five children and it-第14部分

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





'Cut　it　short；'　said　the　others　with　one　accord。　　And　Anthea

hastily　added：



Our　intentions　are　quite　honourable　if　you　only　knew。　　And　here　is

half…a…crown　to　show　we　are　sinseer　and　grateful。　　Thank　you　for

your　kind　hospitality。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FROM　Us　FOUR。





The　half…crown　was　wrapped　in　this　letter；　and　all　the　children

felt　that　when　the　clergyman　had　read　it　he　would　understand

everything；　as　well　as　anyone　could　who　had　not　seen　the　wings。



'Now；'　said　Cyril；〃of　course　there's　some　risk；　we'd　better　fly

straight　down　the　other　side　of　the　tower　and　then　flutter　low

across　the　churchyard　and　in　through　the　shrubbery。　　There　doesn't

seem　to　be　anyone　about。　　But　you　never　know。　　The　window　looks　out

into　the　shrubbery。　　It　is　embowered　in　foliage；　like　a　window　in

a　story。　　I'll　go　in　and　get　the　things。　　Robert　and　Anthea　can

take　them　as　I　hand　them　out　through　the　window；　and　Jane　can　keep

watch　…　her　eyes　are　sharp　…　and　whistle　if　she　sees　anyone　about。　

Shut　up；　Robert！　she　can　whistle　quite　well　enough　for　that；

anyway。　　It　ought　not　to　be　a　very　good　whistle　…　it'll　sound　more

natural　and　birdlike。　　Now　then　…　off　we　go！'



I　cannot　pretend　that　stealing　is　right。　　I　can　only　say　that　on

this　occasion　it　did　not　look　like　stealing　to　the　hungry　four；　but

appeared　in　the　light　of　a　fair　and　reasonable　business

transaction。　　They　had　never　happened　to　learn　that　a　tongue　…

hardly　cut　into　…　a　chicken　and　a　half；　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　a

syphon　of　soda…water　cannot　be　bought　in　shops　for　half…a…crown。　

These　were　the　necessaries　of　life；　which　Cyril　handed　out　of　the

larder　window　when；　quite　unobserved　and　without　hindrance　or

adventure；　he　had　led　the　others　to　that　happy　spot。　　He　felt　that

to　refrain　from　jam；　apple　turnovers；　cake；　and　mixed　candied　peel

was　a　really　heroic　act　…　and　I　agree　with　him。　　He　was　also　proud

of　not　taking　the　custard　pudding　…　and　there　I　think　he　was　wrong

…　because　if　he　had　taken　it　there　would　have　been　a　difficulty

about　returning　the　dish；　no　one；　however　starving；　has　a　right　to

steal　china　pie…dishes　with　little　pink　flowers　on　them。　　The

soda…water　syphon　was　different。　　They　could　not　do　without

something　to　drink；　and　as　the　maker's　name　was　on　it　they　felt

sure　it　would　be　returned　to　him　wherever　they　might　leave　it。　　If

they　had　time　they　would　take　it　back　themselves。　　The　man　appeared

to　live　in　Rochester；　which　would　not　be　much　out　of　their　way

home。



Everything　was　carried　up　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　laid　down　on

a　sheet　of　kitchen　paper　which　Cyril　had　found　on　the　top　shelf　of

the　larder。　　As　he　unfolded　it；　Anthea　said；　'I　don't　think　THAT'S

a　necessity　of　life。'



'Yes；　it　is；'　said　he。　　'We　must　put　the　things　down　somewhere　to

cut　them　up；　and　I　heard　father　say　the　other　day　people　got

diseases　from　germans　in　rain…water。　　Now　there　must　be　lots　of

rain…water　here　…　and　when　it　dries　up　the　germans　are　left；　and

they'd　get　into　the　things；　and　we　should　all　die　of　scarlet

fever。'



'What　are　germans？'



'Little　waggly　things　you　see　with　microscopes；'　said　Cyril；　with

a　scientific　air。　　'They　give　you　every　illness　you　can　think　of！

I'm　sure　the　paper　was　a　necessary；　just　as　much　as　the　bread　and

meat　and　water。　　Now　then！　　Oh；　my　eyes；　I　am　hungry！'



