the enchanted castle-第32部分

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

〃In　another　boat；　of　course；〃　said　Gerald；　〃come　on。〃
Downheartedly；　and　quite　sure　that　there　wasn't　and　couldn't　be
any　boat；　the　four　children　started　to　explore　the　island。　How　often
each　one　of　them　had　dreamed　of　islands；　how　often　wished　to　be
stranded　on　one！　Well；　now　they　were。　Reality　is　sometimes　quite
different　from　dreams；　and　not　half　so　nice。　It　was　worst　of　all　for
Mabel；　whose　shoes　and　stockings　were　far　away　on　the　mainland。
The　coarse　grass　and　brambles　were　very　cruel　to　bare　legs　and
feet。

They　stumbled　through　the　wood　to　the　edge　of　the　water；　but　it
was　impossible　to　keep　close　to　the　edge　of　the　island；　the
branches　grew　too　thickly。　There　was　a　narrow；　grassy　path　that
wound　in　and　out　among　the　trees；　and　this　they　followed；　dejected
and　mournful。　Every　moment　made　it　less　possible　for　them　to
hope　to　get　back　to　the　school…house　unnoticed。　And　if　they　were
missed　and　beds　found　in　their　present　unslept…in　state　well；　there
would　be　a　row　of　some　sort；　and；　as　Gerald　said；　〃Farewell　to
liberty！〃　

〃Of　course　we　can　get　off　all　right；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Just　all　shout
when　we　see　a　gardener　or　a　keeper　on　the　mainland。　But　if　we　do；
concealment　is　at　an　end　and　all　is　absolutely　up！〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　everyone　gloomily。

〃Come；　buck　up！〃　said　Gerald；　the　spirit　of　the　born　general
beginning　to　reawaken　in　him。　〃We　shall　get　out　of　this　scrape　all
right；　as　we've　got　out　of　others；　you　know　we　shall。　See；　the　sun's
coming　out。　You　feel　all　right　and　jolly　now；　don't　you？〃

〃Yes；　oh　yes！〃　said　everyone；　in　tones　of　unmixed　misery。

The　sun　was　now　risen；　and　through　a　deep　cleft　in　the　hills　it　sent
a　strong　shaft　of　light　straight　at　the　island。　The　yellow　light；
almost　level；　struck　through　the　stems　of　the　trees　and　dazzled　the
children's　eyes。　This；　with　the　fact　that　he　was　not　looking　where
he　was　going；　as　Jimmy　did　not　fail　to　point　out　later；　was　enough
to　account　for　what　now　happened　to　Gerald；　who　was　leading　the
melancholy　little　procession。　He　stumbled；　clutched　at　a　tree…trunk；
missed　his　clutch；　and　disappeared；　with　a　yell　and　a　clatter；　and
Mabel；　who　came　next；　only　pulled　herself　up　just　in　time　not　to
fall　down　a　steep　flight　of　moss…grown　steps　that　seemed　to　open
suddenly　in　the　ground　at　her　feet。

〃Oh；　Gerald！〃　she　called　down　the　steps；　〃are　you　hurt？〃

〃No；〃　said　Gerald；　out　of　sight　and　crossly；　for　he　was　hurt；　rather
severely；　〃it's　steps；　and　there's　a　passage。〃　

〃There　always　is；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃I　knew　there　was　a　passage；〃　said　Mabel；　〃it　goes　under　the　water
and　comes　out　at　the　Temple　of　Flora。　Even　the　gardeners　know
that；　but　they　won't　go　down；　for　fear　of　snakes。〃　

〃Then　we　can　get　out　that　way　I　do　think　you　might　have　said　so；〃
Gerald's　voice　came　up　to　say。

〃I　didn't　think　of　it；〃　said　Mabel。　〃At　least　And　I　suppose　it　goes
past　the　place　where　the　Ugly…Wugly　found　its　good　hotel。〃　

〃I'm　not　going；〃　said　Kathleen　positively；　〃not　in　the　dark；　I'm　not。
So　I　tell　you！〃　

〃Very　well；　baby；〃　said　Gerald　sternly；　and　his　head　appeared　from
below　very　suddenly　through　interlacing　brambles。　〃No　one　asked
you　to　go　in　the　dark。　We'll　leave　you　here　if　you　like；　and　return
and　rescue　you　with　a　boat。　Jimmy；　the　bicycle　lamp！〃　He　reached
up　a　hand　for　it。

Jimmy　produced　from　his　bosom；　the　place　where　lamps　are
always　kept　in　fairy　stories　see　Aladdin　and　others　a　bicycle　lamp。

