five children and it-第24部分

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morning　after　Robert　had　wished　to　be　bigger　than　the　baker's　boy；

and　had　been　it。　　The　day　that　lay　between　these　two　days　had　been

occupied　entirely　by　getting　the　governess…cart　home　from

Benenhurst。



Cyril　dressed　hastily；　he　did　not　take　a　bath；　because　tin　baths

are　so　noisy；　and　he　had　no　wish　to　rouse　Robert；　and　he　slipped

off　alone；　as　Anthea　had　once　done；　and　ran　through　the　dewy

morning　to　the　sand…pit。　　He　dug　up　the　Psammead　very　carefully　and

kindly；　and　began　the　conversation　by　asking　it　whether　it　still

felt　any　ill　effects　from　the　contact　with　the　tears　of　Robert　the

day　before　yesterday。　　The　Psammead　was　in　a　good　temper。　　It

replied　politely。



'And　now；　what　can　I　do　for　you？'　it　said。　　'I　suppose　you've　come

here　so　early　to　ask　for　something　for　yourself；　something　your

brothers　and　sisters　aren't　to　know　about　eh？　　Now；　do　be　persuaded

for　your　own　good！　　Ask　for　a　good　fat　Megatherium　and　have　done

with　it。'



'Thank　you　…　not　to…day；　I　think；'　said　Cyril　cautiously。　　'What　I

really　wanted　to　say　was　…　you　know　how　you're　always　wishing　for

things　when　you're　playing　at　anything？'



'I　seldom　play；'　said　the　Psammead　coldly。



'Well；　you　know　what　I　mean；'　Cyril　went　on　impatiently。　　'What　I

want　to　say　is：　won't　you　let　us　have　our　wish　just　when　we　think

of　it；　and　just　where　we　happen　to　be？　　So　that　we　don't　have　to

come　and　disturb　you　again；'　added　the　crafty　Cyril。



'It'll　only　end　in　your　wishing　for　something　you　don't　really

want；　like　you　did　about　the　castle；'　said　the　Psammead；　stretching

its　brown　arms　and　yawning。　　'It's　always　the　same　since　people

left　off　eating　really　wholesome　things。　　However；　have　it　your　own

way。　　Good…bye。'



'Good…bye；'　said　Cyril　politely。



'I'll　tell　you　what；'　said　the　Psammead　suddenly；　shooting　out　its

long　snail's　eyes　…　'I'm　getting　tired　of　you　…　all　of　you。　　You

have　no　more　sense　than　so　many　oysters。　　Go　along　with　you！'

And　Cyril　went。



'What　an　awful　long　time　babies　STAY　babies；'　said　Cyril　after　the

Lamb　had　taken　his　watch　out　of　his　pocket　while　he　wasn't

noticing；　and　with　coos　and　clucks　of　naughty　rapture　had　opened

the　case　and　used　the　whole　thing　as　a　garden　spade；　and　when　even

immersion　in　a　wash…hand　basin　had　failed　to　wash　the　mould　from

the　works　and　make　the　watch　go　again。　　Cyril　had　said　several

things　in　the　heat　of　the　moment；　but　now　he　was　calmer；　and　had

even　consented　to　carry　the　Lamb　part　of　the　way　to　the　woods。　

Cyril　had　persuaded　the　others　to　agree　to　his　plan；　and　not　to

wish　for　anything　more　till　they　really　did　wish　it。　　Meantime　it

seemed　good　to　go　to　the　woods　for　nuts；　and　on　the　mossy　grass

under　a　sweet　chestnut…tree　the　five　were　sitting。　　The　Lamb　was

pulling　up　the　moss　by　fat　handfuls；　and　Cyril　was　gloomily

contemplating　the　ruins　of　his　watch。



'He　does　grow；'　said　Anthea。　　'Doesn't　oo；　precious？'



