English
TheMarvelousMysterious—hadquitepassedoutofmylifeforthemoment:andtheCommon-placereignedsupreme.
IturnedinthedirectionoftheEarl’shouse,asitwasnow‘thewitchinghour’offive,andIknewIshouldfindthemreadyforacupofteaandaquietchat.
LadyMurielandherfathergavemeadelightfullywarmwelcome.
Theywerenotofthefolkwemeetinfashionabledrawing-roomswhoconcealallsuchfeelingsastheymaychancetopossessbeneaththeimpenetrablemaskofaconventionalplacidity.
‘TheManwiththeIronMask’was,nodoubt,ararityandamarvelinhisownage:inmodernLondonnoonewouldturnhisheadtogivehimasecondlook!No,thesewererealpeople.
Whentheylookedpleased,itmeantthattheywerepleased:andwhenLadyMurielsaid,withabrightsmile,“I’mverygladtoseeyouagain!”,Iknewthatitwastrue.
StillIdidnotventuretodisobeytheinjunctions—crazyasIfeltthemtobe—ofthelovesickyoungDoctor,bysomuchasalludingtohisexistence:anditwasonlyaftertheyhadgivenmefulldetailsofaprojectedpicnic,towhichtheyinvitedme,thatLadyMurielexclaimed,almostasanafter-thought,“anddo,ifyoucan,bringDoctorForesterwithyou!
I’msureadayinthecountrywoulddohimgood.I’mafraidhestudiestoomuch—”
Itwas‘onthetipofmytongue’toquotethewords“Hisonlybooksarewoman’slooks!”
butIcheckedmyselfjustintime—withsomethingofthefeelingofonewhohascrossedastreet,andhasbeenallbutrunoverbyapassing‘Hansom.’
“—andIthinkhehastoolonelyalife,”shewenton,withagentleearnestnessthatleftnoroomwhatevertosuspectadoublemeaning.“Dogethimtocome!Anddon’tforgettheday,Tuesdayweek.Wecandriveyouover.
Itwouldbeapitytogobyrail—thereissomuchprettysceneryontheroad.Andouropencarriagejustholdsfour.”
“Oh,I’llpersuadehimtocome!”Isaidwithconfidence—thinking“itwouldtakeallmypowersofpersuasiontokeephimaway!”
Thepicnicwastotakeplaceintendays:andthoughArthurreadilyacceptedtheinvitationIbroughthim,nothingthatIcouldsaywouldinducehimtocall—eitherwithmeorwithoutmeontheEarlandhisdaughterinthemeanwhile.
No:hefearedto“wearouthiswelcome,”hesaid:theyhad“seenenoughofhimforonewhile”:and,whenatlastthedayfortheexpeditionarrived,hewassochildishlynervousanduneasythatIthoughtitbestsotoarrangeourplansthatweshouldgoseparatelytothehouse—myintentionbeingtoarrivesometimeafterhim,soastogivehimtimetogetoverameeting.
WiththisobjectIpurposelymadeaconsiderablecircuitonmywaytotheHall(aswecalledtheEarl’shouse):“andifIcouldonlymanagetolosemywayabit,”Ithoughttomyself,“thatwouldsuitmecapitally!”
InthisIsucceededbetter,andsooner,thanIhadventuredtohopefor.
Thepaththroughthewoodhadbeenmadefamiliartome,bymanyasolitarystroll,inmyformervisittoElveston;andhowIcouldhavesosuddenlyandsoentirelylostit—eventhoughIwassoengrossedinthinkingofArthurandhislady-lovethatIheededlittleelse—wasamysterytome.
“Andthisopenplace,”Isaidtomyself,“seemstohavesomememoryaboutitIcannotdistinctlyrecall—surelyitistheveryspotwhereIsawthoseFairy-Children!ButIhopetherearenosnakesabout!”
Imusedaloud,takingmyseatonafallentree.
“Icertainlydonotlikesnakes—andIdon’tsupposeBrunolikesthem,either!”
“No,hedoesn’tlikethem!”saidademurelittlevoiceatmyside.“He’snotafraidofthem,youknow.Buthedoesn’tlikethem.Hesaysthey’retoowaggly!”
