the story of the treasure seekers-第26部分

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And　Alice　said　Noel　never　made　a　row　anyhow。　　So　Father　laughed　and

said；　'All　right。'　　And　he　said　we　might　do　as　we　liked　with　the

half…sovereign。　　'Only　for　goodness'　sake　don't　try　to　go　in　for

business　with　it；'　he　said。　　'It's　always　a　mistake　to　go　into

business　with　an　insufficient　capital。'



We　talked　it　over　all　that　evening；　and　we　decided　that　as　we　were

not　to　go　into　business　with　our　half…sovereign　it　was　no　use　not

spending　it　at　once；　and　so　we　might　as　well　have　a　right　royal

feast。　　The　next　day　we　went　out　and　bought　the　things。　　We　got

figs；　and　almonds　and　raisins；　and　a　real　raw　rabbit；　and　Eliza

promised　to　cook　it　for　us　if　we　would　wait　till　tomorrow；　because

of　the　Indian　Uncle　coming　to　dinner。　　She　was　very　busy　cooking

nice　things　for　him　to　eat。　　We　got　the　rabbit　because　we　are　so

tired　of　beef　and　mutton；　and　Father　hasn't　a　bill　at　the　poultry

shop。　　And　we　got　some　flowers　to　go　on　the　dinner…table　for

Father's　party。　　And　we　got　hardbake　and　raspberry　noyau　and

peppermint　rock　and　oranges　and　a　coconut；　with　other　nice　things。　

We　put　it　all　in　the　top　long　drawer。　　It　is　H。　O。's　play　drawer；

and　we　made　him　turn　his　things　out　and　put　them　in　Father's　old

portmanteau。　　H。　O。　is　getting　old　enough　now　to　learn　to　be

unselfish；　and　besides；　his　drawer　wanted　tidying　very　badly。　　Then

we　all　vowed　by　the　honour　of　the　ancient　House　of　Bastable　that　we

would　not　touch　any　of　the　feast　till　Dora　gave　the　word　next　day。　

And　we　gave　H。　O。　some　of　the　hardbake；　to　make　it　easier　for　him

to　keep　his　vow。　　The　next　day　was　the　most　rememorable　day　in　all

our　lives；　but　we　didn't　know　that　then。　　But　that　is　another

story。　　I　think　that　is　such　a　useful　way　to　know　when　you　can't

think　how　to　end　up　a　chapter。　　I　learnt　it　from　another　writer

named　Kipling。　　I've　mentioned　him　before；　I　believe；　but　he

deserves　it！







CHAPTER　15

'Lo；　THE　POOR　INDIAN！'





It　was　all　very　well　for　Father　to　ask　us　not　to　make　a　row　because

the　Indian　Uncle　was　coming　to　talk　business；　but　my　young

brother's　boots　are　not　the　only　things　that　make　a　noise。　　We　took

his　boots　away　and　made　him　wear　Dora's　bath　slippers；　which　are

soft　and　woolly；　and　hardly　any　soles　to　them；　and　of　course　we

wanted　to　see　the　Uncle；　so　we　looked　over　the　banisters　when　he

came；　and　we　were　as　quiet　as　mice　…　but　when　Eliza　had　let　him　in

she　went　straight　down　to　the　kitchen　and　made　the　most　awful　row

you　ever　heard；　it　sounded　like　the　Day　of　judgement；　or　all　the

saucepans　and　crockery　in　the　house　being　kicked　about　the　floor；

but　she　told　me　afterwards　it　was　only　the　tea…tray　and　one　or　two

cups　and　saucers；　that　she　had　knocked　over　in　her　flurry。　　We

heard　the　Uncle　say；　'God　bless　my　soul！'　and　then　he　went　into

Father's　study　and　the　door　was　shut　…　we　didn't　see　him　properly

at　all　that　time。



I　don't　believe　the　dinner　was　very　nice。　　Something　got　burned　I'm

sure　…　for　we　smelt　it。　　It　was　an　extra　smell；　besides　the　mutton。



I　know　that　got　burned。　　Eliza　wouldn't　have　any　of　us　in　the

kitchen　except　Dora　…　till　dinner　was　over。　　Then　we　got　what　was

left　of　the　dessert；　and　had　it　on　the　stairs　…　just　round　the

corner　where　they　can't　see　you　from　the　hall；　unless　the　first

landing　gas　is　lighted。　　Suddenly　the　study　door　opened　and　the

Uncle　came　out　and　went　and　felt　in　his　greatcoat　pocket。　　It　was

his　cigar…case　he　wanted。　　We　saw　that　afterwards。　　We　got　a　much

better　view　of　him　then。　　He　didn't　look　like　an　Indian　but　just

like　a　kind　of　brown；　big　Englishman；　and　of　course　he　didn't　see

us；　but　we　heard　him　mutter　to　himself　…



'Shocking　bad　dinner！　　Eh！　…　what？'



