five children and it-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



home　till　after　you　are　in　your　beds。'



Their　beds！　　Speaking　glances　flashed　between　the　wretched　four。　

Much　bed　there　would　be　for　them　if　they　went　home　without　the

Lamb。



'We　promised　mother　not　to　lose　sight　of　you　if　we　took　you

out；'Jane　said　before　the　others　could　stop　her。



'Look　here；　Jane；'　said　the　grown…up　Lamb；　putting　his　hands　in　his

pockets　and　looking　down　at　her；　'little　girls　should　be　seen　and

not　heard。　　You　kids　must　learn　not　to　make　yourselves　a　nuisance。　

Run　along　home　now　…　and　perhaps；　if　you're　good；　I'll　give　you

each　a　penny　to…morrow。'



'Look　here；'　said　Cyril；　in　the　best　'man　to　man'　tone　at　his

command；　'where　are　you　going；　old　man？　　You　might　let　Bobs　and　me

come　with　you　…　even　if　you　don't　want　the　girls。'



This　was　really　rather　noble　of　Cyril；　for　he　never　did　care　much

about　being　seen　in　public　with　the　Lamb；　who　of　course　after

sunset　would　be　a　baby　again。



The　'man　to　man'　tone　succeeded。



'I　shall　just　run　over　to　Maidstone　on　my　bike；'　said　the　new　Lamb

airily；　fingering　the　little　black　moustache。　　'I　can　lunch　at　The

Crown　…　and　perhaps　I'll　have　a　pull　on　the　river；　but　I　can't　take

you　all　on　the　machine　…　now；　can　I？　　Run　along　home；　like　good

children。'



The　position　was　desperate。　　Robert　exchanged　a　despairing　look

with　Cyril。　　Anthea　detached　a　pin　from　her　waistband；　a　pin　whose

withdrawal　left　a　gaping　chasm　between　skirt　and　bodice；　and　handed

it　furtively　to　Robert　…　with　a　grimace　of　the　darkest　and　deepest

meaning。　　Robert　slipped　away　to　the　road。　　There；　sure　enough；

stood　a　bicycle　…　a　beautiful　new　free…wheel。　　Of　course　Robert

understood　at　once　that　if　the　Lamb　was　grown　up　he　MUST　have　a

bicycle。　　This　had　always　been　one　of　Robert's　own　reasons　for

wishing　to　be　grown　up。　　He　hastily　began　to　use　the　pin　…　eleven

punctures　in　the　back　tyre；　seven　in　the　front。　　He　would　have　made

the　total　twenty…two　but　for　the　rustling　of　the　yellow

hazel…leaves；　which　warned　him　of　the　approach　of　the　others。　　He

hastily　leaned　a　hand　on　each　wheel；　and　was　rewarded　by　the

'whish'　of　what　was　left　of　the　air　escaping　from　eighteen　neat

pin…holes。



'Your　bike's　run　down；'　said　Robert；　wondering　how　he　could　so　soon

have　learned　to　deceive。



'So　it　is；'　said　Cyril。



'It's　a　puncture；'　said　Anthea；　stooping　down；　and　standing　up

again　with　a　thorn　which　she　had　got　ready　for　the　purpose。　　'Look

here。'



The　grown…up　Lamb　（or　Hilary；　as　I　suppose　one　must　now　call　him）

fixed　his　pump　and　blew　up　the　tyre。　　The　punctured　state　of　it　was

soon　evident。



'I　suppose　there's　a　cottage　somewhere　near　…　where　one　could　get

a　pail　of　water？'　said　the　Lamb。



There　was；　and　when　the　number　of　punctures　had　been　made　manifest；

it　was　felt　to　be　a　special　blessing　that　the　cottage　provided

'teas　for　cyclists'。　　It　provided　an　odd　sort　of　tea…and…hammy　meal

for　the　Lamb　and　his　brothers。　　This　was　paid　for　out　of　the

fifteen　shillings　which　had　been　earned　by　Robert　when　he　was　a

giant　…　for　the　Lamb；　it　appeared；　had　unfortunately　no　money　about

him。　　This　was　a　great　disappointment　for　the　others；　but　it　is　a

thing　that　will　happen；　even　to　the　most　grown…up　of　us。　　However；

Robert　had　enough　to　eat；　and　that　was　something。　　Quietly　but

persistently　the　miserable　four　took　it　in　turns　to　try　to　persuade

the　Lamb　（or　St　Maur）　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　day　in　the　woods。　

