five children and it-第22部分

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out　at　him　and　caught　him　by　the　collar。



'Now；'　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　about　four　times　its　usual　size；

just　as　his　body　was　four　times　its；　'I'm　going　to　teach　you　to

kick　boys　smaller　than　you。'



He　lifted　up　the　baker's　boy　and　set　him　on　the　top　of　the

haystack；　which　was　about　sixteen　feet　from　the　ground；　and　then　he

sat　down　on　the　roof　of　the　cowshed　and　told　the　baker's　boy

exactly　what　he　thought　of　him。　　I　don't　think　the　boy　heard　it　all

…　he　was　in　a　sort　of　trance　of　terror。　　When　Robert　had　said

everything　he　could　think　of；　and　some　things　twice　over；　he　shook

the　boy　and　said：



'And　now　get　down　the　best　way　you　can；'　and　left　him。



I　don't　know　how　the　baker's　boy　got　down；　but　I　do　know　that　he

missed　the　cart；　and　got　into　the　very　hottest　of　hot　water　when　he

turned　up　at　last　at　the　bakehouse。　　I　am　sorry　for　him；　but；　after

all；　it　was　quite　right　that　he　should　be　taught　that　English　boys

mustn't　use　their　feet　when　they　fight；　but　their　fists。　　Of　course

the　water　he　got　into　only　became　hotter　when　he　tried　to　tell　his

master　about　the　boy　he　had　licked　and　the　giant　as　high　as　a

church；　because　no　one　could　possibly　believe　such　a　tale　as　that。　

Next　day　the　tale　was　believed　…　but　that　was　too　late　to　be　of　any

use　to　the　baker's　boy。



When　Robert　rejoined　the　others　he　found　them　in　the　garden。　

Anthea　had　thoughtfully　asked　Martha　to　let　them　have　dinner　out

there　…　because　the　dining…room　was　rather　small；　and　it　would　have

been　so　awkward　to　have　a　brother　the　size　of　Robert　in　there。　　The

Lamb；　who　had　slept　peacefully　during　the　whole　stormy　morning；　was

now　found　to　be　sneezing；　and　Martha　said　he　had　a　cold　and　would

be　better　indoors。



'And　really　it's　just　as　well；'　said　Cyril；　'for　I　don't　believe

he'd　ever　have　stopped　screaming　if　he'd　once　seen　you　the　awful

size　you　are！'



Robert　was　indeed　what　a　draper　would　call　an　'out…size'　in　boys。　

He　found　himself　able　to　step　right　over　the　iron　gate　in　the　front

garden。



Martha　brought　out　the　dinner　…　it　was　cold　veal　and　baked

potatoes；　with　sago　pudding　and　stewed　plums　to　follow。



She　of　course　did　not　notice　that　Robert　was　anything　but　the　usual

size；　and　she　gave　him　as　much　meat　and　potatoes　as　usual　and　no

more。　　You　have　no　idea　how　small　your　usual　helping　of　dinner

looks　when　you　are　many　times　your　proper　size。　　Robert　groaned；

and　asked　for　more　bread。　　But　Martha　would　not　go　on　giving　more

bread　for　ever。　　She　was　in　a　hurry；　because　the　keeper　intended　to

call　on　his　way　to　Benenhurst　Fair；　and　she　wished　to　be　dressed

smartly　before　he　came。



'I　wish　WE　were　going　to　the　Fair；'　said　Robert。



'You　can't　go　anywhere　that　size；'　said　Cyril。



'Why　not？'　said　Robert。　　'They　have　giants　at　fairs；　much　bigger

ones　than　me。'



'Not　much；　they　don't；'　Cyril　was　beginning；　when　Jane　screamed

'Oh！'　with　such　loud　suddenness　that　they　all　thumped　her　on　the

back　and　asked　whether　she　had　swallowed　a　plum…stone。



'No；'　she　said；　breathless　from　being　thumped；　'it's　…　it's　not　a

plum…stone。　　it's　an　idea。　　Let's　take　Robert　to　the　Fair；　and　get

them　to　give　us　money　for　showing　him！　　Then　we　really　shall　get

something　out　of　the　old　Sammyadd　at　last！'



'Take　me；　indeed！'　said　Robert　indignantly。　　'Much　more　likely　me

take　you！'



