the enchanted castle-第28部分

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have　the　ring　a　bit。　I　won't　say　what　the　idea　is；　in　case　it　doesn't
come　off；　and　then　you'd　say　I　was　silly。　I'll　give　it　back　before　we
go。〃　

〃Oh；　but　you　aren't　going　yet！〃　said　Mabel；　pleading。　She　pulled
off　the　ring。　〃Of　course；　she　added　earnestly；　〃I'm　only　too　glad　for
you　to　try　any　idea；　however　silly　it　is。〃　

Now；　Kathleen's　idea　was　quite　simple。　It　was　only　that　perhaps
the　ring　would　change　its　powers　if　someone　else　renamed　it　
someone　who　was　not　under　the　power　of　its　enchantment。　So　the
moment　it　had　passed　from　the　long；　pale　hand　of　Mabel　to　one　of
her　own　fat；　warm；　red　paws；　she　jumped　up；　crying；　〃Let's　go　and
empty　the　dinosaurus　now；　and　started　to　run　swiftly　towards　that
prehistoric　monster。　She　had　a　good　start。　She　wanted　to　say　aloud；
yet　so　that　the　others　could　not　hear　her；　〃This　is　a　wishing…ring。　It
gives　you　any　wish　you　choose。　And　she　did　say　it。　And　no　one
heard　her；　except　the　birds　and　a　squirrel　or　two；　and　perhaps　a
stone　faun；　whose　pretty　face　seemed　to　turn　a　laughing　look　on
her　as　she　raced　past　its　pedestal。

The　way　was　uphill；　it　was　sunny；　and　Kathleen　had　run　her
hardest；　though　her　brothers　caught　her　up　before　she　reached　the
great　black　shadow　of　the　dinosaurus。　So　that　when　she　did　reach
that　shadow　she　was　very　hot　indeed　and　not　in　any　state　to　decide
calmly　on　the　best　wish　to　ask　for。

〃I'll　get　up　and　move　the　things　down；　because　I　know　exactly
where　I　put　them；〃　she　said。

Gerald　made　a　back；　Jimmy　assisted　her　to　climb　up；　and　she
disappeared　through　the　hole　into　the　dark　inside　of　the　monster。　In
a　moment　a　shower　began　to　descend　from　the　opening　a　shower
of　empty　waistcoats；　trousers　with　wildly　waving　legs；　and　coats
with　sleeves　uncontrolled。

〃Heads　below！〃　called　Kathleen；　and　down　came　walking…sticks
and　golf…sticks　and　hockey…sticks　and　broom…sticks；　rattling　and
chattering　to　each　other　as　they　came。

〃Come　on；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Hold　on　a　bit；〃　said　Gerald。　〃I'm　coming　up。　He　caught　the　edge
of　the　hole　above　in　his　hands　and　jumped。　Just　as　he　got　his
shoulders　through　the　opening　and　his　knees　on　the　edge　he　heard
Kathleen's　boots　on　the　floor　of　the　dinosaurus's　inside；　and
Kathleen's　voice　saying：　〃Isn't　it　jolly　cool　in　here？　I　suppose
statues　are　always　cool。　I　do　wish　I　was　a　statue。　Oh！〃　

The　〃oh〃　was　a　cry　of　horror　and　anguish。　And　it　seemed　to　be　cut
off　very　short　by　a　dreadful　stony　silence。

〃What's　up？〃　Gerald　asked。　But　in　his　heart　he　knew。　He　climbed
up　into　the　great　hollow。　In　the　little　light　that　came　up　through　the
hole　he　could　see　something　white　against　the　grey　of　the
creature's　sides。　He　felt　in　his　pockets；　still　kneeling；　struck　a
match；　and　when　the　blue　of　its　flame　changed　to　clear　yellow　he
looked　up　to　see　what　he　had　known　he　would　see　the　face　of
Kathleen；　white；　stony；　and　lifeless。　Her　hair　was　white；　too；　and
her　hands；　clothes；　shoes　everything　was　white；　with　the　hard；　cold
whiteness　of　marble。　Kathleen　had　her　wish：　she　was　a　statue。
There　was　a　long　moment　of　perfect　stillness　in　the　inside　of　the
dinosaurus。　Gerald　could　not　speak。　It　was　too　sudden；　too　terrible。
It　was　worse　than　anything　that　had　happened　yet。　Then　he　turned
and　spoke　down　out　of　that　cold；　stony　silence　to　Jimmy；　in　the
green；　sunny；　rustling；　live　world　outside。

