five children and it-第15部分

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One；　two；　three！'



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

one　of　the　Vicarage　windows　paused　with　her　hand　on　the　blind…cord。



'One；　two；　three！'　　Another　yell；　piercing　and　complex；　startled

the　owls　and　starlings　to　a　flutter　of　feathers　in　the　belfry

below。　　The　maid　fled　from　the　Vicarage　window　and　ran　down　the

Vicarage　stairs　and　into　the　Vicarage　kitchen；　and　fainted　as　soon

as　she　had　explained　to　the　man…servant　and　the　cook　and　the　cook's

cousin　that　she　had　seen　a　ghost。　　It　was　quite　untrue；　of　course；

but　I　suppose　the　girl's　nerves　were　a　little　upset　by　the　yelling。



'One；　two；　three！'　　The　Vicar　was　on　his　doorstep　by　this　time；　and

there　was　no　mistaking　the　yell　that　greeted　him。



'Goodness　me；'　he　said　to　his　wife；　'my　dear；　someone's　being

murdered　in　the　church！　　Give　me　my　hat　and　a　thick　stick；　and　tell

Andrew　to　come　after　me。　　I　expect　it's　the　lunatic　who　stole　the

tongue。'



The　children　had　seen　the　flash　of　light　when　the　Vicar　opened　his

front　door。　　They　had　seen　his　dark　form　on　the　doorstep；　and　they

had　paused　for　breath；　and　also　to　see　what　he　would　do。



When　he　turned　back　for　his　hat；　Cyril　said　hastily：



'He　thinks　he　only　fancied　he　heard　something。　　You　don't　half

yell！　　Now！　　One；　two；　three！'



It　was　certainly　a　whole　yell　this　time；　and　the　Vicar's　wife　flung

her　arms　round　her　husband　and　screamed　a　feeble　echo　of　it。



'You　shan't　go！'　she　said；　'not　alone。　　Jessie！'　…　the　maid

unfainted　and　came　out　of　the　kitchen　…　'send　Andrew　at　once。　

There's　a　dangerous　lunatic　in　the　church；　and　he　must　go

immediately　and　catch　it。'



'I　expect　he　WILL　catch　it　too；'　said　Jessie　to　herself　as　she　went

through　the　kitchen　door。　　'Here；　Andrew；'　she　said；　there's

someone　screaming　like　mad　in　the　church；　and　the　missus　says

you're　to　go　along　and　catch　it。'



'Not　alone；　I　don't；'　said　Andrew　in　low　firm　tones。　　To　his　master

he　merely　said；　'Yes；　sir。'



'You　heard　those　screams？'



'I　did　think　I　noticed　a　sort　of　something；'　said　Andrew。



'Well；　come　on；　then；'　said　the　Vicar。　　'My　dear；　I　MUST　go！'　He

pushed　her　gently　into　the　sitting…room；　banged　the　door；　and

rushed　out；　dragging　Andrew　by　the　arm。



A　volley　of　yells　greeted　them。　　As　it　died　into　silence　Andrew

shouted；　'Hullo；　you　there！　　Did　you　call？'



'Yes；'　shouted　four　far…away　voices。



'They　seem　to　be　in　the　air；'　said　the　Vicar。　　'Very　remarkable。'



'Where　are　you？'　shouted　Andrew：　and　Cyril　replied　in　his　deepest

voice；　very　slow　and　loud：



'CHURCH！　　TOWER！　　TOP！'



'Come　down；　then！'　said　Andrew；　and　the　same　voice　replied：



'CAN'T！　　DOOR　LOCKED！'



'My　goodness！'　said　the　Vicar。　　'Andrew；　fetch　the　stable　lantern。　

Perhaps　it　would　be　as　well　to　fetch　another　man　from　the　village。'



'With　the　rest　of　the　gang　about；　very　likely。　　No；　sir；　if　this

'ere　ain't　a　trap　…　well；　may　I　never！　　There's　cook's　cousin　at

the　back　door　now。　　He's　a　keeper；　sir；　and　used　to　dealing　with

vicious　characters。　　And　he's　got　his　gun；　sir。'



'Hullo　there！'　shouted　Cyril　from　the　church…tower；　'come　up　and

let　us　out。'



'We're　a…coming；'　said　Andrew。　　'I'm　a…going　to　get　a　policeman　and

a　gun。'



