five children and it-第2部分

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sandy　and　hot　and　red；　and　their　faces　got　damp　and　shiny。　　The

Lamb　had　tried　to　eat　the　sand；　and　had　cried　so　hard　when　he　found

that　it　was　not；　as　he　had　supposed；　brown　sugar；　that　he　was　now

tired　out；　and　was　lying　asleep　in　a　warm　fat　bunch　in　the　middle

of　the　half…finished　castle。　　This　left　his　brothers　and　sisters

free　to　work　really　hard；　and　the　hole　that　was　to　come　out　in

Australia　soon　grew　so　deep　that　Jane；　who　was　called　Pussy　for

short；　begged　the　others　to　Stop。



'Suppose　the　bottom　of　the　hole　gave　way　suddenly；'　she　said；　'and

you　tumbled　out　among　the　little　Australians；　all　the　sand　would

get　in　their　eyes。'



'Yes；'　said　Robert；　'and　they　would　hate　us；　and　throw　stones　at

us；　and　not　let　us　see　the　kangaroos；　or　opossums；　or　blue…gums；　or

Emu　Brand　birds；　or　anything。'



Cyril　and　Anthea　knew　that　Australia　was　not　quite　so　near　as　all

that；　but　they　agreed　to　stop　using　the　spades　and　go　on　with　their

hands。　　This　was　quite　easy；　because　the　sand　at　the　bottom　of　the

hole　was　very　soft　and　fine　and　dry；　like　sea…sand。　　And　there　were

little　shells　in　it。



'Fancy　it　having　been　wet　sea　here　once；　all　sloppy　and　shiny；'

said　Jane；　'with　fishes　and　conger…eels　and　coral　and　mermaids。'



'And　masts　of　ships　and　wrecked　Spanish　treasure。　　I　wish　we　could

find　a　gold　doubloon；　or　something；'　Cyril　said。



'How　did　the　sea　get　carried　away？'　Robert　asked。



'Not　in　a　pail；　silly；'　said　his　brother。　　'Father　says　the　earth

got　too　hot　underneath；　like　you　do　in　bed　sometimes；　so　it　just

hunched　up　its　shoulders；　and　the　sea　had　to　slip　off；　like　the

blankets　do　off　us；　and　the　shoulder　was　left　sticking　out；　and

turned　into　dry　land。　　Let's　go　and　look　for　shells；　I　think　that

little　cave　looks　likely；　and　I　see　something　sticking　out　there

like　a　bit　of　wrecked　ship's　anchor；　and　it's　beastly　hot　in　the

Australian　hole。'



The　others　agreed；　but　Anthea　went　on　digging。　　She　always　liked　to

finish　a　thing　when　she　had　once　begun　it。　　She　felt　it　would　be　a

disgrace　to　leave　that　hole　without　getting　through　to　Australia。



The　cave　was　disappointing；　because　there　were　no　shells；　and　the

wrecked　ship's　anchor　turned　out　to　be　only　the　broken　end　of　a

pickaxe　handle；　and　the　cave　party　were　just　making　up　their　minds

that　the　sand　makes　you　thirstier　when　it　is　not　by　the　seaside；

and　someone　had　suggested　going　home　for　lemonade；　when　Anthea

suddenly　screamed：



'Cyril！　　Come　here！　　Oh；　come　quick！　　It's　alive！　　It'll　get　away！

Quick！'



They　all　hurried　back。



'It's　a　rat；　I　shouldn't　wonder；'　said　Robert。　　'Father　says　they

infest　old　places　…　and　this　must　be　pretty　old　if　the　sea　was　here

thousands　of　years　ago。'



'Perhaps　it　is　a　snake；'　said　Jane；　shuddering。



'Let's　look；'　said　Cyril；　jumping　into　the　hole。　　'I'm　not　afraid

of　snakes。　　I　like　them。　　If　it　is　a　snake　I'll　tame　it；　and　it

will　follow　me　everywhere；　and　I'll　let　it　sleep　round　my　neck　at

night。'



'No；　you　won't；'　said　Robert　firmly。　　He　shared　Cyril's　bedroom。　

'But　you　may　if　it's　a　rat。'



'Oh；　don't　be　silly！'　said　Anthea；　'it's　not　a　rat；　it's　MUCH

bigger。　　And　it's　not　a　snake。　　It's　got　feet；　I　saw　them；　and　fur！

No　…　not　the　spade。　　You'll　hurt　it！　　Dig　with　your　hands。'