〃Jimmy；　he　said；　in　tones　perfectly　ordinary　and　matter　of　fact；
〃Kathleen's　gone　and　said　that　ring　was　a　wishing…ring。　And　so　it
was；　of　course。　I　see　now　what　she　was　up　to；　running　like　that。
And　then　the　young　duffer　went　and　wished　she　was　a　statue。〃　

〃And　she　is？〃　asked　Jimmy；　below。

〃Come　up　and　have　a　look；〃　said　Gerald。　And　Jimmy　came；　partly
with　a　pull　from　Gerald　and　partly　with　a　jump　of　his　own。

〃She's　a　statue；　right　enough；〃　he　said；　in　awestruck　tones。　〃Isn't　it
awful！〃　

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Gerald　firmly。　〃Come　on　let's　go　and　tell　Mabel。〃

To　Mabel；　therefore；　who　had　discreetly　remained　with　her　long
length　screened　by　rhododendrons；　the　two　boys　returned　and
broke　the　news。　They　broke　it　as　one　breaks　a　bottle　with　a
pistol…shot。

〃Oh；　my　goodness！〃　said　Mabel；　and　writhed　through　her　long
length　so　that　the　leaves　and　fern　tumbled　off　in　little　showers；　and
she　felt　the　sun　suddenly　hot　on　the　backs　of　her　legs。　〃What　next？
Oh；　my　goodness！〃　

〃She'll　come　all　right；〃　said　Gerald；　with　outward　calm。

〃Yes；　but　what　about　me？〃　Mabel　urged。　〃I　haven't　got　the　ring。
And　my　time　will　be　up　before　hers　is。　Couldn't　you　get　it　back？
Can't　you　get　it　off　her　hand？　I'd　put　it　back　on　her　hand　the　very
minute　I　was　my　right　size　again　faithfully　I　would。〃　

〃Well；　it's　nothing　to　blub　about；〃　said　Jimmy；　answering　the　sniffs
that　had　served　her　in　this　speech　for　commas　and　full…stops；　〃not
for　you；　anyway。〃　

〃Ah！　you　don't　know；〃　said　Mabel；　〃you　don't　know　what　it　is　to　be
as　long　as　I　am。　Do　do　try　and　get　the　ring。　After　all；　it　is　my　ring
more　than　any　of　the　rest　of　yours；　anyhow；　because　I　did　find　it；
and　I　did　say　it　was　magic。〃　

The　sense　of　justice　always　present　in　the　breast　of　Gerald　awoke
to　this　appeal。

〃I　expect　the　ring's　turned　to　stone　her　boots　have；　and　all　her
clothes。　But　I'll　go　and　see。　Only　if　I　can't；　I　can't；　and　it's　no　use
your　making　a　silly　fuss。〃　

The　first　match　lighted　inside　the　dinosaurus　showed　the　ring　dark
on　the　white　hand　of　the　statuesque　Kathleen。

The　fingers　were　stretched　straight　out。　Gerald　took　hold　of　the
ring；　and；　to　his　surprise；　it　slipped　easily　off　the　cold；　smooth
marble　finger。

〃I　say；　Cathy；　old　girl；　I　am　sorry；〃　he　said；　and　gave　the　marble
hand　a　squeeze。　Then　it　came　to　him　that　perhaps　she　could　hear
him。　So　he　told　the　statue　exactly　what　he　and　the　others　meant　to
do。　This　helped　to　clear　up　his　ideas　as　to　what　he　and　the　others
did　mean　to　do。　So　that　when；　after　thumping　the　statue
hearteningly　on　its　marble　back；　he　returned　to　the　rhododendrons；
he　was　able　to　give　his　orders　with　the　clear　precision　of　a　born
leader；　as　he　later　said。　And　since　the　others　had；　neither　of　them；
thought　of　any　plans；　his　plan　was　accepted；　as　the　plans　of　born
leaders　are　apt　to　be。

〃Here's　your　precious　ring；〃　he　said　to　Mabel。　〃Now　you're　not
frightened　of　anything；　are　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mabel；　in　surprise。　〃I'd　forgotten　that。　Look　here；　I'll
stay　here　or　farther　up　in　the　wood　if　you'll　leave　me　all　the　coats；
so　that　I　shan't　be　cold　in　the　night。　Then　I　shall　be　here　when
Kathleen　comes　out　of　the　stone　again。〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Gerald；　〃that　was　exactly　the　born　leader's　idea。　

〃You　two　go　home　and　tell　Mademoiselle　that　Kathleen's　staying
at　the　Towers。　She　is。〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃she　certainly　is。〃　

