the story of the treasure seekers-第28部分

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a　convent。　　H。　O。　was　a　little　disagreeable　because　of　the　powder

Eliza　had　given　him；　so　he　tried　to　read　two　books　at　once；　one

with　each　eye；　just　because　Noel　wanted　one　of　the　books；　which　was

very　selfish　of　him；　so　it　only　made　his　headache　worse。　　H。　O。　is

getting　old　enough　to　learn　by　experience　that　it　is　wrong　to　be

selfish；　and　when　he　complained　about　his　head　Oswald　told　him

whose　fault　it　was；　because　I　am　older　than　he　is；　and　it　is　my

duty　to　show　him　where　he　is　wrong。　　But　he　began　to　cry；　and　then

Oswald　had　to　cheer　him　up　because　of　Father　wanting　to　be　quiet。　

So　Oswald　said　…



'They'll　eat　H。　O。　if　you　don't　look　out！'　　And　Dora　said　Oswald

was　too　bad。



Of　course　Oswald　was　not　going　to　interfere　again；　so　he　went　to

look　out　of　the　window　and　see　the　trams　go　by；　and　by　and　by　H。　O。

came　and　looked　out　too；　and　Oswald；　who　knows　when　to　be　generous

and　forgiving；　gave　him　a　piece　of　blue　pencil　and　two　nibs；　as

good　as　new；　to　keep。



As　they　were　looking　out　at　the　rain　splashing　on　the　stones　in　the

street　they　saw　a　four…wheeled　cab　come　lumbering　up　from　the　way

the　station　is。　　Oswald　called　out　…



'Here　comes　the　coach　of　the　Fairy　Godmother。　　It'll　stop　here；　you

see　if　it　doesn't！'



So　they　all　came　to　the　window　to　look。　　Oswald　had　only　said　that

about　stopping　and　he　was　stricken　with　wonder　and　amaze　when　the

cab　really　did　stop。　　It　had　boxes　on　the　top　and　knobby　parcels

sticking　out　of　the　window；　and　it　was　something　like　going　away　to

the　seaside　and　something　like　the　gentleman　who　takes　things　about

in　a　carriage　with　the　wooden　shutters　up；　to　sell　to　the　drapers'

shops。　　The　cabman　got　down；　and　some　one　inside　handed　out　ever　so

many　parcels　of　different　shapes　and　sizes；　and　the　cabman　stood

holding　them　in　his　arms　and　grinning　over　them。



Dora　said；　'It　is　a　pity　some　one　doesn't　tell　him　this　isn't　the

house。'　　And　then　from　inside　the　cab　some　one　put　out　a　foot

feeling　for　the　step；　like　a　tortoise's　foot　coming　out　from　under

his　shell　when　you　are　holding　him　off　the　ground；　and　then　a　leg

came　and　more　parcels；　and　then　Noel　cried　…



'It's　the　poor　Indian！'



And　it　was。



Eliza　opened　the　door；　and　we　were　all　leaning　over　the　banisters。　

Father　heard　the　noise　of　parcels　and　boxes　in　the　hall；　and　he

came　out　without　remembering　how　bad　his　cold　was。　　If　you　do　that

yourself　when　you　have　a　cold　they　call　you　careless　and　naughty。　

Then　we　heard　the　poor　Indian　say　to　Father　…



'I　say；　Dick；　I　dined　with　your　kids　yesterday　…　as　I　daresay

they've　told　you。　　jolliest　little　cubs　I　ever　saw！　　Why　didn't　you

let　me　see　them　the　other　night？　　The　eldest　is　the　image　of　poor

Janey　…　and　as　to　young　Oswald；　he's　a　man！　　If　he's　not　a　man；　I'm

a　nigger！　　Eh！　…　what？　　And　Dick；　I　say；　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　I

could　find　a　friend　to　put　a　bit　into　that　business　of　yours　…　eh？'



