the enchanted castle-第27部分

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what　Mabel　said　about　the　other　things　is　true！　Suppose　we　try。〃　

〃Don't！〃　said　Kathleen。　〃I　think　magic　things　are　spiteful。　They　just
enjoy　getting　you　into　tight　places。〃　

〃I'd　like　to　try；〃　said　Mabel；　〃only　well；　everything's　been　rather
upsetting；　and　I've　forgotten　what　I　said　anything　was。〃　

So　had　the　others。　Perhaps　that　was　why；　when　Gerald　said　that　a
bronze　buckle　laid　on　the　foot　would　have　the　effect　of
seven…league　boots；　it　didn't；　when　Jimmy；　a　little　of　the　City　man
he　had　been　clinging　to　him　still；　said　that　the　steel　collar　would
ensure　your　always　having　money　in　your　pockets；　his　own
remained　empty；　and　when　Mabel　and　Kathleen　invented　qualities
of　the　most　delightful　nature　for　various　rings　and　chains　and
brooches；　nothing　at　all　happened。

〃It's　only　the　ring　that's　magic；〃　said　Mabel　at　last；　〃and；　I　say！〃　she
added；　in　quite　a　different　voice。

〃What？〃

〃Suppose　even　the　ring　isn't！〃　

〃But　we　know　it　is。〃

〃I　don't；〃　said　Mabel。　〃I　believe　it's　not　today　at　all。　I　believe　it's　the
other　day　we've　just　dreamed　all　these　things。　It's　the　day　I　made　up
that　nonsense　about　the　ring。〃　

〃No；　it　isn't；〃　said　Gerald；　〃you　were　in　your　Princess…clothes　then。　

〃What　Princess…clothes？〃　said　Mabel；　opening　her　dark　eyes　very
wide。

〃Oh；　don't　be　silly；〃　said　Gerald　wearily。

〃I'm　not　silly；〃　said　Mabel；　〃and　I　think　it's　time　you　went。　I'm　sure
Jimmy　wants　his　tea。〃　

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃But　you　had　got　the
Princess…clothes　that　day。　Come　along；　let's　shut　up　the　shutters
and　leave　the　ring　in　its　long　home。〃　

〃What　ring？〃　said　Mabel。

〃Don't　take　any　notice　of　her；〃　said　Gerald。　〃She's　only　trying　to　be
funny。〃　

〃No；　I'm　not；〃　said　Mabel；　〃but　I'm　inspired　like　a　Python　or　a
Sibylline　lady。　What　ring？〃

〃The　wishing…ring；〃　said　Kathleen；　〃the　invisibility　ring。〃　

〃Don't　you　see　now；〃　said　Mabel；　her　eyes　wider　than　ever；　〃the
ring's　what　you　say　it　is？　That's　how　it　came　to　make　us　invisible　I
just　said　it。　Oh；　we　can't　leave　it　here；　if　that's　what　it　is。　It　isn't
stealing；　really；　when　it's　as　valuable　as　that；　you　see。　Say　what　it
is。　

〃It's　a　wishing…ring；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃We've　had　that　before　and　you　had　your　silly　wish；〃　said　Mabel；
more　and　more　excited。　〃I　say　it　isn't　a　wishing…ring。　I　say　it's　a　ring
that　makes　the　wearer　four　yards　high。〃　

She　had　caught　up　the　ring　as　she　spoke；　and　even　as　she　spoke　the
ring　showed　high　above　the　children's　heads　on　the　finger　of　an
impossible　Mabel；　who　was；　indeed；　twelve　feet　high。

〃Now　you've　done　it！〃　said　Gerald　and　he　was　right。　It　was　in　vain
that　Mabel　asserted　that　the　ring　was　a　wishing…ring。　It　quite
clearly　wasn't；　it　was　what　she　had　said　it　was。

〃And　you　can't　tell　at　all　how　long　the　effect　will　last；〃　said　Gerald。
〃Look　at　the　invisibleness。〃　This　is　difficult　to　do；　but　the　others
understood　him。

〃It　may　last　for　days；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Oh；　Mabel；　it　was　silly　of
you！〃　

〃That's　right；　rub　it　in；〃　said　Mabel　bitterly；　〃you　should　have
believed　me　when　I　said　it　was　what　I　said　it　was。　Then　I　shouldn't
have　had　to　show　you；　and　I　shouldn't　be　this　silly　size。　What　am　I
to　do　now；　I　should　like　to　know？〃

〃We　must　conceal　you　till　you　get　your　right　size　again　that's　all；〃
said　Gerald　practically。