〃The　magic　goes　in　seven…hour　lots；〃　said　Gerald；　〃your　invisibility
was　twenty…one　hours；　mine　fourteen；　Eliza's　seven。　When　it　was　a
wishing…ring　it　began　with　seven。　But　there's　no　knowing　what
number　it　will　be　really。　So　there's　no　knowing　which　of　you　will
come　right　first。　Anyhow；　we'll　sneak　out　by　the　cistern　window
and　come　down　the　trellis；　after　we've　said　good　night　to
Mademoiselle；　and　come　and　have　a　look　at　you　before　we　go　to
bed。　I　think　you'd　better　come　close　up　to　the　dinosaurus　and　we'll
leaf　you　over　before　we　go。〃　

Mabel　crawled　into　cover　of　the　taller　trees；　and　there　stood　up
looking　as　slender　as　a　poplar　and　as　unreal　as　the　wrong　answer　to
a　sum　in　long　division。　It　was　to　her　an　easy　matter　to　crouch
beneath　the　dinosaurus；　to　put　her　head　up　through　the　opening；
and　thus　to　behold　the　white　form　of　Kathleen。

〃It's　all　right；　dear；〃　she　told　the　stone　image；　〃I　shall　be　quite　close
to　you。　You　call　me　as　soon　as　you　feel　you're　coming　right　again。〃　

The　statue　remained　motionless；　as　statues　usually　do；　and　Mabel
withdrew　her　head；　lay　down；　was　covered　up；　and　left。　The　boys
went　home。　It　was　the　only　reasonable　thing　to　do。　It　would　never
have　done　for　Mademoiselle　to　become　anxious　and　set　the　police
on　their　track。　Everyone　felt　that。　The　shock　of　discovering　the
missing　Kathleen；　not　only　in　a　dinosaurus's　stomach；　but；　further；
in　a　stone　statue　of　herself；　might　well　have　unhinged　the　mind　of
any　constable；　to　say　nothing　of　the　mind　of　Mademoiselle；　which；
being　foreign；　would　necessarily　be　a　mind　more　light　and　easy　to
upset。　While　as　for　Mabel　

〃Well；　to　look　at　her　as　she　is　now；〃　said　Gerald；　〃why；　it　would
send　any　one　off　their　chump　except　us。〃　

〃We're　different；　said　Jimmy；　〃our　chumps　have　had　to　jolly　well
get　used　to　things。　It　would　take　a　lot　to　upset　us　now。〃　

〃Poor　old　Cathy！　all　the　same；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said
Jimmy。

The　sun　had　died　away　behind　the　black　trees　and　the　moon　was
rising。　Mabel；　her　preposterous　length　covered　with　coats；
waistcoats；　and　trousers　laid　along　it；　slept　peacefully　in　the　chill
of　the　evening。　Inside　the　dinosaurus　Kathleen；　alive　in　her　marble；
slept　too。　She　had　heard　Gerald's　words　had　seen　the　lighted
matches。　She　was　Kathleen　just　the　same　as　ever　only　she　was
Kathleen　in　a　case　of　marble　that　would　not　let　her　move。　It　would
not　have　let　her　cry；　even　if　she　wanted　to。　But　she　had　not　wanted
to　cry。　Inside；　the　marble　was　not　cold　or　hard。　It　seemed；
somehow；　to　be　softly　lined　with　warmth　and　pleasantness　and
safety。　Her　back　did　not　ache　with　stooping。　Her　limbs　were　not
stiff　with　the　hours　that　they　had　stayed　moveless。　Everything　was
well　better　than　well。　One　had　only　to　wait　quietly　and　quite
comfortably　and　one　would　come　out　of　this　stone　case；　and　once
more　be　the　Kathleen　one　had　always　been　used　to　being。　So　she
waited　happily　and　calmly；　and　presently　waiting　changed　to　not
waiting　to　not　anything；　and；　close　held　in　the　soft　inwardness　of
the　marble；　she　slept　as　peacefully　and　calmly　as　though　she　had
been　lying　in　her　own　bed。

She　was　awakened　by　the　fact　that　she　was　not　lying　in　her　own
bed　was　not；　indeed；　lying　at　all　by　the　fact　that　she　was　standing
and　that　her　feet　had　pins　and　needles　in　them。　Her　arms；　too；　held
out　in　that　odd　way；　were　stiff　and　tired。　She　rubbed　her　eyes；
yawned；　and　remembered。　She　had　been　a　statue　a　statue　inside　the
stone　dinosaurus。

〃Now　I