the enchanted castle-第24部分

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the　coat。〃　

Kathleen　shivered　again。　And　all　this　time　the　sun　was　shining
gaily　and　the　white　statues　and　the　green　trees　and　the　fountains
and　terraces　looked　as　cheerfully　romantic　as　a　scene　in　a　play。

〃Anyway；〃　said　Gerald；　〃we'll　try　to　get　him　back；　and　shut　the
door。　That's　the　most　we　can　hope　for。　And　then　apples；　and
Robinson　Crusoe　or　the　Swiss　Family；　or　any　book　you　like　that's
got　no　magic　in　it。　Now；　we've　just　got　to　do　it。　And　he's　not　horrid
now；　really　he　isn't。　He's　real；　you　see。〃　

〃I　suppose　that　makes　all　the　difference；〃　said　Mabel；　and　tried　to
feel　that　perhaps　it　did。

〃And　it's　broad　daylight　just　look　at　the　sun；〃　Gerald　insisted。
〃Come　on！〃　

He　took　a　hand　of　each；　and　they　walked　resolutely　towards　the
bank　of　rhododendrons　behind　which　Jimmy　and　the　Ugly…Wugly
had　been　told　to　wait；　and　as　they　went　Gerald　said：　〃He's　real〃
〃The　sun's　shining〃　〃It'll　all　be　over　in　a　minute。〃　And　he　said　these
things　again　and　again；　so　that　there　should　be　no　mistake　about
them。

As　they　neared　the　bushes　the　shining　leaves　rustled；　shivered；　and
parted；　and　before　the　girls　had　time　to　begin　to　hang　back　Jimmy
came　blinking　out　into　the　sunlight。　The　boughs　closed　behind
him；　and　they　did　not　stir　or　rustle　for　the　appearance　of　anyone
else。　Jimmy　was　alone。

〃Where　is　it？〃　asked　the　girls　in　one　breath。

〃Walking　up　and　down　in　a　fir…walk；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃doing　sums　in
a　book。　He　says　he's　most　frightfully　rich；　and　he's　got　to　get　up　to
town　to　the　Stocks　or　something　where　they　change　papers　into
gold　if　you're　clever；　he　says。　I　should　like　to　go　to　the
Stocks…change；　wouldn't　you？〃

〃I　don't　seem　to　care　very　much　about　changes；　said　Gerald。　〃I've
had　enough。　Show　us　where　he　is　we　must　get　rid　of　him。〃　

〃He's　got　a　motor…car；〃　Jimmy　went　on；　parting　the　warm
varnished…looking　rhododendron　leaves；　〃and　a　garden　with　a
tennis…court　and　a　lake　and　a　carriage　and　pair；　and　he　goes　to
Athens　for　his　holiday　sometimes；　just　like　other　people　go　to
Margate。〃　

〃The　best　thing；〃　said　Gerald；　following　through　the　bushes；　〃will
be　to　tell　him　the　shortest　way　out　is　through　that　hotel　that　he
thinks　he　found　last　night。　Then　we　get　him　into　the　passage；　give
him　a　push；　fly　back；　and　shut　the　door。〃　

〃He'll　starve　to　death　in　there；〃　said　Kathleen；　〃if　he's　really　real。〃　

〃I　expect　it　doesn't　last　long；　the　ring　magics　don't　　anyway；　it's　the
only　thing　I　can　think　of。〃　

〃He's　frightfully　rich；〃　Jimmy　went　on　unheeding　amid　the
cracking　of　the　bushes；　〃he's　building　a　public　library　for　the
people　where　he　lives；　and　having　his　portrait　painted　to　put　in　it。
He　thinks　they'll　like　that。〃　

The　belt　of　rhododendrons　was　passed；　and　the　children　had
reached　a　smooth　grass　walk　bordered　by　tall　pines　and　firs　of
strange　different　kinds。　〃He's　just　round　that　corner；〃　said　Jimmy。
〃He's　simply　rolling　in　money。　He　doesn't　know　what　to　do　with　it。
He's　been　building　a　horse…trough　and　drinking　fountain　with　a
bust　of　himself　on　top。　Why　doesn't　he　build　a　private
swimming…bath　close　to　his　bed；　so　that　he　can　just　roll　off　into　it
of　a　morning？　I　wish　I　was　rich；　I'd　soon　show　him　；〃

