the enchanted castle-第5部分

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tell　anyone　what　you've　seen。〃　

Their　words　of　honour　were　something　that　the　children　would
rather　not　have　given　just　then；　but　they　gave　them　all　the　same；
and　shut　their　eyes　tight。

〃Wiggadil　yougadoo　begadee　leegadeeve　nowgadow？〃　said　the
Princess　rapidly；　and　they　heard　the　swish　of　her　silk　train　moving
across　the　room。　Then　there　was　a　creaking；　rustling　noise。

〃She's　locking　us　in！〃　cried　Jimmy。

〃Your　word　of　honour；〃　gasped　Gerald。

〃Oh；　do　be　quick！〃　moaned　Kathleen。

〃You　may　look；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　Princess。　And　they　looked。
The　room　was　not　the　same　room；　yet　yes；　the　starry…vaulted　blue
ceiling　was　there；　and　below　it　half　a　dozen　feet　of　the　dark
panelling；　but　below　that　the　walls　of　the　room　blazed　and
sparkled　with　white　and　blue　and　red　and　green　and　gold　and
silver。　Shelves　ran　round　the　room；　and　on　them　were　gold　cups
and　silver　dishes；　and　platters　and　goblets　set　with　gems；
ornaments　of　gold　and　silver；　tiaras　of　diamonds；　necklaces　of
rubies；　strings　of　emeralds　and　pearls；　all　set　out　in　unimaginable
splendour　against　a　background　of　faded　blue　velvet。　It　was　like
the　Crown　jewels　that　you　see　when　your　kind　uncle　takes　you　to
the　Tower；　only　there　seemed　to　be　far　more　jewels　than　you　or
anyone　else　has　ever　seen　together　at　the　Tower　or　anywhere　else。

The　three　children　remained　breathless；　open…mouthed；　staring　at
the　sparkling　splendours　all　about　them；　while　the　Princess　stood；
her　arm　stretched　out　in　a　gesture　of　command；　and　a　proud　smile
on　her　lips。

〃My　word！〃　said　Gerald；　in　a　low　whisper。　But　no　one　spoke　out
loud。　They　waited　as　if　spellbound　for　the　Princess　to　speak。

She　spoke。

〃What　price　bread…and…cheese　games　now？〃　she　asked
triumphantly。　〃Can　I　do　magic；　or　can't　I？〃

〃You　can；　oh；　you　can！〃　said　Kathleen。

〃May　we　may　we　touch？〃　asked　Gerald。

〃All　that's　mine　is　yours；〃　said　the　Princess；　with　a　generous　wave
of　her　brown　hand；　and　added　quickly；　〃Only；　of　course；　you
mustn't　take　anything　away　with　you。〃

〃We're　not　thieves！〃　said　Jimmy。　The　others　were　already　turning
over　the　wonderful　things　on　the　blue　velvet　shelves。

〃Perhaps　not；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃but　you're　a　very　unbelieving
little　boy。　You　think　I　can't　see　inside　you；　but　I　can。　I　know　what
you've　been　thinking。〃　

〃What？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Oh；　you　know　well　enough；〃　said　the　Princess。　〃You're　thinking
about　the　bread　and　cheese　that　I　changed　into　beef；　and　about
your　secret　fault。　I　say；　let's　all　dress　up　and　you　be　princes　and
princesses　too。〃

〃To　crown　our　hero；〃　said　Gerald；　lifting　a　gold　crown　with　a　cross
on　the　top；　〃was　the　work　of　a　moment。〃　He　put　the　crown　on　his
head；　and　added　a　collar　of　SS　and　a　zone　of　sparkling　emeralds；
which　would　not　quite　meet　round　his　middle。　He　turned　from
fixing　it　by　an　ingenious　adaptation　of　his　belt　to　find　the　others
already　decked　with　diadems；　necklaces；　and　rings。

〃How　splendid　you　look！〃　said　the　Princess；　〃and　how　I　wish　your
clothes　were　prettier。　What　ugly　clothes　people　wear　nowadays！　A
hundred　years　ago　〃

Kathleen　stood　quite　still　with　a　diamond　bracelet　raised　in　her
hand。

〃I　say；〃　she　said。　〃The　King　and　Queen？〃

〃What　King　and　Queen？〃　asked　the　Princess。

〃Your　father　and　mother；〃　your　sorrowing　parents；　said　Kathleen。
〃They'll　have　waked　up　by　now。　Won't　they　be　wanting　to　see　you；
after　a　hundred　years；　you　know？〃