'Me　grow；'　said　the　Lamb　cheerfully　…　'me　grow　big　boy；　have　guns

an'　mouses　…　an'　…　an'　。。。'　　Imagination　or　vocabulary　gave　out

here。　　But　anyway　it　was　the　longest　speech　the　Lamb　had　ever　made；

and　it　charmed　everyone；　even　Cyril；　who　tumbled　the　Lamb　over　and

rolled　him　in　the　moss　to　the　music　of　delighted　squeals。



'I　suppose　he'll　be　grown　up　some　day；'　Anthea　was　saying；　dreamily

looking　up　at　the　blue　of　the　sky　that　showed　between　the　long

straight　chestnut…leaves。　　But　at　that　moment　the　Lamb；　struggling

gaily　with　Cyril；　thrust　a　stoutly…shod　little　foot　against　his

brother's　chest；　there　was　a　crack！　…　the　innocent　Lamb　had　broken

the　glass　of　father's　second…best　Waterbury　watch；　which　Cyril　had

borrowed　without　leave。



'Grow　up　some　day！'　said　Cyril　bitterly；　plumping　the　Lamb　down　on

the　grass。　　'I　daresay　he　will　when　nobody　wants　him　to。　　I　wish　to

goodness　he　would　…'



'OH；　take　care！'　cried　Anthea　in　an　agony　of　apprehension。　　But　it

was　too　late　…　like　music　to　a　song　her　words　and　Cyril's　came　out

together　…　Anthea　…　'Oh；　take　care！'　Cyril　…　'Grow　up　now！'



The　faithful　Psammead　was　true　to　its　promise；　and　there；　before

the　horrified　eyes　of　its　brothers　and　sisters；　the　Lamb　suddenly

and　violently　grew　up。　　It　was　the　most　terrible　moment。　　The

change　was　not　so　sudden　as　the　wish…changes　usually　were。　　The

Baby's　face　changed　first。　　It　grew　thinner　and　larger；　lines　came

in　the　forehead；　the　eyes　grew　more　deep…set　and　darker　in　colour；

the　mouth　grew　longer　and　thinner；　most　terrible　of　all；　a　little

dark　moustache　appeared　on　the　lip　of　one　who　was　still　…　except　as

to　the　face　…　a　two…year…old　baby　in　a　linen　smock　and　white

open…work　socks。



'Oh；　I　wish　it　wouldn't！　　Oh；　I　wish　it　wouldn't！　　You　boys　might

wish　as　well！'　　They　all　wished　hard；　for　the　sight　was　enough　to

dismay　the　most　heartless。　　They　all　wished　so　hard；　indeed；　that

they　felt　quite　giddy　and　almost　lost　consciousness；　but　the

wishing　was　quite　vain；　for；　when　the　wood　ceased　to　whirl　round；

their　dazzled　eyes　were　riveted　at　once　by　the　spectacle　of　a　very

proper…looking　young　man　in　flannels　and　a　straw　hat　…　a　young　man

who　wore　the　same　little　black　moustache　which　just　before　they　had

actually　seen　growing　upon　the　Baby's　lip。　　This；　then；　was　the

Lamb　…　grown　up！　　Their　own　Lamb！　　It　was　a　terrible　moment。　　The

grown…up　Lamb　moved　gracefully　across　the　moss　and　settled　himself

against　the　trunk　of　the　sweet　chestnut。　　He　tilted　the　straw　hat

over　his　eyes。　　He　was　evidently　weary。　　He　was　going　to　sleep。　

The　Lamb　…　the　original　little　tiresome　beloved　Lamb　often　went　to

sleep　at　odd　times　and　in　unexpected　places。　　Was　this　new　Lamb　in

the　grey　flannel　suit　and　the　pale　green　necktie　like　the　other

Lamb？　or　had　his　mind　grown　up　together　with　his　body？



That　was　the　question　which　the　others；　in　a　hurried　council　held

among　the　yellowing　bracken　a　few　yards　from　the　sleeper；　debated

eagerly。



'Whichever　it　is；　it'll　be　just　as　awful；'　said　Anthea。　　'If　his

inside　senses　are　grown　up　too；　he　won't　stand　our　looking　after

him；　and　if　he's　still　a　baby　inside　of　him　how　on　earth　are　we　to

get　him　to　do　anything？　　And　it'll　be　getting　on　for　dinner…time　in

a　minute　'And　we　haven't　got　any　nuts；'　said　Jane。



'Oh；　bother　nuts！'　said　Robert；　'but　dinner's　different　…　I　didn't

have　half　enough　dinner　yesterday。　　Couldn't　we　tie　him　to　the　tree

and　go　home　to　our　dinners　and　come　back　afterwards？'



'A　fat　lot　of　dinner　we　should　get　if　we　went　back　without　the

Lamb！'　said　Cyril　in　scornful　misery。　　'And　it'll　be　just　the　same

if　we　go　back　with　him　in　the　state　he　is　now。　　Yes；　I　know　it's　my

doing；　don't　rub　it　in！　　I　know　I'm　a　beast；　and　not　fit　to　live；

you　can　take　that　for　settled；　and　say　no　more　about　it。　　The

question　is；　what　are　we　going　to　do？'