Wordsfailmetodescribethebeautyofthelittlegroup—couchedonapatchofmoss,onthetrunkofthefallentree,thatmetmyeagergaze:Sylvierecliningwithherelbowburiedinthemoss,andherrosycheekrestinginthepalmofherhand,andBrunostretchedatherfeetwithhisheadinherlap.
“Toowaggly?”wasallIcouldsayinsosuddenanemergency.
“I’mnotpraticular,”Brunosaid,carelessly:“butIdolikestraightanimalsbest—”
“Butyoulikeadogwhenitwagsitstail,”Sylvieinterrupted.“Youknowyoudo,Bruno!”
“Butthere’smoreofadog,isn’tthere,MisterSir?”Brunoappealedtome.“Youwouldn’tliketohaveadogifithadn’tgotnuffinbutaheadandatail?”
Iadmittedthatadogofthatkindwouldbeuninteresting.
“Thereisn’tsuchadogasthat,”Sylviethoughtfullyremarked.
“Buttherewouldbe,”criedBruno,“iftheProfessorshorteneditupforus!”
“Shorteneditup?”Isaid.“That’ssomethingnew.Howdoeshedoit?”
“He’sgotacuriousmachine”Sylviewasbeginningtoexplain.
“Awellycuriousmachine,”Brunobrokein,notatallwillingtohavethestorythustakenoutofhismouth,“andifooputsin—some-finoruvver—atoneend,ooknowandheturnsthehandle—anditcomesoutattheuvverend,oh,eversoshort!”
“Asshortasshort!”Sylvieechoed.
“AndonedaywhenwewasinOutland,ooknow—beforewecametoFairylandmeandSylvietookhimabigCrocodile.Andheshorteneditupforus.Anditdidlooksofunny!
Anditkeptlookinground,andsaying‘whereveristherestofmegotto?’Andthenitseyeslookedunhappy—”
“Notbothitseyes,”Sylvieinterrupted.
“Coursenot!”saidthelittlefellow.“Onlytheeyethatcouldn’tseewherevertherestofithadgotto.Buttheeyethatcouldseewherever—”
“Howshortwasthecrocodile?”Iasked,asthestorywasgettingalittlecomplicated.
“Halfasshortagainaswhenwecaughtit—solong,”saidBruno,spreadingouthisarmstotheirfullstretch.
Itriedtocalculatewhatthiswouldcometo,butitwastoohardforme.Pleasemakeitoutforme,dearChildwhoreadsthis!
“Butyoudidn’tleavethepoorthingsoshortasthat,didyou?”
“Well,no.Sylvieandmetookitbackagainandwegotitstretchedto—to—howmuchwasit,Sylvie?”
“Twotimesandahalf,andalittlebitmore,”saidSylvie.
“Itwouldn’tlikethatbetterthantheotherway,I’mafraid?”
“Oh,butitdidthough!”Brunoputineagerly.“Itwereproudofitsnewtail!OoneversawaCrocodilesoproud!
Why,itcouldgoroundandwalkonthetopofitstail,andalongitsback,allthewaytoitshead!”
Notquitealltheway,”saidSylvie.“Itcouldn’t,youknow.”
“Ah,butitdid,once!”Brunocriedtriumphantly.“Ooweren’tlooking—butIwatchedit.
Anditwalkedontippiety-toe,soasitwouldn’twakeitself,‘causeitthoughtitwereasleep.Anditgotbothitspawsonitstail.
Anditwalkedanditwalkedallthewayalongitsback.
Anditwalkedanditwalkedonitsforehead.
Anditwalkedatinylittlewaydownitsnose!Therenow!”
Thiswasagooddealworsethanthelastpuzzle.Please,dearChild,helpagain!
“Idon’tbelievenoCrocodileneverwalkedalongitsownforehead!”Sylviecried,toomuchexcitedbythecontroversytolimitthenumberofhernegatives.
“Oodon’tknowthereasonwhyitdidit!”Brunoscornfullyretorted.“Ithadawellygoodreason.Iheerditsay‘Whyshouldn’tIwalkonmyownforehead?’Soacourseitdid,ooknow!”
