five children and it-第8部分

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tablespoon　with　desperate　suddenness；　hit　Cyril　heavily　on　the　head

with　it；　and　then　cried　because　it　was　taken　away　from　him。　　He　put

his　fat　fist　in　his　bread…and…milk；　and　demanded　'nam'；　which　was

only　allowed　for　tea。　　He　sang；　he　put　his　feet　on　the　table　…　he

clamoured　to　'go　walky'。　　The　conversation　was　something　like　this：





'Look　here　…　about　that　Sand…fairy　…　Look　out！　…　he'll　have　the

milk　over。'



Milk　removed　to　a　safe　distance。



'Yes　…　about　that　Fairy　…　No；　Lamb　dear；　give　Panther　the　narky

poon。'



Then　Cyril　tried。　　'Nothing　we've　had　yet　has　turned　out　…　He

nearly　had　the　mustard　that　time！'



'I　wonder　whether　we'd　better　wish　…　Hullo！　you've　done　it　now；　my

boy！'　　And；　in　a　flash　of　glass　and　pink　baby…paws；　the　bowl　of

golden　carp　in　the　middle　of　the　table　rolled　on　its　side；　and

poured　a　flood　of　mixed　water　and　goldfish　into　the　Baby's　lap　and

into　the　laps　of　the　others。



Everyone　was　almost　as　much　upset　as　the　goldfish：　the　Lamb　only

remaining　calm。　　When　the　pool　on　the　floor　had　been　mopped　up；　and

the　leaping；　gasping　goldfish　had　been　collected　and　put　back　in

the　water；　the　Baby　was　taken　away　to　be　entirely　redressed　by

Martha；　and　most　of　the　others　had　to　change　completely。　　The

pinafores　and　jackets　that　had　been　bathed　in　goldfish…and…water

were　hung　out　to　dry；　and　then　it　turned　out　that　Jane　must　either

mend　the　dress　she　had　torn　the　day　before　or　appear　all　day　in　her

best　petticoat。　　It　was　white　and　soft　and　frilly；　and　trimmed　with

lace；　and　very；　very　pretty；　quite　as　pretty　as　a　frock；　if　not

more　so。　　Only　it　was　NOT　a　frock；　and　Martha's　word　was　law。　　She

wouldn't　let　Jane　wear　her　best　frock；　and　she　refused　to　listen

for　a　moment　to　Robert's　suggestion　that　Jane　should　wear　her　best

petticoat　and　call　it　a　dress。



'It's　not　respectable；'　she　said。　　And　when　people　say　that；　it's

no　use　anyone's　saying　anything。　　You　will　find　this　out　for

yourselves　some　day。



So　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　for　Jane　to　mend　her　frock。　　The

hole　had　been　torn　the　day　before　when　she　happened　to　tumble　down

in　the　High　Street　of　Rochester；　just　where　a　water…cart　had　passed

on　its　silvery　way。　　She　had　grazed　her　knee；　and　her　stocking　was

much　more　than　grazed；　and　her　dress　was　cut　by　the　same　stone

which　had　attended　to　the　knee　and　the　stocking。　　Of　course　the

others　were　not　such　sneaks　as　to　abandon　a　comrade　in　misfortune；

so　they　all　sat　on　the　grass…plot　round　the　sundial；　and　Jane

darned　away　for　dear　life。　　The　Lamb　was　still　in　the　hands　of

Martha　having　its　clothes　changed；　so　conversation　was　possible。



Anthea　and　Robert　timidly　tried　to　conceal　their　inmost　thought；

which　was　that　the　Psammead　was　not　to　be　trusted；　but　Cyril　said：



'Speak　out　…　say　what　you've　got　to　say　…　I　hate　hinting；　and

〃don't　know〃；　and　sneakish　ways　like　that。'



So　then　Robert　said；　as　in　honour　bound：　'Sneak　yourself　…　Anthea

and　me　weren't　so　goldfishy　as　you　two　were；　so　we　got　changed

quicker；　and　we've　had　time　to　think　it　over；　and　if　you　ask　me　…'



