the enchanted castle-第31部分

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turning　her　great　eyes　on　the　children；　〃but　that　ring　excites；　I　am
sure；　the　interest　of　us　all。〃　

〃It　is　the　ring；〃　said　Phoebus。

〃That；　of　course；〃　said　Hera；　〃but　if　it　were　not　inhospitable　to　ask
questions　I　should　ask；　How　came　it　into　the　hands　of　these
earth…children？〃

〃That；〃　said　Phoebus；　〃is　a　long　tale。　After　the　feast　the　story；　and
after　the　story　the　song。〃　

Hermes　seemed　to　have　〃explained　everything〃　quite　fully；　for
when　Gerald　and　Jimmy　in　marble　whiteness　arrived；　each
clinging　to　one　of　the　god's　winged　feet；　and　so　borne　through　the
air；　they　were　certainly　quite　at　ease。　They　made　their　best　bows　to
the　goddesses　and　took　their　places　as　unembarrassed　as　though
they　had　had　Olympian　suppers　every　night　of　their　lives。　Hebe
had　woven　wreaths　of　roses　ready　for　them；　and　as　Kathleen
watched　them　eating　and　drinking；　perfectly　at　home　in　their
marble；　she　was　very　glad　that　amid　the　welling　springs　of
immortal　peach…juice　she　had　not　forgotten　her　brothers。

〃And　now；〃　said　Hera；　when　the　boys　had　been　supplied　with
everything　they　could　possibly　desire；　and　more　than　they　could
eat　〃now　for　the　story。〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Mabel　intensely；　and　Kathleen　said；　〃Oh　yes；　now　for
the　story。　How　splendid！〃　

〃The　story；〃　said　Phoebus　unexpectedly；　〃will　be　told　by　our
guests。〃　

〃Oh　no！〃　said　Kathleen；　shrinking。

〃The　lads；　maybe；　are　bolder；〃　said　Zeus　the　king；　taking　off　his
rose…wreath；　which　was　a　little　tight；　and　rubbing　his　compressed
ears。

〃I　really　can't；〃　said　Gerald；　〃besides；　I　don't　know　any　stories。〃　

〃Nor　yet　me；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃It's　the　story　of　how　we　got　the　ring　that　they　want；〃　said　Mabel　in
a　hurry。　〃I'll　tell　it　if　you　like；　Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　little
girl　called　Mabel；〃　she　added　yet　more　hastily；　and　went　on　with
the　tale　all　the　tale　of　the　enchanted　castle；　or　almost　all；　that　you
have　read　in　these　pages。　The　marble　Olympians　listened
enchanted　almost　as　enchanted　as　the　castle　itself；　and　the　soft
moonlit　moments　fell　past　like　pearls　dropping　into　a　deep　pool。

〃And　so；〃　Mabel　ended　abruptly；　〃Kathleen　wished　for　the　boys
and　the　Lord　Hermes　fetched　them　and　here　we　all　are。〃　

A　burst　of　interested　comment　and　question　blossomed　out　round
the　end　of　the　story；　suddenly　broken　off　short　by　Mabel。

〃But；〃　said　she；　brushing　it　aside；　as　it　grew　thinner；　〃now　we　want
you　to　tell　us。〃　

〃To　tell　you　？〃

〃How　you　come　to　be　alive；　and　how　you　know　about　the　ring　and
everything　you　do　know。〃　

〃Everything　I　know？〃　Phoebus　laughed　it　was　to　him　that　she　had
spoken　and　not　his　lips　only　but　all　the　white　lips　curled　in
laughter。　〃The　span　of　your　life；　my　earth…child；　would　not　contain
the　words　I　should　speak；　to　tell　you　all　I　know。〃　

〃Well；　about　the　ring　anyhow；　and　how　you　come　alive；〃　said
Gerald；　〃you　see；　it's　very　puzzling　to　us。〃　

〃Tell　them；　Phoebus；〃　said　the　dearest　lady　in　the　world；　〃don't
tease　the　children。〃　

So　Phoebus；　leaning　back　against　a　heap　of　leopard…　skins　that
Dionysus　had　lavishly　plucked　from　a　spruce　fir；　told。

〃All　statues；〃　he　said；　〃can　come　alive　when　the　moon　shines；　if
they　so　choose。　But　statues　that　are　placed　in　ugly　cities　do　not
choose。　Why　should　they　weary　themselves　with　the　contemplation
of　the　hideous？〃

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Gerald　politely；　to　fill　the　pause。