〃That's　a　sensible　wish；〃　said　Gerald。　〃I　wonder　we　didn't　think　of
doing　that。　Oh；　criky！〃　he　added；　and　with　reason。　For　there；　in　the
green　shadows　of　the　pine…walk；　in　the　woodland　silence；　broken
only　by　rustling　leaves　and　the　agitated　breathing　of　the　three
unhappy　others；　Jimmy　got　his　wish。　By　quick　but　perfectly
plain…to…be…seen　degrees　Jimmy　became　rich。　And　the　horrible
thing　was　that　though　they　could　see　it　happening　they　did　not
know　what　was　happening；　and　could　not　have　stopped　it　if　they
had。　All　they　could　see　was　Jimmy；　their　own　Jimmy；　whom　they
had　larked　with　and　quarrelled　with　and　made　it　up　with　ever　since
they　could　remember；　Jimmy　continuously　and　horribly　growing
old。　The　whole　thing　was　over　in　a　few　seconds。　Yet　in　those　few
seconds　they　saw　him　grow　to　a　youth；　a　young　man；　a
middle…aged　man；　and　then；　with　a　sort　of　shivering　shock；
unspeakably　horrible　and　definite；　he　seemed　to　settle　down　into
an　elderly　gentleman；　handsomely　but　rather　dowdily　dressed；　who
was　looking　down　at　them　through　spectacles　and　asking　them　the
nearest　way　to　the　railway…station。　If　they　had　not　seen　the　change
take　place；　in　all　its　awful　details；　they　would　never　have　guessed
that　this　stout；　prosperous；　elderly　gentleman

with　the　high　hat；　the　frock…coat；　and　the　large　red　seal　dangling
from　the　curve　of　a　portly　waistcoat；　was　their　own　Jimmy。　But；　as
they　had　seen　it；　they　knew　the　dreadful　truth。

〃Oh；　Jimmy；　don't！〃　cried　Mabel　desperately。

Gerald　said：　〃This　is　perfectly　beastly；〃　and　Kathleen　broke　into
wild　weeping。

〃Don't　cry；　little　girl！〃　said　That…which…had…been　Jimmy；　〃and　you；
boy；　can't　you　give　a　civil　answer　to　a　civil　question？〃

〃He　doesn't　know　us！〃　wailed　Kathleen。

〃Who　doesn't　know　you？〃　said　That…which…had…been　impatiently。

〃You　y…you　don　t！〃　Kathleen　sobbed。

〃I　certainly　don't；〃　returned　That…which　〃but　surely　that　need　not
distress　you　so　deeply。〃　

〃Oh；　Jimmy；　Jimmy；　Jimmy！〃　Kathleen　sobbed　louder　than　before。

〃He　doesn't　know　us；〃　Gerald　owned；　〃or　look　here；　Jimmy；　y　you
aren't　kidding；　are　you？　Because　if　you　are　it's　simply　abject　rot　〃

〃My　name　is　Mr。　　；〃　said　That…which…had…been…Jimmy；　and　gave
the　name　correctly。　By　the　way；　it　will　perhaps　be　shorter　to　call
this　elderly　stout　person　who　was　Jimmy　grown　rich　by　some
simpler　name　than　I　have　just　used。　Let　us　call　him　'That'　　short　for
'That…which…had…been　Jimmy'。

〃What　are　we　to　do？〃　whispered　Mabel；　awestruck；　and　aloud　she
said：　〃Oh；　Mr。　James；　or　whatever　you　call　yourself；　do　give　me
the　ring。〃　For　on　That's　finger　the　fatal　ring　showed　plain。

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　That　firmly。　〃You　appear　to　be　a　very
grasping　child。〃　

〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Gerald　asked　in　the　flat　tones　of
complete　hopelessness。

〃Your　interest　is　very　flattering；〃　said　That。　〃Will　you　tell　me；　or
won't　you；　the　way　to　the　nearest　railway　station？〃

〃No；〃　said　Gerald；　〃we　won't。〃　

〃Then；〃　said　That；　still　politely；　though　quite　plainly　furious；
〃perhaps　you'll　tell　me　the　way　to　the　nearest　lunatic　asylum？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　no！〃　cried　Kathleen。　〃You're　not　so　bad　as　that。〃　

〃Perhaps　not。　But　you　are；〃　That　retorted；　〃if　you're　not　lunatics
you're　idiots。　However；　I　see　a　gentleman　ahead　who　is　perhaps
sane。　In　fact；　I　seem　to　recognize　him。〃　A　gentleman；　indeed；　was
now　to　be　seen　approaching。　It　was　the　elderly　Ugly…Wugly。

〃Oh！　don't　you　remember　Jerry？〃　Kathleen　cried；　〃and　Cathy；　your　
own　Cathy　Puss　Cat？　Dear；　dear　Jimmy；　don't　be　so　silly！〃　