'I　didn't　ask　you；'　said　Jane；　biting　off　a　needleful　of　thread　as

she　had　always　been　strictly　forbidden　to　do。



'I　don't　care　who　asks　or　who　doesn't；'　said　Robert；　but　Anthea　and

I　think　the　Sammyadd　is　a　spiteful　brute。　　If　it　can　give　us　our

wishes　I　suppose　it　can　give　itself　its　own；　and　I　feel　almost　sure

it　wishes　every　time　that　our　wishes　shan't　do　us　any　good。　　Let's

let　the　tiresome　beast　alone；　and　just　go　and　have　a　jolly　good

game　of　forts；　on　our　own；　in　the　chalk…pit。'



（You　will　remember　that　the　happily　situated　house　where　these

children　were　spending　their　holidays　lay　between　a　chalk…quarry

and　a　gravel…pit。）



Cyril　and　Jane　were　more　hopeful　…　they　generally　were。



'I　don't　think　the　Sammyadd　does　it　on　purpose；'　Cyril　said；　'and；

after　all；　it　WAS　silly　to　wish　for　boundless　wealth。　　Fifty　pounds

in　two…shilling　pieces　would　have　been　much　more　sensible。　　And

wishing　to　be　beautiful　as　the　day　was　simply　donkeyish。　　I　don't

want　to　be　disagreeable；　but　it　was。　　We　must　try　to　find　a　really

useful　wish；　and　wish　it。'



Jane　dropped　her　work　and　said：



'I　think　so　too；　it's　too　silly　to　have　a　chance　like　this　and　not

use　it。　　I　never　heard　of　anyone　else　outside　a　book　who　had　such

a　chance；　there　must　be　simply　heaps　of　things　we　could　wish　for

that　wouldn't　turn　out　Dead　Sea　fish；　like　these　two　things　have。　

Do　let's　think　hard；　and　wish　something　nice；　so　that　we　can　have

a　real　jolly　day　…　what　there　is　left　of　it。'



Jane　darned　away　again　like　mad；　for　time　was　indeed　getting　on；

and　everyone　began　to　talk　at　once。　　If　you　had　been　there　you

could　not　possibly　have　made　head　or　tail　of　the　talk；　but　these

children　were　used　to　talking　'by　fours'；　as　soldiers　march；　and

each　of　them　could　say　what　it　had　to　say　quite　comfortably；　and

listen　to　the　agreeable　sound　of　its　own　voice；　and　at　the　same

time　have　three…quarters　of　two　sharp　ears　to　spare　for　listening

to　what　the　others　said。　　That　is　an　easy　example　in　multiplication

of　vulgar　fractions；　but；　as　I　daresay　you　can't　do　even　that；　I

won't　ask　you　to　tell　me　whether　3/4　X　2　=　1　1/2；　but　I　will　ask

you　to　believe　me　that　this　was　the　amount　of　ear　each　child　was

able　to　lend　to　the　others。　　Lending　ears　was　common　in　Roman

times；　as　we　learn　from　Shakespeare；　but　I　fear　I　am　getting　too

instructive。



When　the　frock　was　darned；　the　start　for　the　gravel…pit　was　delayed

by　Martha's　insisting　on　everybody's　washing　its　hands　…　which　was

nonsense；　because　nobody　had　been　doing　anything　at　all；　except

Jane；　and　how　can　you　get　dirty　doing　nothing？　　That　is　a　difficult

question；　and　I　cannot　answer　it　on　paper。　　In　real　life　I　could

very　soon　show　you　…　or　you　me；　which　is　much　more　likely。



During　the　conversation　in　which　the　six　ears　were　lent　（there　were

four　children；　so　THAT　sum　comes　right）；　it　had　been　decided　that

fifty　pounds　in　two…shilling　pieces　was　the　right　wish　to　have。　

And　the　lucky　children；　who　could　have　anything　in　the　wide　world

by　just　wishing　for　it；　hurriedly　started　for　the　gravel…pit　to

express　their　wishes　to　the　Psammead。　　Martha　caught　them　at　the

gate；　and　insisted　on　their　taking　the　Baby　with　them。



'Not　want　him　indeed！　　Why；　everybody　'ud　want　him；　a　duck！　　with

all　their　hearts　they　would；　and　you　know　you　promised　your　ma　to

take　him　out　every　blessed　day；'　said　Martha。



'I　know　we　did；'　said　Robert　in　gloom；　'but　I　wish　the　Lamb　wasn't

quite　so　young　and　small。　　It　would　be　much　better　fun　taking　him

out。'



