the little white bird-第23部分

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Angela　Clare；　who　loves　to　have　a　tooth　extracted　because　then

she　is　treated　to　tea　in　a　shop；　saw　more　than　one　light；　she　saw

hundreds　of　them　all　together；　and　this　must　have　been　the

fairies　building　the　house；　for　they　build　it　every　night　and

always　in　a　different　part　of　the　Gardens。　　She　thought　one　of

the　lights　was　bigger　than　the　others；　though　she　was　not　quite

sure；　for　they　jumped　about　so；　and　it　might　have　been　another

one　that　was　bigger。　　But　if　it　was　the　same　one；　it　was　Peter

Pan's　light。　Heaps　of　children　have　seen　the　light；　so　that　is

nothing。　　But　Maimie　Mannering　was　the　famous　one　for　whom　the

house　was　first　built。



Maimie　was　always　rather　a　strange　girl；　and　it　was　at　night　that

she　was　strange。　　She　was　four　years　of　age；　and　in　the　daytime

she　was　the　ordinary　kind。　　She　was　pleased　when　her　brother

Tony；　who　was　a　magnificent　fellow　of　six；　took　notice　of　her；

and　she　looked　up　to　him　in　the　right　way；　and　tried　in　vain　to

imitate　him　and　was　flattered　rather　than　annoyed　when　he　shoved

her　about。　　Also；　when　she　was　batting　she　would　pause　though　the

ball　was　in　the　air　to　point　out　to　you　that　she　was　wearing　new

shoes。　She　was　quite　the　ordinary　kind　in　the　daytime。



But　as　the　shades　of　night　fell；　Tony；　the　swaggerer；　lost　his

contempt　for　Maimie　and　eyed　her　fearfully；　and　no　wonder；　for

with　dark　there　came　into　her　face　a　look　that　I　can　describe

only　as　a　leary　look。　　It　was　also　a　serene　look　that　contrasted

grandly　with　Tony's　uneasy　glances。　　Then　he　would　make　her

presents　of　his　favourite　toys　（which　he　always　took　away　from

her　next　morning）　and　she　accepted　them　with　a　disturbing　smile。　

The　reason　he　was　now　become　so　wheedling　and　she　so　mysterious

was　（in　brief）　that　they　knew　they　were　about　to　be　sent　to　bed。　

It　was　then　that　Maimie　was　terrible。　　Tony　entreated　her　not　to

do　it　to…night；　and　the　mother　and　their　coloured　nurse

threatened　her；　but　Maimie　merely　smiled　her　agitating　smile。　

And　by…and…by　when　they　were　alone　with　their　night…light　she

would　start　up　in　bed　crying　〃Hsh！　what　was　that？〃　　Tony

beseeches　her！　　〃It　was　nothingdon't；　Maimie；　don't！〃　and　pulls

the　sheet　over　his　head。　〃It　is　coming　nearer！〃　she　cries；　〃Oh；

look　at　it；　Tony！　　It　is　feeling　your　bed　with　its　hornsit　is

boring　for　you；　oh；　Tony；　oh！〃　and　she　desists　not　until　he

rushes　downstairs　in　his　combinations；　screeching。　　When　they

came　up　to　whip　Maimie　they　usually　found　her　sleeping

tranquilly；　not　shamming；　you　know；　but　really　sleeping；　and

looking　like　the　sweetest　little　angel；　which　seems　to　me　to　make

it　almost　worse。



But　of　course　it　was　daytime　when　they　were　in　the　Gardens；　and

then　Tony　did　most　of　the　talking。　　You　could　gather　from　his

talk　that　he　was　a　very　brave　boy；　and　no　one　was　so　proud　of　it

as　Maimie。　　She　would　have　loved　to　have　a　ticket　on　her　saying

that　she　was　his　sister。　　And　at　no　time　did　she　admire　him　more

than　when　he　told　her；　as　he　often　did　with　splendid　firmness；

that　one　day　he　meant　to　remain　behind　in　the　Gardens　after　the

gates　were　closed。



〃Oh；　Tony；〃　she　would　say；　with　awful　respect；　〃but　the　fairies

will　be　so　angry！〃



〃I　daresay；〃　replied　Tony；　carelessly。



〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　thrilling；　〃Peter　Pan　will　give　you　a　sail