There　was　not　very　much　of　the　day　left　by　the　time　he　had　mended

the　eighteenth　puncture。　　He　looked　up　from　the　completed　work　with

a　sigh　of　relief；　and　suddenly　put　his　tie　straight。



'There's　a　lady　coming；'　he　said　briskly　…　'for　goodness'　sake；　get

out　of　the　way。　　Go　home　…　hide　…　vanish　somehow！　　I　can't　be　seen

with　a　pack　of　dirty　kids。'　　His　brothers　and　sisters　were　indeed

rather　dirty；　because；　earlier　in　the　day；　the　Lamb；　in　his　infant

state；　had　sprinkled　a　good　deal　of　garden　soil　over　them。　　The

grown…up　Lamb's　voice　was　so　tyrant…like；　as　Jane　said　afterwards；

that　they　actually　retreated　to　the　back　garden；　and　left　him　with

his　little　moustache　and　his　flannel　suit　to　meet　alone　the　young

lady；　who　now　came　up　the　front　garden　wheeling　a　bicycle。



The　woman　of　the　house　came　out；　and　the　young　lady　spoke　to　her　…

the　Lamb　raised　his　hat　as　she　passed　him　…　and　the　children　could

not　hear　what　she　said；　though　they　were　craning　round　the　corner

by　the　pig…pail　and　listening　with　all　their　ears。　　They　felt　it　to

be　'perfectly　fair；'　as　Robert　said；　'with　that　wretched　Lamb　in

that　condition。'



When　the　Lamb　spoke　in　a　languid　voice　heavy　with　politeness；　they

heard　well　enough。



'A　puncture？'　he　was　saying。　　'Can　I　not　be　of　any　assistance？　　If

you　could　allow　me　…？'



There　was　a　stifled　explosion　of　laughter　behind　the　pig…pail　…　the

grown…up　Lamb　（otherwise　Devereux）　turned　the　tail　of　an　angry　eye

in　its　direction。



'You're　very　kind；'　said　the　lady；　looking　at　the　Lamb。　　She　looked

rather　shy；　but；　as　the　boys　put　it；　there　didn't　seem　to　be　any

nonsense　about　her。



'But　oh；'　whispered　Cyril　behind　the　pig…pail；　'I　should　have

thought　he'd　had　enough　bicycle…mending　for　one　day　…　and　if　she

only　knew　that　really　and　truly　he's　only　a　whiny…piny；　silly

little　baby！'



'He's　not；'　Anthea　murmured　angrily。　　'He's　a　dear　…　if　people　only

let　him　alone。　　It's　our　own　precious　Lamb　still；　whatever　silly

idiots　may　turn　him　into　…　isn't　he；　Pussy？'



Jane　doubtfully　supposed　so。



Now；　the　Lamb　…　whom　I　must　try　to　remember　to　call　St　Maur　…　was

examining　the　lady's　bicycle　and　talking　to　her　with　a　very

grown…up　manner　indeed。　　No　one　could　possibly　have　supposed；　to

see　and　hear　him；　that　only　that　very　morning　he　had　been　a　chubby

child　of　two　years　breaking　other　people's　Waterbury　watches。　

Devereux　（as　he　ought　to　be　called　for　the　future）　took　out　a　gold

watch　when　he　had　mended　the　lady's　bicycle；　and　all　the　onlookers

behind　the　pig…pail　said　'Oh！'　…　because　it　seemed　so　unfair　that

the　Baby；　who　had　only　that　morning　destroyed　two　cheap　but　honest

watches；　should　now；　in　the　grown…upness　Cyril's　folly　had　raised

him　to；　have　a　real　gold　watch　…　with　a　chain　and　seals！



Hilary　（as　I　will　now　term　him）　withered　his　brothers　and　sisters

with　a　glance；　and　then　said　to　the　lady　…　with　whom　he　seemed　to

be　quite　friendly：



'If　you　will　allow　me；　I　will　ride　with　you　as　far　as　the　Cross

Roads；　it　is　getting　late；　and　there　are　tramps　about。'