'He'll　mend　of　his　youngness　with　time；'　said　Martha；　'and　as　for

his　smallness；　I　don't　think　you'd　fancy　carrying　of　him　any　more；

however　big　he　was。　　Besides　he　can　walk　a　bit；　bless　his　precious

fat　legs；　a　ducky！　　He　feels　the　benefit　of　the　new…laid　air；　so　he

does；　a　pet！'　　With　this　and　a　kiss；　she　plumped　the　Lamb　into

Anthea's　arms；　and　went　back　to　make　new　pinafores　on　the

sewing…machine。　　She　was　a　rapid　performer　on　this　instrument。



The　Lamb　laughed　with　pleasure；　and　said；　'Walky　wif　Panty；'　and

rode　on　Robert's　back　with　yells　of　joy；　and　tried　to　feed　Jane

with　stones；　and　altogether　made　himself　so　agreeable　that　nobody

could　long　be　sorry　that　he　was　of　the　party。



The　enthusiastic　Jane　even　suggested　that　they　should　devote　a

week's　wishes　to　assuring　the　Baby's　future；　by　asking　such　gifts

for　him　as　the　good　fairies　give　to　Infant　Princes　in　proper

fairy…tales；　but　Anthea　soberly　reminded　her　that　as　the

Sand…fairy's　wishes　only　lasted　till　sunset　they　could　not　ensure

any　benefit　to　the　Baby's　later　years；　and　Jane　owned　that　it　would

be　better　to　wish　for　fifty　pounds　in　two…shilling　pieces；　and　buy

the　Lamb　a　three…pound…fifteen　rocking…horse；　like　those　in　the

Army　and　Navy　Stores　list；　with　part　of　the　money。



It　was　settled　that；　as　soon　as　they　had　wished　for　the　money　and

got　it；　they　would　get　Mr　Crispin　to　drive　them　into　Rochester

again；　taking　Martha　with　them；　if　they　could　not　get　out　of　taking

her。　　And　they　would　make　a　list　of　the　things　they　really　wanted

before　they　started。　　Full　of　high　hopes　and　excellent　resolutions；

they　went　round　the　safe　slow　cart…road　to　the　gravel…pits；　and　as

they　went　in　between　the　mounds　of　gravel　a　sudden　thought　came　to

them；　and　would　have　turned　their　ruddy　cheeks　pale　if　they　had

been　children　in　a　book。　　Being　real　live　children；　it　only　made

them　stop　and　look　at　each　other　with　rather　blank　and　silly

expressions。　　For　now　they　remembered　that　yesterday；　when　they　had

asked　the　Psammead　for　boundless　wealth；　and　it　was　getting　ready

to　fill　the　quarry　with　the　minted　gold　of　bright　guineas　…

millions　of　them　…　it　had　told　the　children　to　run　along　outside

the　quarry　for　fear　they　should　be　buried　alive　in　the　heavy

splendid　treasure。　　And　they　had　run。　　And　so　it　happened　that　they

had　not　had　time　to　mark　the　spot　where　the　Psammead　was；　with　a

ring　of　stones；　as　before。　　And　it　was　this　thought　that　put　such

silly　expressions　on　their　faces。



'Never　mind；'　said　the　hopeful　Jane；　'we'll　soon　find　him。'



But　this；　though　easily　said；　was　hard　in　the　doing。　　They　looked

and　they　looked；　and　though　they　found　their　seaside　spades；

nowhere　could　they　find　the　Sand…fairy。



At　last　they　had　to　sit　down　and　rest　…　not　at　all　because　they

were　weary　or　disheartened；　of　course；　but　because　the　Lamb

insisted　on　being　put　down；　and　you　cannot　look　very　carefully

after　anything　you　may　have　happened　to　lose　in　the　sand　if　you

have　an　active　baby　to　look　after　at　the　same　time。　　Get　someone　to

drop　your　best　knife　in　the　sand　next　time　you　go　to　the　seaside；

and　then　take　your　baby　brother　with　you　when　you　go　to　look　for

it；　and　you　will　see　that　I　am　right。



The　Lamb；　as　Martha　had　said；　was　feeling　the　benefit　o