beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第39章
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〃Many；〃 said the woman； 〃just outside this forest my aunt was
devoured three years ago； as she was coming home from market。 The
horse and a young pig that was in the cart were eaten too。 The horse
was a very old one； but it was a beautiful young pig； oh； so fat。 I cried
when I heard that it was taken。 They spare nothing。〃
〃They may attack us here；〃 said Abbleway tremulously； 〃they could
easily break in； these carriages are like matchwood。 We may both be
devoured。〃
〃You； perhaps；〃 said the woman calmly； 〃not me。〃
〃Why not you？〃 demanded Abbleway。
〃It is the day of Saint Maria Kleopha； my name…day。 She would not
allow me to be eaten by wolves on her day。 Such a thing could not be
thought of。 You； yes； but not me。〃
Abbleway changed the subject。
〃It is only afternoon now； if we are to be left here till morning we
shall be starving。〃
〃I have here some good eatables；〃 said the woman tranquilly； 〃on my
festival day it is natural that I should have provision with me。 I have
five good blood… sausages； in the town shops they cost twenty…five heller
each。 Things are dear in the town shops。〃
〃I will give you fifty heller apiece for a couple of them；〃 said
Abbleway with some enthusiasm。
〃In a railway accident things become very dear；〃 said the woman；
〃these blood…sausages are four kronen apiece。〃
〃Four kronen！〃 exclaimed Abbleway； 〃four kronen for a blood…
sausage！〃
〃You cannot get them any cheaper on this train；〃 said the woman；
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with relentless logic； 〃because there aren't any others to get。 In Agram
you can buy them cheaper； and in Paradise no doubt they will be given
to us for nothing； but here they cost four kronen each。 I have a small
piece of Emmenthaler cheese and a honey…cake and a piece of bread that
I can let you have。 That will be another three kronen； eleven kronen in
all。 There is a piece of ham； but that I cannot let you have on my
name…day。〃
Abbleway wondered to himself what price she would have put on
the ham； and hurried to pay her the eleven kronen before her emergency
tariff expanded into a famine tariff。 As he was taking possession of his
modest store of eatables he suddenly heard a noise which set his heart
thumping in a miserable fever of fear。 'There was a scraping and
shuffling as of some animal or animals trying to climb up to the
footboard。 In another moment； through the snow…encrusted glass of the
carriage window； he saw a gaunt prick…eared head； with gaping jaw and
lolling tongue and gleaming teeth； a second later another head shot up。
〃There are hundreds of them；〃 whispered Abbleway； 〃they have
scented us。 They will tear the carriage to pieces。 We shall be
devoured。〃
〃Not me； on my name…day。 The holy Maria Kleopha would not
permit it；〃 said the woman with provoking calm。
The heads dropped down from the window and an uncanny silence
fell on the beleaguered carriage。 Abbleway neither moved nor spoke。
Perhaps the brutes had not clearly seen or winded the human occupants
of the carriage； and had prowled away on some other errand of rapine。
The long torture…laden minutes passed slowly away。
〃It grows cold；〃 said the woman suddenly； crossing over to the far
end of the carriage； where the heads had appeared。 〃The heating
apparatus does not work any longer。 See； over there beyond the trees；
there is a chimney with smoke coming from it。 It is not far； and the
snow has nearly stopped； I shall find a path through the forest to that
house with the chimney。〃
〃But the wolves！〃 exclaimed Abbleway； 〃they may … 〃
〃Not on my name…day；〃 said the woman obstinately； and before he
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could stop her she had opened the door and climbed down into the snow。
A moment later he hid his face in his hands； two gaunt lean figures
rushed upon her from the forest。 No doubt she had courted her fate； but
Abbleway had no wish to see a human being torn to pieces and devoured
before his eyes。
When he looked at last a new sensation of scandalised astonishment
took possession of him。 He had been straitly brought up in a small
English town； and he was not prepared to be the witness of a miracle。
The wolves were not doing anything worse to the woman than drench
her with snow as they gambolled round her。
A short； joyous bark revealed the clue to the situation。
〃Are those … dogs？〃 he called weakly。
〃My cousin Karl's dogs； yes；〃 she answered； that is his inn； over
beyond the trees。 I knew it was there； but I did not want to take you
there； he is always grasping with strangers。 However； it grows too cold
to remain in the train。 Ah； ah； see what comes！〃
A whistle sounded； and a relief engine made its appearance； snorting
its way sulkily through the snow。 Abbleway did not have the
opportunity for finding out whether Karl was really avaricious。
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THE LUMBER ROOM
THE children were to be driven； as a special treat； to the sands at
Jagborough。 Nicholas was not to be of the party； he was in disgrace。
Only that morning he had refused to eat his wholesome bread…and…milk
on the seemingly frivolous ground that there was a frog in it。 Older
and wiser and better people had told him that there could not possibly be
a frog in his bread…and…milk and that he was not to talk nonsense； he
continued； nevertheless； to talk what seemed the veriest nonsense； and
described with much detail the colouration and markings of the alleged
frog。 The dramatic part of the incident was that there really was a frog
in Nicholas' basin of bread…and…milk； he had put it there himself； so he
felt entitled to know something about it。 The sin of taking a frog from
the garden and putting it into a bowl of wholesome bread…and…milk was
enlarged on at great length； but the fact that stood out clearest in the
whole affair； as it presented itself to the mind of Nicholas； was that the
older； wiser； and better people had been proved to be profoundly in error
in matters about which they had expressed the utmost assurance。
〃You said there couldn't possibly be a frog in my bread…and…milk；
there WAS a frog in my bread…and…milk；〃 he repeated； with the
insistence of a skilled tactician who does not intend to shift from
favourable ground。
So his boy…cousin and girl…cousin and his quite uninteresting
younger brother were to be taken to Jagborough sands that afternoon and
he was to stay at home。 His cousins' aunt； who insisted； by an
unwarranted stretch of imagination； in styling herself his aunt also； had
hastily invented the Jagborough expedition in order to impress on
Nicholas the delights that he had justly forfeited by his disgraceful
conduct at the breakfast… table。 It was her habit； whenever one of the
children fell from grace； to improvise something of a festival nature
from which the offender would be rigorously debarred； if all the children
sinned collectively they were suddenly informed of a circus in a
neighbouring town； a circus of unrivalled merit and uncounted
elephants； to which； but for their depravity； they would have been taken
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that very day。
A few decent tears were looked for on the part of Nicholas when the
moment for the departure of the expedition arrived。 As a matter of fact；
however； all the crying was done by his girl…cousin； who scraped her
knee rather painfully against the step of the carriage as she was
scrambling in。
〃How she did howl；〃 said Nicholas cheerfully； as the party drove off
without any of the elation of high spirits that should have characterised
it。
〃She'll soon get over that；〃 said the SOI…DISANT aunt； 〃it will be a
glorious afternoon for racing about over those beautiful sands。 How
they will enjoy themselves！〃
〃Bobby won't enjoy himself much； and he won't race much either；〃
said Nicholas with a grim chuckle； his boots are hurting him。 They're
too tight。〃
〃Why didn't he tell me they were hurting？〃 asked the aunt with some
asperity。
〃He told you twice； but you weren't listening。 You often don't listen
when we tell you important things。〃
〃You are not to go into the gooseberry garden；〃 said the aunt；
changing the subject。
〃Why not？〃 demanded Nicholas。
〃Because you are in disgrace；〃 said the aunt loftily。
Nicholas did not admit the flawlessness of the reasoning； he felt
perfectly capable of being in disgrace and in a gooseberry gar