And　so　it　turned　out。　　The　idea　appealed　irresistibly　to　everyone

but　Robert；　and　even　he　was　brought　round　by　Anthea's　suggestion

that　he　should　have　a　double　share　of　any　money　they　might　make。　

There　was　a　little　old　pony…trap　in　the　coach…house　…　the　kind　that

is　called　a　governess…cart。　　It　seemed　desirable　to　get　to　the　Fair

as　quickly　as　possible；　so　Robert　…　who　could　now　take　enormous

steps　and　so　go　very　fast　indeed　…　consented　to　wheel　the　others　in

this。　　It　was　as　easy　to　him　now　as　wheeling　the　Lamb　in　the

mail…cart　had　been　in　the　morning。　　The　Lamb's　cold　prevented　his

being　of　the　party。



It　was　a　strange　sensation　being　wheeled　in　a　pony…carriage　by　a

giant。　　Everyone　enjoyed　the　journey　except　Robert　and　the　few

people　they　passed　on　the　way。　　These　mostly　went　into　what　looked

like　some　kind　of　standing…up　fits　by　the　roadside；　as　Anthea　said。　

just　outside　Benenhurst；　Robert　hid　in　a　barn；　and　the　others　went

on　to　the　Fair。



There　were　some　swings；　and　a　hooting　tooting　blaring

merry…go…round；　and　a　shooting…gallery　and　coconut　shies。　

Resisting　an　impulse　to　win　a　coconut　…　or　at　least　to　attempt　the

enterprise　…　Cyril　went　up　to　the　woman　who　was　loading　little　guns

before　the　array　of　glass　bottles　on　strings　against　a　sheet　of

canvas。



'Here　you　are；　little　gentleman！'　she　said。　　'Penny　a　shot！'



'No；　thank　you；'　said　Cyril；　'we　are　here　on　business；　not　on

pleasure。　　Who's　the　master？'



'The　what？'



'The　master　…　the　head　…　the　boss　of　the　show。'



'Over　there；'　she　said；　pointing　to　a　stout　man　in　a　dirty　linen

jacket　who　was　sleeping　in　the　sun；　'but　I　don't　advise　you　to　wake

him　sudden。　　His　temper's　contrary；　especially　these　hot　days。　

Better　have　a　shot　while　you're　waiting。'



'It's　rather　important；'　said　Cyril。　　'It'll　be　very　profitable　to

him。　　I　think　he'll　be　sorry　if　we　take　it　away。'



'Oh；　if　it's　money　in　his　pocket；'　said　the　woman。　　'No　kid　now？

What　is　it？'



'It's　a　GIANT。'



'You　ARE　kidding？'



'Come　along　and　see；'　said　Anthea。



The　woman　looked　doubtfully　at　them；　then　she　called　to　a　ragged

little　girl　in　striped　stockings　and　a　dingy　white　petticoat　that

came　below　her　brown　frock；　and　leaving　her　in　charge　of　the

'shooting…gallery'　she　turned　to　Anthea　and　said；　'Well；　hurry　up！

But　if　you　ARE　kidding；　you'd　best　say　so。　　I'm　as　mild　as　milk

myself；　but　my　Bill　he's　a　fair　terror　and　…'



Anthea　led　the　way　to　the　barn。　　'It　really　IS　a　giant；'　she　said。　

'He's　a　giant　little　boy　…　in　Norfolks　like　my　brother's　there。　

And　we　didn't　bring　him　up　to　the　Fair　because　people　do　stare　so；

and　they　seem　to　go　into　kind　of　standing…up　fits　when　they　see

him。　　And　we　thought　perhaps　you'd　like　to　show　him　and　get

pennies；　and　if　you　like　to　pay　us　something；　you　can　…　only；　it'll

have　to　be　rather　a　lot；　because　we　promised　him　he　should　have　a

double　share　of　whatever　we　made。'