in　his　boat！〃



〃I　shall　make　him；〃　replied　Tony；　no　wonder　she　was　proud　of　him。



But　they　should　not　have　talked　so　loudly；　for　one　day　they　were

overheard　by　a　fairy　who　had　been　gathering　skeleton　leaves；　from

which　the　little　people　weave　their　summer　curtains；　and　after

that　Tony　was　a　marked　boy。　　They　loosened　the　rails　before　he

sat　on　them；　so　that　down　he　came　on　the　back　of　his　head；　they

tripped　him　up　by　catching　his　boot…lace　and　bribed　the　ducks　to

sink　his　boat。　　Nearly　all　the　nasty　accidents　you　meet　with　in

the　Gardens　occur　because　the　fairies　have　taken　an　ill…will　to

you；　and　so　it　behoves　you　to　be　careful　what　you　say　about　them。



Maimie　was　one　of　the　kind　who　like　to　fix　a　day　for　doing

things；　but　Tony　was　not　that　kind；　and　when　she　asked　him　which

day　he　was　to　remain　behind　in　the　Gardens　after　Lock…out　he

merely　replied；　〃Just　some　day；〃　he　was　quite　vague　about　which

day　except　when　she　asked　〃Will　it　be　to…day？〃　and　then　he　could

always　say　for　certain　that　it　would　not　be　to…day。　　So　she　saw

that　he　was　waiting　for　a　real　good　chance。



This　brings　us　to　an　afternoon　when　the　Gardens　were　white　with

snow；　and　there　was　ice　on　the　Round　Pond；　not　thick　enough　to

skate　on　but　at　least　you　could　spoil　it　for　to…morrow　by

flinging　stones；　and　many　bright　little　boys　and　girls　were　doing

that。



When　Tony　and　his　sister　arrived　they　wanted　to　go　straight　to

the　pond；　but　their　ayah　said　they　must　take　a　sharp　walk　first；

and　as　she　said　this　she　glanced　at　the　time…board　to　see　when

the　Gardens　closed　that　night。　　It　read　half…past　five。　　Poor

ayah！　she　is　the　one　who　laughs　continuously　because　there　are　so

many　white　children　in　the　world；　but　she　was　not　to　laugh　much

more　that　day。



Well；　they　went　up　the　Baby　Walk　and　back；　and　when　they　returned

to　the　time…board　she　was　surprised　to　see　that　it　now　read　five

o'clock　for　closing　time。　　But　she　was　unacquainted　with　the

tricky　ways　of　the　fairies；　and　so　did　not　see　（as　Maimie　and

Tony　saw　at　once）　that　they　had　changed　the　hour　because　there

was　to　be　a　ball　to…night。　　She　said　there　was　only　time　now　to

walk　to　the　top　of　the　Hump　and　back；　and　as　they　trotted　along

with　her　she　little　guessed　what　was　thrilling　their　little

breasts。　　You　see　the　chance　had　come　of　seeing　a　fairy　ball。　

Never；　Tony　felt；　could　he　hope　for　a　better　chance。



He　had　to　feel　this；　for　Maimie　so　plainly　felt　it　for　him。　　Her

eager　eyes　asked　the　question；　〃Is　it　to…day？〃　and　he　gasped　and

then　nodded。　　Maimie　slipped　her　hand　into　Tony's；　and　hers　was

hot；　but　his　was　cold。　　She　did　a　very　kind　thing；　she　took　off

her　scarf　and　gave　it　to　him！　　〃In　case　you　should　feel　cold；〃

she　whispered。　　Her　face　was　aglow；　but　Tony's　was　very　gloomy。



As　they　turned　on　the　top　of　the　Hump　he　whispered　to　her；　〃I'm

afraid　Nurse　would　see　me；　so　I　sha'n't　be　able　to　do　it。〃



Maimie　admired　him　more　than　ever　for　being　afraid　of　nothing　but

their　ayah；　when　there　were　so　many　unknown　terrors　to　fear；　and

she　said　aloud；　〃Tony；　I　shall　race　you　to　the　gate；〃　and　in　a

whisper；　〃Then　you　can　hide；〃　and　off　they　ran。



Tony　could　always　outdistance　her　easily；　but　never　had　she　known

him　speed　away　so　quickly　as　now；　and　she　was　sure　he　hurried

