five children and it-第18部分

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siege　away。　　Of　course　he　knew　they　had　all　come　out　of　a　wish；　but

swords　and　daggers　and　pikes　and　lances　seemed　much　too　real　to　be

wished　away。　　Robert　lost　consciousness　for　an　instant。　　When　he

opened　his　eyes　the　others　were　crowding　round　him。



'We　never　heard　you　come　in；'　they　said。　　'How　awfully　jolly　of　you

to　wish　it　to　give　us　our　wish！'



'Of　course　we　understood　that　was　what　you'd　done。'



'But　you　ought　to　have　told　us。　　Suppose　we'd　wished　something

silly。'



'Silly？'　said　Robert；　very　crossly　indeed。　　'How　much　sillier　could

you　have　been；　I'd　like　to　know？　　You　nearly　settled　ME　…　I　can

tell　you。'



Then　he　told　his　story；　and　the　others　admitted　that　it　certainly

had　been　rough　on　him。　　But　they　praised　his　courage　and　cleverness

so　much　that　he　presently　got　back　his　lost　temper；　and　felt　braver

than　ever；　and　consented　to　be　captain　of　the　besieged　force。



'We　haven't　done　anything　yet；'　said　Anthea　comfortably；　'we　waited

for　you。　　We're　going　to　shoot　at　them　through　these　little

loopholes　with　the　bow　and　arrows　uncle　gave　you；　and　you　shall

have　first　shot。'



'I　don't　think　I　would；'　said　Robert　cautiously；　'you　don't　know

what　they're　like　near　to。　　They've　got　REAL　bows　and　arrows　…　an

awful　length　…　and　swords　and　pikes　and　daggers；　and　all　sorts　of

sharp　things。　　They're　all　quite；　quite　real。　　It's　not　just　a　…　a

picture；　or　a　vision；　or　anything；　they　can　hurt　us　…　or　kill　us

even；　I　shouldn't　wonder。　　I　can　feel　my　ear　all　sore　still。　　Look

here　…　have　you　explored　the　castle？　　Because　I　think　we'd　better

let　them　alone　as　long　as　they　let　us　alone。　　I　heard　that　Jakin

man　say　they　weren't　going　to　attack　till　just　before　sundown。　　We

can　be　getting　ready　for　the　attack。　　Are　there　any　soldiers　in　the

castle　to　defend　it？'



'We　don't　know；'　said　Cyril。　　'You　see；　directly　I'd　wished　we　were

in　a　besieged　castle；　everything　seemed　to　go　upside　down；　and；when

it　came　straight　we　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　saw　the　camp　and

things　and　you　…　and　of　course　we　kept　on　looking　at　everything。　

Isn't　this　room　jolly？　　It's　as　real　as　real！'



It　was。　　It　was　square；　with　stone　walls　four　feet　thick；　and　great

beams　for　ceiling。　　A　low　door　at　the　corner　led　to　a　flight　of

steps；　up　and　down。　　The　children　went　down；　they　found　themselves

in　a　great　arched　gatehouse　…　the　enormous　doors　were　shut　and

barred。　　There　was　a　window　in　a　little　room　at　the　bottom　of　the

round　turret　up　which　the　stair　wound；　rather　larger　than　the　other

windows；　and　looking　through　it　they　saw　that　the　drawbridge　was　up

and　the　portcullis　down；　the　moat　looked　very　wide　and　deep。　

Opposite　the　great　door　that　led　to　the　moat　was　another　great

door；　with　a　little　door　in　it。　　The　children　went　through　this；

and　found　themselves　in　a　big　paved　courtyard；　with　the　great　grey

walls　of　the　castle　rising　dark　and　heavy　on　all　four　sides。



Near　the　middle　of　the　courtyard　stood　Martha；　moving　her　right

hand　backwards　and　forwards　in　the　air。　　The　cook　was　stooping　down

and　moving　her　hands；　also　in　a　very　curious　way。　　But。　　the　oddest

and　at　the　same　time　most　terrible　thing　was　the　Lamb；　who　was

sitting　on　nothing；　about　three　feet　from　the　ground；　laughing

happily。



The　children　ran　towards　him。　　Just　as　Anthea　was　reaching　out　her

arms　to　take　him；　Martha　said　crossly；　'Let　him　alone　…　do；　miss；

when　he　is　good。'