The　woman　murmured　something　indistinct；　of　which　the　children

could　only　hear　the　words；　'Swelp　me！'　'balmy；'　and　'crumpet；'

which　conveyed　no　definite　idea　to　their　minds。

She　had　taken　Anthea's　hand；　and　was　holding　it　very　firmly；　and

Anthea　could　not　help　wondering　what　would　happen　if　Robert　should

have　wandered　off　or　turned　his　proper　size　during　the　interval。　

But　she　knew　that　the　Psammead's　gifts　really　did　last　till　sunset；

however　inconvenient　their　lasting　might　be；　and　she　did　not　think；

somehow；　that　Robert　would　care　to　go　out　alone　while　he　was　that

size。



When　they　reached　the　barn　and　Cyril　called　'Robert！'　there　was　a

stir　among　the　loose　hay；　and　Robert　began　to　come　out。　　His　hand

and　arm　came　first　…　then　a　foot　and　leg。　　When　the　woman　saw　the

hand　she　said　'My！'　but　when　she　saw　the　foot　she　said　'Upon　my

civvy！'　and　when；　by　slow　and　heavy　degrees；　the　whole　of　Robert's

enormous　bulk　was　at　last　completely　disclosed；　she　drew　a　long

breath　and　began　to　say　many　things；　compared　with　which　'balmy'

and　'crumpet'　seemed　quite　ordinary。　　She　dropped　into

understandable　English　at　last。



'What'll　you　take　for　him？'　she　said　excitedly。　　'Anything　in

reason。　　We'd　have　a　special　van　built　…　leastways；　I　know　where

there's　a　second…hand　one　would　do　up　handsome　…　what　a　baby

elephant　had；　as　died。　　What'll　you　take？　　He's　soft；　ain't　he？

Them　giants　mostly　is　…　but　I　never　see　…　no；　never！　　What'll　you

take？　　Down　on　the　nail。　　We'll　treat　him　like　a　king；　and　give　him

first…rate　grub　and　a　doss　fit　for　a　bloomin'　dook。　　He　must　be

dotty　or　he　wouldn't　need　you　kids　to　cart　him　about。　　What'll　you

take　for　him？'



'They　won't　take　anything；'　said　Robert　sternly。　　'I'm　no　more　soft

than　you　are　…　not　so　much；　I　shouldn't　wonder。　　I'll　come　and　be

a　show　for　to…day　if　you'll　give　me'　…　he　hesitated　at　the　enormous

price　he　was　about　to　ask　…　'if　you'll　give　me　fifteen　shillings。'



'Done；'　said　the　woman；　so　quickly　that　Robert　felt　he　had　been

unfair　to　himself；　and　wished　he　had　asked　thirty。　　'Come　on　now　…

and　see　my　Bill　…　and　we'll　fix　a　price　for　the　season。　　I　dessay

you　might　get　as　much　as　two　quid　a　week　reg'lar。　　Come　on　…　and

make　yourself　as　small　as　you　can；　for　gracious'　sake！'



This　was　not　very　small；　and　a　crowd　gathered　quickly；　so　that　it

was　at　the　head　of　an　enthusiastic　procession　that　Robert　entered

the　trampled　meadow　where　the　Fair　was　held；　and　passed　over　the

stubbly　yellow　dusty　grass　to　the　door　of　the　biggest　tent。　　He

crept　in；　and　the　woman　went　to　call　her　Bill。　　He　was　the　big

sleeping　man；　and　he　did　not　seem　at　all　pleased　at　being　awakened。　

Cyril；　watching　through　a　slit　in　the　tent；　saw　him　scowl　and　shake

a　heavy　fist　and　a　sleepy　head。　　Then　the　woman　went　on　speaking

very　fast。　　Cyril　heard　'Strewth；'　and　'biggest　draw　you　ever；　so

help　me！'　and　he　began　to　share　Robert's　feeling　that　fifteen

shillings　was　indeed　far　too　little。　　Bill　slouched　up　to　the　tent

and　entered。　　When　he　beheld　the　magnificent　proportions　of　Robert

he　said　but　little　…　'Strike　me　pink！'　were　the　only　words　the

children　could　afterwards　remember　…　but　he　produced　fifteen

shillings；　mainly　in　sixpences　and　coppers；　and　handed　it　to

Robert。



'We'll　fix　up　about　what　you're　to　draw　when　the　show's　over

to…night；'　he　said　with　hoarse　heartiness。　　'Lor'　love　a　duck！

you'll　be　that　happy　with　us　you'll　never　want　to　leave　us。　　Can

you　do　a　song　now　…　or　a　bit　of　a　breakdown？'



'Not　to…day；'　said　Robert；　rejecting　the　idea　of　trying　to　sing　'As

once　in　May'；　a　favourite　of　h