I　do　not　wish　to　describe　the　picnic　party　on　the　top　of　the　tower。　

You　can　imagine　well　enough　what　it　is　like　to　carve　a　chicken　and

a　tongue　with　a　knife　that　has　only　one　blade　…　and　that　snapped

off　short　about　half…way　down。　　But　it　was　done。　　Eating　with　your

fingers　is　greasy　and　difficult　…　and　paper　dishes　soon　get　to　look

very　spotty　and　horrid。　　But　one　thing　you　CAN'T　imagine；　and　that

is　how　soda…water　behaves　when　you　try　to　drink　it　straight　out　of

a　syphon　…　especially　a　quite　full　one。　　But　if　imagination　will

not　help　you；　experience　will；　and　you　can　easily　try　it　for

yourself　if　you　can　get　a　grown…up　to　give　you　the　syphon。　　If　you

want　to　have　a　really　thorough　experience；　put　the　tube　in　your

mouth　and　press　the　handle　very　suddenly　and　very　hard。　　You　had

better　do　it　when　you　are　alone　…　and　out　of　doors　is　best　for　this

experiment。



However　you　eat　them；　tongue　and　chicken　and　new　bread　are　very

good　things；　and　no　one　minds　being　sprinkled　a　little　with

soda…water　on　a　really　fine　hot　day。　　So　that　everyone　enjoyed　the

dinner　very　much　indeed；　and　everyone　ate　as　much　as　it　possibly

could：　first；　because　it　was　extremely　hungry；　and　secondly；

because；　as　I　said；　tongue　and　chicken　and　new　bread　are　very　nice。



Now；　I　daresay　you　will　have　noticed　that　if　you　have　to　wait　for

your　dinner　till　long　after　the　proper　time；　and　then　eat　a　great

deal　more　dinner　than　usual；　and　sit　in　the　hot　sun　on　the　top　of

a　church…tower　…　or　even　anywhere　else　…　you　become　soon　and

strangely　sleepy。　　Now　Anthea　and　Jane　and　Cyril　and　Robert　were

very　like　you　in　many　ways；　and　when　they　had　eaten　all　they　could；

and　drunk　all　there　was；　they　became　sleepy；　strangely　and　soon　…

especially　Anthea；　because　she　had　got　up　so　early。



One　by　one　they　left　off　talking　and　leaned　back；　and　before　it　was

a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　dinner　they　had　all　curled　round　and

tucked　themselves　up　under　their　large　soft　warm　wings　and　were

fast　asleep。　　And　the　sun　was　sinking　slowly　in　the　west。　　（I　must

say　it　was　in　the　west；　because　it　is　usual　in　books　to　say　so；　for

fear　careless　people　should　think　it　was　setting　in　the　east。　　In

point　of　fact；　it　was　not　exactly　in　the　west　either　…　but　that's

near　enough。）　The　sun；　I　repeat；　was　sinking　slowly　in　the　west；

and　the　children　slept　warmly　and　happily　on　…　for　wings　are　cosier

than　eiderdown　quilts　to　sleep　under。　　The　shadow　of　the

church…tower　fell　across　the　churchyard；　and　across　the　Vicarage；

and　across　the　field　beyond；　and　presently　there　were　no　more

shadows；　and　the　sun　had　set；　and　the　wings　were　gone。　　And　still

the　children　slept。　　But　not　for　long。　　Twilight　is　very　beautiful；

but　it　is　chilly；　and　you　know；　however　sleepy　you　are；　you　wake　up

soon　enough　if　your　brother　or　sister　happens　to　be　up　first　and

pulls　your　blankets　off　you。　　The　four　wingless　children　shivered

and　woke。　　And　there　they　were　…　on　the　top　of　a　church…tower　in

the　dusky　twilight；　with　blue　stars　coming　out　by　ones　and　twos　and

tens　and　twenties　over　their　heads　…　miles　away　from　home；　with

three…and…three…halfpence　in　their　pockets；　and　a　doubtful　act

about　the　necessities　of　life　to　be　accounted　for　if　anyone　found

them　with　the　soda…water　syphon。



They　looked　at　each　other。　　Cyril　spoke　first；　picking　up　the

syphon：



'We'd　better　get　along　down　and　get　rid　of　this　beastly　thing。　

It's　dark　enough　to　leave　it　on　the　clergyman's　doorstep；　I　should

think。　　Come　on。'