〃Little　girl；〃　said　That；　looking　at　her　crossly　through　his
spectacles；　〃I　am　sorry　you　have　not　been　better　brought　up。〃　And
he　walked　stiffly　towards　the　Ugly…Wugly。　Two　hats　were　raised；　a
few　words　were　exchanged；　and　two　elderly　figures　walked　side　by
side　down　the　green　pine…walk；　followed　by　three　miserable
children；　horrified；　bewildered；　alarmed；　and；　what　is　really　worse
than　anything；　quite　at　their　wits　end。

〃He　wished　to　be　rich；　so　of　course　he　is；〃　said　Gerald；　〃he'll　have
money　for　tickets　and　everything。　

And　when　the　spell　breaks　it's　sure　to　break；　isn't　it？　he'll　find
himself　somewhere　awful　　perhaps　in　a　really　good　hotel　and　not
know　how　he　got　there。〃　

〃I　wonder　how　long　the　Ugly…Wuglies　lasted；〃　said　Mabel。

〃Yes；〃　Gerald　answered；　〃that　reminds　me。　You　two　must　collect
the　coats　and　things。　Hide　them；　anywhere　you　like；　and　we'll　carry
them　home　tomorrow　if　there　is　any　tomorrow　〃　he　added　darkly。

〃Oh；　don　t！〃　said　Kathleen；　once　more　breathing　heavily　on　the
verge　of　tears：　〃you　wouldn't　think　everything　could　be　so　awful；
and　the　sun　shining　like　it　does。　

〃Look　here；〃　said　Gerald；　〃of　course　I　must　stick　to　Jimmy。　You
two　must　go　home　to　Mademoiselle　and　tell　her　Jimmy　and　I　have
gone　off　in　the　train　with　a　gentleman　say　he　looked　like　an　uncle。
He　does　some　kind　of　uncle。　There'll　be　a　beastly　row　afterwards；
but　it's　got　to　be　done。　

〃It　all　seems　thick　with　lies；〃　said　Kathleen；　〃you　don't　seem　to　be
able　to　get　a　word　of　truth　in　edgewise　hardly。〃

〃Don't　you　worry；〃　said　her　brother；　〃they　aren't　lies　　they're　as　true
as　anything　else　in　this　magic　rot　we've　got　mixed　up　in。　It's　like
telling　lies　in　a　dream；　you　can't　help　it。〃　

〃Well；　all　I　know　is　I　wish　it　would　stop。〃　

〃Lot　of　use　your　wishing　that　is；〃　said　Gerald；　exasperated。　〃So
long。　I've　got　to　go；　and　you've　got　to　stay。　If　it's　any　comfort　to
you；　I　don't　believe　any　of　it's　real：　it　can't　be；　it's　too　thick。　Tell
Mademoiselle　Jimmy　and　I　will　be　back　to　tea。　If　we　don't　happen
to　be　I　can't　help　it。　I　can't　help　anything；　except　perhaps　Jimmy。〃
He　started　to　run；　for　the　girls　had　lagged；　and　the　Ugly…Wugly　and
That　（late　Jimmy）　had　quickened　their　pace。

The　girls　were　left　looking　after　them。

〃We've　got　to　find　these　clothes；〃　said　Mabel；　〃simply　got　to。　I
used　to　want　to　be　a　heroine。　It's　different　when　it　really　comes　to
being；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes；　very；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Where　shall　we　hide　the　clothes　when
we've　got　them？　Not　not　that　passage？〃

〃Never！〃　said　Mabel　firmly；　〃we'll　hide　them　inside　the　great　stone
dinosaurus。　He's　hollow。〃　

〃He　comes　alive　in　his　stone；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Not　in　the　sunshine　he　doesn't；〃　Mabel　told　her　confidently；　〃and
not　without　the　ring。〃　

〃There　won't　be　any　apples　and　books　today；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃No；　but　we'll　do　the　babiest　thing　we　can　do　the　minute　we　get
home。　We'll　have　a　dolls　tea…party。　That'll　make　us　feel　as　if　there
wasn't　really　any　magic。〃　

〃It'll　have　to　be　a　very　strong　tea　party；　then；〃　said　Kathleen
doubtfully。

And　now　we　see　Gerald；　a　small　but　quite　determined　figure；
paddling　along　in　the　soft　white　dust　of　the　sunny　road；　in　the　wake
of　two　elderly　gentlemen。　His　hand；　in　his　trousers　pocket；　buries
itself　with　a　feeling　of　satisfaction　in　the　heavy　mixed　coinage　that
is　his　share　of　the　profits　of　his　conjuring　at　the　fair。　His　noiseless
tennis…shoes　bear　him　to　the　station；　where；　unobserved；　he　listens
at　the　ti