'But　what's　he　DOING？'　said　Anthea。



'Doing？　　Why；　a…setting　in　his　high　chair　as　good　as　gold；　a

precious；　watching　me　doing　of　the　ironing。　　Get　along　with　you；　do

…　my　iron's　cold　again。'



She　went　towards　the　cook；　and　seemed　to　poke　an　invisible　fire

with　an　unseen　poker　…　the　cook　seemed　to　be　putting　an　unseen　dish

into　an　invisible　oven。



'Run　along　with　you；　do；'　she　said；　'I'm　behindhand　as　it　is。　　You

won't　get　no　dinner　if　you　come　a…hindering　of　me　like　this。　　Come；

off　you　goes；　or　I'll　pin　a　dishcloth　to　some　of　your　tails。'



'You're　sure　the　Lamb's　all　right？'　asked　Jane　anxiously。



'Right　as　ninepence；　if　you　don't　come　unsettling　of　him。　　I

thought　you'd　like　to　be　rid　of　him　for　to…day；　but　take　him；　if

you　want　him；　for　gracious'　sake。'



'No；　no；'　they　said；　and　hastened　away。　　They　would　have　to　defend

the　castle　presently；　and　the　Lamb　was　safer　even　suspended　in

mid…air　in　an　invisible　kitchen　than　in　the　guardroom　of　a　besieged

castle。　　They　went　through　the　first　doorway　they　came　to；　and　sat

down　helplessly　on　a　wooden　bench　that　ran　along　the　room　inside。



'How　awful！'　said　Anthea　and　Jane　together；　and　Jane　added；　'I　feel

as　if　I　was　in　a　mad　asylum。'



'What　does　it　mean？'　Anthea　said。　　'It's　creepy；　I　don't　like　it。　

I　wish　we'd　wished　for　something　plain　…　a　rocking…horse；　or　a

donkey；　or　something。'



'It's　no　use　wishing　NOW；'　said　Robert　bitterly；　and　Cyril　said：



'Do　dry　up　a　sec；　I　want　to　think。'



He　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　the　others　looked　about　them。　

They　were　in　a　long　room　with　an　arched　roof。　　There　were　wooden

tables　along　it；　and　one　across　at　the　end　of　the　room；　on　a　sort

of　raised　platform。　　The　room　was　very　dim　and　dark。　　The　floor　was

strewn　with　dry　things　like　sticks；　and　they　did　not　smell　nice。



Cyril　sat　up　suddenly　and　said：



'Look　here　…　it's　all　right。　　I　think　it's　like　this。　　You　know；　we

wished　that　the　servants　shouldn't　notice　any　difference　when　we

got　wishes。　　And　nothing　happens　to　the　Lamb　unless　we　specially

wish　it　to。　　So　of　course　they　don't　notice　the　castle　or　anything。　

But　then　the　castle　is　on　the　same　place　where　our　house　was　…　is；

I　mean　…　and　the　servants　have　to　go　on　being　in　the　house；　or　else

they　would　notice。　　But　you　can't　have　a　castle　mixed　up　with　our

house　…　and　so　we　can't　see　the　house；　because　we　see　the　castle；

and　they　can't　see　the　castle；　because　they　go　on　seeing　the　house；

and　so　…'



'Oh；　DON'T！'　said　Jane；　'you　make　my　head　go　all　swimmy；　like　being

on　a　roundabout。　　It　doesn't　matter！　　Only；　I　hope　we　shall　be　able

to　see　our　dinner；　that's　all　…　because　if　it's　invisible　it'll　be

unfeelable　as　well；　and　then　we　can't　eat　it！　　I　KNOW　it　will；

because　I　tried　to　feel　if　I　could　feel　the　Lamb's　chair；　and　there

was　nothing　under　him　at　all　but　air。　　And　we　can't　eat　air；　and　I

feel　just　as　if　I　hadn't　had　any　breakfast　for　years　and　years。'



'It's　no　use　thinking　about　it；'　said　Anthea。　　'Let's　go　on

exploring。　　Perhaps　we　might　find　something　to　eat。'



