five children and it-第3部分

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delicacy　and　his　tail　made　soup。'



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

Anthea；　who　meant　to　be　a　good　housekeeper　some　day。



'Oh　no；'　said　the　Psammead；　'that　would　never　have　done。　　Why；　of

course　at　sunset　what　was　left　over　turned　into　stone。　　You　find

the　stone　bones　of　the　Megatherium　and　things　all　over　the　place

even　now；　they　tell　me。'



'Who　tell　you？'　asked　Cyril；　but　the　Sand…fairy　frowned　and　began

to　dig　very　fast　with　its　furry　hands。



'Oh；　don't　go！'　they　all　cried；　'tell　us　more　about　it　when　it　was

Megatheriums　for　breakfast！　　Was　the　world　like　this　then？'



It　stopped　digging。



'Not　a　bit；'　it　said；　'it　was　nearly　all　sand　where　I　lived；　and

coal　grew　on　trees；　and　the　periwinkles　were　as　big　as　tea…trays　…

you　find　them　now；　they're　turned　into　stone。　　We　sand…fairies　used

to　live　on　the　seashore；　and　the　children　used　to　come　with　their

little　flint…spades　and　flint…pails　and　make　castles　for　us　to　live

in。　　That's　thousands　of　years　ago；　but　I　hear　that　children　still

build　castles　on　the　sand。　　It's　difficult　to　break　yourself　of　a

habit。'



'But　why　did　you　stop　living　in　the　castles？'　asked　Robert。



'It's　a　sad　story；'　said　the　Psammead　gloomily。　　'It　was　because

they　WOULD　build　moats　to　the　castles；　and　the　nasty　wet　bubbling

sea　used　to　come　in；　and　of　course　as　soon　as　a　sand…fairy　got　wet

it　caught　cold；　and　generally　died。　　And　so　there　got　to　be　fewer

and　fewer；　and；　whenever　you　found　a　fairy　and　had　a　wish；　you　used

to　wish　for　a　Megatherium；　and　eat　twice　as　much　as　you　wanted；

because　it　might　be　weeks　before　you　got　another　wish。'



'And　did　YOU　get　wet？'　Robert　inquired。



The　Sand…fairy　shuddered。　　'Only　once；'　it　said；　'the　end　of　the

twelfth　hair　of　my　top　left　whisker　…　I　feel　the　place　still　in

damp　weather。　　It　was　only　once；　but　it　was　quite　enough　for　me。　

I　went　away　as　soon　as　the　sun　had　dried　my　poor　dear　whisker。　　I

scurried　away　to　the　back　of　the　beach；　and　dug　myself　a　house　deep

in　warm　dry　sand；　and　there　I've　been　ever　since。　　And　the　sea

changed　its　lodgings　afterwards。　　And　now　I'm　not　going　to　tell　you

another　thing。'



'Just　one　more；　please；'　said　the　children。　　'Can　you　give　wishes

now？'



'Of　course；'　said　it；　'didn't　I　give　you　yours　a　few　minutes　ago？

You　said；　〃I　wish　you'd　come　out；〃　and　I　did。'



'Oh；　please；　mayn't　we　have　another？'



'Yes；　but　be　quick　about　it。　　I'm　tired　of　you。'



I　daresay　you　have　often　thought　what　you　would　do　if　you　had　three

wishes　given　you；　and　have　despised　the　old　man　and　his　wife　in　the

black…pudding　story；　and　felt　certain　that　if　you　had　the　chance

you　could　think　of　three　really　useful　wishes　without　a　moment's

hesitation。　　These　children　had　often　talked　this　matter　over；　but；

now　the　chance　had　suddenly　come　to　them；　they　could　not　make　up

their　minds。



'Quick；'　said　the　Sand…fairy　crossly。　　No　one　could　think　of

anything；　only　Anthea　did　manage　to　remember　a　private　wish　of　her

own　and　jane's　which　they　had　never　told　the　boys。　　She　knew　the

boys　would　not　care　about　it　…　but　still　it　was　better　than

nothing。



'I　wish　we　were　all　as　beautiful　as　the　day；'　she　said　in　a　great

hurry。



The　children　looked　at　each　other；　but　each　could　see　that　the

others　were　not　any　better…looking　than　usual。　　The　Psammead　pushed

out　its　long　eyes；　and　seemed　to　be　holding　its　breath　and　swelling

itself　out　till　it　was　twice　as　fat　and　furry　as　before。　　Suddenly

it　let　its　breath　go　in　a　long　sigh。



'I'm　really　afraid　I　can't　manage　it；'　it　said　apologetically；　'I

must　be　out　of　practice。'