'Andrew；　Andrew；'　said　the　Vicar；　'that's　not　the　truth。'



'It's　near　enough；　sir；　for　the　likes　of　them。'



So　Andrew　fetched　the　lantern　and　the　cook's　cousin；　and　the

Vicar's　wife　begged　them　all　to　be　very　careful。



They　went　across　the　churchyard　…　it　was　quite　dark　now　…　and　as

they　went　they　talked。　　The　Vicar　was　certain　a　lunatic　was　on　the

church…tower　…　the　one　who　had　written　the　mad　letter；　and　taken

the　cold　tongue　and　things。　　Andrew　thought　it　was　a　'trap'；　the

cook's　cousin　alone　was　calm。　　'Great　cry；　little　wool；'　said　he；

'dangerous　chaps　is　quieter。'　　He　was　not　at　all　afraid。　　But　then

he　had　a　gun。　　That　was　why　he　was　asked　to　lead　the　way　up　the

worn　steep　dark　steps　of　the　church…tower。　　He　did　lead　the　way；

with　the　lantern　in　one　hand　and　the　gun　in　the　other。　　Andrew　went

next。　　He　pretended　afterwards　that　this　was　because　he　was　braver

than　his　master；　but　really　it　was　because　he　thought　of　traps；　and

he　did　not　like　the　idea　of　being　behind　the　others　for　fear

someone　should　come　soffly　up　behind　him　and　catch　hold　of　his　legs

in　the　dark。　　They　went　on　and　on；　and　round　and　round　the　little

corkscrew　staircase　…　then　through　the　bell…ringers'　loft；　where

the　bell…ropes　hung　with　soft　furry　ends　like　giant　caterpillars　…

then　up　another　stair　into　the　belfry；　where　the　big　quiet　bells

are　…　and　then　on；　up　a　ladder　with　broad　steps　…　and　then　up　a

little　stone　stair。　　And　at　the　top　of　that　there　was　a　little

door。　　And　the　door　was　bolted　on　the　stair　side。



The　cook's　cousin；　who　was　a　gamekeeper；　kicked　at　the　door；　and

said：



'Hullo；　you　there！'



The　children　were　holding　on　to　each　other　on　the　other　side　of　the

door；　and　trembling　with　anxiousness　…　and　very　hoarse　with　their

howls。　　They　could　hardly　speak；　but　Cyril　managed　to　reply

huskily：



'Hullo；　you　there！'



'How　did　you　get　up　there？'



It　was　no　use　saying　'We　flew　up'；　so　Cyril　said：



'We　got　up　…　and　then　we　found　the　door　was　locked　and　we　couldn't

get　down。　　Let　us　out　…　do。'



'How　many　of　you　are　there？'　asked　the　keeper。



'Only　four；'　said　Cyril。



'Are　you　armed？'



'Are　we　what？'



'I've　got　my　gun　handy　…　so　you'd　best　not　try　any　tricks；'　said

the　keeper。　　'If　we　open　the　door；　will　you　promise　to　come　quietly

down；　and　no　nonsense？'



'Yes　…　oh　YES！'　said　all　the　children　together。



'Bless　me；'　said　the　Vicar；　'surely　that　was　a　female　voice？'



'Shall　I　open　the　door；　Sir？'　said　the　keeper。　　Andrew　went　down　a

few　steps；　'to　leave　room　for　the　others'　he　said　afterwards。



'Yes；'　said　the　Vicar；　'open　the　door。　　Remember；'　he　said　through

the　keyhole；　'we　have　come　to　release　you。　　You　will　keep　your

promise　to　refrain　from　violence？'



'How　this　bolt　do　stick；'　said　the　keeper；　'anyone　'ud　think　it

hadn't　been　drawed　for　half　a　year。'　　As　a　matter　of　fact　it

hadn't。



When　all　the　bolts　were　drawn；　the　keeper　spoke　deep…chested　words

through　the　keyhole。



'I　don't　open；'　said　he；　'till　you've　gone　over　to　the　other　side

of　the　tower。　　And　if　one　of　you　comes　at　me　I　fire。　　Now！'