〃Oh　ah　yes；〃　said　the　Princess　slowly。　〃I　embraced　my　rejoicing
parents　when　I　got　the　bread　and　cheese。　They　re　having　their
dinner。　They　won't　expect　me　yet。　Here；〃　she　added；　hastily　putting
a　ruby　bracelet　on　Kathleen's　arm；　〃see　how　splendid　that　is！〃　

Kathleen　would　have　been　quite　content　to　go　on　all　day　trying　on
different　jewels　and　looking　at　herself　in　the　little　silver…framed
mirror　that　the　Princess　took　from　one　of　the　shelves；　but　the　boys
were　soon　weary　of　this　amusement。

〃Look　here；〃　said　Gerald；　〃if　you're　sure　your　father　and　mother
won't　want　you；　let's　go　out　and　have　a　jolly　good　game　of
something。　You　could　play　besieged　castles　awfully　well　in　that
maze　unless　you　can　do　any　more　magic　tricks。〃　

〃You　forget；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃I'm　grown　up。　I　don't　play　games。
And　I　don't　like　to　do　too　much　magic　at　a　time；　it's　so　tiring。
Besides；　it'll　take　us　ever　so　long　to　put　all　these　things　back　in
their　proper　places。〃　

It　did。　The　children　would　have　laid　the　jewels　just　anywhere；　but
the　Princess　showed　them　that　every　necklace；　or　ring；　or　bracelet
had　its　own　home　on　the　velvet　a　slight　hollowing　in　the　shelf
beneath；　so　that　each　stone　fitted　into　its　own　little　nest。

As　Kathleen　was　fitting　the　last　shining　ornament　into　its　proper
place；　she　saw　that　part　of　the　shelf　near　it　held；　not　bright　jewels；
but　rings　and　brooches　and　chains；　as　well　as　queer　things　that　she
did　not　know　the　names　of；　and　all　were　of　dull　metal　and　odd
shapes。

〃What's　all　this　rubbish？〃　she　asked。

〃Rubbish；　indeed！〃　said　the　Princess。　〃Why　those　are　all　magic
things！　This　bracelet　anyone　who　wears　it　has　got　to　speak　the
truth。　This　chain　makes　you　as　strong　as　ten　men；　if　you　wear　this
spur　your　horse　will　go　a　mile　a　minute；　or　if　you're　walking　it's　the
same　as　seven…league　boots。〃

〃What　does　this　brooch　do？〃　asked　Kathleen；　reaching　out　her
hand。　The　princess　caught　her　by　the　wrist。

〃You　mustn't　touch；〃　she　said；　〃if　anyone　but　me　touches　them　all
the　magic　goes　out　at　once　and　never　comes　back。　That　brooch
will　give　you　any　wish　you　like。〃　

〃And　this　ring？〃　Jimmy　pointed。

〃Oh；　that　makes　you　invisible。〃　

〃What's　this？〃　asked　Gerald；　showing　a　curious　buckle。

〃Oh；　that　undoes　the　effect　of　all　the　other　charms。〃　

〃Do　you　mean　really？〃　Jimmy　asked。　〃You're　not　just　kidding？〃

〃Kidding　indeed！〃　repeated　the　Princess　scornfully。　〃I　should　have
thought　I'd　shown　you　enough　magic　to　prevent　you　speaking　to　a
Princess　like　that！〃　

〃I　say；〃　said　Gerald；　visibly　excited。　〃You　might　show　us　how
some　of　the　things　act。　Couldn't　you　give　us　each　a　wish？〃

The　Princess　did　not　at　once　answer。　And　the　minds　of　the　three
played　with　granted　wishes　brilliant　yet　thoroughly　reasonable　　the
kind　of　wish　that　never　seems　to　occur　to　people　in　fairy…tales
when　they　suddenly　get　a　chance　to　have　their　three　wishes
granted。

〃No；〃　said　the　Princess　suddenly；　〃no；　I　can't　give　wishes　to　you；　it
only　gives　me　wishes。　But　I'll　let　you　see　the　ring　make　me
invisible。　Only　you　must　shut　your　eyes　while　I　do　it。〃　

They　shut　them。

〃Count　fifty；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃and　then　you　may　look。　And　then
you　must　shut　them　again；　and　count　fifty；　and　I'll　reappear。〃　

Gerald　counted；　aloud。　Through　the　counting　one　could　hear　a
creaking；　rustling　sound。

〃Forty…seven；　forty…eight；　forty…nine；　fifty！〃　said　Gerald；　and　they
opened　their　eyes。

