five children and it-第13部分

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The　Psammead　put　its　head　on　one　side　and　turned　its　snail's　eyes

from　one　to　the　other。



'Not　so　dusty；'　it　said　dreamily。　　'But　really；　Robert；　you're　not

quite　such　an　angel　as　you　look。'　　Robert　almost　blushed。



The　wings　were　very　big；　and　more　beautiful　than　you　can　possibly

imagine　…　for　they　were　soft　and　smooth；　and　every　feather　lay

neatly　in　its　place。　　And　the　feathers　were　of　the　most　lovely

mixed　changing　colours；　like　the　rainbow；　or　iridescent　glass；　or

the　beautiful　scum　that　sometimes　floats　on　water　that　is　not　at

all　nice　to　drink。



'Oh　…　but　can　we　fly？'Jane　said；　standing　anxiously　first　on　one

foot　and　then　on　the　other。



'Look　out！'　said　Cyril；　'you're　treading　on　my　wing。'



'Does　it　hurt？'　asked　Anthea　with　interest；　but　no　one　answered；

for　Robert　had　spread　his　wings　and　jumped　up；　and　now　he　was

slowly　rising　in　the　air。　　He　looked　very　awkward　in　his

knickerbocker　suit　…　his　boots　in　particular　hung　helplessly；　and

seemed　much　larger　than　when　he　was　standing　in　them。　　But　the

others　cared　but　little　how　he　looked　…　or　how　they　looked；　for

that　matter。　　For　now　they　all　spread　out　their　wings　and　rose　in

the　air。　　Of　course　you　all　know　what　flying　feels　like；　because

everyone　has　dreamed　about　flying；　and　it　seems　so　beautifully　easy

…　only；　you　can　never　remember　how　you　did　it；　and　as　a　rule　you

have　to　do　it　without　wings；　in　your　dreams；　which　is　more　clever

and　uncommon；　but　not　so　easy　to　remember　the　rule　for。　　Now　the

four　children　rose　flapping　from　the　ground；　and　you　can't　think

how　good　the　air　felt　running　against　their　faces。　　Their　wings

were　tremendously　wide　when　they　were　spread　out；　and　they　had　to

fly　quite　a　long　way　apart　so　as　not　to　get　in　each　other's　way。　

But　little　things　like　this　are　easily　learned。



All　the　words　in　the　English　Dictionary；　and　in　the　Greek　Lexicon

as　well；　are；　I　find；　of　no　use　at　all　to　tell　you　exactly　what　it

feels　like　to　be　flying；　so　I　Will　not　try。　　But　I　will　say　that　to

look　DOWN　on　the　fields　and　woods；　instead　of　along　at　them；　is

something　like　looking　at　a　beautiful　live　map；　where；　instead　of

silly　colours　on　paper；　you　have　real　moving　sunny　woods　and　green

fields　laid　out　one　after　the　other。　　As　Cyril　said；　and　I　can't

think　where　he　got　hold　of　such　a　strange　expression；　'It　does　you

a　fair　treat！'　　It　was　most　wonderful　and　more　like　real　magic　than

any　wish　the　children　had　had　yet。　　They　flapped　and　flew　and

sailed　on　their　great　rainbow　wings；　between　green　earth　and　blue

sky；　and　they　flew　right　over　Rochester　and　then　swerved　round

towards　Maidstone；　and　presently　they　all　began　to　feel　extremely

hungry。　　Curiously　enough；　this　happened　when　they　were　flying

rather　low；　and　just　as　they　were　crossing　an　orchard　where　some

early　plums　shone　red　and　ripe。



They　paused　on　their　wings。　　I　cannot　explain　to　you　how　this　is

done；　but　it　is　something　like　treading　water　when　you　are

swimming；　and　hawks　do　it　extremely　well。



'Yes；　I　daresay；'　said　Cyril；　though　no　one　had　spoken。　　'But

stealing　is　stealing　even　if　you've　got　wings。'



'Do　you　really　think　so？'　said　Jane　briskly。　　'If　you've　got　wings

you're　a　bird；　and　no　one　minds　birds　breaking　the　commandments。　

At　least；　they　MAY　mind；　but　the　birds　always　do　it；　and　no　one

scolds　them　or　sends　them　to　prison。'



