five children and it-第9部分

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it；　and　you　will　see　that　I　am　right。



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

country　air；　and　he　was　as　frisky　as　a　sandhopper。　　The　elder　ones

longed　to　go　on　talking　about　the　new　wishes　they　would　have　when

（or　if）　they　found　the　Psammead　again。　　But　the　Lamb　wished　to

enjoy　himself。



He　watched　his　opportunity　and　threw　a　handful　of　sand　into

Anthea's　face；　and　then　suddenly　burrowed　his　own　head　in　the　sand

and　waved　his　fat　legs　in　the　air。　　Then　of　course　the　sand　got

into　his　eyes；　as　it　had　into　Anthea's；　and　he　howled。



The　thoughtful　Robert　had　brought　one　solid　brown　bottle　of

ginger…beer　with　him；　relying　on　a　thirst　that　had　never　yet　failed

him。　　This　had　to　be　uncorked　hurriedly　…　it　was　the　only　wet　thing

within　reach；　and　it　was　necessary　to　wash　the　sand　out　of　the

Lamb's　eyes　somehow。　　Of　course　the　ginger　hurt　horribly；　and　he

howled　more　than　ever。　　And；　amid　his　anguish　of　kicking；　the

bottle　was　upset　and　the　beautiful　ginger…beer　frothed　out　into　the

sand　and　was　lost　for　ever。



It　was　then　that　Robert；　usually　a　very　patient　brother；　so　far

forgot　himself　as　to　say：



'Anybody　would　want　him；　indeed！　　Only　they　don't；　Martha　doesn't；

not　really；　or　she'd　jolly　well　keep　him　with　her。　　He's　a　little

nuisance；　that's　what　he　is。　　It's　too　bad。　　I　only　wish　everybody

DID　want　him　with　all　their　hearts；　we　might　get　some　peace　in　our

lives。'



The　Lamb　stopped　howling　now；　because　Jane　had　suddenly　remembered

that　there　is　only　one　safe　way　of　taking　things　out　of　little

children's　eyes；　and　that　is　with　your　own　soft　wet　tongue。　　It　is

quite　easy　if　you　love　the　Baby　as　much　as　you　ought　to。



Then　there　was　a　little　silence。　　Robert　was　not　proud　of　himself

for　having　been　so　cross；　and　the　others　were　not　proud　of　him

either。　　You　often　notice　that　sort　of　silence　when　someone　has

said　something　it　ought　not　to　…　and　everyone　else　holds　its　tongue

and　waits　for　the　one　who　oughtn't　to　have　said　it　is　sorry。



The　silence　was　broken　by　a　sigh　…　a　breath　suddenly　let　out。　　The

children's　heads　turned　as　if　there　had　been　a　string　tied　to　each

nose；　and　someone　had　pulled　all　the　strings　at　once。



And　everyone　saw　the　Sand…fairy　sitting　quite　close　to　them；　with

the　expression　which　it　used　as　a　smile　on　its　hairy　face。



'Good…morning；'　it　said；　'I　did　that　quite　easily！　　Everyone　wants

him　now。'



'It　doesn't　matter；'　said　Robert　sulkily；　because　he　knew　he　had

been　behaving　rather　like　a　pig。　　'No　matter　who　wants　him　…

there's　no　one　here　to　…　anyhow。'



'Ingratitude；'　said　the　Psammead；　'is　a　dreadful　vice。'



'We're　not　ungrateful；'Jane　made　haste　to　say；　'but　we　didn't

REALLY　want　that　wish。　　Robert　only　just　said　it。　　Can't　you　take

it　back　and　give　us　a　new　one？'



'No　…　I　can't；'　the　Sand…fairy　said　shortly；　'chopping　and　changing

…　it's　not　business。　　You　ought　to　be　careful　what　you　do　wish。　

There　was　a　little　boy　once；　he'd　wished　for　a　Plesiosaurus　instead

of　an　Ichthyosaurus；　because　he　was　too　lazy　to　remember　the　easy

names　of　everyday　things；　and　his　father　had　been　very　vexed　with

him；　and　had　made　him　go　to　bed　before　tea…time；　and　wouldn't　let

him　go　out　in　the　nice　flint　boat　along　with　the　other　children　…

it　was　the　annual　school…treat　next　day　…　and　he　came　and　flung

himself　down　near　me　on　the　morning　of　the　treat；　and　he　kicked　his

little　prehistoric　legs　about　and　said　he　wished　he　was　dead。　　And

of　course　then　he　was。'



