five children and it-第29部分

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happened。　　First；　there　was　a　letter　from　mother。　　Granny　was

better；　and　mother　and　father　hoped　to　be　home　that　very　afternoon。　

A　cheer　arose。　　And　of　course　this　news　at　once　scattered　all　the

before…breakfast　wish…ideas。　　For　everyone　saw　quite　plainly　that

the　wish　for　the　day　must　be　something　to　please　mother　and　not　to

please　themselves。



'I　wonder　what　she　WOULD　like；'　pondered　Cyril。



'She'd　like　us　all　to　be　good；'　said　Jane　primly。



'Yes　…　but　that's　so　dull　for　us；'　Cyril　rejoined；　'and；　besides；

I　should　hope　we　could　be　that　without　sand…fairies　to　help　us。　

No；　it　must　be　something　splendid；　that　we　couldn't　possibly　get

without　wishing　for。'



'Look　out；'　said　Anthea　in　a　warning　voice；　'don't　forget

yesterday。　　Remember；　we　get　our　wishes　now　just　wherever　we　happen

to　be　when　we　say　〃I　wish〃。　　Don't　let's　let　ourselves　in　for

anything　silly　…　to…day　of　all　days。'



'All　right；'　said　Cyril。　　'You　needn't　jaw。'



just　then　Martha　came　in　with　a　jug　full　of　hot　water　for　the

teapot　…　and　a　face　full　of　importance　for　the　children。



'A　blessing　we're　all　alive　to　eat　our　breakfasses！'　she　said

darkly。



'Why；　whatever's　happened？'　everybody　asked。



'Oh；　nothing；'　said　Martha；　'only　it　seems　nobody's　safe　from　being

murdered　in　their　beds　nowadays。'



'Why；'　said　Jane　as　an　agreeable　thrill　of　horror　ran　down　her　back

and　legs　and　out　at　her　toes；　'has　anyone　been　murdered　in　their

beds？'



'Well　…　not　exactly；'　said　Martha；　'but　they　might　just　as　well。　

There's　been　burglars　over　at　Peasmarsh　Place　…　Beale's　just　told

me　…　and　they've　took　every　single　one　of　Lady　Chittenden's

diamonds　and　jewels　and　things；　and　she's　a…goin'　out　of　one

fainting　fit　into　another；　with　hardly　time　to　say　〃Oh；　my

diamonds！〃　in　between。　　And　Lord　Chittenden's　away　in　London。'



'Lady　Chittenden；'　said　Anthea；　'we've　seen　her。　　She　wears　a

red…and…white　dress；　and　she　has　no　children　of　her　own　and　can't

abide　other　folkses'。'



'That's　her；'　said　Martha。　　'Well；　she's　put　all　her　trust　in

riches；　and　you　see　how　she's　served。　　They　say　the　diamonds　and

things　was　worth　thousands　of　thousands　of　pounds。　　There　was　a

necklace　and　a　river　…　whatever　that　is　…　and　no　end　of　bracelets；

and　a　tarrer　and　ever　so　many　rings。　　But　there；　I　mustn't　stand

talking　and　all　the　place　to　clean　down　afore　your　ma　comes　home。'



'I　don't　see　why　she　should　ever　have　had　such　lots　of　diamonds；'

said　Anthea　when　Martha　had　Bounced　off。　　'She　was　rather　a　nasty

lady；　I　thought。　　And　mother　hasn't　any　diamonds；　and　hardly　any

jewels　…　the　topaz　necklace；　and　the　sapphire　ring　daddy　gave　her

when　they　were　engaged；　and　the　garnet　star；　and　the　little　pearl

brooch　with　great…grandpapa's　hair　in　it　…　that's　about　all。'



'When　I'm　grown　up　I'll　buy　mother　no　end　of　diamonds；'　said

Robert；　'if　she　wants　them。　　I　shall　make　so　much　money　exploring

in　Africa　I　shan't　know　what　to　do　with　it。'



'Wouldn't　it　be　jolly；'　said　Jane　dreamily；　'if　mother　could　find

all　those　lovely　things；　necklaces　and　rivers　of　diamonds　and

tarrers？'



