five children and it-第10部分

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and　there　among　the　hazels　and　young　oaks　and　sweet　chestnuts；

covered　by　high　strong…scented　bracken；　they　all　lay　hidden　till

the　angry　voices　of　the　men　were　hushed　at　the　angry　voice　of　the

red…and…white　lady；　and；　after　a　long　and　anxious　search；　the

carriage　at　last　drove　away。



'My　only　hat！'　said　Cyril；　drawing　a　deep　breath　as　the　sound　of

wheels　at　last　died　away。　　'Everyone　DOES　want　him　now　…　and　no

mistake！　　That　Sammyadd　has　done　us　again！　　Tricky　brute！　　For　any

sake；　let's　get　the　kid　safe　home。'



So　they　peeped　out；　and　finding　on　the　right　hand　only　lonely　white

road；　and　nothing　but　lonely　white　road　on　the　left；　they　took

courage；　and　the　road；　Anthea　carrying　the　sleeping　Lamb。



Adventures　dogged　their　footsteps。　　A　boy　with　a　bundle　of　faggots

on　his　back　dropped　his　bundle　by　the　roadside　and　asked　to　look　at

the　Baby；　and　then　offered　to　carry　him；　but　Anthea　was　not　to　be

caught　that　way　twice。　　They　all　walked　on；　but　the　boy　followed；

and　Cyril　and　Robert　couldn't　make　him　go　away　till　they　had　more

than　once　invited　him　to　smell　their　fists。　　Afterwards　a　little

girl　in　a　blue…and…white　checked　pinafore　actually　followed　them

for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　crying　for　'the　precious　Baby'；　and　then

she　was　only　got　rid　of　by　threats　of　tying　her　to　a　tree　in　the

wood　with　all　their　pocket…handkerchiefs。　　'So　that　the　bears　can

come　and　eat　you　as　soon　as　it　gets　dark；'　said　Cyril　severely。　

Then　she　went　off　crying。　　It　presently　seemed　wise；　to　the

brothers　and　sisters　of　the　Baby；　who　was　wanted　by　everyone；　to

hide　in　the　hedge　whenever　they　saw　anyone　coming；　and　thus　they

managed　to　prevent　the　Lamb　from　arousing　the　inconvenient

affection　of　a　milkman；　a　stone…breaker；　and　a　man　who　drove　a　cart

with　a　paraffin　barrel　at　the　back　of　it。　　They　were　nearly　home

when　the　worst　thing　of　all　happened。　　Turning　a　corner　suddenly

they　came　upon　two　vans；　a　tent；　and　a　company　of　gipsies　encamped

by　the　side　of　the　road。　　The　vans　were　hung　all　round　with　wicker

chairs　and　cradles；　and　flower…stands　and　feather　brushes。　　A　lot

of　ragged　children　were　industriously　making　dust…pies　in　the　road；

two　men　lay　on　the　grass　smoking；　and　three　women　were　doing　the

family　washing　in　an　old　red　watering…can　with　the　top　broken　off。



In　a　moment　all　the　gipsies；　men；　women；　and　children；　surrounded

Anthea　and　the　Baby。



'Let　me　hold　him；　little　lady；'　said　one　of　the　gipsy　women；　who

had　a　mahogany…coloured　face　and　dust…coloured　hair；　'I　won't　hurt

a　hair　of　his　head；　the　little　picture！'



'I'd　rather　not；'　said　Anthea。



'Let　me　have　him；'　said　the　other　woman；　whose　face　was　also　of　the

hue　of　mahogany；　and　her　hair　jet…black；　in　greasy　curls。　　'I've

nineteen　of　my　own；　so　I　have。'



'No；'　said　Anthea　bravely；　but　her　heart　beat　so　that　it　nearly

choked　her。



Then　one　of　the　men　pushed　forward。



'Swelp　me　if　it　ain't！'　he　cried；　'my　own　long…lost　cheild！　　Have

he　a　strawberry　mark　on　his　left　ear？　　No？　　Then　he's　my　own　babby；

stolen　from　me　in　hinnocent　hinfancy。　　'And　'im　over　…　and　we'll

not　'ave　the　law　on　yer　this　time。'