Then　he　and　Father　went　into　the　study　and　the　door　was　shut　…　and

we　went　down　and　looked　at　the　parcels。　　Some　were　done　up　in　old；

dirty　newspapers；　and　tied　with　bits　of　rag；　and　some　were　in　brown

paper　and　string　from　the　shops；　and　there　were　boxes。　　We　wondered

if　the　Uncle　had　come　to　stay　and　this　was　his　luggage；　or　whether

it　was　to　sell。　　Some　of　it　smelt　of　spices；　like　merchandise　…　and

one　bundle　Alice　felt　certain　was　a　bale。　　We　heard　a　hand　on　the

knob　of　the　study　door　after　a　bit；　and　Alice　said　…



'Fly！'　and　we　all　got　away　but　H。　O。；　and　the　Uncle　caught　him　by

the　leg　as　he　was　trying　to　get　upstairs　after　us。



'Peeping　at　the　baggage；　eh？'　said　the　Uncle；　and　the　rest　of　us

came　down　because　it　would　have　been　dishonourable　to　leave　H。　O。

alone　in　a　scrape；　and　we　wanted　to　see　what　was　in　the　parcels。



'I　didn't　touch；'　said　H。　O。　'Are　you　coming　to　stay？　　I　hope　you

are。'



'No　harm　done　if　you　did　touch；'　said　the　good；　kind；　Indian　man　to

all　of　us。　　'For　all　these　parcels　are　for　you。'



I　have　several　times　told　you　about　our　being　dumb　with　amazement

and　terror　and　joy；　and　things　like　that；　but　I　never　remember　us

being　dumber　than　we　were　when　he　said　this。



The　Indian　Uncle　went　on：　'I　told　an　old　friend　of　mine　what　a

pleasant　dinner　I　had　with　you；　and　about　the　threepenny…bit；　and

the　divining…rod；　and　all　that；　and　he　sent　all　these　odds　and　ends

as　presents　for　you。　　Some　of　the　things　came　from　India。'



'Have　you　come　from　India；　Uncle？'　Noel　asked；　and　when　he　said

'Yes'　we　were　all　very　much　surprised；　for　we　never　thought　of　his

being　that　sort　of　Indian。　　We　thought　he　was　the　Red　kind；　and　of

course　his　not　being　accounted　for　his　ignorance　of　beavers　and

things。



He　got　Eliza　to　help；　and　we　took　all　the　parcels　into　the　nursery

and　he　undid　them　and　undid　them　and　undid　them；　till　the　papers

lay　thick　on　the　floor。　　Father　came　too　and　sat　in　the　Guy　Fawkes

chair。　　I　cannot　begin　to　tell　you　all　the　things　that　kind　friend

of　Uncle's　had　sent　us。　　He　must　be　a　very　agreeable　person。



There　were　toys　for　the　kids　and　model　engines　for　Dick　and　me；　and

a　lot　of　books；　and　Japanese　china　tea…sets　for　the　girls；　red　and

white　and　gold　…　there　were　sweets　by　the　pound　and　by　the　box　…

and　long　yards　and　yards　of　soft　silk　from　India；　to　make　frocks

for　the　girls　…　and　a　real　Indian　sword　for　Oswald　and　a　book　of

Japanese　pictures　for　Noel；　and　some　ivory　chess　men　for　Dicky：　the

castles　of　the　chessmen　are　elephant…and…castles。　　There　is　a

railway　station　called　that；　I　never　knew　what　it　meant　before。　

The　brown　paper　and　string　parcels　had　boxes　of　games　in　them　…　and

big　cases　of　preserved　fruits　and　things。　　And　the　shabby　old

newspaper　parcels　and　the　boxes　had　the　Indian　things　in。　　I　never

saw　so　many　beautiful　things　before。　　There　were　carved　fans　and

silver　bangles　and　strings　of　amber　beads；　and　necklaces　of　uncut

gems　…　turquoises　and　garnets；　the　Uncle　said　they　were　…　and

shawls　and　scarves　of　silk；　and　cabinets　of　brown　and　gold；　and

ivory　boxes　and　silver　trays；　and　brass　things。　　The　Uncle　kept

saying；　'This　is　for　you；　young　man；'　or　'Little　Alice　will　like

this　fan；'or　'Miss　Dora　would　look　well　in　this　green　silk；　I

think。　　Eh！　…　what？'



