five children and it-第19部分

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

of　air。



'It's　no　good；'　said　Robert　in　deep　dejection。　　'You'll　only　…

Hullo！'



Cyril　stood　up　with　a　grin　of　triumph；　holding　a　square　piece　of

bread　in　his　mouth。　　It　was　quite　real。　　Everyone　saw　it。　　It　is

true　that；　directly　he　bit　a　piece　off；　the　rest　vanished；　but　it

was　all　right；　because　he　knew　he　had　it　in　his　hand　though　he

could　neither　see　nor　feel　it。　　He　took　another　bite　from　the　air

between　his　fingers；　and　it　turned　into　bread　as　he　bit。　　The　next

moment　all　the　others　were　following　his　example；　and　opening　and

shutting　their　mouths　an　inch　or　so　from　the　bare…looking　table。　

Robert　captured　a　slice　of　mutton；　and　…　but　I　think　I　will　draw　a

veil　over　the　rest　of　this　painful　scene。　　It　is　enough　to　say　that

they　all　had　enough　mutton；　and　that　when　Martha　came　to　change　the

plates　she　said　she　had　never　seen　such　a　mess　in　all　her　born

days。



The　pudding　was；　fortunately；　a　plain　suet　roly…poly；　and　in　answer

to　Martha's　questions　the　children　all　with　one　accord　said　that

they　would　NOT　have　treacle　on　it　…　nor　jam；　nor　sugar　…　'Just

plain；　please；'　they　said。　　Martha　said；　'Well；　I　never　…　what

next；　I　wonder！'　and　went　away。



Then　ensued　another　scene　on　which　I　will　not　dwell；　for　nobody

looks　nice　picking　up　slices　of　suet　pudding　from　the　table　in　its

mouth；　like　a　dog。

The　great　thing；　after　all；　was　that　they　had　had　dinner；　and　now

everyone　felt　more　courage　to　prepare　for　the　attack　that　was　to　be

delivered　before　sunset。　　Robert；　as　captain；　insisted　on　climbing

to　the　top　of　one　of　the　towers　to　reconnoitre；　so　up　they　all

went。　　And　now　they　could　see　all　round　the　castle；　and　could　see；

too；　that　beyond　the　moat；　on　every　side；　the　tents　of　the

besieging　party　were　pitched。　　Rather　uncomfortable　shivers　ran

down　the　children's　backs　as　they　saw　that　all　the　men　were　very

busy　cleaning　or　sharpening　their　arms；　re…stringing　their　bows；

and　polishing　their　shields。　　A　large　party　came　along　the　road；

with　horses　dragging　along　the　great　trunk　of　a　tree；　and　Cyril

felt　quite　pale；　because　he　knew　this　was　for　a　battering…ram。



'What　a　good　thing　we've　got　a　moat；'　he　said；　'and　what　a　good

thing　the　drawbridge　is　up　…　I　should　never　have　known　how　to　work

it。'



'Of　course　it　would　be　up　in　a　besieged　castle。'



'You'd　think　there　ought　to　have　been　soldiers　in　it；　wouldn't

you？'　said　Robert。



'You　see　you　don't　know　how　long　it's　been　besieged；'　said　Cyril

darkly；　'perhaps　most　of　the　brave　defenders　were　killed　quite

early　in　the　siege　and　all　the　provisions　eaten；　and　now　there　are

only　a　few　intrepid　survivors　…　that's　us；　and　we　are　going　to

defend　it　to　the　death。'



'How　do　you　begin　…　defending　to　the　death；　I　mean？'　asked　Anthea。



'We　ought　to　be　heavily　armed　…　and　then　shoot　at　them　when　they

advance　to　the　attack。'



'They　used　to　pour　boiling　lead　down　on　besiegers　when　they　got　too

close；'　said　Anthea。　　'Father　showed　me　the　holes　on　purpose　for

pouring　it　down　through　at　Bodiam　Castle。　　And　there　are　holes　like

it　in　the　gate…tower　here。'



