21-the history of dwarf long nose-第2章

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all　very　pleasant　and　well　mannered；　and　waited　on　the　old　woman。

First　he　learned　to　clean　her　cocoa…nut　shoes　with　oil　and　to　rub
them　up。　　Then　he　learnt　to　catch　the　little　sun　moths　and　rub
them　through　the　finest　sieves；　and　the　flour　from　them　he　made
into　soft　bread　for　the　toothless　old　woman。

In　this　way　he　passed　from　one　kind　of　service　to　another；
spending　a　year　in　each；　till　in　the　fourth　year　he　was　promoted
to　the　kitchen。　　Here　he　worked　his　way　up　from　under…scullion　to
head…pastrycook；　and　reached　the　greatest　perfection。　　He　could
make　all　the　most　difficult　dishes；　and　two　hundred　different
kinds　of　patties；　soup　flavoured　with　every　sort　of　herbhe　had
learnt　it　all；　and　learnt　it　well　and　quickly。

When　he　had　lived　seven　years　with　the　old　woman　she　ordered　him
one　day；　as　she　was　going　out；　to　kill　and　pluck　a　chicken；　stuff
it　with　herbs；　and　have　it　very　nicely　roasted　by　the　time　she
got　back。　　He　did　this　quite　according　to　rule。　　He　wrung　the
chicken's　neck；　plunged　it　into　boiling　water；　carefully　plucked
out　all　the　feathers；　and　rubbed　the　skin　nice　and　smooth。　　Then
he　went　to　fetch　the　herbs　to　stuff　it　with。　　In　the　store…room
he　noticed　a　half…opened　cupboard　which　he　did　not　remember
having　seen　before。　　He　peeped　in　and　saw　a　lot　of　baskets　from
which　came　a　strong　and　pleasant　smell。　　He　opened　one　and　found
a　very　uncommon　herb　in　it。　　The　stems　and　leaves　were　a　bluish
green；　and　above　them　was　a　little　flower　of　a　deep　bright　red；
edged　with　yellow。　　He　gazed　at　the　flower；　smelt　it；　and　found
it　gave　the　same　strong　strange　perfume　which　came　from　the　soup
the　old　woman　had　made　him。　　But　the　smell　was　so　sharp　that　he
began　to　sneeze　again　and　again；　and　at　lasthe　woke　up！

There　he　lay　on　the　old　woman's　sofa　and　stared　about　him　in
surprise。　　'Well；　what　odd　dreams　one　does　have　to　be　sure！'　he
said　to　himself。　　'Why；　I　could　have　sworn　I　had　been　a　squirrel；
a　companion　of　guinea　pigs　and　such　creatures；　and　had　become　a
great　cook；　too。　　How　mother　will　laugh　when　I　tell　her！　　But
won't　she　scold　me；　though；　for　sleeping　away　here　in　a　strange
house；　instead　of　helping　her　at　market！'

He　jumped　up　and　prepared　to　go：　　all　his　limbs　still　seemed
quite　stiff　with　his　long　sleep；　especially　his　neck；　for　he
could　not　move　his　head　easily；　and　he　laughed　at　his　own
stupidity　at　being　still　so　drowsy　that　he　kept　knocking　his　nose
against　the　wall　or　cupboards。　　The　squirrels　and　guinea　pigs　ran
whimpering　after　him；　as　though　they　would　like　to　go　too；　and　he
begged　them　to　come　when　he　reached　the　door；　but　they　all　turned
and　ran　quickly　back　into　the　house　again。

The　part　of　the　town　was　out　of　the　way；　and　Jem　did　not　know　the
many　narrow　streets　in　it　and　was　puzzled　by　their　windings　and
by　the　crowd　of　people；　who　seemed　excited　about　some　show。　　From
what　he　heard；　he　fancied　they　were　going　to　see　a　dwarf；　for　he
heard　them　call　out：　　'Just　look　at　the　ugly　dwarf！'　'What　a　long
nose　he　has；　and　see　how　his　head　is　stuck　in　between　his
shoulders；　and　only　look　at　his　ugly　brown　hands！'　If　he　had　not
been　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　his　mother；　he　would　have
gone　too；　for　he　loved　shows　with　giants　and　dwarfs　and　the　like。

He　was　quite　puzzled　when　he　reached　the　market…place。　　There
sat　his　mother；　with　a　good　deal　of　fruit　still　in　her　baskets；
so　he　felt　he　could　not　have　slept　so　very　long；　but　it　struck
him　that　she　was　sad；　for　she　did　not　call　to　the　passers…by；　but
sat　with　her　head　resting　on　her　hand；　and　as　he　came　nearer　he
thought　she　looked　paler　than　usual。

He　hesitated　what　to　do；　but　at　last　he　slipped　behind　her；　laid
a　hand　on　her　arm；　and　said：　　'Mammy；　what's　the　matter？　　　Are
you　angry　with　me？'

She　turned　round　quickly　and　jumped　up　with　a　cry　of　horror。

'What　do　you　want；　you　hideous　dwarf？'　she　cried；　'get　away；　I
can't　bear　such　tricks。'

