the enchanted castle-第30部分

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may　be　a　statue　of　living　marble；　even　as　my　child　friend；　and　that
after　that　time　I　may　be　as　before　Mabel　of　the　dark　eyes　and
night…coloured　hair。〃　

〃Oh；　yes；　do；　it　would　be　so　jolly！〃　cried　Kathleen。　〃Do；　Mabel！
And　if　we're　both　statues；　shall　we　be　afraid　of　the　dinosaurus？〃

〃In　the　world　of　living　marble　fear　is　not；〃　said　Phoebus。　〃Are　we
not　brothers；　we　and　the　dinosaurus　brethren　alike　wrought　of
stone　and　life？〃

〃And　could　I　swim　if　I　did？〃

〃Swim；　and　float；　and　dive　and　with　the　ladies　of　Olympus　spread
the　nightly　feast；　eat　of　the　food　of　the　gods；　drink　their　cup；　listen
to　the　song　that　is　undying；　and　catch　the　laughter　of　immortal
lips。〃　

〃A　feast！〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Oh；　Mabel；　do！　You　would　if　you　were
as　hungry　as　I　am。〃　

〃But　it　won't　be　real　food；〃　urged　Mabel。

〃It　will　be　real　to　you；　as　to　us；〃　said　Phoebus；　〃there　is　no　other
realness　even　in　your　many…coloured　world。〃　

Still　Mabel　hesitated。　Then　she　looked　at　Kathleen's　legs　and
suddenly　said：　〃Very　well；　I　will。　But　first　I'll　take　off　my　shoes
and　stockings。　Marble　boots　look　simply　awful　especially　the
laces。　And　a　marble　stocking　that's　coming　down　and　mine　do！〃　

She　had　pulled　off　shoes　and　stockings　and　pinafore。　〃Mabel　has
the　sense　of　beauty；〃　said　Phoebus　approvingly。　〃Speak　the　spell；
child；　and　I　will　lead　you　to　the　ladies　of　Olympus。〃　

Mabel；　trembling　a　little；　spoke　it；　and　there　were　two　little　live
statues　in　the　moonlit　glade。　Tall　Phoebus　took　a　hand　of　each。

〃Come　run！〃　he　cried。　And　they　ran。

〃Oh　it　is　jolly！〃　Mabel　panted。　〃Look　at　my　white　feet　in　the　grass！
I　thought　it　would　feel　stiff　to　be　a　statue；　but　it　doesn't。〃　

〃There　is　no　stiffness　about　the　immortals；〃　laughed　the　Sun…god。
〃For　tonight　you　are　one　of　us。〃

And　with　that　they　ran　down　the　slope　to　the　lake。

〃Jump！〃　he　cried；　and　they　jumped；　and　the　water　splashed　up
round　three　white；　gleaming　shapes。

〃Oh！　I　can　swim！〃　breathed　Kathleen。

〃So　can　I；〃　said　Mabel。

〃Of　course　you　can；〃　said　Phoebus。　〃Now　three　times　round　the
lake；　and　then　make　for　the　island。〃　

Side　by　side　the　three　swam；　Phoebus　swimming　gently　to　keep
pace　with　the　children。　Their　marble　clothes　did　not　seem　to
interfere　at　all　with　their　swimming；　as　your　clothes　would　if　you
suddenly　jumped　into　the　basin　of　the　Trafalgar　Square　fountains
and　tried　to　swim　there。　And　they　swam　most　beautifully；　with　that
perfect　ease　and　absence　of　effort　or　tiredness　which　you　must
have　noticed　about　your　own　swimming　in　dreams。　And　it　was　the
most　lovely　place　to　swim　in；　the　water…lilies；　whose　long；　snaky
stalks　are　so　inconvenient　to　ordinary　swimmers；　did　not　in　the
least　interfere　with　the　movements　of　marble　arms　and　legs。　The
moon　was　high　in　the　clear　sky…dome。　The　weeping　willows；
cypresses；　temples；　terraces；　banks　of　trees　and　shrubs；　and　the
wonderful　old　house；　all　added　to　the　romantic　charm　of　the　scene。

〃This　is　the　nicest　thing　the　ring　has　brought　us　yet；〃　said　Mabel；
through　a　languid　but　perfect　side…stroke。

〃I　thought　you'd　enjoy　it；〃　said　Phoebus　kindly；　〃now　once　more
round；　and　then　the　island。〃　

