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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