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the little white bird-第39章

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said severely。  (I always say that。)



It ended on the coast of Patagonia; whither we had gone to shoot

the great Sloth; known to be the largest of animals; though we

found his size to have been under…estimated。  David; his father

and I had flung our limbs upon the beach and were having a last

pipe before turning in; while Mary; attired in barbaric

splendour; sang and danced before us。  It was a lovely evening;

and we lolled manlike; gazing; well…content; at the pretty

creature。



The night was absolutely still save for the roaring of the Sloths

in the distance。



By…and…by Irene came to the entrance of our cave; where by the

light of her torch we could see her exploring a shark that had

been harpooned by David earlier in the day。



Everything conduced to repose; and a feeling of gentle peace

crept over us; from which we were roused by a shrill cry。  It was

uttered by Irene; who came speeding to us; bearing certain

articles; a watch; a pair of boots; a newspaper; which she had

discovered in the interior of the shark。  What was our surprise

to find in the newspaper intelligence of the utmost importance to

all of us。  It was nothing less than this; the birth of a new

baby in London to Mary。



How strange a method had Solomon chosen of sending us the news。



The bald announcement at once plunged us into a fever of

excitement; and next morning we set sail for England。  Soon we

came within sight of the white cliffs of Albion。  Mary could not

sit down for a moment; so hot was she to see her child。  She

paced the deck in uncontrollable agitation。



〃So did I!〃 cried David; when I had reached this point in the

story。



On arriving at the docks we immediately hailed a cab。



〃Never; David;〃 I said; 〃shall I forget your mother's excitement。

She kept putting her head out of the window and calling to the

cabby to go quicker; quicker。  How he lashed his horse!  At last

he drew up at your house; and then your mother; springing out;

flew up the steps and beat with her hands upon the door。〃



David was quite carried away by the reality of it。  〃Father has

the key!〃 he screamed。



〃He opened the door;〃 I said grandly; 〃and your mother rushed in;

and next moment her Benjamin was in her arms。〃



There was a pause。



〃Barbara;〃 corrected David。



〃Benjamin;〃 said I doggedly。



〃Is that a girl's name?〃



〃No; it's a boy's name。〃



〃But mother wants a girl;〃 he said; very much shaken。



〃Just like her presumption;〃 I replied testily。  〃It is to be a

boy; David; and you can tell her I said so。〃



He was in a deplorable but most unselfish state of mind。  A boy

would have suited him quite well; but he put self aside

altogether and was pertinaciously solicitous that Mary should be

given her fancy。



〃Barbara;〃 he repeatedly implored me。



〃Benjamin;〃 I replied firmly。



For long I was obdurate; but the time was summer; and at last I

agreed to play him for it; a two…innings match。  If he won it was

to be a girl; and if I won it was to be a boy。





XXV



The Cricket Match



I think there has not been so much on a cricket match since the

day when Sir Horace Mann walked about Broad Ha'penny agitatedly

cutting down the daisies with his stick。  And; be it remembered;

the heroes of Hambledon played for money and renown only; while

David was champion of a lady。  A lady!  May we not prettily say

of two ladies?  There were no spectators of our contest except

now and again some loiterer in the Gardens who little thought

what was the stake for which we played; but cannot we conceive

Barbara standing at the ropes and agitatedly cutting down the

daisies every time David missed the ball?  I tell you; this was

the historic match of the Gardens。



David wanted to play on a pitch near the Round Pond with which he

is familiar; but this would have placed me at a disadvantage; so

I insisted on unaccustomed ground; and we finally pitched stumps

in the Figs。  We could not exactly pitch stumps; for they are

forbidden in the Gardens; but there are trees here and there

which have chalk…marks on them throughout the summer; and when

you take up your position with a bat near one of these you have

really pitched stumps。  The tree we selected is a ragged yew

which consists of a broken trunk and one branch; and I viewed the

ground with secret satisfaction; for it falls slightly at about

four yards' distance from the tree; and this exactly suits my

style of bowling。



I won the toss and after examining the wicket decided to take

first knock。  As a rule when we play the wit at first flows free;

