the little white bird-第25部分

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Then　in　a　loud　voice；　and　bowing　low；　〃My　Lord　Duke；〃　said　the

physician　elatedly；　〃I　have　the　honour　to　inform　your　excellency

that　your　grace　is　in　love。〃



You　can't　conceive　the　effect　of　it。　　Brownie　held　out　her　arms

to　the　Duke　and　he　flung　himself　into　them；　the　Queen　leapt　into

the　arms　of　the　Lord　Chamberlain；　and　the　ladies　of　the　court

leapt　into　the　arms　of　her　gentlemen；　for　it　is　etiquette　to

follow　her　example　in　everything。　　Thus　in　a　single　moment　about

fifty　marriages　took　place；　for　if　you　leap　into　each　other's

arms　it　is　a　fairy　wedding。　　Of　course　a　clergyman　has　to　be

present。



How　the　crowd　cheered　and　leapt！　　Trumpets　brayed；　the　moon　came

out；　and　immediately　a　thousand　couples　seized　hold　of　its　rays

as　if　they　were　ribbons　in　a　May　dance　and　waltzed　in　wild

abandon　round　the　fairy　ring。　　Most　gladsome　sight　of　all；　the

Cupids　plucked　the　hated　fools'　caps　from　their　heads　and　cast

them　high　in　the　air。　　And　then　Maimie　went　and　spoiled

everything。　　She　couldn't　help　it。　　She　was　crazy　with　delight

over　her　little　friend's　good　fortune；　so　she　took　several　steps

forward　and　cried　in　an　ecstasy；　〃Oh；　Brownie；　how　splendid！〃



Everybody　stood　still；　the　music　ceased；　the　lights　went　out；　and

all　in　the　time　you　may　take　to　say　〃Oh　dear！〃　　An　awful　sense　of

her　peril　came　upon　Maimie；　too　late　she　remembered　that　she　was

a　lost　child　in　a　place　where　no　human　must　be　between　the

locking　and　the　opening　of　the　gates；　she　heard　the　murmur　of　an

angry　multitude；　she　saw　a　thousand　swords　flashing　for　her

blood；　and　she　uttered　a　cry　of　terror　and　fled。



How　she　ran！　and　all　the　time　her　eyes　were　starting　out　of　her

head。　　Many　times　she　lay　down；　and　then　quickly　jumped　up　and

ran　on　again。　　Her　little　mind　was　so　entangled　in　terrors　that

she　no　longer　knew　she　was　in　the　Gardens。　　The　one　thing　she　was

sure　of　was　that　she　must　never　cease　to　run；　and　she　thought　she

was　still　running　long　after　she　had　dropped　in　the　Figs　and　gone

to　sleep。　　She　thought　the　snowflakes　falling　on　her　face　were

her　mother　kissing　her　good…night。　　She　thought　her　coverlet　of

snow　was　a　warm　blanket；　and　tried　to　pull　it　over　her　head。　　And

when　she　heard　talking　through　her　dreams　she　thought　it　was

mother　bringing　father　to　the　nursery　door　to　look　at　her　as　she

slept。　But　it　was　the　fairies。



I　am　very　glad　to　be　able　to　say　that　they　no　longer　desired　to

mischief　her。　　When　she　rushed　away　they　had　rent　the　air　with

such　cries　as　〃Slay　her！〃　　〃Turn　her　into　something　extremely

unpleasant！〃　and　so　on；　but　the　pursuit　was　delayed　while　they

discussed　who　should　march　in　front；　and　this　gave　Duchess

Brownie　time　to　cast　herself　before　the　Queen　and　demand　a　boon。



Every　bride　has　a　right　to　a　boon；　and　what　she　asked　for　was

Maimie's　life。　　〃Anything　except　that；〃　replied　Queen　Mab

sternly；　and　all　the　fairies　chanted　〃Anything　except　that。〃　　But

when　they　learned　how　Maimie　had　befriended　Brownie　and　so

enabled　her　to　attend　the　ball　to　their　great　glory　and　renown；

they　gave　three　huzzas　for　the　little　human；　and　set　off；　like　an

army；　to　thank　her；　the　court　advancing　in　front　and　the　canopy

keeping　step　with　it。　　They　traced　Maimie　easily　by　her

