the enchanted castle-第9部分

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as　possible。

They　stood　near　a　large　lady　who　was　watching　the　Coconut　shies；
and　presently　saw　a　strange　figure　with　its　hands　in　its　pockets
strolling　across　the　trampled　yellowy　grass　among　the　bits　of
drifting　paper　and　the　sticks　and　straws　that　always　litter　the
ground　of　an　English　fair。　It　was　Gerald；　but　at　first　they　hardly
knew　him。　He　had　taken　off　his　tie；　and　round　his　head；　arranged
like　a　turban；　was　the　crimson　school…scarf　that　had　supported　his
white　flannels。　The　tie；　one　supposed；　had　taken　on　the　duties　of
the　handkerchief。　And　his　face　and　hands　were　a　bright　black；　like
very　nicely　polished　stoves！

Everyone　turned　to　look　at　him。

〃He's　just　like　a　conjurer！〃　whispered　Jimmy。　〃I　don't　suppose　it'll
ever　come　off；　do　you？〃

They　followed　him　at　a　distance；　and　when　he　went　close　to　the
door　of　a　small　tent；　against　whose　door…post　a　long…faced
melancholy　woman　was　lounging；　they　stopped　and　tried　to　look　as
though　they　belonged　to　a　farmer　who　strove　to　send　up　a　number
by　banging　with　a　big　mallet　on　a　wooden　block。

Gerald　went　up　to　the　woman。

〃Taken　much？〃　he　asked；　and　was　told；　but　not　harshly；　to　go　away
with　his　impudence。

〃I'm　in　business　myself；〃　said　Gerald；　〃I'm　a　conjurer；　from　India。〃　

〃Not　you！〃　said　the　woman；　〃you　ain't　no　conjurer。　Why；　the　backs
of　yer　ears　is　all　white。〃　

〃Are　they？〃　said　Gerald。　〃How　clever　of　you　to　see　that！〃　He
rubbed　them　with　his　hands。　〃That　better？〃

〃That's　all　right。　What's　your　little　game？〃

〃Conjuring；　really　and　truly；〃　said　Gerald。　〃There's　smaller　boys
than　me　put　on　to　it　in　India。　Look　here；　I　owe　you　one　for　telling
me　about　my　ears。　If　you　like　to　run　the　show　for　me　I'll　go　shares。
Let　me　have　your　tent　to　perform　in；　and　you　do　the　patter　at　the
door。　

〃Lor　love　you！　I　can't　do　no　patter。　And　you're　getting　at　me。　Let's
see　you　do　a　bit　of　conjuring；　since　you're　so　clever　an　all。〃　

〃Right　you　are；〃　said　Gerald　firmly。　〃You　see　this　apple？　Well；　I'll
make　it　move　slowly　through　the　air；　and　then　when　I　say　〃Go！〃
it'll　vanish。〃　

〃Yes　into　your　mouth！　Get　away　with　your　nonsense。〃　

〃You're　too　clever　to　be　so　unbelieving；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Look　here！〃　

He　held　out　one　of　the　little　apples；　and　the　woman　saw　it　move
slowly　and　unsupported　along　the　air。

〃Now　go！〃　cried　Gerald；　to　the　apple；　and　it　went。　〃How's　that？〃　he
asked；　in　tones　of　triumph。

The　woman　was　glowing　with　excitement；　and　her　eyes　shone。
〃The　best　I　ever　see！〃　she　whispered。　〃I'm　on；　mate；　if　you　know
any　more　tricks　like　that。〃　

〃Heaps；〃　said　Gerald　confidently；　〃hold　out　your　hand。〃　The
woman　held　it　out；　and　from　nowhere；　as　it　seemed；　the　apple
appeared　and　was　laid　on　her　hand。　The　apple　was　rather　damp。

She　looked　at　it　a　moment；　and　then　whispered：

〃Come　on！　there's　to　be　no　one　in　it　but　just　us　two。　But　not　in　the
tent。　You　take　a　pitch　here；　'longside　the　tent。　It's　worth　twice　the
money　in　the　open　air。〃　

〃But　people　won't　pay　if　they　can　see　it　all　for　nothing。〃　

〃Not　for　the　first　turn；　but　they　will　after　　you　see。　And　you'll　have
to　do　the　patter。〃　

〃Will　you　lend　me　your　shawl？〃　Gerald　asked。　She　unpinned　it　it
was　a　red　and　black　plaid　and　he　spread　it　on　the　ground　as　he　had
seen　Indian　conjurers　do；　and　seated　himself　cross…legged　behind
it。

