the little white bird-第33部分

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reconsidered　my　weapons；　and　I　fought　Oliver　and　beat　him。　

Figure　to　yourself　those　two　boys　become　as　faithful　to　me　as　my

coat…tails。



With　wrecked　islands　I　did　it。　　I　began　in　the　most　unpretentious

way　by　telling　them　a　story　which　might　last　an　hour；　and

favoured　by　many　an　unexpected　wind　it　lasted　eighteen　months。　

It　started　as　the　wreck　of　the　simple　Swiss　family　who　looked　up

and　saw　the　butter　tree；　but　soon　a　glorious　inspiration　of　the

night　turned　it　into　the　wreck　of　David　A　and　Oliver　Bailey。　

At　first　it　was　what　they　were　to　do　when　they　were　wrecked；　but

imperceptibly　it　became　what　they　had　done。　　I　spent　much　of　my

time　staring　reflectively　at　the　titles　of　the　boys'　stories　in

the　booksellers'　windows；　whistling　for　a　breeze；　so　to　say；　for

I　found　that　the　titles　were　even　more　helpful　than　the　stories。　

We　wrecked　everybody　of　note；　including　all　Homer's　most　taking

characters　and　the　hero　of　Paradise　Lost。　　But　we　suffered　them

not　to　land。　　We　stripped　them　of　what　we　wanted　and　left　them　to

wander　the　high　seas　naked　of　adventure。　　And　all　this　was　merely

the　beginning。



By　this　time　I　had　been　cast　upon　the　island。　　It　was　not　my　own

proposal；　but　David　knew　my　wishes；　and　he　made　it　all　right　for

me　with　Oliver。　　They　found　me　among　the　breakers　with　a　large

dog；　which　had　kept　me　afloat　throughout　that　terrible　night。　　I

was　the　sole　survivor　of　the　ill…fated　Anna　Pink。　　So　exhausted

was　I　that　they　had　to　carry　me　to　their　hut；　and　great　was　my

gratitude　when　on　opening　my　eyes；　I　found　myself　in　that

romantic　edifice　instead　of　in　Davy　Jones's　locker。　　As　we　walked

in　the　Gardens　I　told　them　of　the　hut　they　had　built；　and　they

were　inflated　but　not　surprised。　　On　the　other　hand　they　looked

for　surprise　from　me。



〃Did　we　tell　you　about　the　turtle　we　turned　on　its　back？〃　asked

Oliver；　reverting　to　deeds　of　theirs　of　which　I　had　previously

told　them。



〃You　did。〃



〃Who　turned　it？〃　demanded　David；　not　as　one　who　needed

information　but　after　the　manner　of　a　schoolmaster。



〃It　was　turned；〃　I　said；　〃by　David　A；　the　younger　of　the　two

youths。〃



〃Who　made　the　monkeys　fling　cocoa…nuts　at　him？〃　asked　the　older

of　the　two　youths。



〃Oliver　Bailey；〃　I　replied。



〃Was　it　Oliver；〃　asked　David　sharply；　〃that　found　the　cocoa…nut…

tree　first？〃



〃On　the　contrary；〃　I　answered；　〃it　was　first　observed　by　David；

who　immediately　climbed　it；　remarking；　'This　is　certainly　the

cocos…nucifera；　for；　see；　dear　Oliver；　the　slender　columns

supporting　the　crown　of　leaves　which　fall　with　a　grace　that　no

art　can　imitate。'〃



〃That's　what　I　said；〃　remarked　David　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。