footprints　in　the　snow。



But　though　they　found　her　deep　in　snow　in　the　Figs；　it　seemed

impossible　to　thank　Maimie；　for　they　could　not　waken　her。　　They

went　through　the　form　of　thanking　her；　that　is　to　say；　the　new

King　stood　on　her　body　and　read　her　a　long　address　of　welcome；

but　she　heard　not　a　word　of　it。　　They　also　cleared　the　snow　off

her；　but　soon　she　was　covered　again；　and　they　saw　she　was　in

danger　of　perishing　of　cold。



〃Turn　her　into　something　that　does　not　mind　the　cold；〃　seemed　a

good　suggestion　of　the　doctor's；　but　the　only　thing　they　could

think　of　that　does　not　mind　cold　was　a　snowflake。　　〃And　it　might

melt；〃　the　Queen　pointed　out；　so　that　idea　had　to　be　given　up。



A　magnificent　attempt　was　made　to　carry　her　to　a　sheltered　spot；

but　though　there　were　so　many　of　them　she　was　too　heavy。　　By　this

time　all　the　ladies　were　crying　in　their　handkerchiefs；　but

presently　the　Cupids　had　a　lovely　idea。　　〃Build　a　house　round

her；〃　they　cried；　and　at　once　everybody　perceived　that　this　was

the　thing　to　do；　in　a　moment　a　hundred　fairy　sawyers　were　among

the　branches；　architects　were　running　round　Maimie；　measuring

her；　a　bricklayer's　yard　sprang　up　at　her　feet；　seventy…five

masons　rushed　up　with　the　foundation　stone　and　the　Queen　laid　it；

overseers　were　appointed　to　keep　the　boys　off；　scaffoldings　were

run　up；　the　whole　place　rang　with　hammers　and　chisels　and　turning

lathes；　and　by　this　time　the　roof　was　on　and　the　glaziers　were

putting　in　the　windows。



The　house　was　exactly　the　size　of　Maimie　and　perfectly　lovely。

One　of　her　arms　was　extended　and　this　had　bothered　them　for　a

second；　but　they　built　a　verandah　round　it；　leading　to　the　front

door。　　The　windows　were　the　size　of　a　coloured　picture…book　and

the　door　rather　smaller；　but　it　would　be　easy　for　her　to　get　out

by　taking　off　the　roof。　　The　fairies；　as　is　their　custom；　clapped

their　hands　with　delight　over　their　cleverness；　and　they　were　all

so　madly　in　love　with　the　little　house　that　they　could　not　bear

to　think　they　had　finished　it。　　So　they　gave　it　ever　so　many

little　extra　touches；　and　even　then　they　added　more　extra

touches。



For　instance；　two　of　them　ran　up　a　ladder　and　put　on　a　chimney。



〃Now　we　fear　it　is　quite　finished；〃　they　sighed。　　But　no；　for

another　two　ran　up　the　ladder；　and　tied　some　smoke　to　the

chimney。



〃That　certainly　finishes　it；〃　they　cried　reluctantly。



〃Not　at　all；〃　cried　a　glow…worm；　〃if　she　were　to　wake　without

seeing　a　night…light　she　might　be　frightened；　so　I　shall　be　her

night…light。〃



〃Wait　one　moment；〃　said　a　china　merchant；　〃and　I　shall　make　you　a

saucer。〃



Now　alas；　it　was　absolutely　finished。



Oh；　dear　no！



〃Gracious　me；〃　cried　a　brass　manufacturer；　〃there's　no　handle　on

the　door；〃　and　he　put　one　on。



An　ironmonger　added　a　scraper　and　an　old　lady　ran　up　with　a　door…

mat。　　Carpenters　arrived　with　a　water…butt；　and　the　painters

insisted　on　painting　it。



Finished　at　last！



〃Finished！　how　can　it　be　finished；〃　the　plumber　demanded

scornfully；　〃before　hot　and　cold　are　put　in？〃　and　he　put　in　hot

and　cold。　　Then　an　army　of　gardeners　arrived　with　fairy　carts　and

spades　and　seeds　and　bulbs　and　forcing…houses；　and　soon　they　had

a　flower　garden　to　the　right　of　the　verandah　and　a　vegetable

