the little white bird-第15部分

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Irene's　wings　（so　to　speak）　by　taking　her　to　a　dentist。



And　David　did　some　adorable　things。　　For　instance；　he　used　my

pockets　as　receptacles　into　which　he　put　any　article　he　might　not

happen　to　want　at　the　moment。　　He　shoved　it　in；　quite　as　if　they

were　his　own　pockets；　without　saying；　By　your　leave；　and　perhaps

I　discovered　it　on　reaching　homea　tin…soldier；　or　a　pistolwhen

I　put　it　on　my　mantleshelf　and　sighed。　　And　here　is　another

pleasant　memory。　　One　day　I　had　been　over…friendly　to　another

boy；　and；　after　enduring　it　for　some　time　David　up　and　struck

him。　　It　was　exactly　as　Porthos　does；　when　I　favour　other　dogs

（he　knocks　them　down　with　his　foot　and　stands　over　them；　looking

very　noble　and　stern）；　so　I　knew　its　meaning　at　once；　it　was

David's　first　public　intimation　that　he　knew　I　belonged　to　him。



Irene　scolded　him　for　striking　that　boy；　and　made　him　stand　in

disgrace　at　the　corner　of　a　seat　in　the　Broad　Walk。　　The　seat　at

the　corner　of　which　David　stood　suffering　for　love　of　me；　is　the

one　nearest　to　the　Round　Pond　to　persons　coming　from　the　north。



You　may　be　sure　that　she　and　I　had　words　over　this　fiendish

cruelty。　　When　next　we　met　I　treated　her　as　one　who　no　longer

existed；　and　at　first　she　bridled　and　then　was　depressed；　and　as

I　was　going　away　she　burst　into　tears。　　She　cried　because　neither

at　meeting　nor　parting　had　I　lifted　my　hat　to　her；　a　foolish

custom　of　mine；　of　which；　as　I　now　learned　to　my　surprise；　she

was　very　proud。　　She　and　I　still　have　our　tiffs；　but　I　have　never

since　then　forgotten　to　lift　my　hat　to　Irene。　　I　also　made　her

promise　to　bow　to　me；　at　which　she　affected　to　scoff；　saying　I

was　taking　my　fun　of　her；　but　she　was　really　pleased；　and　I　tell

you；　Irene　has　one　of　the　prettiest　and　most　touching　little　bows

imaginable；　it　is　half　to　the　side　（if　I　may　so　express　myself）；

which　has　always　been　my　favourite　bow；　and；　I　doubt　not；　she

acquired　it　by　watching　Mary。



I　should　be　sorry　to　have　it　thought；　as　you　may　now　be　thinking；

that　I　look　on　children　as　on　puppy…dogs；　who　care　only　for　play。

Perhaps　that　was　my　idea　when　first　I　tried　to　lure　David　to　my

unaccustomed　arms；　and　even　for　some　time　after；　for　if　I　am　to

be　candid；　I　must　own　that　until　he　was　three　years　old　I　sought

merely　to　amuse　him。　　God　forgive　me；　but　I　had　only　one　day　a

week　in　which　to　capture　him；　and　I　was　very　raw　at　the　business。



I　was　about　to　say　that　David　opened　my　eyes　to　the　folly　of　it；

but　really　I　think　this　was　Irene's　doing。　　Watching　her　with

children　I　learned　that　partial　as　they　are　to　fun　they　are　moved

almost　more　profoundly　by　moral　excellence。　　So　fond　of　babes　was

this　little　mother　that　she　had　always　room　near　her　for　one

more；　and　often　have　I　seen　her　in　the　Gardens；　the　centre　of　a

dozen　mites　who　gazed　awestruck　at　her　while　she　told　them

severely　how　little　ladies　and　gentlemen　behave。　　They　were

children　of　the　well…to…pass；　and　she　was　from　Drury　Lane；　but

they　believed　in　her　as　the　greatest　of　all　authorities　on　little

ladies　and　gentlemen；　and　the　more　they　heard　of　how　these

romantic　creatures　keep　themselves　tidy　and　avoid　pools　and　wait

till　they　come　to　a　gate；　the　more　they　admired　them；　though