〃I　said　things　like　that；　too；〃　Oliver　insisted。



〃No；　you　didn't　then；〃　said　David。



〃Yes；　I　did　so。〃



〃No；　you　didn't　so。〃



〃Shut　up。〃



〃Well；　then；　let's　hear　one　you　said。〃



Oliver　looked　appealingly　at　me。　　〃The　following；〃　I　announced；

〃is　one　that　Oliver　said：　'Truly　dear　comrade；　though　the　perils

of　these　happenings　are　great；　and　our　privations　calculated　to

break　the　stoutest　heart；　yet　to　be　rewarded　by　such　fair　sights

I　would　endure　still　greater　trials　and　still　rejoice　even　as　the

bird　on　yonder　bough。'〃



〃That's　one　I　said！〃　crowed　Oliver。



〃I　shot　the　bird；〃　said　David　instantly。



〃What　bird？〃



〃The　yonder　bird。〃



〃No；　you　didn't。〃



〃Did　I　not　shoot　the　bird？〃



〃It　was　David　who　shot　the　bird；〃　I　said；　〃but　it　was　Oliver　who

saw　by　its　multi…coloured　plumage　that　it　was　one　of　the

Psittacidae；　an　excellent　substitute　for　partridge。〃



〃You　didn't　see　that；〃　said　Oliver；　rather　swollen。



〃Yes；　I　did。〃



〃What　did　you　see？〃



〃I　saw　that。〃



〃What？〃



〃You　shut　up。〃



〃David　shot　it；〃　I　summed　up；　〃and　Oliver　knew　its　name；　but　I

ate　it。　　Do　you　remember　how　hungry　I　was？〃



〃Rather！〃　said　David。



〃I　cooked　it；〃　said　Oliver。



〃It　was　served　up　on　toast；〃　I　reminded　them。



〃I　toasted　it；〃　said　David。



〃Toast　from　the　bread…fruit…tree；〃　I　said；　〃which　（as　you　both

remarked　simultaneously）　bears　two　and　sometimes　three　crops　in　a

year；　and　also　affords　a　serviceable　gum　for　the　pitching　of

canoes。〃



〃I　pitched　mine　best；〃　said　Oliver。



〃I　pitched　mine　farthest；〃　said　David。



〃And　when　I　had　finished　my　repast；〃　said　I；　〃you　amazed　me　by

handing　me　a　cigar　from　the　tobacco…plant。〃



〃I　handed　it；〃　said　Oliver。



〃I　snicked　off　the　end；〃　said　David。



〃And　then；〃　said　I；　〃you　gave　me　a　light。〃



〃Which　of　us？〃　they　cried　together。



〃Both　of　you；〃　I　said。　　〃Never　shall　I　forget　my　amazement　when　I

saw　you　get　that　light　by　rubbing　two　sticks　together。〃



At　this　they　waggled　their　heads。　　〃You　couldn't　have　done　it！〃

said　David。



〃No；　David；〃　I　admitted；　〃I　can't　do　it；　but　of　course　I　know

that　all　wrecked　boys　do　it　quite　easily。　　Show　me　how　you　did

it。〃



But　after　consulting　apart　they　agreed　not　to　show　me。　　I　was　not

shown　everything。



David　was　now　firmly　convinced　that　he　had　once　been　wrecked　on

an　island；　while　Oliver　passed　his　days　in　dubiety。　　They　used　to

argue　it　out　together　and　among　their　friends。　　As　I　unfolded　the

story　Oliver　listened　with　an　open　knife　in　his　hand；　and　David

who　was　not　allowed　to　have　a　knife　wore　a　pirate…string　round

his　waist。　　Irene　in　her　usual　interfering　way　objected　to　this

bauble　and　dropped　disparaging　remarks　about　wrecked　islands

which　were　little　to　her　credit。　　I　was　for　defying　her；　but

David；　who　had　the　knack　of　women；　knew　a　better　way；　he　craftily

proposed　that　we　〃should　let　Irene　in；〃　in　short；　should　wreck

her；　and　though　I　objected；　she　proved　a　great　success　and

recognised　the　yucca　filamentosa　by　its　long　narrow　leaves　the

very　day　she　joined　us。　Thereafter　we　had　no　more　scoffing　from

Irene；　who　listened　to　the　story　as　hotly　as　anybody。



This　encouraged　us　in　time　to　let　in　David's　father　and　mother；

though　they　never　knew　it　unless　he　told　them；　as　I　have　no　doubt

he　did。　　They　were　admitted　primarily　to　gratify　David；　who　was

very　soft…hearted　and　knew　that　while　he　was　on　the　island　they

must　be　missing　him　very　much　at　home。　　So　we　let　them　in；　and

there　was　no　part　of　the　story　he　liked　better　than　that　which

told　of　the　joyous　meeting。　　We　were　in　need　of　another　woman　at

