five children and it-第30部分

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called　Martha。



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

been　away？　　Now；　answer　me　truthfully。'



'No；　mum；'　answered　Martha；　'leastways；　what　I　mean　to　say　…'



She　stopped。



'Come；'　said　her　mistress　kindly；　'I　see　someone　has。　　You　must

tell　me　at　once。　　Don't　be　frightened。　　I'm　sure　you　haven't　done

anything　wrong。'



Martha　burst　into　heavy　sobs。



'I　was　a…goin'　to　give　you　warning　this　very　day；　mum；　to　leave　at

the　end　of　my　month；　so　I　was　…　on　account　of　me　being　going　to

make　a　respectable　young　man　happy。　　A　gamekeeper　he　is　by　trade；

mum　…　and　I　wouldn't　deceive　you　…　of　the　name　of　Beale。　　And　it's

as　true　as　I　stand　here；　it　Was　your　coming　home　in　such　a　hurry；

and　no　warning　given；　out　of　the　kindness　of　his　heart　it　was；　as

he　says；　〃Martha；　my　beauty；〃　he　says　…　which　I　ain't　and　never

was；　but　you　know　how　them　men　will　go　on　…　〃I　can't　see　you

a…toiling　and　a…moiling　and　not　lend　a　'elping　'and；　which　mine　is

a　strong　arm　and　it's　yours；　Martha；　my　dear；〃　says　he。　　And　so　he

helped　me　a…cleanin'　of　the　windows；　but　outside；　mum；　the　whole

time；　and　me　in；　if　I　never　say　another　breathing　word　it's　the

gospel　truth。'



'Were　you　with　him　the　whole　time？'　asked　her　mistress。



'Him　outside　and　me　in；　I　was；'　said　Martha；　'except　for　fetching

up　a　fresh　pail　and　the　leather　that　that　slut　of　a　Eliza　'd　hidden

away　behind　the　mangle。'



'That　will　do；'　said　the　children's　mother。　　'I　am　not　pleased　with

you；　Martha；　but　you　have　spoken　the　truth；　and　that　counts　for

something。'



When　Martha　had　gone；　the　children　clung　round　their　mother。



'Oh；　mummy　darling；'　cried　Anthea；　'it　isn't　Beale's　fault；　it

isn't　really！　　He's　a　great　dear；　he　is；　truly　and　honourably；　and

as　honest　as　the　day。　　Don't　let　the　police　take　him；　mummy！　　oh；

don't；　don't；　don't！'



It　was　truly　awful。　　Here　was　an　innocent　man　accused　of　robbery

through　that　silly　wish　of　Jane's；　and　it　was　absolutely　useless　to

tell　the　truth。　　All　longed　to；　but　they　thought　of　the　straws　in

the　hair　and　the　shrieks　of　the　other　frantic　maniacs；　and　they

could　not　do　it。



'Is　there　a　cart　hereabouts？'　asked　mother　feverishly。　　'A　trap　of

any　sort？　　I　must　drive　in　to　Rochester　and　tell　the　police　at

once。'



All　the　children　sobbed；　'There's　a　cart　at　the　farm；　but；　oh；

don't　go！　…　don't　go！　…　oh；　don't　go！　…　wait　till　daddy　comes

home！'



Mother　took　not　the　faintest　notice。　　When　she　had　set　her　mind　on

a　thing　she　always　went　straight　through　with　it；　she　was　rather

like　Anthea　in　this　respect。



'Look　here；　Cyril；'　she　said；　sticking　on　her　hat　with　long　sharp

violet…headed　pins；　'I　leave　you　in　charge。　　Stay　in　the

dressing…room。　　You　can　pretend　to　be　swimming　boats　in　the　bath；

or　something。　　Say　I　gave　you　leave。　　But　stay　there；　with　the

landing　door　open；　I've　locked　the　other。　　And　don't　let　anyone　go

into　my　room。　　Remember；　no　one　knows　the　jewels　are　there　except

me；　and　all　of　you；　and　the　wicked　thieves　who　put　them　there。　

Robert；　you　stay　in　the　garden　and　watch　the　windows。　　If　anyone

tries　to　get　in　you　must　run　and　tell　the　two　farm　men　that　I'll

send　up　to　wait　in　the　kitchen。　　I'll　tell　them　there　are　dangerous

characters　about　…　that's　true　enough。　　Now；　remember；　I　trust　you

both。　　But　I　don't　think　they'll　try　it　till　after　dark；　so　you're

quite　safe。　　Good…bye；　darlings。'