〃We　brought　it；〃　he　explained；　〃so　as　not　to　break　our　shins　over
bits　of　long　Mabel　among　the　rhododendrons。〃　

〃Now；〃　said　Gerald　very　firmly；　striking　a　match　and　opening　the
thick；　rounded　glass　front　of　the　bicycle　lamp；　〃I　don't　know　what
the　rest　of　you　are　going　to　do；　but　I'm　going　down　these　steps　and
along　this　passage。　If　we　find　the　good　hotel　well；　a　good　hotel
never　hurt　anyone　yet。〃　

〃It's　no　good；　you　know；〃　said　Jimmy　weakly；　〃you　know　jolly　well
you　can't　get　out　of　that　Temple　of　Flora　door；　even　if　you　get　to
it。〃　

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Gerald；　still　brisk　and　commander…like；
〃there's　a　secret　spring　inside　that　door　most　likely。　We　hadn't　a
lamp　last　time　to　look　for　it；　remember。〃　

〃If　there's　one　thing　I　do　hate　its　undergroundness；〃　said　Mabel。

〃You're　not　a　coward；〃　said　Gerald；　with　what　is　known　as
diplomacy。　〃You're　brave；　Mabel。　Don't　I　know　it！〃　You　hold
Jimmy's　hand　and　I'll　hold　Cathy　s。　Now　then。〃　

〃I　won't　have　my　hand　held；〃　said　Jimmy；　of　course。　〃I'm　not　a
kid。〃　

〃Well；　Cathy　will。　Poor　little　Cathy！　Nice　brother　Jerry'll　hold　poor
Cathy's　hand。〃　

Gerald's　bitter　sarcasm　missed　fire　here；　for　Cathy　gratefully
caught　the　hand　he　held　out　in　mockery。　She　was　too　miserable　to
read　his　mood；　as　she　mostly　did。　〃Oh；　thank　you；　Jerry　dear；〃　she
said　gratefully；　〃you　are　a　dear；　and　I　will　try　not　to　be　frightened。〃
And　for　quite　a　minute　Gerald　shamedly　felt　that　he　had　not　been
quite；　quite　kind。

So　now；　leaving　the　growing　goldness　of　the　sunrise；　the　four　went
down　the　stone　steps　that　led　to　the　underground　and　underwater
passage；　and　everything　seemed　to　grow　dark　and　then　to　grow　into
a　poor　pretence　of　light　again；　as　the　splendour　of　dawn　gave　place
to　the　small　dogged　lighting　of　the　bicycle　lamp。　The　steps　did
indeed　lead　to　a　passage；　the　beginnings　of　it　choked　with　the
drifted　dead　leaves　of　many　old　autumns。　But　presently　the　passage
took　a　turn；　there　were　more　steps；　down；　down；　and　then　the
passage　was　empty　and　straight　lined　above　and　below　and　on　each
side　with　slabs　of　marble；　very　clear　and　clean。　Gerald　held　Cathy's
hand　with　more　of　kindness　and　less　of　exasperation　than　he　had
supposed　possible。

And　Cathy；　on　her　part；　was　surprised　to　find　it　possible　to　be　so
much　less　frightened　than　she　expected。

The　flame　of　the　bull's…eye　threw　ahead　a　soft　circle　of　misty　light　
the　children　followed　it　silently。　Till；　silently　and　suddenly；　the
light　of　the　bull's…eye　behaved　as　the　flame　of　a　candle　does　when
you　take　it　out　into　the　sunlight　to　light　a　bonfire；　or　explode　a
train　of　gunpowder；　or　what　not。　Because　now；　with　feelings
mixed　indeed；　of　wonder；　and　interest；　and　awe；　but　no　fear；　the
children　found　themselves　in　a　great　hail；　whose　arched　roof　was
held　up　by　two　rows　of　round　pillars；　and　whose　every　corner　was
filled　with　a　soft；　searching；　lovely　light；　filling　every　cranny；　as
water　fills　the　rocky　secrecies　of　hidden　sea…caves。

〃How　beautiful！〃　Kathleen　whispered；　breathing　hard　into　the
tickled　ear　of　her　brother；　and　Mabel　caught　the　hand　of　Jimmy
and　whispered；　〃I　must　hold　your　hand　I　must　hold　on　to
something　silly；　or　I　shan't　believe　it's　real。〃　

