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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 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 garden at the same moment。 His face
took on an expression of considerable obstinacy。 It was
clear to his aunt that he was determined to get into the
gooseberry garden； 〃only；〃 as she remarked to herself；
〃because I have told him he is not to。〃
Now the gooseberry garden had two doors by which it
might be entered； and once a small person like Nicholas
could slip in there he could effectually disappear from
view amid the masking growth of artichokes； raspberry
canes； and fruit bushes。 The aunt had many other things
to do that afternoon； but she spent an hour or two in
trivial gardening operations among flower beds and
shrubberies； whence she could keep a watchful eye on the
two doors that led to the forbidden paradise。 She was a
woman of few ideas； with immense powers of concentration。
Nicholas made one or two sorties into the front
garden； wriggling his way with obvious stealth of purpose
towards one or other of the doors； but never able for a
moment to evade the aunt's watchful eye。 As a matter of
fact； he had no intention of trying to get into the
gooseberry garden； but it was extremely convenient for
him that his aunt should believe that he had； it was a
belief that would keep her on self…imposed sentry…duty
for the greater part of the afternoon。 Having thoroughly
confirmed and fortified her suspicions Nicholas slipped
back into the house and rapidly put into execution a plan
of action that had long germinated in his brain。 By
standing on a chair in the library one could reach a
shelf on which reposed a fat； important…looking key。 The
key was as important as it looked； it was the instrument
which kept the mysteries of the lumber…room secure from
unauthorised intrusion； which opened a way only for aunts
and such…like privileged persons。 Nicholas had not had
much experience of the art of fitting keys into keyholes
and turning locks； but for some days past he had
practised with the key of the schoolroom door； he did not
believe in trusting too much to luck and accident。 The
key turned stiffly in the lock； but it turned。 The door
opened； and Nicholas was in an unknown land； compared
with which the gooseberry garden was a stale delight； a
mere material pleasure。
Often and often Nicholas had pictured to himself
what the lumber…room might be like； that region that was
so carefully sealed from youthful eyes and concerning
which no questions were ever answered。 It came up to his
expectations。 In the first place it was large and dimly
lit； one high window opening on to the forbidden garden
being its only source of illumination。 In the second
place it was a storehouse of unimagined treasures。 The
aunt…by…assertion was one of those people who think that
things spoil by use and consign them to dust and damp by
way of preserving them。 Such parts of the house as
Nicholas knew best were rather bare and cheerless； but
here there were wonderful things for the eye to feast on。
First and foremost there was a piece of framed tapestry
that was evidently meant to be a fire…screen。 To
Nicholas it was a living； breathing story； he sat down on
a roll of Indian hangings； glowing in wonderful colours
beneath a layer of dust； and took in all the details of
the tapestry picture。 A man； dressed in the hunting
costume of some remote period； had just transfixed a stag
with an arrow； it could not have been a difficult shot
because the stag was only one or two paces away from him；
in the thickly…growing vegetation that the picture
suggested it would not have been difficult to creep up to
a feeding stag； and the two spotted dogs that were
springing forward to join in the chase had evidently been
trained to keep to heel till the arrow was discharged。
That part of the picture was simple； if interesting； but
did the huntsman see； what Nicholas saw； that four
galloping wolves were coming in his direction through the
wood？ There might be more than four of them hidden
behind the trees； and in any case would the man and his
dogs be able to cope with the four wolves if they made an
attack？ The man had only two arrows left in his quiver；
and he might miss with one or both of them； all one knew
about his skill in shooting was that he could hit a large
stag at a ridiculously short range。 Nicholas sat for
many golden minutes revolving the possibilities of the
scene； he was inclined to think that there were more than
four wolves and that the man and his dogs were in a tight
corner。
But there were other objects of delight and interest
claiming his instant attention： there were quaint twisted
candlesticks in the shape of snakes； and a teapot
fashioned like a china duck； out of whose open beak the
tea was supposed to come。 How dull and shapeless the
nursery teapot seemed in comparison！ And there was a
carved sandal…wood box packed tight with aromatic
cottonwool； and between the layers of cottonwool were
little brass figures； hump…necked bulls； and peacocks and
goblins； delightful to see and to handle。 Less promising
in appearance was a large square book with plain black
covers； Nicholas peeped into it； and； behold； it was full
of coloured pictures of birds。 And such birds！ In the
garden； and in the lanes when he went for a walk；
Nicholas came across a few birds； of which the largest
were an occasional magpie or wood…pigeon； here were
herons and bustards； kites； toucans； tiger…bitterns；
brush turkeys； ibises； golden pheasants； a whole portrait
gallery of undreamed…of creatures。 And as he was
admiring the colouring of the mandarin duck and assigning
a life…history to it； the voice of his aunt in shrill
vociferation of his name came from the gooseberry garden
without。 She had grown suspicious at his long
disappearance； and had leapt to the conclusion that he
had climbed over the wall behind the sheltering screen of
the lilac bushes； she was now engaged in energetic and
rather hopeless search for him among the artichokes and
raspberry canes。
〃Nicholas； Nicholas！〃 she screamed； 〃you are to come
out of this at once。 It's no use trying to hide there； I
can see you all