〃In　your　beautiful　temples；〃　the　Sun…god　went　on；　〃the　images　of
your　priests　and　of　your　warriors　who　lie　cross…legged　on　their
tombs　come　alive　and　walk　in　their　marble　about　their　temples；
and　through　the　woods　and　fields。　But　only　on　one　night　in　all　the
year　can　any　see　them。　You　have　beheld　us　because　you　held　the
ring；　and　are　of　one　brotherhood　with　us　in　your　marble；　but　on
that　one　night　all　may　behold　us。〃

〃And　when　is　that？〃　Gerald　asked；　again　polite；　in　a　pause。

〃At　the　festival　of　the　harvest；〃　said　Phoebes。　〃On　that　night　as　the
moon　rises　it　strikes　one　beam　of　perfect　light　on　to　the　altar　in
certain　temples。　One　of　these　temples　is　in　Hellas；　buried　under　the
fall　of　a　mountain　which　Zeus；　being　angry；　hurled　down　upon　it。
One　is　in　this　land；　it　is　in　this　great　garden。〃　

〃Then；〃　said　Gerald；　much　interested；　〃if　we　were　to　come　up　to
that　temple　on　that　night；　we　could　see　you；　even　without　being
statues　or　having　the　ring？〃

〃Even　so；〃　said　Phoebus。　〃More；　any　question　asked　by　a　mortal
we　are　on　that　night　bound　to　answer。〃　

〃And　the　night　is　when？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Phoebus；　and　laughed。　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　know！〃　

Then　the　great　marble　King　of　the　Gods　yawned；　stroked　his　long
beard；　and　said：　〃Enough　of　stories；　Phoebus。　Tune　your　lyre。〃　

〃But　the　ring；〃　said　Mabel　in　a　whisper；　as　the　Sun…god　tuned　the
white　strings　of　a　sort　of　marble　harp　that　lay　at　his　feet　〃about
how　you　know　all　about　the　ring？〃

〃Presently；〃　the　Sun…god　whispered　back。　〃Zeus　must　be　obeyed；
but　ask　me　again　before　dawn；　and　I　will　tell　you　all　I　know　of　it。〃
Mabel　drew　back；　and　leaned　against　the　comfortable　knees　of　one
Demeter　Kathleen　and　Psyche　sat　holding　hands。　Gerald　and
Jimmy　lay　at　full　length；　chins　on　elbows；　gazing　at　the　Sun…god；
and　even　as　he　held　the　lyre；　before　ever　his　fingers　began　to
sweep　the　strings；　the　spirit　of　music　hung　in　the　air；　enchanting；
enslaving；　silencing　all　thought　but　the　thought　of　itself；　all　desire
but　the　desire　to　listen　to　it。

Then　Phoebus　struck　the　strings　and　softly　plucked　melody　from
them；　and　all　the　beautiful　dreams　of　all　the　world　came　fluttering
close　with　wings　like　doves　wings；　and　all　the　lovely　thoughts　that
sometimes　hover　near；　but　not　so　near　that　you　can　catch　them；
now　came　home　as　to　their　nests　in　the　hearts　of　those　who
listened。　And　those　who　listened　forgot　time　and　space；　and　how　to
be　sad；　and　how　to　be　naughty；　and　it　seemed　that　the　whole　world
lay　like　a　magic　apple　in　the　hand　of　each　listener；　and　that　the
whole　world　was　good　and　beautiful。

And　then；　suddenly；　the　spell　was　shattered。　Phoebus　struck　a
broken　chord；　followed　by　an　instant　of　silence；　then　he　sprang　up；
crying；　〃The　dawn！　the　dawn！　To　your　pedestals；　O　gods！〃　

In　an　instant　the　whole　crowd　of　beautiful　marble　people　had
leaped　to　its　feet；　had　rushed　through　the　belt　of　wood　that　cracked
and　rustled　as　they　went；　and　the　children　heard　them　splash；　in　the
water　beyond。　They　heard；　too；　the　gurgling　breathing　of　a　great
beast；　and　knew　that　the　dinosaurus；　too；　was　returning　to　his　own
place。

Only　Hermes　had　time；　since　one　flies　more　swiftly　than　one
swims；　to　hover　above　them　for　one　moment；　and　to　whisper　with
a　mischievous　laugh：

〃In　fourteen　days　from　now；　at　the　Temple　of　Strange　Stones。〃　

〃What's　the　secret　of　the　ring？〃　gasped　Mabel。

〃The　ring　is　the　heart　of　the　magic；〃　said　Hermes。　〃Ask　at　the
moonrise　on　the　fourteenth　day；　and　you　shall　know　all。〃　