'I　think　I'm　glad　it's　only　a　game；　it　IS　only　a　game；　isn't　it？'

said　Jane。



But　no　one　answered。



The　children　found　plenty　of　strange　weapons　in　the　castle；　and　if

they　were　armed　at　all　it　was　soon　plain　that　they　would　be；　as

Cyril　said；　'armed　heavily'　…　for　these　swords　and　lances　and

crossbows　were　far　too　weighty　even　for　Cyril's　manly　strength；　and

as　for　the　longbows；　none　of　the　children　could　even　begin　to　bend

them。　　The　daggers　were　better；　but　Jane　hoped　that　the　besiegers

would　not　come　close　enough　for　daggers　to　be　of　any　use。



'Never　mind；　we　can　hurl　them　like　javelins；'　said　Cyril；　'or　drop

them　on　people's　heads。　　I　say　…　there　are　lots　of　stones　on　the

other　side　of　the　courtyard。　　If　we　took　some　of　those　up；　just　to

drop　on　their　heads　if　they　were　to　try　swimming　the　moat。'



So　a　heap　of　stones　grew　apace；　up　in　the　room　above　the　gate；　and

another　heap；　a　shiny　spiky　dangerous…looking　heap；　of　daggers　and

knives。



As　Anthea　was　crossing　the　courtyard　for　more　stones；　a　sudden　and

valuable　idea　came　to　her。　　She　went　to　Martha　and　said；　'May　we

have　just　biscuits　for　tea？　　We're　going　to　play　at　besieged

castles；　and　we'd　like　the　biscuits　to　provision　the　garrison。　　Put

mine　in　my　pocket；　please；　my　hands　are　so　dirty。　　And　I'll　tell

the　others　to　fetch　theirs。'



This　was　indeed　a　happy　thought；　for　now　with　four　generous

handfuls　of　air；　which　turned　to　biscuit　as　Martha　crammed　it　into

their　pockets；　the　garrison　was　well　provisioned　till　sundown。



They　brought　up　some　iron　pots　of　cold　water　to　pour　on　the

besiegers　instead　of　hot　lead；　with　which　the　castle　did　not　seem

to　be　provided。



The　afternoon　passed　with　wonderful　quickness。　　It　was　very

exciting；　but　none　of　them；　except　Robert；　could　feel　all　the　time

that　this　was　real　deadly　dangerous　work。　　To　the　others；　who　had

only　seen　the　camp　and　the　besiegers　from　a　distance；　the　whole

thing　seemed　half　a　game　of　make…believe；　and　half　a　splendidly

distinct　and　perfectly　safe　dream。　　But　it　was　only　now　and　then

that　Robert　could　feel　this。



When　it　seemed　to　be　tea…time　the　biscuits　were　eaten　with　water

from　the　deep　well　in　the　courtyard；　drunk　out　of　horns。　　Cyril

insisted　on　putting　by　eight　of　the　biscuits；　in　case　anyone　should

feel　faint　in　stress　of　battle。



just　as　he　was　putting　away　the　reserve　biscuits　in　a　sort　of

little　stone　cupboard　without　a　door；　a　sudden　sound　made　him　drop

three。　　It　was　the　loud　fierce　cry　of　a　trumpet。



'You　see　it　IS　real；'　said　Robert；　'and　they　are　going　to　attack。'



All　rushed　to　the　narrow　windows。



'Yes；'　said　Robert；　'they're　all　coming　out　of　their　tents　and

moving　about　like　ants。　　There's　that　Jakin　dancing　about　where　the

bridge　joins　on。　　I　wish　he　could　see　me　put　my　tongue　out　at　him！

Yah！'



The　others　were　far　too　pale　to　wish　to　put　their　tongues　out　at

anybody。　　They　looked　at　Robert　with　surprised　respect。　　Anthea

said：



'You　really　ARE　brave；　Robert。'



'Rot！'　Cyril's　pallor　turned　to　redness　now；　all　in　a　minute。　

'He's　been　getting　ready　to　be　brave　all　the　afternoon。　　And　I

wasn't　ready；　that's　all。　　I　shall　be　braver　than　he　is　in　half　a

jiffy。'



'Oh　dear！'　said　Jane；　'what　does　it　matter　which　of

you　is　the　bravest？　　I　think　Cyril　was　a　perfect　silly　to　wish　for

a　castle；　and　I　don't　want　to　play。'