And　she　locked　her　bedroom　door　and　went　off　with　the　key　in　her

pocket。



The　children　could　not　help　admiring　the　dashing　and　decided　way　in

which　she　had　acted。　　They　thought　how　useful　she　would　have　been

in　organizing　escape　from　some　of　the　tight　places　in　which　they

had　found　themselves　of　late　in　consequence　of　their　ill…timed

wishes。



'She's　a　born　general；'　said　Cyril　…　'but　I　don't　know　what's　going

to　happen　to　us。　　Even　if　the　girls　were　to　hunt　for　that　beastly

Sammyadd　and　find　it；　and　get　it　to　take　the　jewels　away　again；

mother　would　only　think　we　hadn't　looked　out　properly　and　let　the

burglars　sneak　in　and　nick　them　…　or　else　the　police　will　think

WE'VE　got　them　…　or　else　that　she's　been　fooling　them。　　Oh；　it's　a

pretty　decent　average　ghastly　mess　this　time；　and　no　mistake！'





He　savagely　made　a　paper　boat　and　began　to　float　it　in　the　bath；　as

he　had　been　told　to　do。



Robert　went　into　the　garden　and　sat　down　on　the　worn　yellow　grass；

with　his　miserable　head　between　his　helpless　hands。



Anthea　and　Jane　whispered　together　in　the　passage　downstairs；　where

the　coconut　matting　was　…　with　the　hole　in　it　that　you　always

caught　your　foot　in　if　you　were　not　careful。　　Martha's　voice　could

be　heard　in　the　kitchen　…　grumbling　loud　and　long。



'It's　simply　quite　too　dreadfully　awful；'　said　Anthea。　　'How　do　you

know　all　the　diamonds　are　there；　too？　　If　they　aren't；　the　police

will　think　mother　and　father　have　got　them；　and　that　they've　only

given　up　some　of　them　for　a　kind　of　desperate　blind。　　And　they'll

be　put　in　prison；　and　we　shall　be　branded　outcasts；　the　children　of

felons。　　And　it　won't　be　at　all　nice　for　father　and　mother　either；'

she　added；　by　a　candid　afterthought。



'But　what　can　WE　do？'　asked　Jane。



'Nothing　…　at　least　we　might　look　for　the　Psammead　again。　　It's　a

very；　very　hot　day。　　He　may　have　come　out　to　warm　that　whisker　of

his。'



'He　won't　give　us　any　more　beastly　wishes　to…day；'　said　Jane

flatly。　　'He　gets　crosser　and　crosser　every　time　we　see　him。　　I

believe　he　hates　having　to　give　wishes。'



Anthea　had　been　shaking　her　head　gloomily　…　now　she　stopped　shaking

it　so　suddenly　that　it　really　looked　as　though　she　were　pricking　up

her　ears。



'What　is　it？'　asked　Jane。　　'Oh；　have　you　thought　of　something？'



'Our　one　chance；'　cried　Anthea　dramatically；　'the　last　lone…lorn

forlorn　hope。　　Come　on。'



At　a　brisk　trot　she　led　the　way　to　the　sand…pit。　　Oh；　joy！　…　there

was　the　Psammead；　basking　in　a　golden　sandy　hollow　and　preening　its

whiskers　happily　in　the　glowing　afternoon　sun。　　The　moment　it　saw

them　it　whisked　round　and　began　to　burrow　…　it　evidently　preferred

its　own　company　to　theirs。　　But　Anthea　was　too　quick　for　it。　　She

caught　it　by　its　furry　shoulders　gently　but　firmly；　and　held　it。



'Here　…　none　of　that！'　said　the　Psammead。　　'Leave　go　of　me；　will

you？'



But　Anthea　held　him　fast。



'Dear　kind　darling　Sammyadd；'　she　said　breathlessly。



'Oh　yes　…　it's　all　very　well；'　it　said；　'you　want　another　wish；　I

expect。　　But　I　can't　keep　on　slaving　from　morning　till　night　giving

people　their　wishes。　　I　must　have　SOME　time　to　myself。'



