the little white bird-第19部分

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Shelley's　boat；　as　I　am　now　to　tell　you。





XV



The　Thrush's　Nest



Shelley　was　a　young　gentleman　and　as　grown…up　as　he　need　ever

expect　to　be。　　He　was　a　poet；　and　they　are　never　exactly

grown…up。　They　are　people　who　despise　money　except　what　you　need

for　to…day；　and　he　had　all　that　and　five　pounds　over。　　So；　when

he　was　walking　in　the　Kensington　Gardens；　he　made　a　paper　boat　of

his　bank…note；　and　sent　it　sailing　on　the　Serpentine。



It　reached　the　island　at　night：　and　the　look…out　brought　it　to

Solomon　Caw；　who　thought　at　first　that　it　was　the　usual　thing；　a

message　from　a　lady；　saying　she　would　be　obliged　if　he　could　let

her　have　a　good　one。　　They　always　ask　for　the　best　one　he　has；

and　if　he　likes　the　letter　he　sends　one　from　Class　A；　but　if　it

ruffles　him　he　sends　very　funny　ones　indeed。　　Sometimes　he　sends

none　at　all；　and　at　another　time　he　sends　a　nestful；　it　all

depends　on　the　mood　you　catch　him　in。　　He　likes　you　to　leave　it

all　to　him；　and　if　you　mention　particularly　that　you　hope　he　will

see　his　way　to　making　it　a　boy　this　time；　he　is　almost　sure　to

send　another　girl。　　And　whether　you　are　a　lady　or　only　a　little

boy　who　wants　a　baby…sister；　always　take　pains　to　write　your

address　clearly。　　You　can't　think　what　a　lot　of　babies　Solomon

has　sent　to　the　wrong　house。



Shelley's　boat；　when　opened；　completely　puzzled　Solomon；　and　he

took　counsel　of　his　assistants；　who　having　walked　over　it　twice；

first　with　their　toes　pointed　out；　and　then　with　their　toes

pointed　in；　decided　that　it　came　from　some　greedy　person　who

wanted　five。　　They　thought　this　because　there　was　a　large　five

printed　on　it。　　〃Preposterous！〃　cried　Solomon　in　a　rage；　and　he

presented　it　to　Peter；　anything　useless　which　drifted　upon　the

island　was　usually　given　to　Peter　as　a　play…thing。



But　he　did　not　play　with　his　precious　bank…note；　for　he　knew　what

it　was　at　once；　having　been　very　observant　during　the　week　when

he　was　an　ordinary　boy。　　With　so　much　money；　he　reflected；　he

could　surely　at　last　contrive　to　reach　the　Gardens；　and　he

considered　all　the　possible　ways；　and　decided　（wisely；　I　think）

to　choose　the　best　way。　　But；　first；　he　had　to　tell　the　birds　of

the　value　of　Shelley's　boat；　and　though　they　were　too　honest　to

demand　it　back；　he　saw　that　they　were　galled；　and　they　cast　such

black　looks　at　Solomon；　who　was　rather　vain　of　his　cleverness；

that　he　flew　away　to　the　end　of　the　island；　and　sat　there　very

depressed　with　his　head　buried　in　his　wings。　　Now　Peter　knew　that

unless　Solomon　was　on　your　side；　you　never　got　anything　done　for

you　in　the　island；　so　he　followed　him　and　tried　to　hearten　him。



Nor　was　this　all　that　Peter　did　to　gain　the　powerful　old　fellow's

good　will。　　You　must　know　that　Solomon　had　no　intention　of

remaining　in　office　all　his　life。　　He　looked　forward　to　retiring

by…and…by；　and　devoting　his　green　old　age　to　a　life　of　pleasure

on　a　certain　yew…stump　in　the　Figs　which　had　taken　his　fancy；　and

for　years　he　had　been　quietly　filling　his　stocking。　　It　was　a

stocking　belonging　to　some　bathing　person　which　had　been　cast

upon　the　island；　and　at　the　time　I　speak　of　it　contained　a

hundred　and　eighty　crumbs；　thirty…four　nuts；　sixteen　crusts；　a

pen…wiper　and　a　boot…lace。　　When　his　stocking　was　full；　Solomon

calculated　that　he　would　be　able　to　retire　on　a　competency。　

Peter　now　gave　him　a　pound。　　He　cut　it　off　his　bank…note　with　a

sharp　stick。



This　made　Solomon　his　friend　for　ever；　and　after　the　two　had

consulted　together　they　called　a　meeting　of　the　thrushes。　　You

will　see　presently　why　thrushes　only　were　invited。



The　scheme　to　be　put　before　them　was　really　Peter's；　but　Solomon

did　most　of　the　talking；　because　he　soon　became　irritable　if

other　people　talked。　　He　began　by　saying　that　he　had　been　much

impressed　by　the　superior　ingenuity　shown　by　the　thrushes　in

nest…building；　and　this　put　them　into　good…humour　at　once；　as　it

was　meant　to　do；　for　all　the　quarrels　between　birds　are　about　the

best　way　of　building　nests。　　Other　birds；　said　Solomon；　omitted

to　line　their　nests　with　mud；　and　as　a　result　they　did　not　hold

water。　　Here　he　cocked　his　head　as　if　he　had　used　an　unanswerable

argument；　but；　unfortunately；　a　Mrs。　Finch　had　come　to　the

meeting　uninvited；　and　she　squeaked　out；　〃We　don't　build　nests　to

hold　water；　but　to　hold　eggs；〃　and　then　the　thrushes　stopped

cheering；　and　Solomon　was　so　perplexed　that　he　took　several　sips

of　water。



〃Consider；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃how　warm　the　mud　makes　the　nest。〃



〃Consider；〃　cried　Mrs。　Finch；　〃that　when　water　gets　into　the　nest

it　remains　there　and　your　little　ones　are　drowned。〃



The　thrushes　begged　Solomon　with　a　look　to　say　something　crushing

in　reply　to　this；　but　again　he　was　perplexed。



〃Try　another　drink；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Finch　pertly。　　Kate　was　her