'How　awful！'　said　the　children　all　together。



'Only　till　sunset；　of　course；'　the　Psammead　said；　'still　it　was

quite　enough　for　his　father　and　mother。　　And　he　caught　it　when　he

woke　up　…　I　can　tell　you。　　He　didn't　turn　to　stone　…　I　forget　why

…　but　there　must　have　been　some　reason。　　They　didn't　know　being

dead　is　only　being　asleep；　and　you're　bound　to　wake　up　somewhere　or

other；　either　where　you　go　to　sleep　or　in　some　better　place。　　You

may　be　sure　he　caught　it；　giving　them　such　a　turn。　　Why；　he　wasn't

allowed　to　taste　Megatherium　for　a　month　after　that。　　Nothing　but

oysters　and　periwinkles；　and　common　things　like　that。'



All　the　children　were　quite　crushed　by　this　terrible　tale。　　They

looked　at　the　Psammead　in　horror。　　Suddenly　the　Lamb　perceived　that

something　brown　and　furry　was　near　him。



'Poof；　poof；　poofy；'　he　said；　and　made　a　grab。



'It's　not　a　pussy；'　Anthea　was　beginning；　when　the　Sand…fairy

leaped　back。



'Oh；　my　left　whisker！'　it　said；　'don't　let　him　touch　me。　　He's

wet。'



Its　fur　stood　on　end　with　horror　…　and　indeed　a　good　deal　of　the

ginger…beer　had　been　spilt　on　the　blue　smock　of　the　Lamb。



The　Psammead　dug　with　its　hands　and　feet；　and　vanished　in　an

instant　and　a　whirl　of　sand。



The　children　marked　the　spot　with　a　ring　of　stones。



'We　may　as　well　get　along　home；'　said　Robert。　　'I'll　say　I'm　sorry；

but　anyway　if　it's　no　good　it's　no　harm；　and　we　know　where　the

sandy　thing　is　for　to…morrow。'



The　others　were　noble。　　No　one　reproached　Robert　at　all。　　Cyril

picked　up　the　Lamb；　who　was　now　quite　himself　again；　and　off　they

went　by　the　safe　cart…road。



The　cart…road　from　the　gravel…pits　joins　the　road　almost　directly。



At　the　gate　into　the　road　the　party　stopped　to　shift　the　Lamb　from

Cyril's　back　to　Robert's。　　And　as　they　paused　a　very　smart　open

carriage　came　in　sight；　with　a　coachman　and　a　groom　on　the　box；　and

inside　the　carriage　a　lady　…　very　grand　indeed；　with　a　dress　all

white　lace　and　red　ribbons　and　a　parasol　all　red　and　white　…　and　a

white　fluffy　dog　on　her　lap　with　a　red　ribbon　round　its　neck。　　She

looked　at　the　children；　and　particularly　at　the　Baby；　and　she

smiled　at　him。　　The　children　were　used　to　this；　for　the　Lamb　was；

as　all　the　servants　said；　a　'very　taking　child'。　　So　they　waved

their　hands　politely　to　the　lady　and　expected　her　to　drive　on。　　But

she　did　not。　　Instead　she　made　the　coachman　stop。　　And　she　beckoned

to　Cyril；　and　when　he　went　up　to　the　carriage　she　said：



'What　a　dear　darling　duck　of　a　baby！　　Oh；　I　SHOULD　so　like　to　adopt

it！　　Do　you　think　its　mother　would　mind？'



'She'd　mind　very　much　indeed；'　said　Anthea　shortly。



'Oh；　but　I　should　bring　it　up　in　luxury；　you　know。　　I　am　Lady

Chittenden。　　You　must　have　seen　my　photograph　in　the　illustrated

papers。　　They　call　me　a　beauty；　you　know；　but　of　course　that's　all

nonsense。　　Anyway　…'



She　opened　the　carriage　door　and　jumped　out。　　She　had　the

wonderfullest　red　high…heeled　shoes　with　silver　buckles。　　'Let　me

hold　him　a　minute；'　she　said。　　And　she　took　the　Lamb　and　held　him

very　awkwardly；　as　if　she　was　not　used　to　babies。



Then　suddenly　she　jumped　into　the　carriage　with　the　Lamb　in　her

arms　and　slammed　the　door　and　said；　'Drive　on！'