“Ifthat’sagoodreason,Bruno,”Isaid,“whyshouldn’tyougetupthattree?”
“Shall,inaminute,”saidBruno:“soonaswe’vedonetalking.Onlytwopeoplesca’n’ttalkcomfablytogevver,whenone’sgettingupatree,andtheotherisn’t!”
Itappearedtomethataconversationwouldscarcelybe‘comfable’whiletreeswerebeingclimbed,evenifboththe‘peoples’weredoingit:butitwasevidentlydangeroustoopposeanytheoryofBruno’s;soIthoughtitbesttoletthequestiondrop,andtoaskforanaccountofthemachinethatmadethingslonger.
ThistimeBrunowasataloss,andleftittoSylvie.“It’slikeamangle,”shesaid:“ifthingsareputin,theygetsquoze—”
“Squeezeled!”Brunointerrupted.
“Yes.”Sylvieacceptedthecorrection,butdidnotattempttopronouncetheword,whichwasevidentlynewtoher.“Theyget—likethat—andtheycomeout,oh,eversolong!”
“Once,”Brunobeganagain,“Sylvieandmewrited—”
“Wrote!”Sylviewhispered.
“Well,wewrotedaNursery-Song,andtheProfessormangleditlongerforus.Itwere‘TherewasalittleMan,Andhehadalittlegun,Andthebullets—’”
“Iknowtherest,”Iinterrupted.“ButwouldyousayitlongImeanthewaythatitcameoutofthemangle?”
“We’llgettheProfessortosingitforyou,”saidSylvie.“Itwouldspoilittosayit.”
“IwouldliketomeettheProfessor,”Isaid.“AndIwouldliketotakeyouallwithme,toseesomefriendsofmine,thatlivenearhere.Wouldyouliketocome?”
“Idon’tthinktheProfessorwouldliketocome,”saidSylvie.“He’sveryshy.Butwe’dlikeitverymuch.Onlywe’dbetternotcomethissize,youknow.”
Thedifficultyhadoccurredtomealready:andIhadfeltthatperhapstherewouldbeaslightawkwardnessinintroducingtwosuchtinyfriendsintoSociety.“Whatsizewillyoube?”Ienquired.
“We’dbettercomeas—commonchildren,”Sylviethoughtfullyreplied.“That’stheeasiestsizetomanage.”
“Couldyoucometo-day?”Isaid,thinking“thenwecouldhaveyouatthepicnic!”
Sylvieconsideredalittle.“Notto-day,”shereplied.“Wehaven’tgotthethingsready.We’llcomeon—Tuesdaynext,ifyoulike.Andnow,reallyBruno,youmustcomeanddoyourlessons.”
“Iwissoowouldn’tsay‘reallyBruno!’”thelittlefellowpleaded,withpoutinglipsthatmadehimlookprettierthanever.
“Italwaysshow’sthere’ssomethinghorridcoming!
AndIwon’tkissyou,ifyou’resounkind.”
“Ah,butyouhavekissedme!”Sylvieexclaimedinmerrytriumph.
“Wellthen,I’llunkissyou!”Andhethrewhisarmsroundherneckforthisnovel,butapparentlynotverypainful,operation.
“It’sverylikekissing!”Sylvieremarked,assoonasherlipswereagainfreeforspeech.
“Oodon’tknownuffinaboutit!Itwerejusttheconkery!”Brunorepliedwithmuchseverity,ashemarchedaway.
Sylvieturnedherlaughingfacetome.“ShallwecomeonTuesday?”shesaid.
“Verywell,”Isaid:“letitbeTuesdaynext.ButwhereistheProfessor?DidhecomewithyoutoFairyland?”
“No,”saidSylvie.“Buthepromisedhe’dcomeandseeus,someday.He’sgettinghisLectureready.Sohehastostayathome.”
“Athome?”Isaiddreamily,notfeelingquitesurewhatshehadsaid.
“Yes,Sir.HisLordshipandLadyMurielareathome.Pleasetowalkthisway.”
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