'And　let　IT　hurt　ME　instead！　　That's　so　likely；　isn't　it？'　said

Cyril；　seizing　a　spade。



'Oh；　don't！'　said　Anthea。　　'Squirrel；　DON'T。　　I　…　it　sounds　silly；

but　it　said　something。　　It　really　and　truly　did。'



'What？'



'It　said；　〃You　let　me　alone〃。'



But　Cyril　merely　observed　that　his　sister　must　have　gone　off　her

nut；　and　he　and　Robert　dug　with　spades　while　Anthea　sat　on　the　edge

of　the　hole；　jumping　up　and　down　with　hotness　and　anxiety。　　They

dug　carefully；　and　presently　everyone　could　see　that　there　really

was　something　moving　in　the　bottom　of　the　Australian　hole。



Then　Anthea　cried　out；　'I'M　not　afraid。　　Let　me　dig；'　and　fell　on

her　knees　and　began　to　scratch　like　a　dog　does　when　he　has　suddenly

remembered　where　it　was　that　he　buried　his　bone。



'Oh；　I　felt　fur；'　she　cried；　half　laughing　and　half　crying。　　'I　did

indeed！　　I　did！'　when　suddenly　a　dry　husky　voice　in　the　sand　made

them　all　jump　back；　and　their　hearts　jumped　nearly　as　fast　as　they

did。



'Let　me　alone；'　it　said。　　And　now　everyone　heard　the　voice　and

looked　at　the　others　to　see　if　they　had　too。



'But　we　want　to　see　you；'　said　Robert　bravely。



'I　wish　you'd　come　out；'　said　Anthea；　also　taking　courage。



'Oh；　well　…　if　that's　your　wish；'　the　voice　said；　and　the　sand

stirred　and　spun　and　scattered；　and　something　brown　and　furry　and

fat　came　rolling　out　into　the　hole　and　the　sand　fell　off　it；　and　it

sat　there　yawning　and　rubbing　the　ends　of　its　eyes　with　its　hands。



'I　believe　I　must　have　dropped　asleep；'　it　said；　stretching　itself。



The　children　stood　round　the　hole　in　a　ring；　looking　at　the

creature　they　had　found。　　It　was　worth　looking　at。　　Its　eyes　were

on　long　horns　like　a　snail's　eyes；　and　it　could　move　them　in　and

out　like　telescopes；　it　had　ears　like　a　bat's　ears；　and　its　tubby

body　was　shaped　like　a　spider's　and　covered　with　thick　soft　fur；

its　legs　and　arms　were　furry　too；　and　it　had　hands　and　feet　like　a

monkey's。



'What　on　earth　is　it？'　Jane　said。　　'Shall　we　take　it　home？'



The　thing　turned　its　long　eyes　to　look　at　her；　and　said：　'Does　she

always　talk　nonsense；　or　is　it　only　the　rubbish　on　her　head　that

makes　her　silly？'



It　looked　scornfully　at　Jane's　hat　as　it　spoke。



'She　doesn't　mean　to　be　silly；'　Anthea　said　gently；　we　none　of　us

do；　whatever　you　may　think！　　Don't　be　frightened；　we　don't　want　to

hurt　you；　you　know。'



'Hurt　ME！'　it　said。　　'ME　frightened？　　Upon　my　word！　　Why；　you　talk

as　if　I　were　nobody　in　particular。'　　All　its　fur　stood　out　like　a

cat's　when　it　is　going　to　fight。



'Well；'　said　Anthea；　still　kindly；　'perhaps　if　we　knew　who　you　are

in　particular　we　could　think　of　something　to　say　that　wouldn't　make

you　cross。　　Everything　we've　said　so　far　seems　to　have。　　Who　are

you？　　And　don't　get　angry！　　Because　really　we　don't　know。'



'You　don't　know？'　it　said。　　'Well；　I　knew　the　world　had　changed　…

but　…　well；　really　…　do　you　mean　to　tell　me　seriously　you　don't

know　a　Psammead　when　you　see　one？'



'A　Sammyadd？　　That's　Greek　to　me。'



'So　it　is　to　everyone；'　said　the　creature　sharply。　　'Well；　in　plain

English；　then；　a　SAND…FAIRY。　　Don't　you　know　a　Sand…fairy　when　you

see　one？'



