the enchanted castle-第34部分

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flanks；　their　wide；　ungainly　wings；　their　lozenged　crocodile…like
backs　show　grey　through　the　trees　a　long　way　off。

Most　people　think　that　noon　is　the　hottest　time　of　the　day。　They　are
wrong。　A　cloudless　sky　gets　hotter　and　hotter　all　the　afternoon；　and
reaches　its　very　hottest　at　five。　I　am　sure　you　must　all　have　noticed
this　when　you　are　going　out　to　tea　anywhere　in　your　best　clothes；
especially　if　your　clothes　are　starched　and　you　happen　to　have　a
rather　long　and　shadeless　walk。

Kathleen；　Mabel；　and　Jimmy　got　hotter　and　hotter；　and　went　more
and　more　slowly。　They　had　almost　reached　that　stage　of
resentment　and　discomfort　when　one　〃wishes　one　hadn't　come〃
before　they　saw；　below　the　edge　of　the　beech…wood；　the　white
waved　handkerchief　of　the　bailiff。

That　banner；　eloquent　of　tea；　shade；　and　being　able　to　sit　down；　put
new　heart　into　them。　They　mended　their　pace；　and　a　final
desperate　run　landed　them　among　the　drifted　coppery　leaves　and
bare　grey　and　green　roots　of　the　beech…wood。

〃Oh；　glory！〃　said　Jimmy；　throwing　himself　down。　〃How　do　you
do？〃

The　bailiff　looked　very　nice；　the　girls　thought。　He　was　not　wearing
his　velveteens；　but　a　grey　flannel　suit　that　an　Earl　need　not　have
scorned；　and　his　straw　hat　would　have　done　no　discredit　to　a　Duke；
and　a　Prince　could　not　have　worn　a　prettier　green　tie。　He
welcomed　the　children　warmly。　And　there　were　two　baskets
dumped　heavy　and　promising　among　the　beech…leaves。

He　was　a　man　of　tact。　The　hot；　instructive　tour　of　the　stone
antediluvians；　which　had　loomed　with　ever…lessening　charm　before
the　children；　was　not　even　mentioned。

〃You　must　be　desert…dry；〃　he　said；　〃and　you'll　be　hungry；　too；　when
you've　done　being　thirsty。　I　put　on　the　kettle　as　soon　as　I　discerned
the　form　of　my　fair　romancer　in　the　extreme　offing。〃　

The　kettle　introduced　itself　with　puffings　and　bubblings　from　the
hollow　between　two　grey　roots　where　it　sat　on　a　spirit…lamp。

〃Take　off　your　shoes　and　stockings；　won't　you？〃　said　the　bailiff　in
matter…of…course　tones；　just　as　old　ladies　ask　each　other　to　take　off
their　bonnets；　〃there's　a　little　baby　canal　just　over　the　ridge。〃　

The　joys　of　dipping　one's　feet　in　cool　running　water　after　a　hot
walk　have　yet　to　be　described。　I　could　write　pages　about　them。
There　was　a　mill…stream　when　I　was　young　with　little　fishes　in　it；
and　dropped　leaves　that　spun　round；　and　willows　and　alders　that
leaned　over　it　and　kept　it　cool；　and　but　this　is　not　the　story　of　my
life。

When　they　came　back；　on　rested；　damp；　pink　feet；　tea　was　made
and　poured　ouy　delicious　tea　with　as　much　milk　as　ever　you
wanted；　out　of　a　beer　bottle　with　a　screw　top；　and　cakes；　and
gingerbread；　and　plums；　and　a　big　melon　with　a　lump　of　ice　in　its
heart　a　tea　for　the　gods！

This　thought　must　have　come　to　Jimmy；　for　he　said　suddenly；
removing　his　face　from　inside　a　wide…bitten　crescent　of
melon…rind：

〃Your　feast's　as　good　as　the　feast　of　the　Immortals；　almost。〃　

〃Explain　your　recondite　allusion；〃　said　the　grey…flannelled　host；
and　Jimmy；　understanding　him　to　say；　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
replied　with　the　whole　tale　of　that　wonderful　night　when　the
statues　came　alive；　and　a　banquet　of　unearthly　splendour　and
deliciousness　was　plucked　by　marble　hands　from　the　trees　of　the
lake　island。

When　he　had　done　the　bailiff　said：　〃Did　you　get　all　this　out　of　a
book？〃

〃No；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃it　happened。〃

〃You　are　an　imaginative　set　of　young　dreamers；。　aren't　you？〃　the
bailiff　asked；　handing　the　plums　to　Kathleen；　who　smiled；　friendly
but　embarrassed。　Why　couldn't　Jimmy　have　held　his　tongue？

