the enchanted castle-第3部分
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trees thickened into what looked almost a forest were enormous
shapes of grey stone； like nothing that the children had ever seen
before。
〃That chap at school ；〃 said Gerald。
〃It is an enchanted castle；〃 said Kathleen。
〃I don't see any castle；〃 said Jimmy。
〃What do you call that； then？〃 Gerald pointed to where； beyond a
belt of lime…trees； white towers and turrets broke the blue of the
sky。
〃There doesn't seem to be anyone about；〃 said Kathleen； 〃and yet
it's all so tidy。 I believe it is magic〃
〃Magic mowing machines；〃 Jimmy suggested。
〃If we were in a book it would be an enchanted castle certain to
be；〃 said Kathleen。
〃It is an enchanted castle；〃 said Gerald in hollow tones。
〃But there aren't any〃 Jimmy was quite positive。
〃How do you know？ Do you think there's nothing in the world but
what you've seen？〃 His scorn was crushing。
〃I think magic went out when people began to have
steam…engines；〃 Jimmy insisted； 〃and newspapers； and telephones
and wireless telegraphing。〃
〃Wireless is rather like magic when you come to think of it；〃 said
Gerald。
〃Oh； that sort！〃 Jimmy's contempt was deep。
〃Perhaps there's given up being magic because people didn't
believe in it any more；〃 said Kathleen。
〃Well； don't let's spoil the show with any silly old not believing；〃
said Gerald with decision。 〃I'm going to believe in magic as hard
as I can。 This is an enchanted garden； and that's an enchanted
castle； and I'm jolly well going to explore。〃
The dauntless knight then led the way； leaving his ignorant squires
to follow or not； just as they jolly well chose。 He rolled off the
balustrade and strode firmly down towards the lawn； his boots
making； as they went； a clatter full of determination。 The others
followed。 There never was such a garden out of a picture or a
fairy…tale。 They passed quite close by the deer； who only raised
their pretty heads to look； and did not seem startled at all。 And
after a long stretch of turf they passed under the heaped…up heavy
masses of lime…trees and came into a rose…garden； bordered with
thick； close…cut yew hedges； and lying red and pink and green and
white in the sun； like a giant's many…coloured； highly…scented
pocket…handkerchief。
〃I know we shall meet a gardener in a minute； and he'll ask what
we re doing here。 And then what will you say？〃 Kathleen asked
with her nose in a rose。
〃I shall say we have lost our way； and it will be quite true；〃 said
Gerald。
But they did not meet a gardener or anybody else； and the feeling
of magic got thicker and thicker； till they were almost afraid of the
sound of their feet in the great silent place。 Beyond the rose garden
was a yew hedge with an arch cut in it； and it was the beginning of
a maze like the one in Hampton Court。
〃Now；〃 said Gerald； 〃you mark my words。 In the middle of this
maze we shall find the secret enchantment。 Draw your swords； my
merry men all； and hark forward tallyho in the utmost silence。
Which they did。 It was very hot in the maze； between the close yew
hedges； and the way to the maze's heart was hidden well。 Again
and again they found themselves at the black yew arch that opened
on the rose garden； and they were all glad that they had brought
large； clean pocket…handkerchiefs with them。 It was when they
found themselves there for the fourth time that Jimmy suddenly
cried； 〃Oh； I wish ' and then stopped short very suddenly。 〃Oh！〃 he
added in quite a different voice； 〃where's the dinner？〃 And then in
a stricken silence they all remembered that the basket with the
dinner had been left at the entrance of the cave。 Their thoughts
dwelt fondly on the slices of cold mutton； the six tomatoes； the
bread and butter； the screwed…up paper of salt； the apple turnovers；
and the little thick glass that one drank the ginger…beer out of。
〃Let's go back；〃 said Jimmy； 〃now this minute； and get our things
and have our dinner。〃
〃Let's have one more try at the maze。 I hate giving things up；〃 said
Gerald。
〃I am so hungry！〃 said Jimmy。
〃Why didn't you say so before？〃 asked Gerald bitterly。
〃I wasn't before。〃
〃Then you can't be now。 You don't get hungry all in a minute。
What's that？〃
That was a gleam of red that lay at the foot of the yew…hedge a thin
little line； that you would hardly have noticed unless you had been
staring in a fixed and angry way at the roots of the hedge。
It was a thread of cotton。 Gerald picked it up。 One end of it was
tied to a thimble with holes in it； and the other
〃There is no other end；〃 said Gerald； with firm triumph。 〃It's a clew
that's what it is。 What price cold mutton now？ I've always felt
something magic would happen some day； and now it has。〃
〃I expect the gardener put it there；〃 said Jimmy。
〃With a Princess's silver thimble on it？ Look！ there's a crown on
the thimble。〃
There was。
〃Come；〃 said Gerald in low； urgent tones； 〃if you are adventurers
be adventurers； and anyhow； I expect someone has gone along the
road and bagged the mutton hours ago。〃
He walked forward； winding the red thread round his fingers as he