'We're　all　over　on　the　other　side；'　said　the　voices。



The　keeper　felt　pleased　with　himself；　and　owned　himself　a　bold　man

when　he　threw　open　that　door；　and；　stepping　out　into　the　leads；

flashed　the　full　light　of　the　stable　lantern　on　to　the　group　of

desperadoes　standing　against　the　parapet　on　the　other　side　of　the

tower。



He　lowered　his　gun；　and　he　nearly　dropped　the　lantern。



'So　help　me；'　he　cried；　'if　they　ain't　a　pack　of　kiddies！'



The　Vicar　now　advanced。



'How　did　you　come　here？'　he　asked　severely。　　'Tell　me　at　once。　　'



'Oh；　take　us　down；'　said　Jane；　catching　at　his　coat；　'and　we'll

tell　you　anything　you　like。　　You　won't　believe　us；　but　it　doesn't

matter。　　Oh；　take　us　down！'



The　others　crowded　round　him；　with　the　same　entreaty。　　All　but

Cyril。　　He　had　enough　to　do　with　the　soda…water　syphon；　which　would

keep　slipping　down　under　his　jacket。　　It　needed　both　hands　to　keep

it　steady　in　its　place。



But　he　said；　standing　as　far　out　of　the　lantern　light　as　possible：



'Please　do　take　us　down。'



So　they　were　taken　down。　　It　is　no　joke　to　go　down　a　strange

church…tower　in　the　dark；　but　the　keeper　helped　them　…　only；　Cyril

had　to　be　independent　because　of　the　soda…water　syphon。　　It　would

keep　trying　to　get　away。　　Half…way　down　the　ladder　it　all　but

escaped。　　Cyril　just　caught　it　by　its　spout；　and　as　nearly　as

possible　lost　his　footing。　　He　was　trembling　and　pale　when　at　last

they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　winding　stair　and　stepped　out　on　to

the　flags　of　the　church…porch。



Then　suddenly　the　keeper　caught　Cyril　and　Robert　each　by　an　arm。



'You　bring　along　the　gells；　sir；'　said　he；　'you　and　Andrew　can

manage　them。'



'Let　go！'　said　Cyril；　'we　aren't　running　away。　　We　haven't　hurt

your　old　church。　　Leave　go！'



'You　just　come　along；'　said　the　keeper；　and　Cyril　dared　not　oppose

him　with　violence；　because　just　then　the　syphon　began　to　slip

again。



So　they　were　all　marched　into　the　Vicarage　study；　and　the　Vicar's

wife　came　rushing　in。



'Oh；　William；　are　you　safe？'　she　cried。



Robert　hastened　to　allay　her　anxiety。



'Yes；'　he　said；　'he's　quite　safe。　　We　haven't　hurt　him　at　all。　　And

please；　we're　very　late；　and　they'll　be　anxious　at　home。　　Could　you

send　us　home　in　your　carriage？'



'Or　perhaps　there's　a　hotel　near　where　we　could　get　a　carriage

from；'　said　Anthea。　　'Martha　will　be　very　anxious　as　it　is。'



The　Vicar　had　sunk　into　a　chair；　overcome　by　emotion　and　amazement。



Cyril　had　also　sat　down；　and　was　leaning　forward　with　his　elbows　on

his　knees　because　of　that　soda…water　syphon。



'But　how　did　you　come　to　be　locked　up　in　the　church…tower？'　asked

the　Vicar。



'We　went　up；'　said　Robert　slowly；　'and　we　were　tired；　and　we　all

went　to　sleep；　and　when　we　woke　up　we　found　the　door　was　locked；　so

we　yelled。'



'I　should　think　you　did！'　said　the　Vicar's　wife。　　'Frightening

everybody　out　of　their　wits　like　this！　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of

yourselves。'



'We　are；'　said　Jane　gently。



'But　who　locked　the　door？'　asked　the　Vicar。



'I　don't　know　at　all；'　said　Robert；　with　perfect　truth。　　'Do　please

send　us　home。'



'Well；　really；'　said　the　Vicar；　'I　suppose　we'd　better。　　Andrew；

put　the　horse　to；　and　you　can　take　them　home。'



'Not　alone；　I　don't；'　said　Andrew　to　himself。



'And；'　the　Vicar　went　on；　'let　this　be　a　lesson　to　you　。。。'　　He

went　on　talking；　and　the　children　listened　miserably。　　But　the

keeper　was　not　listening。　　He　was　looking　at　t