They　landed　on　the　island　amid　a　fringe　of　rushes；　yarrow；
willow…herb；　loose…strife；　and　a　few　late；　scented；　powdery；　creamy
heads　of　meadow…sweet。　The　island　was　bigger　than　it　looked　from
the　bank；　and　it　seemed　covered　with　trees　and　shrubs。　But　when；
Phoebus　leading　the　way；　they　went　into　the　shadow　of　these；　they
perceived　that　beyond　the　trees　lay　a　light；　much　nearer　to　them
than　the　other　side　of　the　island　could　possibly　be。　And　almost　at
once　they　were　through　the　belt　of　trees；　and　could　see　where　the
light　came　from。　The　trees　they　had　just　passed　among　made　a
dark　circle　round　a　big　cleared　space；　standing　up　thick　and　dark；
like　a　crowd　round　a　football　field；　as　Kathleen　remarked。

First　came　a　wide；　smooth　ring　of　lawn；　then　marble　steps　going
down　to　a　round　pool；　where　there　were　no　water…lilies；　only　gold
and　silver　fish　that　darted　here　and　there　like　flashes　of　quicksilver
and　dark　flames。　And　the　enclosed　space　of　water　and　marble　and
grass　was　lighted　with　a　clear；　white；　radiant　light；　seven　times
stronger　than　the　whitest　moonlight；　and　in　the　still　waters　of　the
pool　seven　moons　lay　reflected。　One　could　see　that　they　were　only
reflections　by　the　way　their　shape　broke　and　changed　as　the　gold
and　silver　fish　rippled　the　water　with　moving　fin　and　tail　that
steered。

The　girls　looked　up　at　the　sky；　almost　expecting　to　see　seven
moons　there。　But　no；　the　old　moon　shone　alone；　as　she　had　always
shone　on　them。

〃There　are　seven　moons；〃　said　Mabel　blankly；　and　pointed；　which
is　not　manners。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Phoebus　kindly；　〃everything　in　our　world　is
seven　times　as　much　so　as　in　yours。〃　

〃But　there　aren't　seven　of　you；〃　said　Mabel。

〃No；　but　I　am　seven　times　as　much；〃　said　the　Sun…god。　〃You　see；
there's　numbers；　and　there's　quantity；　to　say　nothing　of　quality。　You
see　that；　I'm　sure。〃　

〃Not　quite；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Explanations　always　weary　me；〃　Phoebus　interrupted。　〃Shall　we
join　the　ladies？〃

On　the　further　side　of　the　pool　was　a　large　group；　so　white　that　it
seemed　to　make　a　great　white　hole　in　the　trees。　Some　twenty　or
thirty　figures　there　were　in　the　group　all　statues　and　all　alive。　Some
were　dipping　their　white　feet　among　the　gold　and　silver　fish；　and
sending　ripples　across　the　faces　of　the　seven　moons。　Some　were
pelting　each　other　with　roses　roses　so　sweet　that　the　girls　could
smell　them　even　across　the　pool。　Others　were　holding　hands　and
dancing　in　a　ring；　and　two　were　sitting　on　the　steps　playing
cat's…cradle　which　is　a　very　ancient　game　indeed　　with　a　thread　of
white　marble。

As　the　new…comers　advanced　a　shout　of　greeting　and　gay　laughter
went　up。　〃Late　again；　Phoebus！〃　someone　called　out。　And　another：
〃Did　one　of　your　horses　cast　a　shoe？〃　And　yet　another　called　out
something　about　laurels。

〃I　bring　two　guests；〃　said　Phoebus；　and　instantly　the　statues
crowded　round；　stroking　the　girls　hair；　patting　their　cheeks；　and
calling　them　the　prettiest　love…names。

〃Are　the　wreaths　ready；　Hebe？〃　the　tallest　and　most　splendid　of　the
ladies　called　out。　〃Make　two　more！〃　

And　almost　directly　Hebe　came　down　the　steps；　her　round　arms
hung　thick　with　rose…wreaths。　There　was　one　for　each　marble　head。

Everyone　now　looked　seven　times　more　beautiful　than　before；
which；　in　the　case　of　the　gods　and　goddesses；　is　saying　a　good　deal。
The　children　remembered　how　at　the　raspberry　vinegar　feast
Mademoiselle　had　said　that　gods　and　goddesses　always　wore
wreaths　for　meals。

Hebe　herself　arranged　the　roses　on　the　girls　heads　　and　Aphrodite
Urania；　the　dearest　lady　in　the　world；　with　a　voice　like　mother's　at
those　moments　when　you　love　her　most；　took　them　by　the　hands
and　said：　〃Come；　we　must　get　the　feast　ready。　Eros　Psyche　Hebe
Ganymede　all　you　young　people　can　arrange　the　fruit。〃　