〃I　mustn't　have　anyone　behind　me；　that's　all；〃　he　said；　and　the
woman　hastily　screened　off　a　little　enclosure　for　him　by　hanging
old　sacks　to　two　of　the　guy…ropes　of　the　tent。　〃Now　I'm　ready；　he
said。　The　woman　got　a　drum　from　the　inside　of　the　tent　and　beat　it。
Quite　soon　a　little　crowd　had　collected。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　Gerald；　〃I　come　from　India；　and　I　can
do　a　conjuring　entertainment　the　like　of　which　you've　never　seen。
When　I　see　two　shillings　on　the　shawl　I'll　begin。〃　

〃I　dare　say　you　will！〃　said　a　bystander；　and　there　were　several
short；　disagreeable　laughs。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Gerald；　〃if　you　can't　afford　two　shillings　between
you〃　there　were　about　thirty　people　in　the　crowd　by　now　〃I　say　no
more。〃　

Two　or　three　pennies　fell　on　the　shawl；　then　a　few　more　then　the
fall　of　copper　ceased。

〃Ninepence；〃　said　Gerald。　〃Well；　I've　got　a　generous　nature。　You'll
get　such　a　ninepennyworth　as　you've　never　had　before。　I　don't　wish
to　deceive　you　I　have　an　accomplice；　but　my　accomplice　is
invisible。〃　

The　crowd　snorted。

〃By　the　aid　of　that　accomplice；〃　Gerald　went　on；　〃I　will　read　any
letter　that　any　of　you　may　have　in　your　pocket。　If　one　of　you　will
just　step　over　the　rope　and　stand　beside　me；　my　invisible
accomplice　will　read　that　letter　over　his　shoulder。〃　

A　man　stepped　forward；　a　ruddy…faced；　horsy…looking　person。　He
pulled　a　letter　from　his　pocket　and　stood　plain　in　the　sight　of　all；　in
a　place　where　everyone　saw　that　no　one　could　see　over　his
shoulder。

〃Now！〃　said　Gerald。　There　was　a　moment's　pause。　Then　from　quite
the　other　side　of　the　enclosure　came　a　faint；　faraway；　sing…song
voice。　It　said：

〃SIR　Yours　of　the　fifteenth　duly　to　hand。　With　regard　to　the
mortgage　on　your　land；　we　regret　our　inability　〃

〃Stow　it！〃　cried　the　man；　turning　threateningly　on　Gerald。

He　stepped　out　of　the　enclosure　explaining　that　there　was　nothing
of　that　sort　in　his　letter；　but　nobody　believed　him；　and　a　buzz　of
interested　chatter　began　in　the　crowd；　ceasing　abruptly　when
Gerald　began　to　speak。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　laying　the　nine　pennies　down　on　the　shawl；　〃you
keep　your　eyes　on　those　pennies；　and　one　by　one　you'll　see　them
disappear。〃　

And　of　course　they　did。　Then　one　by　one　they　were　laid　down
again　by　the　invisible　hand　of　Mabel。　The　crowd　clapped　loudly。
〃Bravo！〃　〃That's　something　like！〃　〃Show　us　another！〃　cried　the
people　in　the　front　rank。　And　those　behind　pushed　forward。

〃Now；〃　said　Gerald；　〃you've　seen　what　I　can　do；　but　I　don't　do　any
more　till　I　see　five　shillings　on　this　carpet。〃　

And　in　two　minutes　seven…and…threepence　lay　there　and　Gerald　did
a　little　more　conjuring。

When　the　people　in　front　didn't　want　to　give　any　more　money；
Gerald　asked　them　to　stand　back　and　let　the　others　have　a　look　in。　I
wish　I　had　time　to　tell　you　of　all　the　tricks　he　did　the　grass　round
his　enclosure　was　absolutely　trampled　off　by　the　feet　of　the　people
who　thronged　to　look　at　him。　There　is　really　hardly　any　limit　to　the
wonders　you　can　do　if　you　have　an　invisible　accomplice。　All　sorts
of　things　were　made　to　move　about；　apparently　by　themselves；　and
even　to　vanish　into　the　folds　of　Mabel's　clothing。　The　woman　stood
by；　looking　more　and　more　pleasant　as　she　saw　the　money　come
tumbling　in；　and　beating　her　shabby　drum　every　time　Gerald
stopped　conjuring。