garden　to　the　left；　and　roses　and　clematis　on　the　walls　of　the

house；　and　in　less　time　than　five　minutes　all　these　dear　things

were　in　full　bloom。



Oh；　how　beautiful　the　little　house　was　now！　　But　it　was　at　last

finished　true　as　true；　and　they　had　to　leave　it　and　return　to　the

dance。　　They　all　kissed　their　hands　to　it　as　they　went　away；　and

the　last　to　go　was　Brownie。　　She　stayed　a　moment　behind　the

others　to　drop　a　pleasant　dream　down　the　chimney。



All　through　the　night　the　exquisite　little　house　stood　there　in

the　Figs　taking　care　of　Maimie；　and　she　never　knew。　　She　slept

until　the　dream　was　quite　finished　and　woke　feeling　deliciously

cosy　just　as　morning　was　breaking　from　its　egg；　and　then　she

almost　fell　asleep　again；　and　then　she　called　out；　〃Tony；〃　for

she　thought　she　was　at　home　in　the　nursery。　　As　Tony　made　no

answer；　she　sat　up；　whereupon　her　head　hit　the　roof；　and　it

opened　like　the　lid　of　a　box；　and　to　her　bewilderment　she　saw　all

around　her　the　Kensington　Gardens　lying　deep　in　snow。　　As　she　was

not　in　the　nursery　she　wondered　whether　this　was　really　herself；

so　she　pinched　her　cheeks；　and　then　she　knew　it　was　herself；　and

this　reminded　her　that　she　was　in　the　middle　of　a　great

adventure。　　She　remembered　now　everything　that　had　happened　to

her　from　the　closing　of　the　gates　up　to　her　running　away　from　the

fairies；　but　however；　she　asked　herself；　had　she　got　into　this

funny　place？　She　stepped　out　by　the　roof；　right　over　the　garden；

and　then　she　saw　the　dear　house　in　which　she　had　passed　the

night。　　It　so　entranced　her　that　she　could　think　of　nothing　else。



〃Oh；　you　darling；　oh；　you　sweet；　oh；　you　love！〃　she　cried。



Perhaps　a　human　voice　frightened　the　little　house；　or　maybe　it

now　knew　that　its　work　was　done；　for　no　sooner　had　Maimie　spoken

than　it　began　to　grow　smaller；　it　shrank　so　slowly　that　she　could

scarce　believe　it　was　shrinking；　yet　she　soon　knew　that　it　could

not　contain　her　now。　　It　always　remained　as　complete　as　ever；　but

it　became　smaller　and　smaller；　and　the　garden　dwindled　at　the

same　time；　and　the　snow　crept　closer；　lapping　house　and　garden

up。　　Now　the　house　was　the　size　of　a　little　dog's　kennel；　and　now

of　a　Noah's　Ark；　but　still　you　could　see　the　smoke　and　the

door…handle　and　the　roses　on　the　wall；　every　one　complete。　　The

glow…worm　light　was　waning　too；　but　it　was　still　there。　

〃Darling；　loveliest；　don't　go！〃　Maimie　cried；　falling　on　her

knees；　for　the　little　house　was　now　the　size　of　a　reel　of　thread；

but　still　quite　complete。　　But　as　she　stretched　out　her　arms

imploringly　the　snow　crept　up　on　all　sides　until　it　met　itself；

and　where　the　little　house　had　been　was　now　one　unbroken　expanse

of　snow。



Maimie　stamped　her　foot　naughtily；　and　was　putting　her　fingers　to

her　eyes；　when　she　heard　a　kind　voice　say；　〃Don't　cry；　pretty

human；　don't　cry；〃　and　then　she　turned　round　and　saw　a　beautiful

little　naked　boy　regarding　her　wistfully。　　She　knew　at　once　that

he　must　be　Peter　Pan。





XVIII



Peter's　Goat



Maimie　felt　quite　shy；　but　Peter　knew　not　what　shy　was。



〃I　hope　you　have　had　a　good　night；〃　he　said　earnestly。



〃Thank　you；〃　she　replied；　〃I　was　so　cosy　and　warm。　　But　you〃and

she　looked　at　his　nakedness　awkwardly〃don't　you　feel　the　least

bit　cold？〃



Now　cold　was　another　word　Peter　had　forgotten；　so　he　answered；　〃I