'Do　you　hate　giving　wishes？'　asked　Anthea　gently；　and　her　voice

trembled　with　excitement。



'Of　course　I　do；'　it　said。　　'Leave　go　of　me　or　I'll　bite！　…　I

really　will　…　I　mean　it。　　Oh；　well；　if　you　choose　to　risk　it。'



Anthea　risked　it　and　held　on。



'Look　here；'　she　said；　'don't　bite　me　…　listen　to　reason。　　If

you'll　only　do　what　we　want　to…day；　we'll　never　ask　you　for　another

wish　as　long　as　we　live。'



The　Psammead　was　much　moved。



'I'd　do　anything；'　it　said　in　a　tearful　voice。　　'I'd　almost　burst

myself　to　give　you　one　wish　after　another；　as　long　as　I　held　out；

if　you'd　only　never；　never　ask　me　to　do　it　after　to…day。　　If　you

knew　how　I　hate　to　blow　myself　out　with　other　people's　wishes；　and

how　frightened　I　am　always　that　I　shall　strain　a　muscle　or

something。　　And　then　to　wake　up　every　morning　and　know　you've　GOT

to　do　it。　　You　don't　know　what　it　is　…　you　don't　know　what　it　is；

you　don't！'　　Its　voice　cracked　with　emotion；　and　the　last　'don't'

was　a　squeak。



Anthea　set　it　down　gently　on　the　sand。



'It's　all　over　now；'　she　said　soothingly。　　'We　promise　faithfully

never　to　ask　for　another　wish　after　to…day。'

'Well；　go　ahead；'　said　the　Psammead；　'let's　get　it　over。'



'How　many　can　you　do？'



'I　don't　know　…　as　long　as　I　can　hold　out。'



'Well；　first；　I　wish　Lady　Chittenden　may　find　she's　never　lost　her

jewels。'



The　Psammead　blew　itself　out；　collapsed；　and　said；　'Done。'



'I　wish；　said　Anthea　more　slowly；　'mother　mayn't　get　to　the

police。'



'Done；'　said　the　creature　after　the　proper　interval。



'I　wish；'　said　Jane　suddenly；　'mother　could　forget　all　about　the

diamonds。'



'Done；'　said　the　Psammead；　but　its　voice　was　weaker。



'Wouldn't　you　like　to　rest　a　little？'　asked　Anthea　considerately。



'Yes；　please；'　said　the　Psammead；　'and；　before　we　go　further；　will

you　wish　something　for　me？'



'Can't　you　do　wishes　for　yourself？'



'Of　course　not；'　it　said；　'we　were　always　expected　to　give　each

other　our　wishes　…　not　that　we　had　any　to　speak　of　in　the　good　old

Megatherium　days。　　just　wish；　will　you；　that　you　may　never　be　able；

any　of　you；　to　tell　anyone　a　word　about　ME。'



'Why？'　asked　Jane。



'Why；　don't　you　see；　if　you　told　grown…ups　I　should　have　no　peace

of　my　life。　　They'd　get　hold　of　me；　and　they　wouldn't　wish　silly

things　like　you　do；　but　real　earnest　things；　and　the　scientific

people　would　hit　on　some　way　of　making　things　last　after　sunset；　as

likely　as　not；　and　they'd　ask　for　a　graduated　income…tax；　and

old…age　pensions　and　manhood　suffrage；　and　free　secondary

education；　and　dull　things　like　that；　and　get　them；　and　keep　them；

and　the　whole　world　would　be　turned　topsy…turvy。　　Do　wish　it！

Quick！'



Anthea　repeated　the　Psammead's　wish；　and　it　blew　itself　out　to　a

larger　size　than　they　had　yet　seen　it　attain。



'And　now；'　it　said　as　it　collapsed；　'can　I　do　anything　more　for

you？'



'Just　one　thing；　and　I　think　that　clears　everything　up；　doesn't　it；

Jane？　　I　wish　Martha　to　forget　about　the　diamond　ring；　and　mother

to　forget　about　the　keeper　cleaning　the　windows。'

'It's　like　the　〃Brass　Bottle〃；'　said　Jane。



'Yes；　I'm　glad　we　read　that　or　I　should　never　have　thought　of　it。'



'Now；'　said　the　Psammead　faintly；　'I'm　almost　worn　out。　　Is　there

an