name；　and　all　Kates　are　saucy。



Solomon　did　try　another　drink；　and　it　inspired　him。　　〃If；〃　said

he；　〃a　finch's　nest　is　placed　on　the　Serpentine　it　fills　and

breaks　to　pieces；　but　a　thrush's　nest　is　still　as　dry　as　the　cup

of　a　swan's　back。〃



How　the　thrushes　applauded！　　Now　they　knew　why　they　lined　their

nests　with　mud；　and　when　Mrs。　Finch　called　out；　〃We　don't　place

our　nests　on　the　Serpentine；〃　they　did　what　they　should　have　done

at　first：　chased　her　from　the　meeting。　　After　this　it　was　most

orderly。　　What　they　had　been　brought　together　to　hear；　said

Solomon；　was　this：　their　young　friend；　Peter　Pan；　as　they　well

knew；　wanted　very　much　to　be　able　to　cross　to　the　Gardens；　and　he

now　proposed；　with　their　help；　to　build　a　boat。



At　this　the　thrushes　began　to　fidget；　which　made　Peter　tremble

for　his　scheme。



Solomon　explained　hastily　that　what　he　meant　was　not　one　of　the

cumbrous　boats　that　humans　use；　the　proposed　boat　was　to　be

simply　a　thrush's　nest　large　enough　to　hold　Peter。



But　still；　to　Peter's　agony；　the　thrushes　were　sulky。　　〃We　are

very　busy　people；〃　they　grumbled；　〃and　this　would　be　a　big　job。〃



〃Quite　so；〃　said　Solomon；　〃and；　of　course；　Peter　would　not　allow

you　to　work　for　nothing。　　You　must　remember　that　he　is　now　in

comfortable　circumstances；　and　he　will　pay　you　such　wages　as　you

have　never　been　paid　before。　　Peter　Pan　authorises　me　to　say　that

you　shall　all　be　paid　sixpence　a　day。〃



Then　all　the　thrushes　hopped　for　joy；　and　that　very　day　was　begun

the　celebrated　Building　of　the　Boat。　　All　their　ordinary　business

fell　into　arrears。　　It　was　the　time　of　year　when　they　should　have

been　pairing；　but　not　a　thrush's　nest　was　built　except　this　big

one；　and　so　Solomon　soon　ran　short　of　thrushes　with　which　to

supply　the　demand　from　the　mainland。　　The　stout；　rather　greedy

children；　who　look　so　well　in　perambulators　but　get　puffed　easily

when　they　walk；　were　all　young　thrushes　once；　and　ladies　often

ask　specially　for　them。　　What　do　you　think　Solomon　did？　　He　sent

over　to　the　house…tops　for　a　lot　of　sparrows　and　ordered　them　to

lay　their　eggs　in　old　thrushes'　nests　and　sent　their　young　to　the

ladies　and　swore　they　were　all　thrushes！　　It　was　known　afterward

on　the　island　as　the　Sparrows'　Year；　and　so；　when　you　meet；　as

you　doubtless　sometimes　do；　grown…up　people　who　puff　and　blow　as

if　they　thought　themselves　bigger　than　they　are；　very　likely　they

belong　to　that　year。　　You　ask　them。



Peter　was　a　just　master；　and　paid　his　workpeople　every　evening。