When　he　went　back　to　the　study　he　didn't　shut　the　door　properly。　

That　door　has　always　been　a　little　tiresome　since　the　day　we　took

the　lock　off　to　get　out　the　pencil　sharpener　H。　O。　had　shoved　into

the　keyhole。　　We　didn't　listen　…　really　and　truly　…　but　the　Indian

Uncle　has　a　very　big　voice；　and　Father　was　not　going　to　be　beaten

by　a　poor　Indian　in　talking　or　anything　else　…　so　he　spoke　up　too；

like　a　man；　and　I　heard　him　say　it　was　a　very　good　business；　and

only　wanted　a　little　capital　…　and　he　said　it　as　if　it　was　an

imposition　he　had　learned；　and　he　hated　having　to　say　it。　　The

Uncle　said；　'Pooh；　pooh！'　to　that；　and　then　he　said　he　was　afraid

that　what　that　same　business　wanted　was　not　capital　but　management。



Then　I　heard　my　Father　say；　'It　is　not　a　pleasant　subject：　I　am

sorry　I　introduced　it。　　Suppose　we　change　it；　sir。　　Let　me　fill

your　glass。'　　Then　the　poor　Indian　said　something　about　vintage　…

and　that　a　poor；　broken…　down　man　like　he　was　couldn't　be　too

careful。　　And　then　Father　said；　'Well；　whisky　then；'　and　afterwards

they　talked　about　Native　Races　and　Imperial　something　or　other　and

it　got　very　dull。



So　then　Oswald　remembered　that　you　must　not　hear　what　people　do　not

intend　you　to　hear　…　even　if　you　are　not　listening　and　he　said；　'We

ought　not　to　stay　here　any　longer。　　Perhaps　they　would　not　like　us

to　hear。'



Alice　said；　'Oh；　do　you　think　it　could　possibly　matter？'　and　went

and　shut　the　study　door　softly　but　quite　tight。　　So　it　was　no　use

staying　there　any　longer；　and　we　went　to　the　nursery。



Then　Noel　said；　'Now　I　understand。　　Of　course　my　Father　is　making

a　banquet　for　the　Indian；　because　he　is　a　poor；　broken…down　man。　

We　might　have　known　that　from　〃Lo；　the　poor　Indian！〃　you　know。'



We　all　agreed　with　him；　and　we　were　glad　to　have　the　thing

explained；　because　we　had　not　understood　before　what　Father　wanted

to　have　people　to　dinner　for　…　and　not　let　us　come　in。



'Poor　people　are　very　proud；'　said　Alice；　'and　I　expect　Father

thought　the　Indian　would　be　ashamed；　if　all　of　us　children　knew　how

poor　he　was。'



Then　Dora　said；　'Poverty　is　no　disgrace。　　We　should　honour　honest

Poverty。'



And　we　all　agreed　that　that　was　so。



'I　wish　his　dinner　had　not　been　so　nasty；'　Dora　said；　while　Oswald

put　lumps　of　coal　on　the　fire　with　his　fingers；　so　as　not　to　make

a　noise。　　He　is　a　very　thoughtful　boy；　and　he　did　not　wipe　his

fingers　on　his　trouser　leg　as　perhaps　Noel　or　H。　O。　would　have

done；　but　he　just　rubbed　them　on　Dora's　handkerchief　while　she　was

talking。



'I　am　afraid　the　dinner　was　horrid。'　　Dora　went　on。　　'The　table

looked　very　nice　with　the　flowers　we　got。　　I　set　it　myself；　and

Eliza　made　me　borrow　the　silver　spoons　and　forks　from

Albert…next…door's　Mother。'



'I　hope　the　poor　Indian　is　honest；'　said　Dicky　gloomily；　'when　you

are　a　poor；　broken…down　man　silver　spoons　must　be　a　great

temptation。'



