the enchanted castle-第38部分

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straight　through　it　across　the　grey　green　of　the　circle　that　the　stones
mark；　and　as　the　moon　rises　the　moonbeam　slants　downward。　The
children　have　drawn　back　till　they　stand　close　to　the　lovers。　The
moonbeam　slants　more　and　more；　now　it　touches　the　far　end　of　the
stone；　now　it　draws　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　middle　of　it；　now　at
last　it　touches　the　very　heart　and　centre　of　that　central　stone。　And
then　it　is　as　though　a　spring　were　touched；　a　fountain　of　light
released。　Everything　changes　or；　rather；　everything　is　revealed。
There　are　no　more　secrets。　The　plan　of　the　world　seems　plain；　like
an　easy　sum　that　one　writes　in　big　figures　on　a　child's　slate。　One
wonders　how　one　can　ever　have　wondered　about　anything。　Space
is　not；　every　place　that　one　has　seen　or　dreamed　of　is　here。　Time　is
not；　into　this　instant　is　crowded　all　that　one　has　ever　done　or
dreamed　of　doing。　It　is　a　moment　and　it　is　eternity。　It　is　the　centre
of　the　universe　and　it　is　the　universe　itself。　The　eternal　light　rests
on　and　illuminates　the　eternal　heart　of　things。

None　of　the　six　human　beings　who　saw　that　moon…rising　were　ever
able　to　think　about　it　as　having　anything　to　do　with　time。　Only　for
one　instant　could　that　moon…ray　have　rested　full　on　the　centre　of
that　stone。

And　yet　there　was　time　for　many　happenings。

From　that　height　one　could　see　far　out　over　the　quiet　park　and
sleeping　gardens；　and　through　the　grey　green　of　them　shapes
moved；　approaching。

The　great　beasts　came　first：　strange　forms　that　were　when　the
world　was　new　　gigantic　lizards　with　wings　dragons　they　lived　as
in　men's　memories　mammoths；　strange　vast　birds；　they　crawled　up
the　hill　and　ranged　themselves　outside　the　circle。　Then；　not　from
the　garden　but　from　very　far　away；　came　the　stone　gods　of　Egypt
and　Assyria　bull…bodied；　bird…winged；　hawk…headed；　cat…headed；
all　in　stone；　and　all　alive　and　alert；　strange；　grotesque　figures　from
the　towers　of　cathedrals　figures　of　angels　with　folded　wings；
figures　of　beasts　with　wings　wide　spread；　sphinxes；　uncouth　idols
from　Southern　palm…fringed　islands；　and；　last　of　all；　the　beautiful
marble　shapes　of　the　gods　and　goddesses　who　had　held　their
festival　on　the　lake…island；　and　bidden　Lord　Yalding　and　the
children　to　this　meeting。

Not　a　word　was　spoken。　Each　stone　shape　came　gladly　and　quietly
into　the　circle　of　light　and　understanding；　as　children；　tired　with　a
long　ramble；　creep　quietly　through　the　open　door　into　the　firelit
welcome　of　home。

The　children　had　thought　to　ask　many　questions。　And　it　had　been
promised　that　the　questions　should　be　answered。　Yet　now　no　one
spoke　a　word；　because　all　had　come　into　the　circle　of　the　real
magic　where　all　things　are　understood　without　speech。

Afterwards　none　of　them　could　ever　remember　at　all　what　had
happened。　But　they　never　forgot　that　they　had　been　somewhere
where　everything　was　easy　and　beautiful。　And　people　who　can
remember　even　that　much　are　never　quite　the　same　again。　And
when　they　came　to　talk　of　it　next　day　they　found　that　to　each　some
little　part　of　that　night's　great　enlightenment　was　left。

All　the　stone　creatures　drew　closer　round　the　stone　the　light　where
the　moonbeam　struck　it　seemed　to　break　away　in　spray　such　as
water　makes　when　it　falls　from　a　height。　All　the　crowd　was　bathed
in　whiteness。　A　deep　hush　lay　over　the　vast　assembly。

Then　a　wave　of　intention　swept　over　the　mighty　crowd。　All　the
faces；　bird；　beast；　Greek　statue；　Babylonian　monster；　human　child
and　human　lover；　turned　upward；　the　radiant　light　illumined　them
and　one　word　broke　from　all。

〃The　light！〃　they　cried；　and　the　sound　of　their　voice　was　like　the
sound　of　a　great　wave；　〃the　light！　the　light　〃

And　then　the　light　was　not　any　more；　and；　soft　as　floating
thistle…down；　sleep　was　laid　on　the　eyes　of　all　but　the　immortals。

The　grass　was　chill　and　dewy　and　the　clouds　had　veiled　the　moon。
The　lovers　and　the　children　were　standing　together；　all　clinging
close；　not　for　fear；　but　for　love。

〃I　want；〃　said　the　French　girl　softly；　〃to　go　to　the　cave　on　the
island。〃　

Very　quietly　through　the　gentle　brooding　night　they　went　down　to
the　boat…house；　loosed　the　clanking　chain；　and　dipped　oars　among
the　drowned　stars　and　lilies。　They　came　to　the　island；　and　found
the　steps。

〃I　brought　candles；〃　said　Gerald；　〃in　case。〃　

So；　lighted　by　Gerald's　candles；　they　went　down　into　the　Hall　of
Psyche！　and　there　glowed　the　light　spread　from　her　statue；　and　all
was　as　the　children　had　seen　it　before。