but on this occasion I strode to the crease in an almost eerie

silence。  David had taken off his blouse and rolled up his shirt…

sleeves; and his teeth were set; so I knew he would begin by

sending me down some fast ones。



His delivery is underarm and not inelegant; but he sometimes

tries a round…arm ball; which I have seen double up the fielder

at square leg。  He has not a good length; but he varies his

action bewilderingly; and has one especially teasing ball which

falls from the branches just as you have stepped out of your

ground to look for it。  It was not; however; with his teaser that

he bowled me that day。  I had notched a three and two singles;

when he sent me down a medium to fast which got me in two minds

and I played back to it too late。  Now; I am seldom out on a

really grassy wicket for such a meagre score; and as David and I

changed places without a word; there was a cheery look on his

face that I found very galling。  He ran in to my second ball and

cut it neatly to the on for a single; and off my fifth and sixth

he had two pretty drives for three; both behind the wicket。 

This; however; as I hoped; proved the undoing of him; for he now

hit out confidently at everything; and with his score at nine I

beat him with my shooter。



The look was now on my face。



I opened my second innings by treating him with uncommon respect;

for I knew that his little arm soon tired if he was unsuccessful;

and then when he sent me loose ones I banged him to the railings。

What cared I though David's lips were twitching。



When he ultimately got past my defence; with a jumpy one which

broke awkwardly from the off; I had fetched twenty…three so that

he needed twenty to win; a longer hand than he had ever yet made。

As I gave him the bat he looked brave; but something wet fell on

my hand; and then a sudden fear seized me lest David should not

win。



At the very outset; however; he seemed to master the bowling; and

soon fetched about ten runs in a classic manner。  Then I tossed

him a Yorker which he missed and it went off at a tangent as soon

as it had reached the tree。  〃Not out;〃 I cried hastily; for the

face he turned to me was terrible。



Soon thereafter another incident happened; which I shall always

recall with pleasure。  He had caught the ball too high on the

bat; and I just missed the catch。  〃Dash it all!〃 said I

irritably; and was about to resume bowling; when I noticed that

he was unhappy。 He hesitated; took up his position at the wicket;

and then came to me manfully。  〃I am a cad;〃 he said in distress;

〃for when the ball was in the air I prayed。〃  He had prayed that

I should miss the catch; and as I think I have already told you;

it is considered unfair in the Gardens to pray for victory。



My splendid David!  He has the faults of other little boys; but

he has a noble sense of fairness。  〃We shall call it a no…ball;

David;〃 I said gravely。



I suppose the suspense of the reader is now painful; and

therefore I shall say at once that David won the match with two

lovely fours; the one over my head and the other to leg all along

the ground。  When I came back from fielding this last ball I

found him embracing his bat; and to my sour congratulations he

could at first reply only with hysterical sounds。  But soon he

was pelting home to his mother with the glorious news。



And that is how we let Barbara in。





XXVI



The Dedication



It was only yesterday afternoon; dear reader; exactly three weeks

after the birth of Barbara; that I finished the book; and even

then it was not quite finished; for there remained the

dedication; at which I set to elatedly。  I think I have never

enjoyed myself more; indeed; it is my opinion that I wrote the

book as an excuse for writing the dedication。



〃Madam〃 (I wrote wittily); 〃I have no desire to exult over you;

yet I should show a lamentable obtuseness to the irony of things

were I not to dedicate this little work to you。  For its

inception was yours; and in your more ambitious days you thought

to write the tale of the little white bird yourself。  Why you so

early deserted the nest is not for me to inquire。  It now appears

that you were otherwise occupied。  In fine; madam; you chose the

lower road; and contented yourself with obtaini
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