He　snatched　the　Baby　from　Anthea；　who　turned　scarlet　and　burst　into

tears　of　pure　rage。



The　others　were　standing　quite　still；　this　was　much　the　most

terrible　thing　that　had　ever　happened　to　them。　　Even　being　taken　up

by　the　police　in　Rochester　was　nothing　to　this。　　Cyril　was　quite

white；　and　his　hands　trembled　a　little；　but　he　made　a　sign　to　the

others　to　shut　up。　　He　was　silent　a　minute；　thinking　hard。　　Then　he

said：



'We　don't　want　to　keep　him　if　he's　yours。　　But　you　see　he's　used　to

us。　　You　shall　have　him　if　you　want　him。'



'No；　no！'　cried　Anthea　…　and　Cyril　glared　at　her。



'Of　course　we　want　him；'　said　the　women；　trying　to　get　the　Baby　out

of　the　man's　arms。　　The　Lamb　howled　loudly。



'Oh；　he's　hurt！'　shrieked　Anthea；　and　Cyril；　in　a　savage　undertone；

bade　her　'Stow　it！'



'You　trust　to　me；'　he　whispered。　　'Look　here；'　he　went　on；　'he's

awfully　tiresome　with　people　he　doesn't　know　very　well。　　Suppose　we

stay　here　a　bit　till　he　gets　used　to　you；　and　then　when　it's

bedtime　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　we'll　go　away　and　let　you　keep

him　if　you　want　to。　　And　then　when　we're　gone　you　can　decide　which

of　you　is　to　have　him；　as　you　all　want　him　so　much。'



'That's　fair　enough；'　said　the　man　who　was　holding　the　Baby；　trying

to　loosen　the　red　neckerchief　which　the　Lamb　had　caught　hold　of　and

drawn　round　his　mahogany　throat　so　tight　that　he　could　hardly

breathe。　　The　gipsies　whispered　together；　and　Cyril　took　the　chance

to　whisper　too。　　He　said；　'Sunset！　we'll　get　away　then。'



And　then　his　brothers　and　sisters　were　filled　with　wonder　and

admiration　at　his　having　been　so　clever　as　to　remember　this。



'Oh；　do　let　him　come　to　us！'　said　Jane。　　'See　we'll　sit　down　here

and　take　care　of　him　for　you　till　he　gets　used　to　you。'



'What　about　dinner？'　said　Robert　suddenly。　　The　others　looked　at

him　with　scorn。　　'Fancy　bothering　about　your　beastly　dinner　when

your　br　…　I　mean　when　the　Baby'　…　Jane　whispered　hotly。　　Robert

carefully　winked　at　her　and　went　on：



'You　won't　mind　my　just　running　home　to　get　our　dinner？'　he　said　to

the　gipsy；　'I　can　bring　it　out　here　in　a　basket。'



His　brother　and　sisters　felt　themselves　very　noble；　and　despised

him。　　They　did　not　know　his　thoughtful　secret　intention。　　But　the

gipsies　did　in　a　minute。

'Oh　yes！'　they　said；　'and　then　fetch　the　police　with　a　pack　of　lies

about　it　being　your　baby　instead　of　ours！　　D'jever　catch　a　weasel

asleep？'　they　asked。



'If　you're　hungry　you　can　pick　a　bit　along　of　us；'　said　the

light…haired　gipsy　woman；　not　unkindly。　　'Here；　Levi；　that　blessed

kid'll　howl　all　his　buttons　off。　　Give　him　to　the　little　lady；　and

let's　see　if　they　can't　get　him　used　to　us　a　bit。'



So　the　Lamb　was　handed　back；　but　the　gipsies　crowded　so　closely

that　he　could　not　possibly　stop　howling。　　Then　the　man　with　the　red

handkerchief　said：



'Here；　Pharaoh；　make　up　the　fire；　and　you　girls　see　to　the　pot。　

Give　the　kid　a　chanst。'　　So　the　gipsies；　very　much　against　their

will；　went　off　to　their　work；　and　the　children　and　the　Lamb　were

left　sitting　on　the　grass。



'He'll　be　all　right　at　sunset；'Jane　whispered。　　'But；　oh；　it　is

awful！　　Suppose　they　are　frightfully　angry　when　they　come　to　their

senses！　　They　might　beat　us；　or　leave　us　tied　to　trees；　or

something。'



'No；　they　won't；'　Anthea　said。　　（'Oh；　my　Lamb；　don't　cry　any　more；

it's　all　right；　Panty's　got　oo；　duckie！）　They　aren't　unkind　people；

or　they　wouldn't　be　going　to　give　us　any　dinner。'