〃No；　we　re　not；〃　said　that　indiscreet　one　obstinately；　〃everything
I've　told　you　did　happen；　and　so　did　the　things　Mabel　told　you。〃　

The　bailiff　looked　a　little　uncomfortable。　〃All　right；　old　chap；〃　he
said。　And　there　was　a　short；　uneasy　silence。　〃Look　here；〃　said
Jimmy；　who　seemed　for　once　to　have　got　the　bit　between　his　teeth；
〃do　you　believe　me　or　not？〃

〃Don't　be　silly；　Jimmy！〃　Kathleen　whispered。　〃Because；　if　you
don't　I'll　make　you　believe。〃　

〃Don't！〃　said　Mabel　and　Kathleen　together。

〃Do　you　or　don't　you？〃　Jimmy　insisted；　lying　on　his　front　with　his
chin　on　his　hands；　his　elbows　on　a　moss…cushion；　and　his　bare　legs
kicking　among　the　beech　leaves。

〃I　think　you　tell　adventures　awfully　well；〃　said　the　bailiff
cautiously。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Jimmy；　abruptly　sitting　up；　〃you　don't　believe
me。　Nonsense；　Cathy！　he's　a　gentleman；　even　if　he　is　a　bailiff。〃

〃Thank　you！〃　said　the　bailiff　with　eyes　that　twinkled。

〃You　won't　tell；　will　you？〃　Jimmy　urged。

〃Tell　what？〃

〃Anything。〃

〃Certainly　not。　I　am；　as　you　say；　the　soul　of　honour。〃　

〃Then　Cathy；　give　me　the　ring。〃　

〃Oh；　no！〃　said　the　girls　together。

Kathleen　did　not　mean　to　give　up　the　ring；　Mabel　did　not　mean
that　she　should；　Jimmy　certainly　used　no　force。　Yet　presently　he
held　it　in　his　hand。　It　was　his　hour。　There　are　times　like　that　for　all
of　us；　when　what　we　say　shall　be　done　is　done。

〃Now；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃this　is　the　ring　Mabel　told　you　about。　I　say　it
is　a　wishing…ring。　And　if　you　will　put　it　on　your　hand　and　wish；
whatever　you　wish　will　happen。〃

〃Must　I　wish　out　loud？〃

〃Yes　I　think　so。〃　

〃Don't　wish　for　anything　silly；〃　said　Kathleen；　making　the　best　of
the　situation；　〃like　its　being　fine　on　Tuesday　or　its　being　your
favourite　pudding　for　dinner　tomorrow。　Wish　for　something　you
really　want。〃　

〃I　will；〃　said　the　bailiff。　〃I'll　wish　for　the　only　thing　I　really　want。　I
wish　my　I　wish　my　friend　were　here。〃　

The　three　who　knew　the　power　of　the　ring　looked　round　to　see　the
bailiff's　friend　appear；　a　surprised　man　that　friend　would　be；　they
thought；　and　perhaps　a　frightened　one。　They　had　all　risen；　and
stood　ready　to　soothe　and　reassure　the　newcomer。　But　no　startled
gentleman　appeared　in　the　wood；　only；　coming　quietly　through　the
dappled　sun　and　shadow　under　the　beech…trees；　Mademoiselle　and
Gerald；　Mademoiselle　in　a　white　gown；　looking　quite　nice　and　like
a　picture；　Gerald　hot　and　polite。

〃Good　afternoon；〃　said　that　dauntless　leader　of　forlorn　hopes。　〃I
persuaded　Mademoiselle　〃

That　sentence　was　never　finished；　for　the　bailiff　and　the　French
governess　were　looking　at　each　other　with　the　eyes　of　tired
travellers　who　find；　quite　without　expecting　it；　the　desired　end　of　a
very　long　journey。

And　the　children　saw　that　even　if　they　spoke　it　would　not　make
any　difference。

〃You！〃　said　the　bailiff。

〃Mais　。　。　。　c'est　donc　vous；〃　said　Mademoiselle；　in　a　funny　choky
voice。

And　they　stood　still　and　looked　at　each　other；　〃like　stuck　pigs〃　；　as
Jimmy　said　later；　for　quite　a　long　time。

〃Is　she　your　friend？〃　Jimmy　asked。

〃Yes　oh　yes；〃　said　the　bailiff。　〃You　are　my　friend；　are　you　not？〃

〃But　yes；〃　Mademoiselle　said　softly。　〃I　am　your　friend。〃　

〃There！　you　see；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃the　ring　does　do　what　I　said。〃　

