the little white bird-第7节

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〃Boy　or　girl？〃　persisted　the　dodderer　with　ungentlemanlike

curiosity。



〃Boy；〃　I　said；　very　furiously。



〃Splendid；〃　he　called　out；　and　I　think　he　added　something　else；

but　by　that　time　I　had　closed　the　window　with　a　slam。





V



The　Fight　For　Timothy



Mary's　poor　pretentious　babe　screamed　continually；　with　a　note　of

exultation　in　his　din；　as　if　he　thought　he　was　devoting　himself

to　a　life　of　pleasure；　and　often　the　last　sound　I　heard　as　I　got

me　out　of　the　street　was　his　haw…haw…haw；　delivered　triumphantly

as　if　it　were　some　entirely　new　thing；　though　he　must　have

learned　it　like　a　parrot。　I　had　not　one　tear　for　the　woman；　but

Poor　father；　thought　I；　to　know　that　every　time　your　son　is　happy

you　are　betrayed。　　Phew；　a　nauseous　draught。



I　have　the　acquaintance　of　a　deliciously　pretty　girl；　who　is

always　sulky；　and　the　thoughtless　beseech　her　to　be　bright；　not

witting　wherein　lies　her　heroism。　　She　was　born　the　merriest　of

maids；　but；　being　a　student　of　her　face；　learned　anon　that

sulkiness　best　becomes　it；　and　so　she　has　struggled　and

prevailed。　　A　woman's　history。　　Brave　Margaret；　when　night　falls

and　thy　hair　is　down；　dost　thou　return；　I　wonder；　to　thy　natural

state；　or；　dreading　the　shadow　of　indulgence；　sleepest　thou　even

sulkily？



But　will　a　male　child　do　as　much　for　his　father？　　This　remains　to

be　seen；　and　so；　after　waiting　several　months；　I　decided　to　buy

David　a　rocking…horse。　　My　St。　Bernard　dog　accompanied　me；　though

I　have　always　been　diffident　of　taking　him　to　toy…shops；　which

over…excite　him。　　Hitherto　the　toys　I　had　bought　had　always　been

for　him；　and　as　we　durst　not　admit　this　to　the　saleswoman　we　were

both　horribly　self…conscious　when　in　the　shop。　　A　score　of　times

I　have　told　him　that　he　had　much　better　not　come；　I　have

announced　fiercely　that　he　is　not　to　come。　　He　then　lets　go　of

his　legs；　which　is　how　a　St。　Bernard　sits　down；　making　the　noise

of　a　sack　of　coals　suddenly　deposited；　and；　laying　his　head

between　his　front　paws；　stares　at　me　through　the　red　haws　that

make　his　eyes　so　mournful。　　He　will　do　this　for　an　hour　without

blinking；　for　he　knows　that　in　time　it　will　unman　me。　　My　dog

knows　very　little；　but　what　little　he　does　know　he　knows

extraordinarily　well。　　One　can　get　out　of　my　chambers　by　a　back

way；　and　I　sometimes　steal　softlybut　I　can't　help　looking　back；

and　there　he　is；　and　there　are　those　haws　asking　sorrowfully；　〃Is

this　worthy　of　you？〃



〃Curse　you；〃　I　say；　〃get　your　hat；〃　or　words　to　that　effect。



He　has　even　been　to　the　club；　where　he　waddles　up　the　stairs　so

exactly　like　some　respected　member　that　he　makes　everybody　most

uncomfortable。　　I　forget　how　I　became　possessor　of　him。　　I　think

I　cut　him　out　of　an　old　number　of　Punch。　　He　costs　me　as　much　as

an　eight…roomed　cottage　in　the　country。



He　was　a　full…grown　dog　when　I　first；　most　foolishly；　introduced

him　to　toys。　　I　had　bought　a　toy　in　the　street　for　my　own

amusement。　　It　represented　a　woman；　a　young　mother；　flinging　her

little　son　over　her　head　with　one　hand　and　catching　him　in　the

other；　and　I　was　entertaining　myself　on　the　hearth…rug　with　this

pretty　domestic　scene　when　I　heard　an　unwonted　sound　from

Porthos；　and；　looking　up；　I　saw　that　noble　and　melancholic

countenance　on　the　broad　grin。　　I　shuddered　and　was　for　putting

the　toy　away　at　once；　but　he　sternly　struck　down　my　arm　with　his；

and　signed　that　I　was　to　continue。　　The　unmanly　chuckle　always

came；　I　found；　when　the　poor　lady　dropped　her　babe；　but　the　whole

thing　entranced　him；　he　tried　to　keep　his　excitement　down　by

taking　huge　draughts　of　water；　he　forgot　all　his　niceties　of

conduct；　he　sat　in　holy　rapture　with　the　toy　between　his　paws；

took　it　to　bed　with　him；　ate　it　in　the　night；　and　searched　for　it

so　longingly　next　day　that　I　had　to　go　out　and　buy　him　the　man

with　the　scythe。　　After　that　we　had　everything　of　note；　the

bootblack　boy；　the　toper　with　bottle；　the　woolly　rabbit　that

squeaks　when　you　hold　it　in　your　mouth；　they　all　vanished　as

inexplicably　as　the　lady；　but　I　dared　not　tell　him　my　suspicions；

for　he　suspected　also　and　his　gentle　heart　would　have　mourned　had

I　confirmed　his　fears。



The　dame　in　the　temple　of　toys　which　we　frequent　thinks　I　want

them　for　a　little　boy　and　calls　him　〃the　precious〃　and　〃the

lamb；〃　the　while　Porthos　is　standing　gravely　by　my　side。　　She　is

a　motherly　soul；　but　over…talkative。