'Dinner？'　said　Robert。　　'I　won't　touch　their　nasty　dinner。　　It

would　choke　me！'



The　others　thought　so　too　then。　　But　when　the　dinner　was　ready　…　it

turned　out　to　be　supper；　and　happened　between　four　and　five　…　they

were　all　glad　enough　to　take　what　they　could　get。　　It　was　boiled

rabbit；　with　onions；　and　some　bird　rather　like　a　chicken；　but

stringier　about　its　legs　and　with　a　stronger　taste。　　The　Lamb　had

bread　soaked　in　hot　water　and　brown　sugar　sprinkled　on　the　top。　　He

liked　this　very　much；　and　consented　to　let　the　two　gipsy　women　feed

him　with　it；　as　he　sat　on　Anthea's　lap。　　All　that　long　hot

afternoon　Robert　and　Cyril　and　Anthea　and　Jane　had　to　keep　the　Lamb

amused　and　happy；　while　the　gipsies　looked　eagerly　on。　　By　the　time

the　shadows　grew　long　and　black　across　the　meadows　he　had　really

'taken　to'　the　woman　with　the　light　hair；　and　even　consented　to

kiss　his　hand　to　the　children；　and　to　stand　up　and　bow；　with　his

hand　on　his　chest　…　'like　a　gentleman'　…　to　the　two　men。　　The　whole

gipsy　camp　was　in　raptures　with　him；　and　his　brothers　and　sisters

could　not　help　taking　some　pleasure　in　showing　off　his

accomplishments　to　an　audience　so　interested　and　enthusiastic。　　But

they　longed　for　sunset。



'We're　getting　into　the　habit　of　longing　for　sunset；'　Cyril

whispered。　　'How　I　do　wish　we　could　wish　something　really　sensible；

that　would　be　of　some　use；　so　that　we　should　be　quite　sorry　when

sunset　came。'



The　shadows　got　longer　and　longer；　and　at　last　there　were　no

separate　shadows　any　more；　but　one　soft　glowing　shadow　over

everything；　for　the　sun　was　out　of　sight　…　behind　the　hill　…　but　he

had　not　really　set　yet。　　The　people　who　make　the　laws　about

lighting　bicycle　lamps　are　the　people　who　decide　when　the　sun　sets；

he　has　to　do　it；　too；　to　the　minute；　or　they　would　know　the　reason

why！



But　the　gipsies　were　getting　impatient。



'Now；　young　uns；'　the　red…handkerchief　man　said；'it's　time　you　were

laying　of　your　heads　on　your　pillowses　…　so　it　is！　　The　kid's　all

right　and　friendly　with　us　now　…　so　you　just　hand　him　over　and

sling　that　hook　o'　yours　like　you　said。'



The　women　and　children　came　crowding　round　the　Lamb；　arms　were　held

out；　fingers　snapped　invitingly；　friendly　faces　beaming　with

admiring　smiles；　but　all　failed　to　tempt　the　loyal　Lamb。　　He　clung

with　arms　and　legs　to　Jane；　who　happened　to　be　holding　him；　and

uttered　the　gloomiest　roar　of　the　whole　day。



'It's　no　good；'　the　woman　said；　'hand　the　little　poppet　over；　miss。　

We'll　soon　quiet　him。'



And　still　the　sun　would　not　set。



'Tell　her　about　how　to　put　him　to　bed；'　whispered　Cyril；　'anything

to　gain　time　…　and　be　ready　to　bolt　when　the　sun　really　does　make

up　its　silly　old　mind　to　set。'



'Yes；　I'll　hand　him　over　in　just　one　minute；'　Anthea　began；　talking

very　fast　…　'but　do　let　me　just　tell　you　he　has　a　warm　bath　every

night　and　cold　in　the　morning；　and　he　has　a　crockery　rabbit　to　go

into　the　warm　bath　with　him；　and　little　Samuel　saying　his　prayers

in　white　china　on　a　red　cushion　for　the　cold　bath；　and　if　you　let

the　soap　get　into　his　eyes；　the　Lamb　…'



'Lamb　kyes；'　said　he　…　he　had　stopped　roaring　to　listen。



The　woman　laughed。　　'As　if　I　hadn't　never　bath'd　a　babby！'　　she

said。　　'Come　…　give　u