the story of the treasure seekers-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





So　Oswald　said；　'Fair　priestess；　we　do　greatly　desire　to　find　gold

beneath　our　land；　therefore　we　pray　thee　practise　with　the

divining…rod；　and　tell　us　where　we　can　find　it。'



'Do　ye　desire　to　fashion　of　it　helms　and　hauberks？'　said　Alice。



'Yes；'　said　Noel；　'and　chains　and　ouches。'



'I　bet　you　don't　know　what　an　〃ouch〃　is；'　said　Dicky。



'Yes　I　do；　so　there！'　said　Noel。　　'It's　a　carcanet。　　I　looked　it

out　in　the　dicker；　now　then！'

We　asked　him　what　a　carcanet　was；　but　he　wouldn't　say。



'And　we　want　to　make　fair　goblets　of　the　gold；'　said　Oswald。



'Yes；　to　drink　coconut　milk　out　of；'　said　H。　O。



'And　we　desire　to　build　fair　palaces　of　it；'　said　Dicky。



'And　to　buy　things；'　said　Dora；　'a　great　many　things。　　New　Sunday

frocks　and　hats　and　kid　gloves　and　…'



She　would　have　gone　on　for　ever　so　long　only　we　reminded　her　that

we　hadn't　found　the　gold　yet。



By　this　Alice　had　put　on　the　nursery　tablecloth；　which　is　green；

and　tied　the　old　blue　and　yellow　antimacassar　over　her　head；　and

she　said　…



'If　your　intentions　are　correct；　fear　nothing　and　follow　me。'



And　she　went　down　into　the　hall。　　We　all　followed　chanting

'Heroes。'　　It　is　a　gloomy　thing　the　girls　learnt　at　the　High

School；　and　we　always　use　it　when　we　want　a　priestly　chant。



Alice　stopped　short　by　the　hat…stand；　and　held　up　her　hands　as　well

as　she　could　for　the　tablecloth；　and　said　…



'Now；　great　altar　of　the　golden　idol；　yield　me　the　divining…rod

that　I　may　use　it　for　the　good　of　the　suffering　people。'



The　umbrella…stand　was　the　altar　of　the　golden　idol；　and　it　yielded

her　the　old　school　umbrella。　　She　carried　it　between　her　palms。



'Now；'　she　said；　'I　shall　sing　the　magic　chant。　　You　mustn't　say

anything；　but　just　follow　wherever　I　go　…　like　follow　my　leader；

you　know　…　and　when　there　is　gold　underneath　the　magic　rod　will

twist　in　the　hand　of　the　priestess　like　a　live　thing　that　seeks　to

be　free。　　Then　you　will　dig；　and　the　golden　treasure　will　be

revealed。　　H。　O。；　if　you　make　that　clatter　with　your　boots　they'll

come　and　tell　us　not　to。　　Now　come　on　all　of　you。'



So　she　went　upstairs　and　down　and　into　every　room。　　We　followed　her

on　tiptoe；　and　Alice　sang　as　she　went。　　What　she　sang　is　not　out　of

a　book　…　Noel　made　it　up　while　she　was　dressing　up　for　the

priestess。



Ashen　rod　cold

That　here　I　hold；

Teach　me　where　to　find　the　gold。





When　we　came　to　where　Eliza　was；　she　said；　'Get　along　with　you'；

but　Dora　said　it　was　only　a　game；　and　we　wouldn't　touch　anything；

and　our　boots　were　quite　clean；　and　Eliza　might　as　well　let　us。　　So

she　did。



It　was　all　right　for　the　priestess；　but　it　was　a　little　dull　for

the　rest　of　us；　because　she　wouldn't　let　us　sing；　too；　so　we　said

we'd　had　enough　of　it；　and　if　she　couldn't　find　the　gold　we'd　leave

off　and　play　something　else。　　The　priestess　said；　'All　right；　wait

a　minute；'　and　went　on　singing。　　Then　we　all　followed　her　back　into

the　nursery；　where　the　carpet　was　up　and　the　boards　smelt　of　soft

soap。　　Then　she　said；　'It　moves；　it　moves！　　Once　more　the　choral

hymn！'　　So　we　sang　'Heroes'　again；　and　in　the　middle　the　umbrella

dropped　from　her　hands。



'The　magic　rod　has　spoken；'　said　Alice；　'dig　here；　and　that　with

courage　and　despatch。'　　We　didn't　quite　see　how　to　dig；　but　we　all

began　to　scratch　on　the　floor　with　our　hands；　but　the　priestess

said；　'Don't　be　so　silly！　　It's　the　place　where　they　come　to　do　the

gas。　　The　board's　loose。　　Dig　an　you　value　your　lives；　for　ere

sundown　the　dragon　who　guards　this　spoil　will　return　in　his　fiery

fury　and　make　you　his　unresisting　prey。'



