be　there。　We
can　get　there　by　ten。〃　

〃All　right　I'll　meet　you　there　by　ten；〃　answered　the　stranger。　〃By
George！　you're　the　rummest　kids　I　ever　met。〃

〃We　are　rum；〃　Gerald　owned；　〃but　so　would　you　be　if　Good…night。〃

As　the　four　children　went　over　the　smooth　lawn　towards　Flora's
Temple　they　talked；　as　they　had　talked　all　the　morning；　about　the
adventures　of　last　night　and　of　Mabel's　bravery。　It　was　not　ten；　but
half…past　twelve；　for　Eliza；　backed　by　Mademoiselle；　had　insisted
on　their　〃clearing　up；〃　and　clearing　up　very　thoroughly；　the　〃litter〃
of　last　night。

〃You're　a　Victoria　Cross　heroine；　dear；〃　said　Cathy　warmly。　〃You
ought　to　have　a　statue　put　up　to　you。〃　

〃It　would　come　alive　if　you　put　it　here；〃　said　Gerald　grimly。

〃I　shouldn't　have　been　afraid；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃By　daylight；〃　Gerald　assured　him；　〃everything　looks　so　jolly
different。〃

〃I　do　hope　he'll　be　there；〃　Mabel　said；　〃he　was　such　a　dear；　Cathy　a
perfect　bailiff；　with　the　soul　of　a　gentleman。〃

〃He　isn't　there；　though；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃I　believe　you　just　dreamed
him；　like　you　did　the　statues　coming　alive。〃　

They　went　up　the　marble　steps　in　the　sunshine；　and　it　was　difficult
to　believe　that　this　was　the　place　where　only　in　last　night's
moonlight　fear　had　laid　such　cold　hands　on　the　hearts　of　Mabel
and　Gerald。

〃Shall　we　open　the　door；〃　suggested　Kathleen；　〃and　begin　to　carry
home　the　coats？〃

〃Let's　listen　first；〃　said　Gerald；　〃perhaps　they　aren't　only　coats　yet。〃　

They　laid　ears　to　the　hinges　of　the　stone　door；　behind　which　last
night　the　Ugly…Wuglies　had　shrieked　and　threatened。　All　was　still
as　the　sweet　morning　itself。　It　was　as　they　turned　away　that　they
saw　the　man　they　had　come　to　meet。　He　was　on　the　other　side　of
Flora's　pedestal。　But　he　was　not　standing　up。　He　lay　there；　quite
still；　on　his　back；　his　arms　flung　wide。

〃Oh；　look！〃　cried　Cathy；　and　pointed。　His　face　was　a　queer
greenish　colour；　and　on　his　forehead　there　was　a　cut；　its　edges
were　blue；　and　a　little　blood　had　trickled　from　it　on　to　the　white　of
the　marble。

At　the　same　time　Mabel　pointed　too　but　she　did　not　cry　out　as
Cathy　had　done。　And　what　she　pointed　at　was　a　big　glossy…leaved
rhododendron　bush；　from　which　a　painted　pointed　paper　face
peered　out　very　white；　very　red；　in　the　sunlight　and；　as　the　children
gazed；　shrank　back　into　the　cover　of　the　shining　leaves。

It　was　but　too　plain。　The　unfortunate　bailiff　must　have　opened　the
door　before　the　spell　had　faded；　while　yet　the　Ugly　Wuglies　were
something　more　than　mere　coats　and　hats　and　sticks。　They　had
rushed　out　upon　him；　and　had　done　this。　He　lay　there　insensible　
was　it　a　golf…club　or　a　hockey…stick　that　had　made　that　horrible　cut
on　his　forehead？　Gerald　wondered。　The　girls　had　rushed　to　the
sufferer；　already　his　head　was　in　Mabel's　lap。　Kathleen　had　tried　to
get　it　on　to　hers；　but　Mabel　was　too　quick　for　her。

Jimmy　and　Gerald　both　knew　what　was　the　first　thing　needed　by
the　unconscious；　even　before　Mabel　impatiently　said：　〃Water！
water！〃　

〃What　in？〃　Jimmy　asked；　looking　doubtfully　at　his　hands；　and　then
down　the　green　slope　to　the　marble…bordered　pool　where　the
water…lilies　were。

〃Your　hat　anything；〃　said　Mabel。

The　two　boys　turned　away。

〃Suppose　they　come　after　us；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃What　come　after　us？〃　Gerald　snapped　rather　than　asked。