Oswald　told　him　not　to　talk　such　tommy…rot　because　the　Indian　was

a　relation；　so　of　course　he　couldn't　do　anything　dishonourable。　

And　Dora　said　it　was　all　right　any　way；　because　she　had　washed　up

the　spoons　and　forks　herself　and　counted　them；　and　they　were　all

there；　and　she　had　put　them　into　their　wash…leather　bag；　and　taken

them　back　to　Albert…next…door's　Mother。



'And　the　brussels　sprouts　were　all　wet　and　swimmy；'　she　went　on；

'and　the　potatoes　looked　grey　…　and　there　were　bits　of　black　in　the

gravy　…　and　the　mutton　was　bluey…red　and　soft　in　the　middle。　　I　saw

it　when　it　came　out。　　The　apple…pie　looked　very　nice　…　but　it

wasn't　quite　done　in　the　apply　part。　　The　other　thing　that　was

burnt　…　you　must　have　smelt　it；　was　the　soup。'



'It　is　a　pity；'　said　Oswald；　'I　don't　suppose　he　gets　a　good　dinner

every　day。'



'No　more　do　we；'　said　H。　O。；　'but　we　shall　to…morrow。'



I　thought　of　all　the　things　we　had　bought　with　our　half…sovereign

…　the　rabbit　and　the　sweets　and　the　almonds　and　raisins　and　figs

and　the　coconut：　and　I　thought　of　the　nasty　mutton　and　things；　and

while　I　was　thinking　about　it　all　Alice　said　…



'let's　ask　the　poor　Indian　to　come　to　dinner　with　us　to…morrow。'　

I　should　have　said　it　myself　if　she　had　given　me　time。



We　got　the　little　ones　to　go　to　bed　by　promising　to　put　a　note　on

their　dressing…table　saying　what　had　happened；　so　that　they　might

know　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　or　in　the　middle　of　the　night

if　they　happened　to　wake　up；　and　then　we　elders　arranged

everything。



I　waited　by　the　back　door；　and　when　the　Uncle　was　beginning　to　go

Dicky　was　to　drop　a　marble　down　between　the　banisters　for　a　signal；

so　that　I　could　run　round　and　meet　the　Uncle　as　he　came　out。



This　seems　like　deceit；　but　if　you　are　a　thoughtful　and　considerate

boy　you　will　understand　that　we　could　not　go　down　and　say　to　the

Uncle　in　the　hall　under　Father's　eye；　'Father　has　given　you　a

beastly；　nasty　dinner；　but　if　you　will　come　to　dinner　with　us

tomorrow；　we　will　show　you　our　idea　of　good　things　to　eat。'　　You

will　see；　if　you　think　it　over；　that　this　would　not　have　been　at

all　polite　to　Father。



So　when　the　Uncle　left；　Father　saw　him　to　the　door　and　let　him　out；

and　then　went　back　to　the　study；　looking　very　sad；　Dora　says。



As　the　poor　Indian　came　down　our　steps　he　saw　me　there　at　the　gate。



I　did　not　mind　his　being　poor；　and　I　said；　'Good　evening；　Uncle；'

just　as　politely　as　though　he　had　been　about　to　ascend　into　one　of

the　gilded　chariots　of　the　rich　and　affluent；　instead　of　having　to

walk　to　the　station　a　quarter　of　a　mile　in　the　mud；　unless　he　had

the　money　for　a　tram　fare。



'Good　evening；　Uncle。'　　I　said　it　again；　for　he　stood　staring　at

me。　　I　don't　suppose　he　was　used　to　politeness　from　boys　…　some

boys　are　anything　but　…　especially　to　the　Aged　Poor。



So　I　said；　'Good　evening；　Uncle；'　yet　once　again。　　Then　he　said　…



'Time　you　were　in　bed；　young　man。　　Eh！　…　what？'



Then　I　saw　I　must　speak　plainly　with　him；　man　to　man。　　So　I　did。　

I　said　…



'You've　been　dining　with　my　Father；　and　we　couldn't　help　hearing

you　say　the　dinner　was　shocking。　　So　we　thought　as　you're　an

Indian；　perhaps　you're　very　poor'　…　I　didn't　like　to　tell　him　we

had　heard　the　dreadful　truth　from　his　own　lips；