'Let's　wake　him　up；　and　take　him　into　Rochester　or　Maidstone　and

get　some　grub　at　a　pastrycook's；'　said　Robert　hopefully。



'Take　him？'　repeated　Cyril。　　'Yes　…　do！　　It's　all　MY　fault　…　I

don't　deny　that　…　but　you'll　find　you've　got　your　work　cut　out　for

you　if　you　try　to　take　that　young　man　anywhere。　　The　Lamb　always

was　spoilt；　but　now　he's　grown　up　he's　a　demon　…　simply。　　I　can　see

it。　　Look　at　his　mouth。'



'Well　then；'　said　Robert；　'let's　wake　him　up　and　see　what　HE'LL　do。　

Perhaps　HE'LL　take　us　to　Maidstone　and　stand　Sam。　　He　ought　to　have

a　lot　of　money　in　the　pockets　of　those　extra…special　bags。　　We　MUST

have　dinner；　anyway。'



They　drew　lots　with　little　bits　of　bracken。　　It　fell　to　jane's　lot

to　waken　the　grown…up　Lamb。



She　did　it　gently　by　tickling　his　nose　with　a　twig　of　wild

honeysuckle。　　He　said　'Bother　the　flies！'　twice；　and　then　opened

his　eyes。



'Hullo；　kiddies！'　he　said　in　a　languid　tone；　'still　here？　　What's

the　giddy　hour？　　You'll　be　late　for　your　grub！'



'I　know　we　shall；'　said　Robert　bitterly。



'Then　cut　along　home；'　said　the　grown…up　Lamb。



'What　about　your　grub；　though？'　asked　Jane。



'Oh；　how　far　is　it　to　the　station；　do　you　think？　　I've　a　sort　of

notion　that　I'll　run　up　to　town　and　have　some　lunch　at　the　club。'



Blank　misery　fell　like　a　pall　on　the　four　others。　　The　Lamb　…　alone

…　unattended　…　would　go　to　town　and　have　lunch　at　a　club！　　Perhaps

he　would　also　have　tea　there。　　Perhaps　sunset　would　come　upon　him

amid　the　dazzling　luxury　of　club…land；　and　a　helpless　cross　sleepy

baby　would　find　itself　alone　amid　unsympathetic　waiters；　and　would

wail　miserably　for　'Panty'　from　the　depths　of　a　club　arm…chair！　

The　picture　moved　Anthea　almost　to　tears。



'Oh　no；　Lamb　ducky；　you　mustn't　do　that！'　she　cried　incautiously。



The　grown…up　Lamb　frowned。　　'My　dear　Anthea；'　he　said；　'how　often

am　I　to　tell　you　that　my　name　is　Hilary　or　St　Maur　or　Devereux？　…

any　of　my　baptismal　names　are　free　to　my　little　brothers　and

sisters；　but　NOT　〃Lamb〃　…　a　relic　of　foolish　and　far…off

childhood。'



This　was　awful。　　He　was　their　elder　brother　now；　was　he？　　Well；　of

course　he　was；　if　he　was　grown　up　…　since　they　weren't。　　Thus；　in

whispers；　Anthea　and　Robert。



But　the　almost　daily　adventures　resulting　from　the　Psammead　wishes

were　making　the　children　wise　beyond　their　years。



'Dear　Hilary；'　said　Anthea；　and　the　others　choked　at　the　name；　'you

know　father　didn't　wish　you　to　go　to　London。　　He　wouldn't　like　us

to　be　left　alone　without　you　to　take　care　of　us。　　Oh；　deceitful

beast　that　I　am！'　she　added　to　herself。



'Look　here；'　said　Cyril；　'if　you're　our　elder　brother；　why　not

behave　as　such　and　take　us　over　to　Maidstone　and　give　us　a　jolly

good　blow…out；　and　we'll　go　on　the　river　afterwards？'



'I'm　infinitely　obliged　to　you；'　said　the　Lamb　courteously；　'but　I

should　prefer　solitude。　　Go　home　to　your　lunch　…　I　mean　your

dinner。　　Perhaps　I　may　look　in　about　tea…time　…　or　I　may　not　be

home　till　after　you　are　in　your　beds。'



Their　beds！　　Speaking　glances　flashed　between　the　wretched　four。