〃Yes　but　where？〃　said　Mabel；　stamping　a　foot　twenty…four　inches
long。

〃In　one　of　the　empty　rooms。　You　wouldn't　be　afraid？〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Mabel。　〃Oh；　I　do　wish　we'd　just　put　the　ring
back　and　left　it。〃　

〃Well；　it　wasn't　us　that　didn't；〃　said　Jimmy；　with　more　truth　than
grammar。

〃I　shall　put　it　back　now；〃　said　Mabel；　tugging　at　it。

〃I　wouldn't　if　I　were　you；〃　said　Gerald　thoughtfully。　〃You　don't
want　to　stay　that　length；　do　you？　And　unless　the　ring's　on　your
finger　when　the　time's　up；　I　dare　say　it　wouldn't　act。〃　

The　exalted　Mabel　sullenly　touched　the　spring。　The　panels　slowly
slid　into　place；　and　all　the　bright　jewels　were　hidden。　Once　more
the　room　was　merely　eight…sided；　panelled；　sunlit；　and
unfurnished。

〃Now；〃　said　Mabel；　〃where　am　I　to　hide？　It's　a　good　thing　auntie
gave　me　leave　to　stay　the　night　with　you。　As　it　is；　one　of　you　will
have　to　stay　the　night　with　me。　I'm　not　going　to　be　left　alone；　the
silly　height　I　am。〃　

Height　was　the　right　word；　Mabel　had　said　〃four　yards　high〃　and
she　was　four　yards　high。　But　she　was　hardly　any　thicker　than　when
her　height　was　four　feet　seven；　and　the　effect　was；　as　Gerald
remarked；　〃wonderfully　worm…like〃。　Her　clothes　had；　of　course；
grown　with　her；　and　she　looked　like　a　little　girl　reflected　in　one　of
those　long　bent　mirrors　at　Rosherville　Gardens；　that　make　stout
people　look　so　happily　slender；　and　slender　people　so　sadly
scraggy。　She　sat　down　suddenly　on　the　floor；　and　it　was　like　a
four…fold　foot…rule　folding　itself　up。

〃It's　no　use　sitting　there；　girl；〃　said　Gerald。

〃I'm　not　sitting　here；〃　retorted　Mabel；　〃I　only　got　down　so　as　to　be
able　to　get　through　the　door。　It'll　have　to　be　hands　and　knees
through　most　places　for　me　now；　I　suppose。〃　

〃Aren't　you　hungry？〃　Jimmy　asked　suddenly。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mabel　desolately；　〃it's　it's　such　a　long　way
off！〃　

〃Well；　I'll　scout；〃　said　Gerald；　〃if　the　coast's　clear　〃　

〃Look　here；〃　said　Mabel；　〃I　think　I'd　rather　be　out　of　doors　till　it
gets　dark。〃　

〃You　can't。　Someone's　certain　to　see　you。〃

〃Not　if　I　go　through　the　yew…hedge；〃　said　Mabel。　〃There's　a
yew…hedge　with　a　passage　along　its　inside　like　the　box…hedge　in
The　Luck　of　the　Vails。　

〃In　what？〃

〃The　Luck　of　the　Vails。　It's　a　ripping　book。　It　was　that　book　first
set　me　on　to　hunt　for　hidden　doors　in　panels　and　things。　If　I　crept
along　that　on　my　front；　like　a　serpent　it　comes　out　amongst　the
rhododendrons；　close　by　the　dinosaurus　we　could　camp　there。　

〃There's　tea；〃　said　Gerald；　who　had　had　no　dinner。

〃That's　just　what　there　isn't；〃　said　Jimmy；　who　had　had　none　either。

〃Oh；　you　won't　desert　me！〃　said　Mabel。　〃Look　here　I'll　write　to
auntie。　She'll　give　you　the　things　for　a　picnic；　if　she's　there　and
awake。　If　she　isn't；　one　of　the　maids　will。〃　

So　she　wrote　on　a　leaf　of　Gerald's　invaluable　pocketbook：
〃DEAREST　AUNTIE　Please　may　we　have　some　things　for　a
picnic？　Gerald　will　bring　them。　I　would　come　myself；　but　I　am　a
little　tired。　I　think　I　have　been　growing　rather　fast。　Your　loving
niece；　MABEL。〃　〃P。S。　Lots；　please；　because　some　of　us　are　very
hungry。〃　

It　was　found　difficult；　but　possible；　for　Mabel　to　creep　along　the
tunnel　in　the　yew…hedge。　Possible；　but　slow；　so　that　the　three　had
hardly　had　time　to　settle　themselves　among　the　rhododendrons　and
to　wonder　bitterly　what　on　earth　Gerald　was　up　to；　to　be　such　a
time　gone；　when　he　returned；　panting　under　the　weight　of　a
covered　basket。　He　dumped　it　down　on　the　fine　grass　carpet；
groaned；　and　added；　〃But　it's　worth　it。　Where's　our　Mabel？〃