So　we　dug　…　that　is；　we　got　the　loose　board　up。　　And　Alice　threw　up

her　arms　and　cried　…



'See　the　rich　treasure　…　the　gold　in　thick　layers；　with　silver　and

diamonds　stuck　in　it！'



'Like　currants　in　cake；'　said　H。　O。



'It's　a　lovely　treasure；'　said　Dicky　yawning。　　'Let's　come　back　and

carry　it　away　another　day。'



But　Alice　was　kneeling　by　the　hole。



'Let　me　feast　my　eyes　on　the　golden　splendour；'　she　said；　'hidden

these　long　centuries　from　the　human　eye。　　Behold　how　the　magic　rod

has　led　us　to　treasures　more　…　Oswald；　don't　push　so！　…　more　bright

than　ever　monarch　…　I　say；　there　is　something　down　there；　really。　

I　saw　it　shine！'



We　thought　she　was　kidding；　but　when　she　began　to　try　to　get　into

the　hole；　which　was　much　too　small；　we　saw　she　meant　it；　so　I　said；

'Let's　have　a　squint；'　and　I　looked；　but　I　couldn't　see　anything；

even　when　I　lay　down　on　my　stomach。　　The　others　lay　down　on　their

stomachs　too　and　tried　to　see；　all　but　Noel；　who　stood　and　looked

at　us　and　said　we　were　the　great　serpents　come　down　to　drink　at　the

magic　pool。　　He　wanted　to　be　the　knight　and　slay　the　great　serpents

with　his　good　sword　…　he　even　drew　the　umbrella　ready　…　but　Alice

said；　'All　right；　we　will　in　a　minute。　　But　now　…　I'm　sure　I　saw

it；　do　get　a　match；　Noel；　there's　a　dear。'



'What　did　you　see？'　asked　Noel；　beginning　to　go　for　the　matches

very　slowly。



'Something　bright；　away　in　the　corner　under　the　board　against　the

beam。'



'Perhaps　it　was　a　rat's　eye；'　Noel　said；　'or　a　snake's；'　and　we　did

not　put　our　heads　quite　so　close　to　the　hole　till　he　came　back　with

the　matches。



Then　I　struck　a　match；　and　Alice　cried；　'There　it　is！'　　And　there

it　was；　and　it　was　a　half…sovereign；　partly　dusty　and　partly

bright。　　We　think　perhaps　a　mouse；　disturbed　by　the　carpets　being

taken　up；　may　have　brushed　the　dust　of　years　from　part　of　the

half…sovereign　with　his　tail。　　We　can't　imagine　how　it　came　there；

only　Dora　thinks　she　remembers　once　when　H。　O。　was　very　little

Mother　gave　him　some　money　to　hold；　and　he　dropped　it；　and　it

rolled　all　over　the　floor。　　So　we　think　perhaps　this　was　part　of

it。　　We　were　very　glad。　　H。　O。　wanted　to　go　out　at　once　and　buy　a

mask　he　had　seen　for　fourpence。　　It　had　been　a　shilling　mask；　but

now　it　was　going　very　cheap　because　Guy　Fawkes'　Day　was　over；　and

it　was　a　little　cracked　at　the　top。　　but　Dora　said；　'I　don't　know

that　it's　our　money。　　Let's　wait　and　ask　Father。'



But　H。　O。　did　not　care　about　waiting；　and　I　felt　for　him。　　Dora　is

rather　like　grown…ups　in　that　way；　she　does　not　seem　to　understand

that　when　you　want　a　thing　you　do　want　it；　and　that　you　don't　wish

to　wait；　even　a　minute。



So　we　went　and　asked　Albert…next…door's　uncle。　　He　was　pegging　away

at　one　of　the　rotten　novels　he　has　to　write　to　make　his　living；　but

he　said　we　weren't　interrupting　him　at　all。



'My　hero's　folly　has　involved　him　in　a　difficulty；'　he　said。　　'It

is　his　own　fault。　　I　will　leave　him　to　meditate　on　the　incredible

fatuity　…　the　hare…　brained　recklessness　…　which　have　brought　him

to　this　pass。　　It　will　be　a　lesson　to　him。　　I；　meantime；　will　give

myself　unreservedly　to　the　pleasures　of　your　conversation。'