The　news　of　the　conjurer　had　spread　all　over　the　fair。　The　crowd
was　frantic　with　admiration。　The　man　who　ran　the　coconut　shies
begged　Gerald　to　throw　in　his　lot　with　him；　the　owner　of　the　rifle
gallery　offered　him　free　board　and　lodging　and　go　shares；　and　a
brisk；　broad　lady；　in　stiff　black　silk　and　a　violet　bonnet；　tried　to
engage　him　for　the　forthcoming　Bazaar　for　Reformed　Bandsmen。

And　all　this　time　the　others　mingled　with　the　crowd　　quite
unobserved；　for　who　could　have　eyes　for　anyone　but　Gerald？　It　was
getting　quite　late；　long　past　tea…time；　and　Gerald；　who　was　getting
very　tired　indeed；　and　was　quite　satisfied　with　his　share　of　the
money；　was　racking　his　brains　for　a　way　to　get　out　of　it。

〃How　are　we　to　hook　it？〃　he　murmured；　as　Mabel　made　his　cap
disappear　from　his　head　by　the　simple　process　of　taking　it　off　and
putting　it　in　her　pocket。

〃They'll　never　let　us　get　away。　I　didn't　think　of　that　before。〃　

〃Let　me　think！〃　whispered　Mabel；　and　next　moment　she　said；　close
to　his　ear：　〃Divide　the　money；　and　give　her　something　for　the
shawl。　Put　the　money　on　it　and　say。　。　。〃　She　told　him　what　to　say。

Gerald's　pitch　was　in　the　shade　of　the　tent；　otherwise；　of　course；
everyone　would　have　seen　the　shadow　of　the　invisible　Mabel　as
she　moved　about　making　things　vanish。

Gerald　told　the　woman　to　divide　the　money；　which　she　did
honestly　enough。

〃Now；〃　he　said；　while　the　impatient　crowd　pressed　closer　and
closer；　〃I'll　give　you　five　bob　for　your　shawl。　

〃Seven…and…six；〃　said　the　woman　mechanically。

〃Righto！〃　said　Gerald；　putting　his　heavy　share　of　the　money　in　his
trouser　pocket。

〃This　shawl　will　now　disappear；〃　he　said；　picking　it　up。　He　handed
it　to　Mabel；　who　put　it　on；　and；　of　course；　it　disappeared。　A　roar　of
applause　went　up　from　the　audience。

〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃I　come　to　the　last　trick　of　all。　I　shall　take　three
steps　backwards　and　vanish。　He　took　three　steps　backwards；　Mabel
wrapped　the　invisible　shawl　round　him；　and　he　did　not　vanish。　The
shawl；　being　invisible；　did　not　conceal　him　in　the　least。

〃Yah！〃　cried　a　boy's　voice　in　the　crowd。　〃Look　at　〃im！　〃E　knows　〃e
can't　do　it。〃　

〃I　wish　I　could　put　you　in　my　pocket；〃　said　Mabel。　The　crowd　was
crowding　closer。　At　any　moment　they　might　touch　Mabel；　and　then
anything　might　happen　　simply　anything。　Gerald　took　hold　of　his
hair　with　both　hands；　as　his　way　was　when　he　was　anxious　or
discouraged。　Mabel；　in　invisibility；　wrung　her　hands；　as　people　are
said　to　do　in　books　　that　is；　she　clasped　them　and　squeezed　very
tight。

〃Oh！〃　she　whispered　suddenly；　〃it's　loose。　I　can　get　it　off。〃　

〃Not　〃

〃Yes　the　ring。〃　

〃Come　on；　young　master。　Give　us　summat　for　our　money；〃　a　farm
labourer　shouted。

〃I　will；〃　said　Gerald。　〃This　time　I　really　will　vanish。　Slip　round
into　the　tent；〃　he　whispered　to　Mabel。

〃Push　the　ring　under　the　canvas。　Then　slip　out　at　the　back　and　join
the　others。　When　I　see　you　with　them　I'll　disappear。　Go　slow；　and
I'll　catch　you　up。〃　

〃It's　me；〃　said　a　pale　and　obvious　Mabel　in　the　ear　of　Kathleen。
〃He's　got　the　ring；　come　on；　before　the　crowd　begins　to　scatter。〃　

As　they　went　out　of　the　gate　they　heard　a　roar　of　surprise　and
annoyance　rise　from　the　crowd；　and　knew　that　this　time　Gerald
really　had　disappeared。

They　had　gone　a　mile　before　they　heard　footsteps　on　the　road；　and
looked　back。　No　one　was　to　be　seen。

Next　moment　Gerald's　voice　spoke　out　of　clear；　empty…looking
space。

〃Halloa！〃　it　said　gloomily。

〃How　horrid！〃　cried　Mabel；　〃you　did　make　me　jump！　Take　the　ring
off；