〃And　how　is　the　dear　lamb　to…day？〃　she　begins；　beaming。



〃Well；　ma'am；　well；〃　I　say；　keeping　tight　grip　of　his　collar。



〃This　blighty　weather　is　not　affecting　his　darling　appetite？〃



〃No；　ma'am；　not　at　all。〃　　（She　would　be　considerably　surprised　if

informed　that　he　dined　to…day　on　a　sheepshead；　a　loaf；　and　three

cabbages；　and　is　suspected　of　a　leg　of　mutton。）



〃I　hope　he　loves　his　toys？〃



〃He　carries　them　about　with　him　everywhere；　ma'am。〃　　（Has　the　one

we　bought　yesterday　with　him　now；　though　you　might　not　think　it

to　look　at　him。）



〃What　do　you　say　to　a　box　of　tools　this　time？〃



〃I　think　not；　ma'am。〃



〃Is　the　deary　fond　of　digging？〃



〃Very　partial　to　digging。〃　　（We　shall　find　the　leg　of　mutton　some

day。）



〃Then　perhaps　a　weeny　spade　and　a　pail？〃



She　got　me　to　buy　a　model　of　Canterbury　Cathedral　once；　she　was

so　insistent；　and　Porthos　gave　me　his　mind　about　it　when　we　got

home。　He　detests　the　kindergarten　system；　and　as　she　is　absurdly

prejudiced　in　its　favour　we　have　had　to　try　other　shops。　　We　went

to　the　Lowther　Arcade　for　the　rocking…horse。　　Dear　Lowther

Arcade！　　Ofttimes　have　we　wandered　agape　among　thy　enchanted

palaces；　Porthos　and　I；　David　and　I；　David　and　Porthos　and　I。　　I

have　heard　that　thou　art　vulgar；　but　I　cannot　see　how；　unless　it

be　that　tattered　children　haunt　thy　portals；　those　awful　yet

smiling　entrances　to　so　much　joy。　　To　the　Arcade　there　are　two

entrances；　and　with　much　to　be　sung　in　laudation　of　that　which

opens　from　the　Strand　I　yet　on　the　whole　prefer　the　other　as　the

more　truly　romantic；　because　it　is　there　the　tattered　ones

congregate；　waiting　to　see　the　Davids　emerge　with　the　magic　lamp。

We　have　always　a　penny　for　them；　and　I　have　known　them；　before

entering　the　Arcade　with　it；　retire　（but　whither？）　to　wash；

surely　the　prettiest　of　all　the　compliments　that　are　paid　to　the

home　of　toys。



And　now；　O　Arcade；　so　much　fairer　than　thy　West　End　brother；　we

are　told　that　thou　art　doomed；　anon　to　be　turned　into　an

eatinghouse　or　a　hive　for　usurers；　something　rankly　useful。　　All

thy　delights　are　under　notice　to　quit。　　The　Noah's　arks　are

packed　one　within　another；　with　clockwork　horses　harnessed　to

them；　the　soldiers；　knapsack　on　back；　are　kissing　their　hands　to

the　dear　foolish　girls；　who；　however；　will　not　be　left　behind

them；　all　the　four…footed　things　gather　around　the　elephant；　who

is　overful　of　drawing…room　furniture；　the　birds　flutter　their

wings；　the　man　with　the　scythe　mows　his　way　through　the　crowd；

the　balloons　tug　at　their　strings；　the　ships　rock　under　a　swell

of　sail；　everything　is　getting　ready　for　the　mighty　exodus　into

the　Strand。　　Tears　will　be　shed。



So　we　bought　the　horse　in　the　Lowther　Arcade；　Porthos；　who

thought　it　was　for　him；　looking　proud　but　uneasy；　and　it　was　sent

to　the　bandbox　house　anonymously。　　About　a　week　afterward　I　had

the　ill…　luck　to　meet　Mary's　a　husband　in　Kensington；　so　I　asked

him　what　he　had　called　his　little　girl。



〃It　is　a　boy；〃　he　replied；　with　intolerable　good…humour；　〃we　call

him　David。〃



And　then　with　a　singular　lack　of　taste　he　wanted　the　name　of　my

boy。



I　flicked　my　glove。　　〃Timothy；〃　said　I。



I　saw　a　suppressed　smile　on　his　face；　and　said　hotly　that　Timothy

was　as　good　a　name　as　David。　　〃I　like　it；〃　he　assured　me；　and

expressed　a　hope　that　they　would　become　friends。　　I　boiled　to　say

that　I　really　could　not　allow　Timothy　to　mix　with　boys　of　the

David　class；　but　I　refrained；　and　listened　coldly　while　he　told

me　what　David　did　when　you　said　his　toes　were　pigs　going　to

market　or　returning　from　it；　I　forget　which。　　He　also　boasted　of

David's　weight　（a　subject　about　which　we　are　uncommonly　touchy　at

the　club）；　as　if　children　were　for　throwing　forth　for　a　wager。



But　no　more　about　Timothy。　　Gradually　this　vexed　me。　　I　felt　what

a　forlorn　little　chap　Timothy　was；　with　no　one　to　say　a　word　for

him；　and　I　became　his　champion　and　hinted　something　about

teething；　but　withdrew　it　when　it　seemed　too　surprising；　and

tried　to　get　on　to　safer　ground；　such　as　bibs　and　general

intelligence；　but　the　painter　fellow　was　so　willing　to　let　me

have　my　say；　and　knew　so　much　more　about　babies　than　is　fitting

for　men　to　know；　that　I　paled　before　him　and　wondered　why　the

deuce　he　was　listening　to　me　so　attentively。



You　may　remember　a　story　he　had　told　me　about　some　anonymous

friend。　　〃His　latest；〃　said　he　now；　〃is　to　send　David　a　rocking…

horse！〃



I　must　say　I　could　see　no　reason　f