dream days(做梦的日子)-第30节
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be Leotard； I think。 Better let HIM go。〃
〃Oh； yes； we can't save Leotard；〃 assented Charlotte； limply。
Poor old Leotard！ I said nothing； of course； I was not on in this piece。
But； surely； had Leotard heard and rightly understood all that was going on
above him； he must have sent up one feeble； strangled cry； one faint appeal
to be rescued from unfamiliar little Annies and retained for an audience
certain to appreciate and never unduly critical。
〃Now I've got to the Noah's Ark；〃 panted Harold； still groping blindly。
〃Try and shove the lid back a bit；〃 said Charlotte； 〃and pull out a dove
or a zebra or a giraffe if there's one handy。〃
Harold toiled on with grunts and contortions； and presently produced
in triumph a small grey elephant and a large beetle with a red stomach。
〃They're jammed in too tight；〃 he complained。 〃Can't get any more
out。 But as I came up I'm sure I felt Potiphar！〃 And down he dived
again。
Potiphar was a finely modelled bull with a suede skin； rough and
comfortable and warm in bed。 He was my own special joy and pride； and
I thrilled with honest emotion when Potiphar emerged to light once more；
stout…necked and stalwart as ever。
〃That'll have to do；〃 said Charlotte； getting up。 〃We dursn't take any
more； 'cos we'll be found out if we do。 Make the box all right； and bring
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'em along。〃
Harold rammed down the wads of paper and twists of straw he had
disturbed； replaced the lid squarely and innocently； and picked up his
small salvage； and we sneaked off for the window most generally in use
for prison…breakings and nocturnal escapades。 A few seconds later and
we were hurrying silently in single file along the dark edge of the lawn。
Oh； the riot； the clamour； the crowding chorus； of all silent things that
spoke by scent and colour and budding thrust and foison； that moonlit
night of June！ Under the laurel…shade all was still ghostly enough；
brigand…haunted； crackling； whispering of night and all its possibilities of
terror。 But the open garden； when once we were in ithow it turned a
glad new face to welcome us； glad as of old when the sunlight raked and
searched it； new with the unfamiliar night…aspect that yet welcomed us as
guests to a hall where the horns blew up to a new； strange banquet！ Was
this the same grass； could these be the same familiar flower…beds； alleys；
clumps of verdure； patches of sward？ At least this full white light that
was flooding them was new； and accounted for all。 It was Moonlight
Land； and Past…Ten… o'clock Land； and we were in it and of it； and all its
other denizens fully understood； and； tongue…free and awakened at last；
responded and comprehended and knew。 The other two； doubtless；
hurrying forward full of their mission； noted little of all this。 I； who was
only a super； had leisure to take it all in； and； though the language and the
message of the land were not all clear to me then； long afterwards I
remembered and understood。
Under the farthest hedge； at the loose end of things； where the outer
world began with the paddock； there was darkness once againnot the
blackness that crouched so solidly under the crowding laurels； but a
duskiness hung from far…spread arms of high…standing elms。 There；
where the small grave made a darker spot on the grey； I overtook them；
only just in time to see Rosa laid stiffly out； her cherry cheeks pale in the
moonlight； but her brave smile triumphant and undaunted as ever。 It was
a tiny grave and a shallow one； to hold so very much。 Rosa once in；
Potiphar； who had hitherto stood erect； stout…necked； through so many
days and such various weather； must needs bow his head and lie down
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meekly on his side。 The elephant and the beetle； equal now in a silent
land where a vertebra and a red circulation counted for nothing； had to
snuggle down where best they might； only a little less crowded than in
their native Ark。
The earth was shovelled in and stamped down； and I was glad that no
orisons were said and no speechifying took place。 The whole thing was
natural and right and self…explanatory； and needed no justifying or
interpreting to our audience of stars and flowers。 The connexion was not
entirely broken nowone link remained between us and them。 The
Noah's Ark； with its cargo of sad…faced emigrants； might be hull down on
the horizon； but two of its passengers had missed the boat and would
henceforth be always near us； and； as we played above them； an elephant
would understand； and a beetle would hear； and crawl again in spirit along
a familiar floor。 Henceforth the spotty horse would scour along far…
distant plains and know the homesickness of alien stables； but Potiphar；
though never again would he paw the arena when bull…fights were on the
bill； was spared maltreatment by town…bred strangers； quite capable of
mistaking him for a cow。 Jerry and Esmeralda might shed their limbs
and their stuffing； by slow or swift degrees； in uttermost parts and
unguessed corners of the globe； but Rosa's book was finally closed； and no
worse fate awaited her than natural dissolution almost within touch and
hail of familiar faces and objects that had been friendly to her since first
she opened her eyes on a world where she had never been treated as a
stranger。
As we turned to go； the man in the moon； tangled in elm…boughs；
caught my eye for a moment； and I thought that never had he looked so
friendly。 He was going to see after them； it was evident； for he was
always there； more or less； and it was no trouble to him at all； and he
would tell them how things were still going； up here； and throw in a story
or two of his own whenever they seemed a trifle dull。 It made the going
away rather easier； to know one had left somebody behind on the spot； a
good fellow； too； cheery； comforting； with a fund of anecdote； a man in
whom one had every confidence。
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