For　this　hall　in　which　the　children　found　themselves　was　the　most
beautiful　place　in　the　world。　I　won't　describe　it；　because　it　does　not
look　the　same　to　any　two　people；　and　you　wouldn't　understand　me
if　I　tried　to　tell　you　how　it　looked　to　any　one　of　these　four。　But　to
each　it　seemed　the　most　perfect　thing　possible。　I　will　only　say　that
all　round　it　were　great　arches。　Kathleen　saw　them　as　Moorish；
Mabel　as　Tudor；　Gerald　as　Norman；　and　Jimmy　as　Churchwarden
Gothic。　（If　you　don't　know　what　these　are；　ask　your　uncle　who
collects　brasses；　and　he　will　explain；　or　perhaps　Mr。　Millar　will
draw　the　different　kinds　of　arches　for　you。）　And　through　these
arches　one　could　see　many　things　oh！　but　many　things。　Through
one　appeared　an　olive　garden；　and　in　it　two　lovers　who　held　each
other's　hands；　under　an　Italian　moon；　through　another　a　wild　sea；
and　a　ship　to　whom　the　wild；　racing　sea　was　slave。　A　third　showed
a　king　on　his　throne；　his　courtiers　obsequious　about　him；　and　yet　a
fourth　showed　a　really　good　hotel；　with　the　respectable
Ugly…Wugly　sunning　himself　on　the　front　doorsteps。　There　was　a
mother；　bending　over　a　wooden　cradle。　There　was　an　artist　gazing
entranced　on　the　picture　his　wet　brush　seemed　to　have　that
moment　completed；　a　general　dying　on　a　field　where　Victory　had
planted　the　standard　he　loved；　and　these　things　were　not　pictures；
but　the　truest　truths；　alive；　and；　as　anyone　could　see；　immortal。

Many　other　pictures　there　were　that　these　arches　framed。　And　all
showed　some　moment　when　life　had　sprung　to　fire　and　flower　the
best　that　the　soul　of　man　could　ask　or　man's　destiny　grant。　And　the
really　good　hotel　had　its　place　here　too；　because　there　are　some
souls　that　ask　no　higher　thing　of　life　than　〃a　really　good　hotel〃　。

〃Oh；　I　am　glad　we　came；　I　am；　I　am！〃　Kathleen　murmured；　and
held　fast　to　her　brother's　hand。

They　went　slowly　up　the　hall；　the　ineffectual　bull's…eye；　held　by
Jimmy；　very　crooked　indeed；　showing　almost　as　a　shadow　in　this
big；　glorious　light。

And　then；　when　the　hall's　end　was　almost　reached；　the　children
saw　where　the　light　came　from。　It　glowed　and　spread　itself　from
one　place；　and　in　that　place　stood　the　one　statue　that　Mabel　〃did
not　know　where　to　find〃　the　statue　of　Psyche。　They　went　on；
slowly；　quite　happy；　quite　bewildered。　And　when　they　came　close
to　Psyche　they　saw　that　on　her　raised　hand　the　ring　showed　dark。

Gerald　let　go　Kathleen's　hand；　put　his　foot　on　the　pediment；　his
knee　on　the　pedestal。　He　stood　up；　dark　and　human；　beside　the
white　girl　with　the　butterfly　wings。

〃I　do　hope　you　don't　mind；〃　he　said；　and　drew　the　ring　off　very
gently。　Then；　as　he　dropped　to　the　ground；　〃Not　here；〃　he　said。　〃I
don't　know　why；　but　not　here。〃

And　they　all　passed　behind　the　white　Psyche；　and　once　more　the
bicycle　lamp　seemed　suddenly　to　come　to　life　again　as　Gerald　held
it　in　front　of　him；　to　be　the　pioneer　in　the　dark　passage　that　led
from　the　Hall　of　but　they　did　not　know；　then；　what　it　was　the　Hall
of。

Then；　as　the　twisting　passage　shut　in　on　them　with　a　darkness　that
pressed　close　against　the　little　light　of　the　bicycle　lamp；　Kathleen
said；　〃Give　me　the　ring。　I　know　exactly　what　to　say。〃　

Gerald　gave　it　with　not　extreme　readiness。

〃I　wish；〃　said　Kathleen　slowly；　〃that　no　one　at　home　may　know
that　we've　been　out　tonight；　and　I　wish　we　were　safe　in　our　own
beds；　undressed；　and　in　our　nightgowns；　and　asleep。〃　

And　the　next　thing　any　of　them　knew；　it　was　good；　strong；　ordinary
daylight　not　just　sunrise；　but　the　kin