The　Lamb　roared；　the　little　white　dog　barked；　and　the　coachman

hesitated。



'Drive　on；　I　tell　you！'　cried　the　lady；　and　the　coachman　did；　for；

as　he　said　afterwards；　it　was　as　much　as　his　place　was　worth　not

to。



The　four　children　looked　at　each　other；　and　then　with　one　accord

they　rushed　after　the　carriage　and　held　on　behind。　　Down　the　dusty

road　went　the　smart　carriage；　and　after　it；　at　double…quick　time；

ran　the　twinkling　legs　of　the　Lamb's　brothers　and　sisters。



The　Lamb　howled　louder　and　louder；　but　presently　his　howls　changed

by　slow　degree　to　hiccupy　gurgles；　and　then　all　was　still　and　they

knew　he　had　gone　to　sleep。



The　carriage　went　on；　and　the　eight　feet　that　twinkled　through　the

dust　were　growing　quite　stiff　and　tired　before　the　carriage　stopped

at　the　lodge　of　a　grand　park。　　The　children　crouched　down　behind

the　carriage；　and　the　lady　got　out。　　She　looked　at　the　Baby　as　it

lay　on　the　carriage　seat；　and　hesitated。



'The　darling　…　I　won't　disturb　it；'　she　said；　and　went　into　the

lodge　to　talk　to　the　woman　there　about　a　setting　of　Buff　Orpington

eggs　that　had　not　turned　out　well。



The　coachman　and　footman　sprang　from　the　box　and　bent　over　the

sleeping　Lamb。



'Fine　boy　…　wish　he　was　mine；'　said　the　coachman。



'He　wouldn't　favour　YOU　much；'　said　the　groom　sourly；　'too

'andsome。'



The　coachman　pretended　not　to　hear。　　He　said：



'Wonder　at　her　now　…　I　do　really！　　Hates　kids。　　Got　none　of　her

own；　and　can't　abide　other　folkses'。'



The　children；　crouching　in　the　white　dust　under　the　carriage；

exchanged　uncomfortable　glances。



'Tell　you　what；'　the　coachman　went　on　firmly；　'blowed　if　I　don't

hide　the　little　nipper　in　the　hedge　and　tell　her　his　brothers　took

'im！　　Then　I'll　come　back　for　him　afterwards。'



'No；　you　don't；'　said　the　footman。　　'I've　took　to　that　kid　so　as

never　was。　　If　anyone's　to　have　him；　it's　me　…　so　there！'



'Stow　your　gab！'　the　coachman　rejoined。　　'You　don't　want　no　kids；

and；　if　you　did；　one　kid's　the　same　as　another　to　you。　　But　I'm　a

married　man　and　a　judge　of　breed。　　I　knows　a　first…rate　yearling

when　I　sees　him。　　I'm　a…goin'　to　'ave　him；　an'　least　said　soonest

mended。'



'I　should　'a'　thought；'　said　the　footman　sneeringly；　you'd　a'most

enough。　　What　with　Alfred；　an'　Albert；　an'　Louise；　an'　Victor

Stanley；　and　Helena　Beatrice；　and　another　…'



The　coachman　hit　the　footman　in　the　chin　…　the　foot…　man　hit　the

coachman　in　the　waistcoat　…　the　next　minute　the　two　were　fighting

here　and　there；　in　and　out；　up　and　down；　and　all　over　everywhere；

and　the　little　dog　jumped　on　the　box　of　the　carriage　and　began

barking　like　mad。



Cyril；　still　crouching　in　the　dust；　waddled　on　bent　legs　to　the

side　of　the　carriage　farthest　from　the　battlefield。　　He　unfastened

the　door　of　the　carriage　…　the　two　men　were　far　too　much　occupied

with　their　quarrel　to　notice　anything　…　took　the　Lamb　in　his　arms；

and；　still　stooping；　carried　the　sleeping　baby　a　dozen　yards　along

the　road　to　where　a　stile　led　into　a　wood。　　The　others　followed；

and　there　among　the　hazels　and　young　oaks　and　sweet　chestnuts；

covered　by　high　stro