They　were　alone　in　the　room。　The　jewels　had　vanished　and　so　had
the　Princess。

〃She's　gone　out　by　the　door；　of　course；〃　said　Jimmy；　but　the　door
was　locked。

〃That　is　magic；〃　said　Kathleen　breathlessly。　〃Maskelyne　and
Devant　can　do　that　trick；　said　Jimmy。　〃And　I　want　my　tea。〃　

〃Your　tea！〃　Gerald's　tone　was　full　of　contempt。　〃The　lovely
Princess；　he　went　on；　〃reappeared　as　soon　as　our　hero　had　finished
counting　fifty。　One；　two；　three；　four　；〃

Gerald　and　Kathleen　had　both　closed　their　eyes。　But　somehow
Jimmy　hadn't。　He　didn't　mean　to　cheat；　he　just　forgot。　And　as
Gerald's　count　reached　twenty　he　saw　a　panel　under　the　window
open　slowly。

〃Her；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃I　knew　it　was　a　trick！〃　and　at　once　shut
his　eyes；　like　an　honourable　little　boy。

On　the　word　〃fifty〃　six　eyes　opened。　And　the　panel　was　closed　and
there　was　no　Princess。

〃She　hasn't　pulled　it　off　this　time；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Perhaps　you'd
better　count　again；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃I　believe　there's　a　cupboard
under　the　window；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃and　she's　hidden　in　it。　Secret
panel；　you　know。〃　

〃You　looked！　That's　cheating；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　Princess　so
close　to　his　ear　that　he　quite　jumped。

〃I　didn't　cheat。〃　

〃Where　on　earth　What　ever　；〃　said　all　three　together。　For　still　there
was　no　Princess　to　be　seen。

〃Come　back　visible；　Princess　dear；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Shall　we　shut
our　eyes　and　count　again？〃

〃Don't　be　silly！〃　said　the　voice　of　the　Princess；　and　it　sounded　very
cross。

〃We're　not　silly；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　his　voice　was　cross　too。　〃Why
can't　you　come　back　and　have　done　with　it？　You　know　you're　only
hiding。〃　

〃Don't！〃　said　Kathleen　gently。　〃She　is　invisible；　you　know。〃　

〃So　should　I　be　if　I　got　into　the　cupboard；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　the　sneering　tone　of　the　Princess；　〃you　think
yourselves　very　clever；　I　dare　say。　But　I　don't　mind。　We'll　play　that
you　can't　see　me；　if　you　like。〃　

〃Well；　but　we　can't；〃　said　Gerald。　〃It's　no　use　getting　in　a　wax。　If
you're　hiding；　as　Jimmy　says；　you'd　better　come　out。　If　you've
really　turned　invisible；　you'd　better　make　yourself　visible　again。〃　

〃Do　you　really　mean；〃　asked　a　voice　quite　changed；　but　still　the
Princess's；　〃that　you　can't　see　me？〃

〃Can't　you　see　we　can't？〃　asked　Jimmy　rather　unreasonably。

The　sun　was　blazing　in　at　the　window；　the　eight…sided　room　was
very　hot；　and　everyone　was　getting　cross。

〃You　can't　see　me？〃　There　was　the　sound　of　a　sob　in　the　voice　of
the　invisible　Princess。

〃No；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃and　I　want　my　tea　and　〃

What　he　was　saying　was　broken　off　short；　as　one　might　break　a
stick　of　sealing　wax。　And　then　in　the　golden　afternoon　a　really
quite　horrid　thing　happened：　Jimmy　suddenly　leaned　backwards；
then　forwards；　his　eyes　opened　wide　and　his　mouth　too。　Backward
and　forward　he　went；　very　quickly　and　abruptly；　then　stood　still。

〃Oh；　he's　in　a　fit！　Oh；　Jimmy；　dear　Jimmy！〃　cried　Kathleen；
hurrying　to　him。　〃What　is　it；　dear；　what　is　it？〃

〃It's　not　a　fit；〃　gasped　Jimmy　angrily。　〃She　shook　me。〃　

〃Yes；　said　the　voice　of　the　Princess；　〃and　I'll　shake　him　again　if　he
keeps　on　saying　he　can't　see　me。〃　

〃You'd　better　shake　me；〃　said　Gerald　angrily。　〃I'm　nearer　your　own
size。〃　

And　instantly　she　did。　But　not　for　long。　The　moment　Gerald　felt
hands　on　his　shoulders　he　put　up　his　own　and　caught　those　other
hands　by　the　wrists。