〃I　don't　see　any　fruit；〃　said　Kathleen；　as　four　slender　forms
disengaged　themselves　from　the　white　crowd　and　came　towards
them。

〃You　will　though；〃　said　Eros；　a　really　nice　boy；　as　the　girls
instantly　agreed；　〃you've　only　got　to　pick　it。〃　

〃Like　this；〃　said　Psyche；　lifting　her　marble　arms　to　a　willow
branch。　She　reached　out　her　hand　to　the　children　it　held　a　ripe
pomegranate。

〃I　see；〃　said　Mabel。　〃You　just　〃　She　laid　her　fingers　to　the　willow
branch　and　the　firm　softness　of　a　big　peach　was　within　them。

〃Yes；　just　that；〃　laughed　Psyche；　who　was　a　darling；　as　any　one
could　see。

After　this　Hebe　gathered　a　few　silver　baskets　from　a　convenient
alder；　and　the　four　picked　fruit　industriously。　Meanwhile　the　elder
statues　were　busy　plucking　golden　goblets　and　jugs　and　dishes
from　the　branches　of　ash…trees　and　young　oaks　and　filling　them
with　everything　nice　to　eat　and　drink　that　anyone　could　possibly
want；　and　these　were　spread　on　the　steps。　It　was　a　celestial　picnic。
Then　everyone　sat　or　lay　down　and　the　feast　began。　And　oh！　the
taste　of　the　food　served　on　those　dishes；　the　sweet　wonder　of　the
drink　that　melted　from　those　gold　cups　on　the　white　lips　of　the
company！　And　the　fruit　there　is　no　fruit　like　it　grown　on　earth；　just
as　there　is　no　laughter　like　the　laughter　of　those　lips；　no　songs　like
the　songs　that　stirred　the　silence　of　that　night　of　wonder。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Kathleen；　and　through　her　fingers　the　juice　of　her　third
peach　fell　like　tears　on　the　marble　steps。　〃I　do　wish　the　boys　were
here！〃　

〃I　do　wonder　what　they're　doing；〃　said　Mabel。

〃At　this　moment；〃　said　Hermes；　who　had　just　made　a　wide　ring　of
flight；　as　a　pigeon　does；　and　come　back　into　the　circle　　〃at　this
moment　they　are　wandering　desolately　near　the　home　of　the
dinosaurus；　having　escaped　from　their　home　by　a　window；　in
search　of　you。　They　fear　that　you　have　perished；　and　they　would
weep　if　they　did　not　know　that　tears　do　not　become　a　man；
however　youthful。〃　

Kathleen　stood　up　and　brushed　the　crumbs　of　ambrosia　from　her
marble　lap。

〃Thank　you　all　very　much；　she　said。　〃It　was　very　kind　of　you　to
have　us；　and　we've　enjoyed　ourselves　very　much；　but　I　think　we
ought　to　go　now；　please。　

〃If　it　is　anxiety　about　your　brothers；〃　said　Phoebus　obligingly；　〃it　is
the　easiest　thing　in　the　world　for　them　to　join　you。　Lend　me　your
ring　a　moment。〃　

He　took　it　from　Kathleen's　half…reluctant　hand；　dipped　it　in　the
reflection　of　one　of　the　seven　moons；　and　gave　it　back。　She
clutched　it。　〃Now；〃　said　the　Sun…god；　〃wish　for　them　that　which
Mabel　wished　for　herself。　Say　〃

〃I　know；〃　Kathleen　interrupted。　〃I　wish　that　the　boys　may　be
statues　of　living　marble　like　Mabel　and　me　till　dawn；　and
afterwards　be　like　they　are　now。〃　

〃If　you　hadn't　interrupted；〃　said　Phoebus　〃but　there；　we　can't
expect　old　heads　on　shoulders　of　young　marble。　You　should　have
wished　them　here　and　but　no　matter。　Hermes；　old　chap；　cut　across
and　fetch　them；　and　explain　things　as　you　come。〃　

He　dipped　the　ring　again　in　one　of　the　reflected　moons　before　he
gave　it　back　to　Kathleen。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃now　it's　washed　clean　ready　for　the　next　magic。〃　

〃It　is　not　our　custom　to　question　guests；〃　said　Hera　the　queen；
turning　her　great　eyes　on　the　children；　〃but　t