'TIARAS；'　said　Cyril。



'Tiaras；　then　…　and　rings　and　everything　in　her　room　when　she

came　home？　　I　wish　she　would。'　　The　others　gazed　at　her　in　horror。



'Well；　she　WILL；'　said　Robert；　'you've　wished；　my　good　Jane　…　and

our　only　chance　now　is　to　find　the　Psammead；　and　if　it's　in　a　good

temper　it　MAY　take　back　the　wish　and　give　us　another。　　If　not　…

well　…　goodness　knows　what　we're　in　for！　…　the　police；　of　course；

and　…　Don't　cry；　silly！　　We'll　stand　by　you。　　Father　says　we　need

never　be　afraid　if　we　don't　do　anything　wrong　and　always　speak　the

truth。'



But　Cyril　and　Anthea　exchanged　gloomy　glances。　　They　remembered　how

convincing　the　truth　about　the　Psammead　had　been　once　before　when

told　to　the　police。



It　was　a　day　of　misfortunes。　　Of　course　the　Psammead　could　not　be

found。　　Nor　the　jewels；　though　every　one　Of　the　children　searched

their　mother's　room　again　and　again。



'Of　course；'　Robert　said；　'WE　couldn't　find　them。　　It'll　be　mother

who'll　do　that。　　Perhaps　she'll　think　they've　been　in　the　house　for

years　and　years；　and　never　know　they　are　the　stolen　ones　at　all。'



'Oh　yes！'　Cyril　was　very　scornful；　'then　mother　will　be　a　receiver

of　stolen　goods；　and　you　know　jolly　well　what　THAT'S　worse　than。'



Another　and　exhaustive　search　of　the　sand…pit　failed　to　reveal　the

Psammead；　so　the　children　went　back　to　the　house　slowly　and　sadly。



'I　don't　care；'　said　Anthea　stoutly；　'we'll　tell　mother　the　truth；

and　she'll　give　back　the　jewels　…　and　make　everything　all　right。'





'Do　you　think　so？'　said　Cyril　slowly。　　'Do　you　think　She'll　believe

us？　　Could　anyone　believe　about　a　Sammyadd　unless　they'd　seen　it？

She'll　think　we're　pretending。　　Or　else　she'll　think　we're　raving

mad；　and　then　we　shall　be　sent　to　Bedlam。　　How　would　you　like　it？'

…　he　turned　suddenly　on　the　miserable　Jane　…　'how　would　you　like

it；　to　be　shut　up　in　an　iron　cage　with　bars　and　padded　walls；　and

nothing　to　do　but　stick　straws　in　your　hair　all　day；　and　listen　to

the　howlings　and　ravings　of　the　other　maniacs？　　Make　up　your　minds

to　it；　all　of　you。　　It's　no　use　telling　mother。'



'But　it's　true；'　said　Jane。



'Of　course　it　is；　but　it's　not　true　enough　for　grown…up　people　to

believe　it；'　said　Anthea。　　'Cyril's　right。　　Let's　put　flowers　in

all　the　vases；　and　try　not　to　think　about　diamonds。　　After　all；

everything　has　come　right　in　the　end　all　the　other　times。'



So　they　filled　all　the　pots　they　could　find　with　flowers　…　asters

and　zinnias；　and　loose…leaved　late　red　roses　from　the　wall　of　the

stable…yard；　till　the　house　was　a　perfect　bower。



And　almost　as　soon　as　dinner　was　cleared　away　mother　arrived；　and

was　clasped　in　eight　loving　arms。　　It　was　very　difficult　indeed　not

to　tell　her　all　about　the　Psammead　at　once；　because　they　had　got

into　the　habit　of　telling　her　everything。　　But　they　did　succeed　in

not　telling　her。

Mother；　on　her　side；　had　plenty　to　tell　them　…　about　Granny；　and

Granny's　pigeons；　and　Auntie　Emma's　lame　tame　donkey。　　She　was　very

delighted　with　the　flowery…boweryness　of　the　house；　and　everything

seemed　so　natural　and　pleasant；　now　that　she　was　home　again；　that

the　children　almost　thought　they　must　have　dreamed　the　Psammead。



But；　when　mother　moved　towards　the　stairs　to　go　UP　to　her　bedroom

and　take　off　her　bonnet；　the　eight　arms　clung　round　her　just　as　if

she　only　had　two　children；　one　the　Lamb　and　the　other　an　octopus。



'Don't　go　up；　mummy　darling；'　said　Anthea；　'let　me　take　your　things

up　for　you。'