The　children　were　horribly　disappointed。



'Oh；　DO　try　again！'　they　said。



'Well；'　said　the　Sand…fairy；　'the　fact　is；　I　was　keeping　back　a

little　strength　to　give　the　rest　of　you　your　wishes　with。　　If

you'll　be　contented　with　one　wish　a　day　amongst　the　lot　of　you　I

daresay　I　can　screw　myself　up　to　it。　　Do　you　agree　to　that？'



'Yes；　oh　yes！'　said　Jane　and　Anthea。　　The　boys　nodded。　　They　did

not　believe　the　Sand…fairy　could　do　it。　　You　can　always　make　girls

believe　things　much　easier　than　you　can　boys。



It　stretched　out　its　eyes　farther　than　ever；　and　swelled　and

swelled　and　swelled。



'I　do　hope　it　won't　hurt　itself；'　said　Anthea。



'Or　crack　its　skin；'　Robert　said　anxiously。



Everyone　was　very　much　relieved　when　the　Sand…fairy；　after　getting

so　big　that　it　almost　filled　up　the　hole　in　the　sand；　suddenly　let

out　its　breath　and　went　back　to　its　proper　size。



'That's　all　right；'　it　said；　panting　heavily。　　'It'll　come　easier

to…morrow。'



'Did　it　hurt　much？'　asked　Anthea。



'Only　my　poor　whisker；　thank　you；'　said　he；　'but　you're　a　kind　and

thoughtful　child。　　Good　day。'



It　scratched　suddenly　and　fiercely　with　its　hands　and　feet；　and

disappeared　in　the　sand。　　Then　the　children　looked　at　each　other；

and　each　child　suddenly　found　itself　alone　with　three　perfect

strangers；　all　radiantly　beautiful。



They　stood　for　some　moments　in　perfect　silence。　　Each　thought　that

its　brothers　and　sisters　had　wandered　off；　and　that　these　strange

children　had　stolen　up　unnoticed　while　it　was　watching　the　swelling

form　of　the　Sand…fairy。　　Anthea　spoke　first　…



'Excuse　me；'　she　said　very　politely　to　Jane；　who　now　had　enormous

blue　eyes　and　a　cloud　of　russet　hair；　'but　have　you　seen　two　little

boys　and　a　little　girl　anywhere　about？'



'I　was　just　going　to　ask　you　that；'　said　Jane。　　And　then　Cyril

cried：



'Why；　it's　YOU！　　I　know　the　hole　in　your　pinafore！　　You　ARE　Jane；

aren't　you？　　And　you're　the　Panther；　I　can　see　your　dirty

handkerchief　that　you　forgot　to　change　after　you'd　cut　your　thumb！

Crikey！　　The　wish　has　come　off；　after　all。　　I　say；　am　I　as　handsome

as　you　are？'



'If　you're　Cyril；　I　liked　you　much　better　as　you　were　before；'　said

Anthea　decidedly。　　'You　look　like　the　picture　of　the　young

chorister；　with　your　golden　hair；　you'll　die　young；　I　shouldn't

wonder。　　And　if　that's　Robert；　he's　like　an　Italian　organ…grinder。　

His　hair's　all　black。'



'You　two　girls　are　like　Christmas　cards；　then　…　that's　all　…　silly

Christmas　cards；'　said　Robert　angrily。　　'And　jane's　hair　is　simply

carrots。'



It　was　indeed　of　that　Venetian　tint　so　much　admired　by　artists。



'Well；　it's　no　use　finding　fault　with　each　other；'　said　Anthea；

'let's　get　the　Lamb　and　lug　it　home　to　dinner。　　The　servants　will

admire　us　most　awfully；　you'll　see。'



Baby　was　just　waking　when　they　got　to　him；　and　not　one　of　the

children　but　was　relieved　to　find　that　he　at　least　was　not　as

beautiful　as　the　day；　but　just　the　same　as　usual。



'I　suppose　he's　too　young　to　have　wishes　naturally；'　said　Jane。　

'We　shall　have　to　mention　him　specially　next　time。'