It　looked　so　grieved　and　hurt　that　Jane　hastened　to　say；　'Of　course

I　see　you　are；　now。　　It's　quite　plain　now　one　comes　to　look　at

you。'



'You　came　to　look　at　me；　several　sentences　ago；'　it　said　crossly；

beginning　to　curl　up　again　in　the　sand。



'Oh　…　don't　go　away　again！　　Do　talk　some　more；'　Robert　cried。　　'I

didn't　know　you　were　a　Sand…fairy；　but　I　knew　directly　I　saw　you

that　you　were　much　the　wonderfullest　thing　I'd　ever　seen。'



The　Sand…fairy　seemed　a　shade　less　disagreeable　after　this。



'It　isn't　talking　I　mind；'　it　said；　'as　long　as　you're　reasonably

civil。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　make　polite　conversation　for　you。　　If

you　talk　nicely　to　me；　perhaps　I'll　answer　you；　and　perhaps　I

won't。　　Now　say　something。'



Of　course　no　one　could　think　of　anything　to　say；　but　at　last　Robert

thought　of　'How　long　have　you　lived　here？'　and　he　said　it　at　once。



'Oh；　ages　…　several　thousand　years；'　replied　the　Psammead。



'Tell　us　all　about　it。　　Do。'



'It's　all　in　books。'



'You　aren't！'　Jane　said。　　'Oh；　tell　us　everything　you　can　about

yourself！　　We　don't　know　anything　about　you；　and　you　are　so　nice。'



The　Sand…fairy　smoothed　his　long　rat…like　whiskers　and　smiled

between　them。



'Do　please　tell！'　said　the　children　all　together。



It　is　wonderful　how　quickly　you　get　used　to　things；　even　the　most

astonishing。　　Five　minutes　before；　the　children　had　had　no　more

idea　than　you　that　there　was　such　a　thing　as　a　sand…fairy　in　the

world；　and　now　they　were　talking　to　it　as　though　they　had　known　it

all　their　lives。　　It　drew　its　eyes　in　and　said：



'How　very　sunny　it　is　…　quite　like　old　times。　　Where　do　you　get

your　Megatheriums　from　now？'



'What？'　said　the　children　all　at　once。　　It　is　very　difficult　always

to　remember　that　'what'　is　not　polite；　especially　in　moments　of

surprise　or　agitation。



'Are　Pterodactyls　plentiful　now？'　the　Sand…fairy　went　on。



The　children　were　unable　to　reply。



'What　do　you　have　for　breakfast？'　the　Fairy　said　impatiently；　'and

who　gives　it　you？'



'Eggs　and　bacon；　and　bread…and…milk；　and　porridge　and　things。　

Mother　gives　it　us。　　What　are　Mega…what's…its…names　and

Ptero…what…do…you…call…thems？　　And　does　anyone　have　them　for

breakfast？'



'Why；　almost　everyone　had　Pterodactyl　for　breakfast　in　my　time！

Pterodactyls　were　something　like　crocodiles　and　something　like

birds　…　I　believe　they　were　very　good　grilled。　　You　see　it　was　like

this：　of　course　there　were　heaps　of　sand…fairies　then；　and　in　the

morning　early　you　went　out　and　hunted　for　them；　and　when　you'd

found　one　it　gave　you　your　wish。　　People　used　to　send　their　little

boys　down　to　the　seashore　early　in　the　morning　before　breakfast　to

get　the　day's　wishes；　and　very　often　the　eldest　boy　in　the　family

would　be　told　to　wish　for　a　Megatherium；　ready　jointed　for　cooking。　

It　was　as　big　as　an　elephant；　you　see；　so　there　was　a　good　deal　of

meat　on　it。　　And　if　they　wanted　fish；　the　Ichthyosaurus　was　asked

for　…　he　was　twenty　to　forty　feet　long；　so　there　was　plenty　of　him。　

And　for　poultry　there　was　the　Plesiosaurus；　there　were　nice

pickings　on　that　too。　　Then　the　other　children　could　wish　for　other

things。　　But　when　people　had　dinner…parties　it　was　nearly　always

Megatheriums；　and　Ichthyosaurus；　because　his　fins　were　a　great

delicacy　and　his　tail　made　soup。'



'There　must　have　been　heaps　and　heaps　of　cold　meat　left　over；'　said

A