No　one　will　ever　know　what　answer　the　young　lady　intended　to　give

to　this　gallant　offer；　for；　directly　Anthea　heard　it　made；　she

rushed　out；　knocking　against　the　pig…pail；　which　overflowed　in　a

turbid　stream；　and　caught　the　Lamb　（I　suppose　I　ought　to　say

Hilary）　by　the　arm。　　The　others　followed；　and　in　an　instant　the

four　dirty　children　were　visible；　beyond　disguise。



'Don't　let　him；'　said　Anthea　to　the　lady；　and　she　spoke　with

intense　earnestness；　'he's　not　fit　to　go　with　anyone！'



'Go　away；　little　girl！'　said　St　Maur　（as　we　will　now　call　him）　in

a　terrible　voice。　　'Go　home　at　once！'



'You'd　much　better　not　have　anything　to　do　with　him；'　the　now

reckless　Anthea　went　on。　　'He　doesn't　know　who　he　is。　　He's

something　very　different　from　what　you　think　he　is。'



'What　do　you　mean？'　asked　the　lady　not　unnaturally；　while　Devereux

（as　I　must　term　the　grown…up　Lamb）　tried　vainly　to　push　Anthea

away。　　The　others　backed　her　up；　and　she　stood　solid　as　a　rock。



'You　just　let　him　go　with　you；'　said　Anthea；　'you'll　soon　see　what

I　mean！　　How　would　you　like　to　suddenly　see　a　poor　little　helpless

baby　spinning　along　downhill　beside　you　with　its　feet　up　on　a

bicycle　it　had　lost　control　Of？'



The　lady　had　turned　rather　pale。



'Who　are　these　very　dirty　children？'　she　asked　the　grown…up　Lamb

（sometimes　called　St　Maur　in　these　pages）。



'I　don't　know；'　he　lied　miserably。



'Oh；　Lamb！　how　can　you？'　cried　Jane　…　'when　you　know　perfectly　well

you're　our　own　little　baby　brother　that　we're　so　fond　of。　　We're

his　big　brothers　and　sisters；'　she　explained；　turning　to　the　lady；

who　with　trembling　hands　was　now　turning　her　bicycle　towards　the

gate；　'and　we've　got　to　take　care　of　him。　　And　we　must　get　him　home

before　sunset；　or　I　don't　know　whatever　will　become　of　us。　　You

see；　he's　sort　of　under　a　spell　…　enchanted　…　you　know　what　I

mean！'



Again　and　again　the　Lamb　（Devereux；　I　mean）　had　tried　to　stop

Jane's　eloquence；　but　Robert　and　Cyril　held　him；　one　by　each　leg；

and　no　proper　explanation　was　possible。　　The　lady　rode　hastily

away；　and　electrified　her　relatives　at　dinner　by　telling　them　of

her　escape　from　a　family　of　dangerous　lunatics。　　'The　little　girl's

eyes　were　simply　those　of　a　maniac。　　I　can't　think　how　she　came　to

be　at　large；'　she　said。



When　her　bicycle　had　whizzed　away　down　the　road；　Cyril　spoke

gravely。



'Hilary；　old　chap；'　he　said；　'you　must　have　had　a　sunstroke　or

something。　　And　the　things　you've　been　saying　to　that　lady！　　Why；

if　we　were　to　tell　you　the　things　you've　said　when　you　are　yourself

again；　say　to…　morrow　morning；　you　wouldn't　even　understand　them　…

let　alone　believe　them！　　You　trust　to　me；　old　chap；　and　come　home

now；　and　if　you're　not　yourself　in　the　morning　we'll　ask　the

milkman　to　ask　the　doctor　to　come。'



The　poor　grown…up　Lamb　（St　Maur　was　really　one　of　his　Christian

names）　seemed　now　too　bewildered　to　resist。



'Since　you　seem　all　to　be　as　mad　as　the　whole　worshipful　company　of

hatters；'　he　said　bitterly；　'I　suppose　I　HAD　better　take　you　home。　

But　you're　not　to　suppose　I　shall　pass　this　over。　　I　shall　have

something　to　say　to　you　all　to…morrow　morning。'



'Yes；　you　will；　my　Lamb；'　said　Anthea　under　her　breath；　'but　it

won't　be　at　all　the　sort　of　thing　you　think　it's　going　to　be。'



In　her　heart　she　could　hear　the　pretty；　soft　little　loving　voice　of

the　ba