Anthea　ran　forward　and　held　out　her　arms。



'Come　to　own　Panther；　ducky；'　she　said。



The　Baby　looked　at　her　disapprovingly；　and　put　a　sandy　pink　thumb

in　his　mouth；　Anthea　was　his　favourite　sister。



'Come　then；'　she　said。



'G'way　long！'　said　the　Baby。



'Come　to　own　Pussy；'　said　Jane。



'Wants　my　Panty；'　said　the　Lamb　dismally；　and　his　lip　trembled。



'Here；　come　on；　Veteran；'　said　Robert；　'come　and　have　a　yidey　on

Yobby's　back。'



'Yah；　narky　narky　boy；'　howled　the　Baby；　giving　way　altogether。　

Then　the　children　knew　the　worst。　　THE　BABY　DID　NOT　KNOW　THEM！



They　looked　at　each　other　in　despair；　and　it　was　terrible　to　each；

in　this　dire　emergency；　to　meet　only　the　beautiful　eyes　of　perfect

strangers；　instead　of　the　merry；　friendly；　commonplace；　twinkling；

jolly　little　eyes　of　its　own　brothers　and　sisters。



'This　is　most　truly　awful；'　said　Cyril　when　he　had　tried　to　lift　up

the　Lamb；　and　the　Lamb　had　scratched　like　a　cat　and　bellowed　like

a　bull。　　'We've　got　to　MAKE　FRIENDS　with　him！　　I　can't　carry　him

home　screaming　like　that。　　Fancy　having　to　make　friends　with　our

own　baby！　…　it's　too　silly。'



That；　however；　was　exactly　what　they　had　to　do。　　It　took　over　an

hour；　and　the　task　was　not　rendered　any　easier　by　the　fact　that　the

Lamb　was　by　this　time　as　hungry　as　a　lion　and　as　thirsty　as　a

desert。



At　last　he　consented　to　allow　these　strangers　to　carry　him　home　by

turns；　but　as　he　refused　to　hold　on　to　such　new　acquaintances　he

was　a　dead　weight　and　most　exhausting。



'Thank　goodness；　we're　home！'　said　Jane；　staggering　through　the

iron　gate　to　where　Martha；　the　nursemaid；　stood　at　the　front　door

shading　her　eyes　with　her　hand　and　looking　out　anxiously。　　'Here！

Do　take　Baby！'



Martha　snatched　the　Baby　from　her　arms。



'Thanks　be；　HE'S　safe　back；'　she　said。　　'Where　are　the　others；　and

whoever　to　goodness　gracious　are　all　of　you？'



'We're　US；　of　course；'　said　Robert。



'And　who's　US；　when　you're　at　home？'　asked　Martha　scornfully。



'I　tell　you　it's　US；　only　we're　beautiful　as　the　day；'　said　Cyril。　

'I'm　Cyril；　and　these　are　the　others；　and　we're　jolly　hungry。　　Let

us　in；　and　don't　be　a　silly　idiot。'



Martha　merely　dratted　Cyril's　impudence　and　tried　to　shut　the　door

in　his　face。



'I　know　we　LOOK　different；　but　I'm　Anthea；　and　we're　so　tired；　and

it's　long　past　dinner…time。'



'Then　go　home　to　your　dinners；　whoever　you　are；　and　if　our　children

put　you　up　to　this　playacting　you　can　tell　them　from　me　they'll

catch　it；　so　they　know　what　to　expect！'　　With　that　she　did　bang　the

door。　　Cyril　rang　the　bell　violently。　　No　answer。　　Presently　cook

put　her　head　out　of　a　bedroom　window　and　said：



'If　you　don't　take　yourselves　off；　and　that　precious　sharp；　I'll　go

and　fetch　the　police。'　　And　she　slammed　down　the　window。



'It's　no　good；'　said　Anthea。　　'Oh；　do；　do　come　away　before　we　get

sent　to　prison！'



The　boys　said　it　was　nonsense；　and　the　law　of　England　couldn't　put

you　in　prison　for　just　being　as　beautiful　as　the　day；　but　all　the

same　they　followed　the　others　out　into　the　lane。



'We　shall　b