any　rate；　someone　more　romantic　looking　than　Irene；　and　Mary；　I

can　assure　her　now；　had　a　busy　time　of　it。　　She　was　constantly

being　carried　off　by　cannibals；　and　David　became　quite　an　adept

at　plucking　her　from　the　very　pot　itself　and　springing　from　cliff

to　cliff　with　his　lovely　burden　in　his　arms。　　There　was　seldom　a

Saturday　in　which　David　did　not　kill　his　man。



I　shall　now　provide　the　proof　that　David　believed　it　all　to　be　as

true　as　true。　　It　was　told　me　by　Oliver；　who　had　it　from　our　hero

himself。　　I　had　described　to　them　how　the　savages　had　tattooed

David's　father；　and　Oliver　informed　me　that　one　night　shortly

afterward　David　was　discovered　softly　lifting　the　blankets　off

his　father's　legs　to　have　a　look　at　the　birds　and　reptiles　etched

thereon。



Thus　many　months　passed　with　no　word　of　Pilkington；　and　you　may

be　asking　where　he　was　all　this　time。　　Ah；　my　friends；　he　was

very　busy　fishing；　though　I　was　as　yet　unaware　of　his　existence。　

Most　suddenly　I　heard　the　whirr　of　his　hated　reel；　as　he　struck　a

fish。　I　remember　that　grim　day　with　painful　vividness；　it　was　a

wet　day；　indeed　I　think　it　has　rained　for　me　more　or　less　ever

since。　　As　soon　as　they　joined　me　I　saw　from　the　manner　of　the

two　boys　that　they　had　something　to　communicate。　　Oliver　nudged

David　and　retired　a　few　paces；　whereupon　David　said　to　me

solemnly；



〃Oliver　is　going　to　Pilkington's。〃



I　immediately　perceived　that　it　was　some　school；　but　so　little

did　I　understand　the　import　of　David's　remark　that　I　called　out

jocularly；　〃I　hope　he　won't　swish　you；　Oliver。〃



Evidently　I　had　pained　both　of　them；　for　they　exchanged　glances

and　retired　for　consultation　behind　a　tree；　whence　David　returned

to　say　with　emphasis；



〃He　has　two　jackets　and　two　shirts　and　two　knickerbockers；　all

real　ones。〃



〃Well　done；　Oliver！〃　said　I；　but　it　was　the　wrong　thing　again；

and　once　more　they　disappeared　behind　the　tree。　　Evidently　they

decided　that　the　time　for　plain　speaking　was　come；　for　now　David

announced　bluntly：



〃He　wants　you　not　to　call　him　Oliver　any　longer。〃



〃What　shall　I　call　him？〃



〃Bailey。〃



〃But　why？〃



〃He's　going　to　Pilkington's。　　And　he　can't　play　with　us　any　more

after　next　Saturday。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃He's　going　to　Pilkington's。〃



So　now　I　knew　the　law　about　the　thing；　and　we　moved　on　together；

Oliver　stretching　himself　consciously；　and　methought　that　even

David　walked　with　a　sedater　air。



〃David；〃　said　I；　with　a　sinking；　〃are　you　going　to　Pilkington's？〃



〃When　I　am　eight；〃　he　replied。



〃And　sha'n't　I　call　you　David　then；　and　won't　you　play　with　me　in

the　Gardens　any　more？〃



He　looked　at　Bailey；　and　Bailey　signalled　him　to　be　firm。



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　David　cheerily。



Thus　sharply　did　I　learn　how　much　longer　I　was　to　have　of　him。

Strange　that　a　little　boy　can　give　so　much　pain。　　I　dropped　his

hand　and　walked　on　in　silence；　and　presently　I　did　my　most

churlish　to　hurt　him　by　ending　the　story　abruptly　in　a　very　cruel

way。　　〃Ten　years　have　elapsed；〃　said　I；　〃since　I　last　spoke；　and

our　two　heroes；　now　gay　young　men；　are　revisiting　the　wrecked

island　of　their　childhood。　　'Did　we　wreck　ourselves；'　said　one；

'or　was　there　someone　to　help　us？'　　And　the　other　who　was　the

younger；　replied；　'I　think　there　was　someone　to　help　us；　a　man

with　a　dog。　　I　think　he　used　to　tell　me　stories　in　the　Kensington

Gardens；　but　I　forget　all　about　him；　I　don't　remember　even　his

name。'〃



This　tame　ending　bored　Bailey；　and　he　drif