'Or　I　will；'　said　Cyril。



'We　want　you　to　come　and　look　at　the　rose…tree；'　said　Robert。



'Oh；　don't　go　up！'　said　Jane　helplessly。



'Nonsense；　dears；'　said　mother　briskly；　'I'm　not　such　an　old　woman

yet　that　I　can't　take　my　bonnet　off　in　the　proper　place。　　Besides；

I　must　wash　these　black　hands　of　mine。'



So　up　she　went；　and　the　children；　following　her；　exchanged　glances

of　gloomy　foreboding。



Mother　took　off　her　bonnet　…　it　was　a　very　pretty　hat；　really；　with

white　roses　on　it　…　and　when　she　had　taken　it　off　she　went　to　the

dressing…table　to　do　her　pretty　hair。



On　the　table　between　the　ring…stand　and　the　pincushion　lay　a　green

leather　case。　　Mother　opened　it。



'Oh；　how　lovely！'　she　cried。　　It　was　a　ring；　a　large　pearl　with

shining　many…lighted　diamonds　set　round　it。　　'Wherever　did　this

come　from？'　mother　asked；　trying　it　on　her　wedding　finger；　which　it

fitted　beautifully。　　'However　did　it　come　here？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　each　of　the　children　truthfully。



'Father　must　have　told　Martha　to　put　it　here；'　mother　said。　　'I'll

run　down　and　ask　her。'



'Let　me　look　at　it；'　said　Anthea；　who　knew　Martha　would　not　be　able

to　see　the　ring。　　But　when　Martha　was　asked；　of　course　she　denied

putting　the　ring　there；　and　so　did　Eliza　and　cook。



Mother　came　back　to　her　bedroom；　very　much　interested　and　pleased

about　the　ring。　　But；　when　she　opened　the　dressing…table　drawer　and

found　a　long　case　containing　an　almost　priceless　diamond　necklace；

she　was　more　interested　still；　though　not　so　pleased。　　In　the

wardrobe；　when　she　went　to　put　away　her　'bonnet'；　she　found　a　tiara

and　several　brooches；　and　the　rest　of　the　jewellery　turned　up　in

various　parts　of　the　room　during　the　next　half…hour。　　The　children

looked　more　and　more　uncomfortable；　and　now　Jane　began　to　sniff。



Mother　looked　at　her　gravely。



'Jane；'　she　said；　'I　am　sure　you　know　something　about　this。　　Now

think　before　you　speak；　and　tell　me　the　truth。'



'We　found　a　Fairy；'　said　Jane　obediently。



'No　nonsense；　please；'　said　her　mother　sharply。



'Don't　be　silly；　Jane；'　Cyril　interrupted。　　Then　he　went　on

desperately。　　'Look　here；　mother；　we've　never　seen　the　things

before；　but　Lady　Chittenden　at　Peasmarsh　Place　lost　all　her

jewellery　by　wicked　burglars　last　night。　　Could　this　possibly　be

it？'



All　drew　a　deep　breath。　　They　were　saved。



'But　how　could　they　have　put　it　here？　　And　why　should　they？'　asked

mother；　not　unreasonably。　　'Surely　it　would　have　been　easier　and

safer　to　make　off　with　it？'



'Suppose；'　said　Cyril；　'they　thought　it　better　to　wait　for　…　for

sunset　…　nightfall；　I　mean；　before　they　went　off　with　it。　　No　one

but　us　knew　that　you　were　coming　back　to…day。'



'I　must　send　for　the　police　at　once；'　said　mother　distractedly。　

'Oh；　how　I　wish　daddy　were　here！'



'Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　wait　till　he　DOES　come？'　asked　Robert；

knowing　that　his　father　would　not　be　home　before　sunset。



'No；　no；　I　can't　wait　a　minute　with　all　this　on　my　mind；'　cried

mother。　　'All　this'　was　the　heap　of　jewel…cases　on　the　bed。　　They

put　them　all　in　the　wardrobe；　and　mother　locked　it。　　Then　mother

called　Martha。



'Martha；'　she　said；　'has　any　stranger　been　into　MY　room　since　I've

been　away？　　Now；　answer　me　truth