They　stood　in　rows　on　the　branches；　waiting　politely　while　he　cut

the　paper　sixpences　out　of　his　bank…note；　and　presently　he　called

the　roll；　and　then　each　bird；　as　the　names　were　mentioned；　flew

down　and　got　sixpence。　　It　must　have　been　a　fine　sight。



And　at　last；　after　months　of　labor；　the　boat　was　finished。　　Oh；

the　deportment　of　Peter　as　he　saw　it　growing　more　and　more　like　a

great　thrush's　nest！　　From　the　very　beginning　of　the　building　of

it　he　slept　by　its　side；　and　often　woke　up　to　say　sweet　things　to

it；　and　after　it　was　lined　with　mud　and　the　mud　had　dried　he

always　slept　in　it。　　He　sleeps　in　his　nest　still；　and　has　a

fascinating　way　of　curling　round　in　it；　for　it　is　just　large

enough　to　hold　him　comfortably　when　he　curls　round　like　a　kitten。

It　is　brown　inside；　of　course；　but　outside　it　is　mostly　green；

being　woven　of　grass　and　twigs；　and　when　these　wither　or　snap　the

walls　are　thatched　afresh。　　There　are　also　a　few　feathers　here

and　there；　which　came　off　the　thrushes　while　they　were　building。



The　other　birds　were　extremely　jealous　and　said　that　the　boat

would　not　balance　on　the　water；　but　it　lay　most　beautifully

steady；　they　said　the　water　would　come　into　it；　but　no　water　came

into　it。　　Next　they　said　that　Peter　had　no　oars；　and　this　caused

the　thrushes　to　look　at　each　other　in　dismay；　but　Peter　replied

that　he　had　no　need　of　oars；　for　he　had　a　sail；　and　with　such　a

proud；　happy　face　he　produced　a　sail　which　he　had　fashioned　out

of　his　night…gown；　and　though　it　was　still　rather　like　a

night…gown　it　made　a　lovely　sail。　　And　that　night；　the　moon　being

full；　and　all　the　birds　asleep；　he　did　enter　his　coracle　（as

Master　Francis　Pretty　would　have　said）　and　depart　out　of　the

island。　　And　first；　he　knew　not　why；　he　looked　upward；　with　his

hands　clasped；　and　from　that　moment　his　eyes　were　pinned　to　the

west。



He　had　promised　the　thrushes　to　begin　by　making　short　voyages；

with　them　to　his　guides；　but　far　away　he　saw　the　Kensington

Gardens　beckoning　to　him　beneath　the　bridge；　and　he　could　not

wait。　　His　face　was　flushed；　but　he　never　looked　back；　there　was

an　exultation　in　his　little　breast　that　drove　out　fear。　　Was

Peter　the　least　gallant　of　the　English　mariners　who　have　sailed

westward　to　meet　the　Unknown？



At　first；　his　boat　turned　round　and　round；　and　he　was　driven　back

to　the　place　of　his　starting；　whereupon　he　shortened　sail；　by

removing　one　of　the　sleeves；　and　was　forthwith　carried　backward

by　a　contrary　breeze；　to　his　no　small　peril。　　He　now　let　go　the

sail；　with　the　r