That's　one　thing　I　like　Albert's　uncle　for。　　He　always　talks　like

a　book；　and　yet　you　can　always　understand　what　he　means。　　I　think

he　is　more　like　us；　inside　of　his　mind；　than　most　grown…up　people

are。　　He　can　pretend　beautifully。　　I　never　met　anyone　else　so　good

at　it；　except　our　robber；　and　we　began　it；　with　him。　　But　it　was

Albert's　uncle　who　first　taught　us　how　to　make　people　talk　like

books　when　you're　playing　things；　and　he　made　us　learn　to　tell　a

story　straight　from　the　beginning；　not　starting　in　the　middle　like

most　people　do。　　So　now　Oswald　remembered　what　he　had　been　told；　as

he　generally　does；　and　began　at　the　beginning；　but　when　he　came　to

where　Alice　said　she　was　the　priestess；　Albert's　uncle　said　…



'Let　the　priestess　herself　set　forth　the　tale　in　fitting　speech。'



So　Alice　said；　'O　high　priest　of　the　great　idol；　the　humblest　of

thy　slaves　took　the　school　umbrella　for　a　divining…rod；　and　sang

the　song　of　inver　…　what's…it's…name？'



'Invocation　perhaps？'　said　Albert's　uncle。

'Yes；　and　then　I　went　about　and　about　and　the　others　got　tired；　so

the　divining…rod　fell　on　a　certain　spot；　and　I　said；　〃Dig〃；　and　we

dug　…　it　was　where　the　loose　board　is　for　the　gas　men　…　and　then

there　really　and　truly　was　a　half…sovereign　lying　under　the　boards；

and　here　it　is。'



Albert's　uncle　took　it　and　looked　at　it。



'The　great　high　priest　will　bite　it　to　see　if　it's　good；'　he　said；

and　he　did。　　'I　congratulate　you；'　he　went　on；　'you　are　indeed

among　those　favoured　by　the　Immortals。　　First　you　find　half…crowns

in　the　garden；　and　now　this。　　The　high　priest　advises　you　to　tell

your　Father；　and　ask　if　you　may　keep　it。　　My　hero　has　become

penitent；　but　impatient。　　I　must　pull　him　out　of　this　scrape。　　Ye

have　my　leave　to　depart。'



Of　course　we　know　from　Kipling　that　that　means；　'You'd　better　bunk；

and　be　sharp　about　it；'　so　we　came　away。　　I　do　like　Albert's　uncle。



I　shall　be　like　that　when　I'm　a　man。　　He　gave　us　our　jungle　books；

and　he　is　awfully　clever；　though　he　does　have　to　write　grown…up

tales。



We　told　Father　about　it　that　night。　　He　was　very　kind。　　He　said　we

might　certainly　have　the　half…sovereign；　and　he　hoped　we　should

enjoy　ourselves　with　our　treasure…trove。



Then　he　said；　'Your　dear　Mother's　Indian　Uncle　is　coming　to　dinner

here　to…morrow　night。　　So　will　you　not　drag　the　furniture　about

overhead；　please；　more　than　you're　absolutely　obliged；　and　H。　O。

might　wear　slippers　or　something。　　I　can　always　distinguish　the

note　of　H。　O。's　boots。'



We　said　we　would　be　very　quiet；　and　Father　went　on　…



'This　Indian　Uncle　is　not　used　to　children；　and　he　is　coming　to

talk　business　with　me。　　It　is　really　important　that　he　should　be

quiet。　　Do　you　think；　Dora；　that　perhaps　bed　at　six　for　H。　O。　and

Noel　…'



But　H。　O。　said；　'Father；　I　really　and　truly　won't　make　a　noise。　

I'll　stand　on　my　head　all　the　evening　sooner　than　disturb　the

Indian　Uncle　with　my　boots。'



And　Alice　said　Noel　never　made　a　row　anyhow。　　So　Father　laughed　and

said；　'All　right。'　　And　he　said　we　mi