It　was　not　so　easy　to　perch　on　a　plum…tree　as　you　might　think；

because　the　rainbow　wings　were　so　very　large；　but　somehow　they　all

managed　to　do　it；　and　the　plums　were　certainly　very　sweet　and

juicy。



Fortunately；　it　was　not　till　they　had　all　had　quite　as　many　plums

as　were　good　for　them　that　they　saw　a　stout　man；　who　looked　exactly

as　though　he　owned　the　plum…trees；　come　hurrying　through　the

orchard　gate　with　a　thick　stick；　and　with　one　accord　they

disentangled　their　wings　from　the　plum…laden　branches　and　began　to

fly。



The　man　stopped　short；　with　his　mouth　open。　　For　he　had　seen　the

boughs　of　his　trees　moving　and　twitching；　and　he　had　said　to

himself；　'The　young　varmints　…　at　it　again！'　　And　he　had　come　out

at　once；　for　the　lads　of　the　village　had　taught　him　in　past　seasons

that　plums　want　looking　after。　　But　when　he　saw　the　rainbow　wings

flutter　up　out　of　the　plum…tree　he　felt　that　he　must　have　gone

quite　mad；　and　he　did　not　like　the　feeling　at　all。　　And　when　Anthea

looked　down　and　saw　his　mouth　go　slowly　open；　and　stay　so；　and　his

face　become　green　and　mauve　in　patches；　she　called　out：



'Don't　be　frightened；'　and　felt　hastily　in　her　pocket　for　a

threepenny…bit　with　a　hole　in　it；　which　she　had　meant　to　hang　on　a

ribbon　round　her　neck；　for　luck。　　She　hovered　round　the　unfortunate

plum…owner；　and　said；　'We　have　had　some　of　your　plums；　we　thought

it　wasn't　stealing；　but　now　I　am　not　so　sure。　　So　here's　some　money

to　pay　for　them。'



She　swooped　down　towards　the　terror…stricken　grower　of　plums；　and

slipped　the　coin　into　the　pocket　of　his　jacket；　and　in　a　few　flaps

she　had　rejoined　the　others。



The　farmer　sat　down　on　the　grass；　suddenly　and　heavily。



'Well　…　I'm　blessed！'　he　said。　　'This　here　is　what　they　call

delusions；　I　suppose。　　But　this　here　threepenny'　…　he　had　pulled　it

out　and　bitten　it　…　'THAT'S　real　enough。　　Well；　from　this　day　forth

I'll　be　a　better　man。　　It's　the　kind　of　thing　to　sober　a　chap　for

life；　this　is。　　I'm　glad　it　was　only　wings；　though。　　I'd　rather　see

birds　as　aren't　there；　and　couldn't　be；　even　if　they　pretend　to

talk；　than　some　things　as　I　could　name。'



He　got　up　slowly　and　heavily；　and　went　indoors；　and　he　was　so　nice

to　his　wife　that　day　that　she　felt　quite　happy；　and　said　to

herself；　'Law；　whatever　have　a…come　to　the　man！'　and　smartened

herself　up　and　put　a　blue　ribbon　bow　at　the　place　where　her　collar

fastened　on；　and　looked　so　pretty　that　he　was　kinder　than　ever。　　So

perhaps　the　winged　children　really　did　do　one　good　thing　that　day。　

If　so；　it　was　the　only　one；　for　really　there　is　nothing　like　wings

for　getting　you　into　trouble。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　if　you　arc

in　trouble；　there　is　nothing　like　wings　for　getting　you　out　of　it。



This　was　the　case　in　the　matter　of　the　fierce　dog　who　sprang　out　at

them　when　they　had　folded　up　their　wings　as　small　as　possible　and

were　going　up　to　a　farm　door　to　ask　for　a　crust　of　bread　and

cheese；　for　in　spite　of　the　plums　they　were　soon　just　as　hungry　as

ever　again。



Now　there　is　no　doubt　whatever　that；　if　the　four　had　been　ordinary

wingless　children；　that　black　and　fierce　dog　would　have　had　a　good

bite　out　of　the　brown…stockinged　leg　of　Robert；　who　was　the

nearest。　　But　at　first　growl　there　was　a　flutter　of　wings；　and　the

dog　was　left　to　strain　at　his　chain　and　stand　on　his　hind…legs　as

if　he　were　trying　to　fly　too。



They　tried　several　other　farms；　but　at　those　where　there　were　no

dogs　the　people　were　far　too　frightened　to　do　anything　but　scream；

and　at　last　when　it　was　nearly　four　o'clock；　and　their　wings　were

getting　miserably　stiff　and　tired；　they　alighted　on　a　church…tower

and　held　a　council　of　war。



'We　can't　possibly　fly　all　the　way　home　without　dinner　or　tea；'