And　Father　looked　on　as　if　it　was　a　dream；　till　the　Uncle　suddenly

gave　him　an　ivory　paper…knife　and　a　box　of　cigars；　and　said；　'My

old　friend　sent　you　these；　Dick；　he's　an　old　friend　of　yours　too；

he　says。'　　And　he　winked　at　my　Father；　for　H。　O。　and　I　saw　him。　

And　my　Father　winked　back；　though　he　has　always　told　us　not　to。



That　was　a　wonderful　day。　　It　was　a　treasure；　and　no　mistake！　　I

never　saw　such　heaps　and　heaps　of　presents；　like　things　out　of　a

fairy…tale　…　and　even　Eliza　had　a　shawl。　　Perhaps　she　deserved　it；

for　she　did　cook　the　rabbit　and　the　pudding；　and　Oswald　says　it　is

not　her　fault　if　her　nose　turns　up　and　she　does　not　brush　her　hair。



I　do　not　think　Eliza　likes　brushing　things。　　It　is　the　same　with

the　carpets。　　But　Oswald　tries　to　make　allowances　even　for　people

who　do　not　wash　their　ears。



The　Indian　Uncle　came　to　see　us　often　after　that；　and　his　friend

always　sent　us　something。　　Once　he　tipped　us　a　sovereign　each　…　the

Uncle　brought　it；　and　once　he　sent　us　money　to　go　to　the　Crystal

Palace；　and　the　Uncle　took　us；　and　another　time　to　a　circus；　and

when　Christmas　was　near　the　Uncle　said　…

'You　remember　when　I　dined　with　you；　some　time　ago；　you　promised　to

dine　with　me　some　day；　if　I　could　ever　afford　to　give　a

dinner…party。　　Well；　I'm　going　to　have　one　…　a　Christmas　party。　

Not　on　Christmas　Day；　because　every　one　goes　home　then　…　but　on　the

day　after。　　Cold　mutton　and　rice　pudding。　　You'll　come？　　Eh！　…

what？'



We　said　we　should　be　delighted；　if　Father　had　no　objection；　because

that　is　the　proper　thing　to　say；　and　the　poor　Indian；　I　mean　the

Uncle；　said；　'No；　your　Father　won't　object　…　he's　coming　too；　bless

your　soul！'



We　all　got　Christmas　presents　for　the　Uncle。　　The　girls　made　him　a

handkerchief　case　and　a　comb　bag；　out　of　some　of　the　pieces　of　silk

he　had　given　them。　　I　got　him　a　knife　with　three　blades；　H。　O。　got

a　siren　whistle；　a　very　strong　one；　and　Dicky　joined　with　me　in　the

knife；　and　Noel　would　give　the　Indian　ivory　box　that　Uncle's　friend

had　sent　on　the　wonderful　Fairy　Cab　day。　　He　said　it　was　the　very

nicest　thing　he　had；　and　he　was　sure　Uncle　wouldn't　mind　his　not

having　bought　it　with　his　own　money。



I　think　Father's　business　must　have　got　better　…　perhaps　Uncle's

friend　put　money　in　it　and　that　did　it　good；　like　feeding　the

starving。　　Anyway　we　all　had　new　suits；　and　the　girls　had　the　green

silk　from　India　made　into　frocks；　and　on　Boxing　Day　we　went　in　two

cabs　…　Father　and　the　girls　in　one；　and　us　boys　in　the　other。



We　wondered　very　much　where　the　Indian　Uncle　lived；　because　we　had

not　been　told。　　And　we　thought　when　the　cab　began　to　go　up　the　hill

towards　the　Heath　that　perhaps　the　Uncle　lived　in　one　of　the　poky

little　houses　up　at　the　top　of　Greenwich。　　But　the　cab　went　right

over　the　Heath　and　in　at　some　big　gates；　and　through　a　shrubbery

all　white　with　frost　like　a　fairy　forest；　because　it　was　Christmas

time。　　And　at　last　we　stopped　before　one　of　those　jolly；　big；　ugly

red　houses　with　a　lot　of　windows；　that　are　so　comfortable　inside；

and　on　the　steps　was　the　Indian　Uncle；　looking　very　big　and　grand；

in　a　blue　cloth　coat　and　yellow　sealskin　waistcoat；　with　a　bunch　of

seals　hanging　from　it。



'I　wonder　whether　he　has　taken　a　place　as　butler　here？'　said　Dicky。



'A　poor；　broken…down　man　…'



Noel　thought　it　was　very　likely；　because　he　knew　that　in　these　big

houses　there　were　always　thousands　of　stately　butlers。



The　Uncle　came　down　the　steps　and　opened　the　cab　door　himself；

which　I　don't　think　butlers　would　expect　to　have　to　do。　　And　he

took　us　in。　　It　was　a　lovely　hall；　with　bear　and　tiger　skins　on　the

floor；　and　a　big　clo