There　was　a　little　turret　at　the　corner　of　the　tower；　and　the

little　turret　had　a　door　in　it。　　They　had　noticed　this　when　they

were　eating；　but　had　not　explored　it；　as　you　would　have　done　in

their　place。　　Because；　of　course；　when　you　have　wings；　and　can

explore　the　whole　sky；　doors　seem　hardly　worth　exploring。



Now　they　turned　towards　it。



'Of　course；'　said　Cyril；　'this　is　the　way　down。'



It　was。　　But　the　door　was　locked　on　the　inside！



And　the　world　was　growing　darker　and　darker。　　And　they　were　miles

from　home。　　And　there　was　the　soda…water　syphon。



I　shall　not　tell　you　whether　anyone　cried；　nor　if　so；　how　many

cried；　nor　who　cried。　　You　will　be　better　employed　in　making　up

your　minds　what　you　would　have　done　if　you　had　been　in　their　place。







CHAPTER　5

NO　WINGS





Whether　anyone　cried　or　not；　there　was　certainly　an　interval　during

which　none　of　the　party　was　quite　itself。　　When　they　grew　calmer；

Anthea　put　her　handkerchief　in　her　pocket　and　her　arm　round　Jane；

and　said：



'It　can't　be　for　more　than　one　night。　　We　can　signal　with　our

handkerchiefs　in　the　morning。　　They'll　be　dry　then。　　And　someone

will　come　up　and　let　us　out　…'



'And　find　the　syphon；'　said　Cyril　gloomily；　'and　we　shall　be　sent

to　prison　for　stealing　…'



'You　said　it　wasn't　stealing。　　You　said　you　were　sure　it　wasn't。'



'I'm　not　sure　NOW；'　said　Cyril　shortly。



'Let's　throw　the　beastly　thing　slap　away　among　the　trees；'　said

Robert；　'then　no　one　can　do　anything　to　us。'



'Oh　yes'　…　Cyril's　laugh　was　not　a　lighthearted　one　…　'and　hit　some

chap　on　the　head；　and　be　murderers　as　well　as　…　as　the　other

thing。'



'But　we　can't　stay　up　here　all　night；'　said　Jane；　'and　I　want　my

tea。'



'You　CAN'T　want　your　tea；'　said　Robert；　'you've　only　just　had　your

dinner。'



'But　I　do　want　it；'　she　said；　'especially　when　you　begin　talking

about　stopping　up　here　all　night。　　Oh；　Panther　…　I　want　to　go　home！

I　want　to　go　home！'



'Hush；　hush；'　Anthea　said。　　'Don't；　dear。　　It'll　be　all　right；

somehow。　　Don't；　don't　…'



'Let　her　cry；'　said　Robert　desperately；　'if　she　howls　loud　enough；

someone　may　hear　and　come　and　let　us　out。'



'And　see　the　soda…water　thing；'　said　Anthea　swiftly。　　'Robert；

don't　be　a　brute。　　Oh；　Jane；　do　try　to　be　a　man！　　It's　just　the

same　for　all　of　us。'



Jane　did　try　to　'be　a　man'　…　and　reduced　her　howls　to　sniffs。



There　was　a　pause。　　Then　Cyril　said　slowly；　'Look　here。　　We　must

risk　that　syphon。　　I'll　button　it　up　inside　my　jacket　…　perhaps　no

one　will　notice　it。　　You　others　keep　well　in　front　of　me。　　There

are　lights　in　the　clergyman's　house。　　They've　not　gone　to　bed　yet。　

We　must　just　yell　as　loud　as　ever　we　can。　　Now　all　scream　when　I

say　three。　　Robert；　you　do　the　yell　like　the　railway　engine；　and

I'll　do　the　coo…ee　like　father's。　　The　girls　can　do　as　they　please。　

One；　two；　three！'



A　fourfold　yell　rent　the　silent　peace　of　the　evening；　and　a　maid　at

one　of　the　Vi