With　that　he　waved　the　snowy　caduceus　and　rose　in　the　air
supported　by　his　winged　feet。　And　as　he　went　the　seven　reflected
moons　died　out　and　a　chill　wind　began　to　blow；　a　grey　light　grew
and　grew；　the　birds　stirred　and　twittered；　and　the　marble　slipped
away　from　the　children　like　a　skin　that　shrivels　in　fire；　and　they
were　statues　no　more；　but　flesh　and　blood　children　as　they　used　to
be；　standing　knee…deep　in　brambles　and　long　coarse　grass。　There
was　no　smooth　lawn；　no　marble　steps；　no　seven…mooned　fish…pond。
The　dew　lay　thick　on　the　grass　and　the　brambles；　and　it　was　very
cold。

〃We　ought　to　have　gone　with　them；〃　said　Mabel　with　chattering
teeth。　〃We　can't　swim　now　we　re　not　marble。　And　I　suppose　this　is
the　island？〃

It　was　and　they　couldn't　swim。

They　knew　it。　One　always　knows　those　sort　of　things　somehow
without　trying。　For　instance；　you　know　perfectly　that　you　can't　fly。
There　are　some　things　that　there　is　no　mistake　about。

The　dawn　grew　brighter　and　the　outlook　more　black　every
moment。

〃There　isn't　a　boat；　I　suppose？〃　Jimmy　asked。

〃No；〃　said　Mabel；　〃not　on　this　side　of　the　lake；　there's　one　in　the
boat…house；　of　course　if　you　could　swim　there。〃　

〃You　know　I　can't；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Can't　anyone　think　of　anything？〃　Gerald　asked；　shivering。

〃When　they　find　we've　disappeared　they'll　drag　all　the　water　for
miles　round；　said　Jimmy　hopefully；　〃in　case　we've　fallen　in　and
sunk　to　the　bottom。　When　they　come　to　drag　this　we　can　yell　and
be　rescued。〃　

〃Yes；　dear；　that　will　be　nice；〃　was　Gerald's　bitter　comment。

〃Don't　be　so　disagreeable；〃　said　Mabel　with　a　tone　so　strangely
cheerful　that　the　rest　stared　at　her　in　amazement。

〃The　ring；〃　she　said。　〃Of　course　we've　only　got　to　wish　ourselves
home　with　it。　Phoebus　washed　it　in　the　moon　ready　for　the　next
wish。　

〃You　didn't　tell　us　about　that；〃　said　Gerald　in　accents　of　perfect
good　temper。　〃Never　mind。　Where　is　the　ring？〃

〃You　had　it；〃　Mabel　reminded　Kathleen。

〃I　know　I　had；〃　said　that　child　in　stricken　tones；　〃but　I　gave　it　to
Psyche　to　look　at　and　and　she's　got　it　on　her　finger！〃　

Everyone　tried　not　to　be　angry　with　Kathleen。　All　partly
succeeded。

〃If　we　ever　get　off　this　beastly　island；〃　said　Gerald；

〃I　suppose　you　can　find　Psyche's　statue　and　get　it　off　again？〃

〃No　I　can't；〃　Mabel　moaned。　〃I　don't　know　where　the　statue　is。　I've
never　seen　it。　It　may　be　in　Hellas；　wherever　that　is　or　anywhere；　for
anything　I　know。〃　

No　one　had　anything　kind　to　say；　and　it　is　pleasant　to　record　that
nobody　said　anything。　And　now　it　was　grey　daylight；　and　the　sky　to
the　north　was　flushing　in　pale　pink　and　lavender。

The　boys　stood　moodily；　hands　in　pockets。　Mabel　and　Kathleen
seemed　to　find　it　impossible　not　to　cling　together；　and　all　about
their　legs　the　long　grass　was　icy　with　dew。

A　faint　sniff　and　a　caught　breath　broke　the　silence。　〃Now；　look
here；〃　said　Gerald　briskly；　〃I　won't　have　it。　Do　you　hear？
Snivelling's　no　good　at　all。　No；　I'm　not　a　pig。　It's　for　your　own
good。　Let's　make　a　tour　of　the　island。　Perhaps　there's　a　boat　hidden
somewhere　among　the　overhanging　boughs。　

〃How　could　there　be？〃　Mabel　asked。

〃Someone　might　have　left　it　there；　I　suppose；〃　said　Gerald。

〃But　how　would　they　have　got　off　the　island？〃

〃In　another　boat；　of　course；〃　said　Gerald；　〃come　on。〃
Downheartedly；　and　quite　su