'It　ISN'T'　…　Robert　was　beginning　sternly；　but　Anthea

interrupted　…





'Oh　yes；　you　do；'　she　said　coaxingly；　'it's　a　very　nice　game；

really；　because　they　can't　possibly　get　in；　and　if　they　do　the

women　and　children　are　always　spared　by　civilized　armies。'



'But　are　you　quite；　quite　sure　they　ARE　civilized？'　asked　Jane；

panting。　　'They　seem　to　be　such　a　long　time　ago。'



'Of　course　they　are。'　　Anthea　pointed　cheerfully　through　the　narrow

window。　　'Why；　look　at　the　little　flags　on　their　lances；　how　bright

they　are　…　and　how　fine　the　leader　is！　　Look；　that's　him　…　isn't

it；　Robert？　…　on　the　grey　horse。'



Jane　consented　to　look；　and　the　scene　was　almost　too　pretty　to　be

alarming。　　The　green　turf；　the　white　tents；　the　flash　of　pennoned

lances；　the　gleam　of　armour；　and　the　bright　colours　of　scarf　and

tunic　…　it　was　just　like　a　splendid　coloured　picture。　　The　trumpets

were　sounding；　and　when　the　trumpets　stopped　for　breath　the

children　could　hear　the　cling…clang　of　armour　and　the　murmur　of

voices。



A　trumpeter　came　forward　to　the　edge　of　the　moat；　which　now　seemed

very　much　narrower　than　at　first；　and　blew　the　longest　and　loudest

blast　they　had　yet　heard。　　When　the　blaring　noise　had　died　away；　a

man　who　was　with　the　trumpeter　shouted：



'What　ho；　within　there！'　and　his　voice　came　plainly　to　the　garrison

in　the　gate…house。



'Hullo　there！'　Robert　bellowed　back　at　once。



'In　the　name　of　our　Lord　the　King；　and　of　our　good　lord　and　trusty

leader　Sir　Wulfric　de　Talbot；　we　summon　this　castle　to　surrender　…

on　pain　of　fire　and　sword　and　no　quarter。　　Do　ye　surrender？'



'No；'　bawled　Robert；　'of　course　we　don't！　　Never；



Never；　NEVER！'



The　man　answered　back：



'Then　your　fate　be　on　your　own　heads。'



'Cheer；'　said　Robert　in　a　fierce　whisper。　　'Cheer　to　show　them　we

aren't　afraid；　and　rattle　the　daggers　to　make　more　noise。　　One；

two；　three！　　Hip；　hip；　hooray！　　Again　…　Hip；　hip；　hooray！　　One　more

…　Hip；　hip；　hooray！'　　The　cheers　were　rather　high　and　weak；　but　the

rattle　of　the　daggers　lent　them　strength　and　depth。



There　was　another　shout　from　the　camp　across　the　moat　…　and　then

the　beleaguered　fortress　felt　that　the　attack　had　indeed　begun。



It　was　getting　rather　dark　in　the　room　above　the　great　gate；　and

Jane　took　a　very　little　courage　as　she　remembered　that　sunset

couldn't　be　far　off　now。



'The　moat　is　dreadfully　thin；'　said　Anthea。



'But　they　can't　get　into　the　castle　even　if　they　do　swim　over；'

said　Robert。　　And　as　he　spoke　he　heard　feet　on　the　stair　outside　…

heavy　feet　and　the　clank　of　steel。　　No　one　breathed　for　a　moment。　

The　steel　and　the　feet　went　on　up　the　turret　stairs。　　Then　Robert

sprang　softly　to　the　door。　　He　pulled　off　his　shoes。



'Wait　here；'　he　whispered；　and　stole　quickly　and　softly　after　the

boots　and　the　spur…clank。　　He　peeped　into　the　upper　room。　　The　man

was　there　…　and　it　was　Jakin；　all　dripping　with　moat…water；　and　he

was　fiddling　about　with　the　machinery　which　Robert　felt　sure　worked

the　drawbridge。　　Robert　banged　the　door　suddenly；　and　turned　the

great　key　in　the　lock；　just　as　Jakin　sprang　to　the　inside　of　the

door。　　Then　he　tore　downstairs　and　into　the　little　turret　at　the

foot　of　the　tower　where　the　biggest　window　was。



'We　ought　to　have　defended　THIS！'　he　cried　to　the　others　as　they

followed　hi