their　faces　showed　how　profoundly　they　felt　that　to　be　little

ladies　and　gentlemen　was　not　for　them。　　You　can't　think　what

hopeless　little　faces　they　were。



Children　are　not　at　all　like　puppies；　I　have　said。　　But　do

puppies　care　only　for　play？　　That　wistful　look；　which　the

merriest　of　them　sometimes　wear；　I　wonder　whether　it　means　that

they　would　like　to　hear　about　the　good　puppies？



As　you　shall　see；　I　invented　many　stories　for　David；　practising

the　telling　of　them　by　my　fireside　as　if　they　were　conjuring

feats；　while　Irene　knew　only　one；　but　she　told　it　as　never　has

any　other　fairy…tale　been　told　in　my　hearing。　　It　was　the

prettiest　of　them　all；　and　was　recited　by　the　heroine。



〃Why　were　the　king　and　queen　not　at　home？〃　David　would　ask　her

breathlessly。



〃I　suppose；〃　said　Irene；　thinking　it　out；　〃they　was　away　buying

the　victuals。〃



She　always　told　the　story　gazing　into　vacancy；　so　that　David

thought　it　was　really　happening　somewhere　up　the　Broad　Walk；　and

when　she　came　to　its　great　moments　her　little　bosom　heaved。　

Never　shall　I　forget　the　concentrated　scorn　with　which　the　prince

said　to　the　sisters；　〃Neither　of　you　ain't　the　one　what　wore　the

glass　slipper。〃



〃And　thenand　thenand　then；〃　said　Irene；　not　artistically　to

increase　the　suspense；　but　because　it　was　all　so　glorious　to　her。



〃Tell　metell　me　quick；〃　cried　David；　though　he　knew　the　tale　by

heart。



〃She　sits　down　like；〃　said　Irene；　trembling　in　second…sight；　〃and

she　tries　on　the　glass　slipper；　and　it　fits　her　to　a　T；　and　then

the　prince；　he　cries　in　a　ringing　voice；　'This　here　is　my　true

love；　Cinderella；　what　now　I　makes　my　lawful　wedded　wife。'〃



Then　she　would　come　out　of　her　dream；　and　look　round　at　the

grandees　of　the　Gardens　with　an　extraordinary　elation。　　〃Her；　as

was　only　a　kitchen　drudge；〃　she　would　say　in　a　strange　soft　voice

and　with　shining　eyes；　〃but　was　true　and　faithful　in　word　and

deed；　such　was　her　reward。〃



I　am　sure　that　had　the　fairy　godmother　appeared　just　then　and

touched　Irene　with　her　wand；　David　would　have　been　interested

rather　than　astonished。　　As　for　myself；　I　believe　I　have

surprised　this　little　girl's　secret。　　She　knows　there　are　no

fairy　godmothers　nowadays；　but　she　hopes　that　if　she　is　always

true　and　faithful　she　may　some　day　turn　into　a　lady　in　word　and

deed；　like　the　mistress　whom　she　adores。



It　is　a　dead　secret；　a　Drury　Lane　child's　romance；　but　what　an

amount　of　heavy　artillery　will　be　brought　to　bear　against　it　in

this　sad　London　of　ours。　　Not　much　chance　for　her；　I　suppose。



Good　luck　to　you；　Irene。





XIII



The　Grand　Tour　of　the　Gardens



You　must　see　for　yourselves　that　it　will　be　difficult　to　follow

our　adventures　unless　you　are　familiar　with　the　Kensington

Gardens；　as　they　now　became　known　to　David。　　They　are　in　London；

where　the　King　lives；　and　you　go　to　them　every　day　unless　you　are

looking　decidedly　flushed；　but　no　one　has　ever　been　in　the　whole

of　the　Gardens；　because　it　is　so　soon　time　to　turn　back。　　The

reason　it　is　soon　time　to　turn　back　is　that　you　sleep　from　twelve

to　one。　　If　your　mother　was　not　so　sure　that　you　sleep　from

twelve　to　one；　you　could　most　likely　see　the　whole　of　them。



The　Gardens　are　bounded　on　one　side　by　a　never…ending　line　of

omnibuses；　over　which　Irene　has　such　authority　that　if　she　holds