〃We　won't　quarrel　about　that；〃　said　the　bailiff。　〃You　can　say　it's　the
ring。　For　me　it's　a　coincidence　the　happiest；　the　dearest　；〃

〃Then　you　？〃　said　the　French　governess。

〃Of　course；〃　said　the　bailiff。　〃Jimmy；　give　your　brother　some　tea。
Mademoiselle；　come　and　walk　in　the　woods：　there　are　a　thousand
things　to　say。〃　

〃Eat　then；　my　Gerald；〃　said　Mademoiselle；　now　grown　young；　and
astonishingly　like　a　fairy　princess。　〃I　return　all　at　the　hour；　and　we
re…enter　together。　It　is　that　we　must　speak　each　other。　It　is　long
time　that　we　have　not　seen　us；　me　and　Lord　Yalding！〃　

〃So　he　was　Lord　Yalding　all　the　time；〃　said　Jimmy；　breaking　a
stupefied　silence　as　the　white　gown　and　the　grey　flannels
disappeared　among　the　beech　trunks。　〃Landscape　painter　sort　of
dodge　silly；　I　call　it。　And　fancy　her　being　a　friend　of　his；　and　his
wishing　she　was　here！　Different　from　us；　eh？　Good　old　ring！〃　

〃His　friend！〃　said　Mabel　with　strong　scorn；　〃Don't　you　see　she's　his
lover？　Don't　you　see　she's　the　lady　that　was　bricked　up　in　the
convent；　because　he　was　so　poor；　and　he　couldn't　find　her。　And
now　the　ring's　made　them　live　happy　ever　after。　I　am　glad！　Aren't
you；　Cathy？〃

〃Rather！〃　said　Kathleen；　〃it's　as　good　as　marrying　a　sailor　or　a
bandit。〃

〃It's　the　ring　did　it；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃If　the　American　takes　the　house
he'll　pay　lots　of　rent；　and　they　can　live　on　that。〃

〃I　wonder　if　they'll　be　married　tomorrow！〃　said　Mabel。

〃Wouldn't　if　be　fun　if　we　were　bridesmaids；〃　said　Cathy。

〃May　I　trouble　you　for　the　melon；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Thanks！　Why
didn't　we　know　he　was　Lord　Yalding？　Apes　and　moles　that　we
were！〃　

〃I've　known　since　last　night；〃　said　Mabel　calmly；　〃only　I　promised
not　to　tell。　I　can　keep　a　secret；　can't　I？〃

〃Too　jolly　well；〃　said　Kathleen；　a　little　aggrieved。

〃He　was　disguised　as　a　bailiff；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that's　why　we　didn't
know。〃　

〃Disguised　as　a　fiddle…stick…end；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Ha；　ha！　I　see
something　old　Sherlock　Holmes　never　saw；　nor　that　idiot　Watson；
either。　If　you　want　a　really　impenetrable　disguise；　you　ought　to
disguise　yourself　as　what　you　really　are。　I'll　remember　that。〃　

〃It's　like　Mabel；　telling　things　so　that　you　can't　believe　them；〃　said
Cathy。

〃I　think　Mademoiselle's　jolly　lucky；〃　said　Mabel。

〃She's　not　so　bad。　He　might　have　done　worse；〃　said　Gerald。
〃Plums；　please！〃　

There　was　quite　plainly　magic　at　work。　Mademoiselle　next
morning　was　a　changed　governess。　Her　cheeks　were　pink；　her　lips
were　red；　her　eyes　were　larger　and　brighter；　and　she　had　done　her
hair　in　an　entirely　new　way；　rather　frivolous　and　very　becoming。

〃Mamselle's　coming　out！〃　Eliza　remarked。

Immediately　after　breakfast　Lord　Yalding　called　with　a　wagonette
that　wore　a　smart　blue　cloth　coat；　and　was　drawn　by　two　horses
whose　coats　were　brown　and　shining　and　fitted　them　even　better
than　the　blue　cloth　coat　fitted　the　wagonette；　and　the　whole　party
drove　in　state　and　splendour　to　Yalding　Towers。

Arrived　there；　the　children　clamoured　for　permission

to　explore　the　castle　thoroughly；　a　thing　that　had　never　yet　been
possible。　Lord　Yalding；　a　little　absent　in　manner；　but　yet　quite
cordial；　consented。　Mabel　showed　the　others　all　the　secret　doors
and　unlikely　passages　and　stairs　that　she　had　discovered。　It　was　a
glorious　morning。　Lord　Yalding　and　Mademoiselle　went　through
the　house；　it　is