that　he　might　have　more　time　to　hide。　　〃Brave；　brave！〃　her　doting

eyes　were　crying　when　she　got　a　dreadful　shock；　instead　of

hiding；　her　hero　had　run　out　at　the　gate！　　At　this　bitter　sight

Maimie　stopped　blankly；　as　if　all　her　lapful　of　darling　treasures

were　suddenly　spilled；　and　then　for　very　disdain　she　could　not

sob；　in　a　swell　of　protest　against　all　puling　cowards　she　ran　to

St。　Govor's　Well　and　hid　in　Tony's　stead。



When　the　ayah　reached　the　gate　and　saw　Tony　far　in　front　she

thought　her　other　charge　was　with　him　and　passed　out。　　Twilight

came　on；　and　scores　and　hundreds　of　people　passed　out；　including

the　last　one；　who　always　has　to　run　for　it；　but　Maimie　saw　them

not。　　She　had　shut　her　eyes　tight　and　glued　them　with　passionate

tears。　　When　she　opened　them　something　very　cold　ran　up　her　legs

and　up　her　arms　and　dropped　into　her　heart。　　It　was　the　stillness

of　the　Gardens。　　Then　she　heard　clang；　then　from　another　part

clang；　then　clang；　clang　far　away。　　It　was　the　Closing　of　the

Gates。



Immediately　the　last　clang　had　died　away　Maimie　distinctly　heard

a　voice　say；　〃So　that's　all　right。〃　　It　had　a　wooden　sound　and

seemed　to　come　from　above；　and　she　looked　up　in　time　to　see　an

elm　tree　stretching　out　its　arms　and　yawning。



She　was　about　to　say；　〃I　never　knew　you　could　speak！〃　when　a

metallic　voice　that　seemed　to　come　from　the　ladle　at　the　well

remarked　to　the　elm；　〃I　suppose　it　is　a　bit　coldish　up　there？〃

and　the　elm　replied；　〃Not　particularly；　but　you　do　get　numb

standing　so　long　on　one　leg；〃　and　he　flapped　his　arms　vigorously

just　as　the　cabmen　do　before　they　drive　off。　　Maimie　was　quite

surprised　to　see　that　a　number　of　other　tall　trees　were　doing　the

same　sort　of　thing；　and　she　stole　away　to　the　Baby　Walk　and

crouched　observantly　under　a　Minorca　Holly　which　shrugged　its

shoulders　but　did　not　seem　to　mind　her。



She　was　not　in　the　least　cold。　　She　was　wearing　a　russet…coloured

pelisse　and　had　the　hood　over　her　head；　so　that　nothing　of　her

showed　except　her　dear　little　face　and　her　curls。　　The　rest　of

her　real　self　was　hidden　far　away　inside　so　many　warm　garments

that　in　shape　she　seemed　rather　like　a　ball。　　She　was　about　forty

round　the　waist。



There　was　a　good　deal　going　on　in　the　Baby　Walk；　when　Maimie

arrived　in　time　to　see　a　magnolia　and　a　Persian　lilac　step　over

the　railing　and　set　off　for　a　smart　walk。　　They　moved　in　a　jerky

sort　of　way　certainly；　but　that　was　because　they　used　crutches。

An　elderberry　hobbled　across　the　walk；　and　stood　chatting　with

some　young　quinces；　and　they　all　had　crutches。　　The　crutches　were

the　sticks　that　are　tied　to　young　trees　and　shrubs。　　They　were

quite　familiar　objects　to　Maimie；　but　she　had　never　known　what

they　were　for　until　to…night。



She　peeped　up　the　walk　and　saw　her　first　fairy。　　He　was　a　street

boy　fairy　who　was　running　up　the　walk　closing　the　weeping　trees。

The　way　he　did　it　was　this；　he　pressed　a　spring　in　the　trunk　and

they　shut　like　umbrellas；　deluging　the　little　plants　beneath　with

snow。　　〃Oh；　you　naughty；　naughty　child！〃　Maimie　cried

indignantly；　for　she　knew　what　it　was　to　have　a　dripping　umbrella

about　your　ears。



Fortunately　the　mischievous　fellow　was　out　of　earshot；　but　the

chrysanthemums　heard　her；　and　they　all　said　so　pointedly　〃Hoity…

toity；　what