went。 And it was a clew； and it led them right into the middle of
the maze。 And in the very middle of the maze they came upon the
wonder。
The red clew led them up two stone steps to a round grass plot。
There was a sun…dial in the middle； and all round against the yew
hedge a low； wide marble seat。 The red clew ran straight across the
grass and by the sun…dial； and ended in a small brown hand with
jewelled rings on every finger。 The hand was； naturally； attached
to an arm； and that had many bracelets on it； sparkling with red
and blue and green stones。 The arm wore a sleeve of pink and gold
brocaded silk； faded a little here and there but still extremely
imposing； and the sleeve was part of a dress； which was worn by a
lady who lay on the stone seat asleep in the sun。 The rosy gold
dress fell open over an embroidered petticoat of a soft green
colour。 There was old yellow lace the colour of scalded cream； and
a thin white veil spangled with silver stars covered the face。
〃It's the enchanted Princess；〃 said Gerald； now really impressed。 〃I
told you so。〃
〃It's the Sleeping Beauty；〃 said Kathleen。 〃It is look how
old…fashioned her clothes are； like the pictures of Marie
Antoinette's ladies in the history book。 She has slept for a hundred
years。 Oh； Gerald； you're the eldest； you must be the Prince； and
we never knew it。〃
〃She isn't really a Princess；〃 said Jimmy。 But the others laughed at
him； partly because his saying things like that was enough to spoil
any game； and partly because they really were not at all sure that it
was not a Princess who lay there as still as the sunshine。 Every
stage of the adventure the cave； the wonderful gardens； the maze；
the clew； had deepened the feeling of magic； till now Kathleen and
Gerald were almost completely bewitched。
〃Lift the veil up；〃 Jerry； said Kathleen in a whisper； 〃if she isn't
beautiful we shall know she can't be the Princess。
〃Lift it yourself；〃 said Gerald。
〃I expect you're forbidden to touch the figures；〃 said Jimmy。
〃It's not wax； silly；〃 said his brother。
〃No；〃 said his sister； 〃wax wouldn't be much good in this sun。 And；
besides； you can see her breathing。 It's the Princess right enough。〃
She very gently lifted the edge of the veil and turned it back。 The
Princess's face was small and white between long plaits of black
hair。 Her nose was straight and her brows finely traced。 There were
a few freckles on cheekbones and nose。
〃No wonder；〃 whispered Kathleen； 〃sleeping all these years in all
this sun！ Her mouth was not a rosebud。 But all the same 〃Isn't she
lovely！〃 Kathleen murmured。 〃Not so dusty；〃 Gerald was
understood to reply。 〃Now； Jerry；〃 said Kathleen firmly； 〃you're the
eldest。〃
〃Of course I am；〃 said Gerald uneasily。
〃Well； you've got to wake the Princess。〃
〃She's not a Princess；〃 said Jimmy； with his hands in the pockets of
his knickerbockers； 〃she's only a little girl dressed up。〃
〃But she's in long dresses；〃 urged Kathleen。
〃Yes； but look what a little way down her frock her feet come。 She
wouldn't be any taller than Jerry if she was to stand up。〃
〃Now then；〃 urged Kathleen。 〃Jerry； don't be silly。 You've got to do
it。〃
〃Do what？〃 asked Gerald； kicking his left boot with his right。
〃Why； kiss her awake； of course。〃
〃Not me！〃 was Gerald's unhesitating rejoinder。
〃Well； someone's got to。〃
〃She'd go for me as likely as not the minute she woke up；〃 said
Gerald anxiously。
〃I'd do it like a shot；〃 said Kathleen； 〃but I don't suppose it ud
make any difference me kissing her。〃
She did it； and it didn't。 The Princess still lay in deep slumber。
〃Then you must； Jimmy。 I dare say you'll do。 Jump back quickly
before she can hit you。〃
〃She won't hit him； he's such a little chap；〃 said Gerald。
〃Little yourself！〃 said Jimmy。 〃I don't mind kissing her。 I'm not a
coward； like Some People。 Only if I do； I'm going to be the
dauntless leader for the rest of the day。〃
〃No； look here hold on！〃 cried Gerald； 〃perhaps I'd better 〃 But； in
the meantime； Jimmy had planted a loud； cheerful…sounding kiss
on the Princess's pale cheek； and now the three stood breathless；
awaiting the result。
And the result was that the Princess opened large； dark eyes；
stretched out her arms； yawned a little； covering her mouth with a
small brown hand； and said； quite plainly and distinctly； and
without any room at all for mistake：
〃Then the hundred years are over？ How the yew hedges have
grown！ Which of you is my Prince that aroused me from my deep
sleep of so many long years？〃
〃I did；〃 said Jimmy fearlessly； for she did not look as though she
were going to slap anyone。
〃My noble preserver！〃 said the Princess； and held out her hand。
Jimmy shook it vigorously。
〃But I say；〃 said he； 〃you aren't really a Princess； are you？〃
〃Of course I am；〃 she answered； 〃who else could I be？ Look at my
crown！〃 She pulled aside the spangled veil； and showed beneath it
a coronet of what even Jimmy could not help seeing to be
diamonds。
〃But 〃 said Jimmy。
〃Why；〃 she said； opening her eyes very wide； 〃you must have
known about my being he