up　her　finger　to　any　one　of　them　it　stops　immediately。　　She　then

crosses　with　you　in　safety　to　the　other　side。　　There　are　more

gates　to　the　Gardens　than　one　gate；　but　that　is　the　one　you　go　in

at；　and　before　you　go　in　you　speak　to　the　lady　with　the　balloons；

who　sits　just　outside。　　This　is　as　near　to　being　inside　as　she

may　venture；　because；　if　she　were　to　let　go　her　hold　of　the

railings　for　one　moment；　the　balloons　would　lift　her　up；　and　she

would　be　flown　away。　　She　sits　very　squat；　for　the　balloons　are

always　tugging　at　her；　and　the　strain　has　given　her　quite　a　red

face。　Once　she　was　a　new　one；　because　the　old　one　had　let　go；　and

David　was　very　sorry　for　the　old　one；　but　as　she　did　let　go；　he

wished　he　had　been　there　to　see。



The　Gardens　are　a　tremendous　big　place；　with　millions　and

hundreds　of　trees；　and　first　you　come　to　the　Figs；　but　you　scorn

to　loiter　there；　for　the　Figs　is　the　resort　of　superior　little

persons；　who　are　forbidden　to　mix　with　the　commonalty；　and　is　so

named；　according　to　legend；　because　they　dress　in　full　fig。　

These　dainty　ones　are　themselves　contemptuously　called　Figs　by

David　and　other　heroes；　and　you　have　a　key　to　the　manners　and

customs　of　this　dandiacal　section　of　the　Gardens　when　I　tell　you

that　cricket　is　called　crickets　here。　　Occasionally　a　rebel　Fig

climbs　over　the　fence　into　the　world；　and　such　a　one　was　Miss

Mabel　Grey；　of　whom　I　shall　tell　you　when　we　come　to　Miss　Mabel

Grey's　gate。　　She　was　the　only　really　celebrated　Fig。



We　are　now　in　the　Broad　Walk；　and　it　is　as　much　bigger　than　the

other　walks　as　your　father　is　bigger　than　you。　　David　wondered　if

it　began　little；　and　grew　and　grew；　till　it　was　quite　grown　up；

and　whether　the　other　walks　are　its　babies；　and　he　drew　a

picture；　which　diverted　him　very　much；　of　the　Broad　Walk　giving　a

tiny　walk　an　airing　in　a　perambulator。　　In　the　Broad　Walk　you

meet　all　the　people　who　are　worth　knowing；　and　there　is　usually　a

grown…up　with　them　to　prevent　their　going　on　the　damp　grass；　and

to　make　them　stand　disgraced　at　the　corner　of　a　seat　if　they　have

been　mad…dog　or　Mary…Annish。　　To　be　Mary…Annish　is　to　behave　like

a　girl；　whimpering　because　nurse　won't　carry　you；　or　simpering

with　your　thumb　in　your　mouth；　and　it　is　a　hateful　quality；　but

to　be　mad…　dog　is　to　kick　out　at　everything；　and　there　is　some

satisfaction　in　that。



If　I　were　to　point　out　all　the　notable　places　as　we　pass　up　the

Broad　Walk；　it　would　be　time　to　turn　back　before　we　reach　them；

and　I　simply　wave　my　stick　at　Cecco's　Tree；　that　memorable　spot

where　a　boy　called　Cecco　lost　his　penny；　and；　looking　for　it；

found　twopence。　　There　has　been　a　good　deal　of　excavation　going

on　there　ever　since。　　Farther　up　the　walk　is　the　little　wooden

house　in　which　Marmaduke　Perry　hid。　　There　is　no　more　awful　story

of　the　Gardens　by　day　than　this　of　Marmaduke　Perry；　who　had　been

Mary…　Annish　three　days　in　succession；　and　was　sentenced　to

appear　in　the　Broad　Walk　dressed　in　his　sister's　clothes。　　He　hid

in　the　little　wooden　house；　and　refused　to　emerge　until　they

brought　him　knickerbockers　with　pockets。



You　now　try　to　go　to　the　Round　Pond；　but　nurses　hate　it；　because

they　are　not　really　manly；　and　they　make　you　look　the　other　way；

at　the　Big　Penny　and　the　Baby's　Palace。　　She　was　the　most

celebrated　baby　of