The　long；　pale　face　of　Mabel　peered　out　from　rhododendron
leaves；　very　near　the　ground。

〃I　look　just　like　anybody　else　like　this；　don't　I？〃　she　asked
anxiously；　〃all　the　rest　of　me's　miles　away；　under　different　bushes。〃　

〃We've　covered　up　the　bits　between　the　bushes　with　bracken　and
leaves；〃　said　Kathleen；　avoiding　the　question；　〃don't　wriggle；
Mabel；　or　you'll　waggle　them　off。〃　

Jimmy　was　eagerly　unpacking　the　basket。　It　was　a　generous　tea。　A
long　loaf；　butter　in　a　cabbage…leaf；　a　bottle　of　milk；　a　bottle　of
water；　cake；　and　large；　smooth；　yellow　gooseberries　in　a　box　that
had　once　held　an　extra…sized　bottle　of　somebody's　matchless
something　for　the　hair　and　moustache。　Mabel　cautiously　advanced
her　incredible　arms　from　the　rhododendron　and　leaned　on　one　of
her　spindly　elbows；　Gerald　cut　bread　and　butter；　while　Kathleen
obligingly　ran　round；　at　Mabel's　request；　to　see　that　the　green
coverings　had　not　dropped　from　any　of　the　remoter　parts　of
Mabel's　person。　Then　there　was　a　happy；　hungry　silence；　broken
only　by　those　brief；　impassioned　suggestions　natural　to　such　an
occasion：

〃More　cake；　please。〃　

〃Milk　ahoy；　there。〃　

〃Chuck　us　the　goosegogs。〃　

Everyone　grew　calmer　more　contented　with　their　lot。　A　pleasant
feeling；　half　tiredness　and　half　restfulness；　crept　to　the　extremities
of　the　party。　Even　the　unfortunate　Mabel　was　conscious　of　it　in　her
remote　feet；　that　lay　crossed　under　the　third　rhododendron　to　the
north…north…west　of　the　tea…party。　Gerald　did　but　voice　the　feelings
of　the　others　when　he　said；　not　without　regret：

〃Well；　I'm　a　new　man；　but　I　couldn't　eat　so　much　as　another
goosegog　if　you　paid　me。〃　

〃I　could；〃　said　Mabel；　〃yes；　I　know　they　re　all　gone；　and　I've　had
my　share。　But　I　could。　It's　me　being　so　long；　I　suppose。〃　

A　delicious　after…food　peace　filled　the　summer　air。　At　a　little
distance　the　green…lichened　grey　of　the　vast　stone　dinosaurus
showed　through　the　shrubs。　He；　too；　seemed　peaceful　and　happy。
Gerald　caught　his　stone　eye　through　a　gap　in　the　foliage。　His
glance　seemed　somehow　sympathetic。

〃I　dare　say　he　liked　a　good　meal　in　his　day；〃　said　Gerald；　stretching
luxuriously。

〃Who　did？〃

〃The　dino　what　s…his…name；〃　said　Gerald。

〃He　had　a　meal　today；〃　said　Kathleen；　and　giggled。

〃Yes　didn't　he？〃　said　Mabel；　giggling　also。

〃You　mustn't　laugh　lower　than　your　chest；〃　said　Kathleen
anxiously；　〃or　your　green　stuff　will　joggle　off。〃　

〃What　do　you　mean　a　meal？〃　Jimmy　asked　suspiciously。　〃What　are
you　sniggering　about？〃

〃He　had　a　meal。　Things　to　put　in　his　inside；〃　said　Kathleen；　still
giggling。

〃Oh；　be　funny　if　you　want　to；〃　said　Jimmy；　suddenly　cross。　〃We
don't　want　to　know　do　we；　Jerry？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　Gerald　witheringly；　〃I'm　dying　to　know。　Wake　me；　you
girls；　when　you've　finished　pretending　you're　not　going　to　tell。〃

He　tilted　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and　lay　back　in　the　attitude　of
slumber。

〃Oh；　don't　be　stupid！〃　said　Kathleen　hastily。　〃It's　only　that　we　fed
the　dinosaurus　through　the　hole　in　his　stomach　with　the　clothes　the
Ugly…Wuglies　were　made　of！〃　

〃We　can　take　them　home　with　us；　then；〃　said　Gerald；　chewing　the
white　end　of　a　grass　stalk；　〃so　that's　all　right。〃　

〃Look　here；〃　said　Kathleen　suddenly；　〃I've　got　an　idea。　Let　me
have　the　ring　a　bit。　I　won't　say　what　the　idea　is；　in　case　it　doesn't
come　o