said　Robert　with　desperate　decision。



'And　nobody　will　give　us　any　dinner；　or　even　lunch；　let　alone　tea；'

said　Cyril。



'Perhaps　the　clergyman　here　might；'　suggested　Anthea。　　'He　must

know　all　about　angels　…'



'Anybody　could　see　we're　not　that；'　said　Jane。　　'Look　at　Robert's

boots　and　Squirrel's　plaid　necktie。'



'Well；'　said　Cyril　firmly；　'if　the　country　you're　in　won't　SELL

provisions；　you　TAKE　them。　　In　wars　I　mean。　　I'm　quite　certain　you

do。　　And　even　in　other　stories　no　good　brother　would　allow　his

little　sisters　to　starve　in　the　midst　of　plenty。'



'Plenty？'　repeated　Robert　hungrily；　and　the　others　looked　vaguely

round　the　bare　leads　of　the　church…　tower；　and　murmured；　'In　the

midst　of？'



'Yes；'　said　Cyril　impressively。　　'There　is　a　larder　window　at　the

side　of　the　clergyman's　house；　and　I　saw　things　to　eat　inside　…

custard　pudding　and　cold　chicken　and　tongue　…　and　pies　…　and　jam。　

It's　rather　a　high　window　…　but　with　wings　…'



'How　clever　of　you！'　said　Jane。



'Not　at　all；'　said　Cyril　modestly；　'any　born　general　…　Napoleon　or

the　Duke　of　Marlborough　…　would　have　seen　it　just　the　same　as　I

did。'



'It　seems　very　wrong；'　said　Anthea。



'Nonsense；'　said　Cyril。　　'What　was　it　Sir　Philip　Sidney　said　when

the　soldier　wouldn't　stand　him　a　drink？　…　〃My　necessity　is　greater

than　his〃。'



'We'll　club　our　money；　though；　and　leave　it　to　pay　for　the　things；

won't　we？'　　Anthea　was　persuasive；　and　very　nearly　in　tears；

because　it　is　most　trying　to　feel　enormously　hungry　and　unspeakably

sinful　at　one　and　the　same　time。



'Some　of　it；'　was　the　cautious　reply。



Everyone　now　turned　out　its　pockets　on　the　lead　roof　of　the　tower；

where　visitors　for　the　last　hundred　and　fifty　years　had　cut　their

own　and　their　sweethearts'　initials　with　penknives　in　the　soft

lead。　　There　was　five…and…sevenpence…halfpenny　altogether；　and　even

the　upright　Anthea　admitted　that　that　was　too　much　to　pay　for　four

peoples　dinners。　　Robert　said　he　thought　eighteen　pence。



And　half…a…crown　was　finally　agreed　to　be　'hand…　some'。



So　Anthea　wrote　on　the　back　of　her　last　term's　report；　which

happened　to　be　in　her　pocket；　and　from　which　she　first　tore　her　own

name　and　that　of　the　school；　the　following　letter：





DEAR　REVEREND　CLERGYMAN；



We　are　very　hungry　indeed　because　of　having　to　fly　all　day；　and　we

think　it　is　not　stealing　when　you　are　starving　to　death。　　We　are

afraid　to　ask　you　for　fear　you　should　say　'No'；　because　of　course

you　know　about　angels；　but　you　would　not　think　we　were　angels。　　We

will　only　take　the　nessessities　of　life；　and　no　pudding　or　pie；　to

show　you　it　is　not　grediness　but　true　starvation　that　makes　us　make

your　larder　stand　and　deliver。　　But　we　are　not　highwaymen　by　trade。





'Cut　it　s