It　is　the　Hall　of　Granted　Wishes。

〃The　ring；〃　said　Lord　Yalding。

〃The　ring；〃　said　his　lover；　〃is　the　magic　ring　given　long　ago　to　a
mortal；　and　it　is　what　you　say　it　is。　It　was　given　to　your　ancestor　by
a　lady　of　my　house　that　he　might　build　her　a　garden　and　a　house
like　her　own　palace　and　garden　in　her　own　land。　So　that　this　place
is　built　partly　by　his　love　and　partly　by　that　magic。　She　never　lived
to　see　it；　that　was　the　price　of　the　magic。〃　

It　must　have　been　English　that　she　spoke；　for　otherwise　how　could
the　children　have　understood　her？　Yet　the　words　were　not　like
Mademoiselle's　way　of　speaking。

〃Except　from　children；〃　her　voice　went　on；　〃the　ring　exacts　a
payment。　You　paid　for　me；　when　I　came　by　your　wish；　by　this
terror　of　madness　that　you　have　since　known。　Only　one　wish　is
free。〃　

〃And　that　wish　is　；〃　

〃The　last；〃　she　said。　〃Shall　I　wish？〃

〃Yes　wish；〃　they　said；　all　of　them。

〃I　wish；　then；〃　said　Lord　Yalding's　lover；　〃that　all　the　magic　this
ring　has　wrought　may　be　undone；　and　that　the　ring　itself　may　be　no
more　and　no　less　than　a　charm　to　bind　thee　and　me　together　for
evermore。〃　

She　ceased。　And　as　she　ceased　the　enchanted　light　died　away；　the
windows　of　granted　wishes　went　out；　like　magic…lantern　pictures。
Gerald's　candle　faintly　lighted　a　rudely　arched　cave；　and　where
Psyche's　statue　had　been　was　a　stone　with　something　carved　on　it。

Gerald　held　the　light　low。

〃It　is　her　grave；〃　the　girl　said。

Next　day　no　one　could　remember　anything　at　all　exactly。　But　a
good　many　things　were　changed。　There　was　no　ring　but　the　plain
gold　ring　that　Mademoiselle　found　clasped　in　her　hand　when　she
woke　in　her　own　bed　in　the　morning。　More　than　half　the　jewels　in
the　panelled　room　were　gone；　and　those　that　remained　had　no
panelling　to　cover　them；　they　just　lay　bare　on　the　velvet…covered
shelves。　There　was　no　passage　at　the　back　of　the　Temple　of　Flora。
Quite　a　lot　of　the　secret　passages　and　hidden　rooms　had
disappeared。　And　there　were　not　nearly　so　many　statues　in　the
garden　as　everyone　had　supposed。　And　large　pieces　of　the　castle
were　missing　and　had　to　be　replaced　at　great　expense。

From　which　we　may　conclude　that　Lord　Yalding's　ancestor　had
used　the　ring　a　good　deal　to　help　him　in　his　building。

However；　the　jewels　that　were　left　were　quite　enough　to　pay　for
everything。

The　suddenness　with　which　all　the　ring…magic　was　undone　was
such　a　shock　to　everyone　concerned　that　they　now　almost　doubt
that　any　magic　ever　happened。

But　it　is　certain　that　Lord　Yalding　married　the　French　governess
and　that　a　plain　gold　ring　was　used　in　the　ceremony；　and　this；　if
you　come　to　think　of　it；　could　be　no　other　than　the　magic　ring；
turned；　by　that　last　wish；　into　a　charm　to　keep　him　and　his　wife
together　for　ever。

Also；　if　all　this　story　is　nonsense　and　a　make…up　if　Gerald　and
Jimmy　and　Kathleen　and　Mabel　have　merely　imposed　on　my
trusting　nature　by　a　pack　of　unlikely　inventions；　how　do　you
account　for　the　paragraph　which　appeared　in　the　evening　papers
the　day　after　the　magic　of　the　moon…rising？

〃MYSTERIOUS　DISAPPEARANCE　OF　A　WELL…KNOWN　CITY　MAN；〃　

it　said；　and　then　went　on　to　say　how　a　gentleman；　well　known　and
much　respected　in　financial　circles；　had　vanished；　leaving　no　trace。

〃Mr。　U。　W。　Ugli；〃　the　papers　continued；　〃had　remained　late；
working　at　his　office　as　was　his　occasional　habit。　The　office　door
was　found　locked；　and　on　its　being　broken　open　the　clothes　of　the
unfortunate　gentleman　were　found　in　a　heap　on　the　floor；　together
with　an　umbrella；　a　walking　stick；　a　golf　club；　and；　curiously
enough；　a　feather　brush；　such　as　housemaids　use　for　dusting。　Of　his
body；　however；　there　was　no　trace。　The　police　are　stated　to　have　a
clew。〃　

If　they　have；　they　have　kept　it　to　themselves。　But　I　do　not　think
they　can　have　a　clew；　because；　of　course；　that　respected　gentleman
was　the　Ugly…Wugly　who　became　real　when；　in　search　of　a　really
good　hotel；　he　got　into　the　Hall　of　Granted　Wishes。　And　if　none　of
this　story　ever　happened；　how　is　it　that　those　four　children　are　such
friends　with　Lord　and　Lady　Yalding；　and　stay　at　The　Towers
almost　every　holidays？

It　is　all　very　well　for　all　of　them　to　pretend　that　the　whole　of　this
story　is　my　own　invention：　facts　are　facts；　and　you　can't　explain
them　away。








End