This　lighted　hope　in　every　breast；　and　they　went　on　exploring　the

castle。　　But　though　it　was　the　most　perfect　and　delightful　castle

you　can　possibly　imagine；　and　furnished　in　the　most　complete　and

beautiful　manner；　neither　food　nor　men…at…arms　were　to　be　found　in

it。

'If　only　you'd　thought　of　wishing　to　be　besieged　in　a　castle

thoroughly　garrisoned　and　provisioned！'　said　Jane　reproachfully。



'You　can't　think　of　everything；　you　know；'　said　Anthea。　　'I　should

think　it　must　be　nearly　dinner…time　by　now。'



It　wasn't；　but　they　hung　about　watching　the　strange　movements　of

the　servants　in　the　middle　of　the　courtyard；　because；　of　course；

they　couldn't　be　sure　where　the　dining…room　of　the　invisible　house

was。　　Presently　they　saw　Martha　carrying　an　invisible　tray　across

the　courtyard；　for　it　seemed　that；　by　the　most　fortunate　accident；

the　dining…room　of　the　house　and　the　banqueting…hall　of　the　castle

were　in　the　same　place。　　But　oh；　how　their　hearts　sank　when　they

perceived　that　the　tray　was　invisible！



They　waited　in　wretched　silence　while　Martha　went　through　the　form

of　carving　an　unseen　leg　of　mutton　and　serving　invisible　greens　and

potatoes　with　a　spoon　that　no　one　could　see。　　When　she　had　left　the

room；　the　children　looked　at　the　empty　table；　and　then　at　each

other。



'This　is　worse　than　anything；'　said　Robert；　who　had　not　till　now

been　particularly　keen　on　his　dinner。



'I'm　not　so　very　hungry；'　said　Anthea；　trying　to　make　the　best　of

things；　as　usual。



Cyril　tightened　his　belt　ostentatiously。　　Jane　burst　into　tears。







CHAPTER　7

A　SIEGE　AND　BED





The　children　were　sitting　in　the　gloomy　banqueting…hall；　at　the　end

of　one　of　the　long　bare　wooden　tables。　　There　was　now　no　hope。　

Martha　had　brought　in　the　dinner；　and　the　dinner　was　invisible；　and

unfeelable　too；　for；　when　they　rubbed　their　hands　along　the　table；

they　knew　but　too　well　that　for　them　there　was　nothing　there　BUT

table。



Suddenly　Cyril　felt　in　his　pocket。



'Right；　oh！'　he　cried。　　'Look　here！　　Biscuits。'



Rather　broken　and　crumbled；　certainly；　but　still　biscuits。　　Three

whole　ones；　and　a　generous　handful　of　crumbs　and　fragments。



'I　got　them　this　morning　…　cook　…　and　I'd　quite　forgotten；'　he

explained　as　he　divided　them　with　scrupulous　fairness　into　four

heaps。



They　were　eaten　in　a　happy　silence；　though　they　tasted　a　little

oddly；　because　they　had　been　in　Cyril's　pocket　all　the　morning　with

a　hank　of　tarred　twine；　some　green　fir…cones；　and　a　ball　of

cobbler's　wax。



'Yes；　but　look　here；　Squirrel；'　said　Robert；　'you're　so　clever　at

explaining　about　invisibleness　and　all　that。　　How　is　it　the

biscuits　are　here；　and　all　the　bread　and　meat　and　things　have

disappeared？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　Cyril　after　a　pause；　'unless　it's　because　WE

had　them。　　Nothing　about　us　has　changed。　　Everything's　in　my　pocket

all　right。'



'Then　if　we　HAD　the　mutton　it　would　be　real；'　said　Robert。　　'Oh；

don't　I　wish　we　could　find　it！'



'But　we　can't　find　it。　　I　suppose　it　isn't　ours　till　we've　got　it

in　our　mouths。'



'Or　in　our　pockets；'　said　Jane；　thinking　of　the　biscuits。



'Who　puts　mutton　in　their　pockets；　goose…girl？'　said　Cyril。　　'But

I　know　…　at　any　rate；　I'll　try　it！'



He　leaned　over　the　table　with　his　face　about　an　inch　from　it；　and

kept　opening　and　shutting　his　mouth　as　if　he　were　taking　bites　out