'But；　mother　dear；　what's　the　matter　with　you？'　repeated　Jem；
quite　frightened。　　'You　can't　be　well。　　Why　do　you　want　to　drive
your　son　away？'

'I　have　said　already；　get　away；'　replied　Hannah；　quite　angrily。　
'You　won't　get　anything　out　of　me　by　your　games；　you
monstrosity。'

'Oh　dear；　oh　dear！　　she　must　be　wandering　in　her　mind；'　murmured
the　lad　to　himself。　　'How　can　I　manage　to　get　her　home？　　　Dearest
mother；　do　look　at　me　close。　　Can't　you　see　I　am　your　own　son
Jem？'

'Well；　did　you　ever　hear　such　impudence？'　asked　Hannah；　turning
to　a　neighbour。　　'Just　see　that　frightful　dwarfwould　you
believe　that　he　wants　me　to　think　he　is　my　son　Jem？'

Then　all　the　market　women　came　round　and　talked　all　together　and
scolded　as　hard　as　they　could；　and　said　what　a　shame　it　was　to
make　game　of　Mrs。　Hannah；　who　had　never　got　over　the　loss　of　her
beautiful　boy；　who　had　been　stolen　from　her　seven　years　ago；　and
they　threatened　to　fall　upon　Jem　and　scratch　him　well　if　he　did
not　go　away　at　once。

Poor　Jem　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　it　all。　　He　was　sure　he　had
gone　to　market　with　his　mother　only　that　morning；　had　helped　to
set　out　the　stall；　had　gone　to　the　old　woman's　house；　where　he
had　some　soup　and　a　little　nap；　and　now；　when　he　came　back；　they
were　all　talking　of　seven　years。　　And　they　called　him　a　horrid
dwarf！　　Why；　what　had　happened　to　him？　　　When　he　found　that　his
mother　would　really　have　nothing　to　do　with　him　he　turned　away
with　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　went　sadly　down　the　street　towards
his　father's　stall。

'Now　I'll　see　whether　he　will　know　me；'　thought　he。　　'I'll　stand
by　the　door　and　talk　to　him。'

When　he　got　to　the　stall　he　stood　in　the　doorway　and　looked　in。　
The　cobbler　was　so　busy　at　work　that　he　did　not　see　him　for　some
time；　but；　happening　to　look　up；　he　caught　sight　of　his　visitor；
and　letting　shoes；　thread；　and　everything　fall　to　the　ground；　he
cried　with　horror：　　'Good　heavens！　　what　is　that？'

'Good　evening；　master；'　said　the　boy；　as　he　stepped　in。　　'How　do
you　do？'

'Very　ill；　little　sir；　replied　the　father；　to　Jem's　surprise；　for
he　did　not　seem　to　know　him。　　'Business　does　not　go　well。　　I　am
all　alone；　and　am　getting　old；　and　a　workman　is　costly。'

'But　haven't　you　a　son　who　could　learn　your　trade　by　degrees？'
asked　Jem。

'I　had　one：　　he　was　called　Jem；　and　would　have　been　a　tall　sturdy
lad　of　twenty　by　this　time；　and　able　to　help　me　well。　　Why；　when
he　was　only　twelve　he　was　quite　sharp　and　quick；　and　had　learnt
many　little　things；　and　a　good…looking　boy　too；　and　pleasant；　so
that　customers　were　taken　by　him。　　Well；　well！　　so　goes　the
world！'

'But　where　is　your　son？'　asked　Jem；　with　a　trembling　voice。

'Heaven　only　knows！'　replied　the　man；　'seven　years　ago　he　was
stolen　from　the　market…place；　and　we　have　heard　no　more　of　him。'

'SEVEN　YEARS　AGO！'　cried　Jem；　with　horror。

'Yes；　indeed；　seven　years　ago；　though　it　seems　but　yesterday　that
my　wife　came　back　howling　and　crying；　and　saying　the　child　had
not　come　back　all　day。　　I　always　thought　and　said　that　something
of　the　kind　would　happen。　　Jem　was　a　beautiful　boy；　and　everyone
made　much　of　him；　and　my　wife　was　so　proud　of　him；　and　liked　him
to　carry　the　vegetables　and　things　to　grand　folks'　houses；　where
he　was　petted　and　made　much　of。　　But　I　used　to　say；　〃Take
carethe　town　is　large；　there　are　plenty　of　bad　people　in
itkeep　a　sharp　eye　on　Jem。〃　　And　so　it　happened；　for　one　day　an
old　woman　came　and　bought　a　lot　of　thingsmore　than　she　could
carry；　so　my　wife；　being　a　kindly　soul；　lent　her　the　boy；　andwe
have　never　seen　him　since。'

'And　that　was　seven　years　ago；　you　say？'

'Yes；　seven　years：　　we　had　him　criedwe　went　from　house　to
house。　　Many　knew　the　pretty　boy；　and　were　fond　of　him；　but　it
was　all　in　vain。　　No　one　seemed　to　know　the　old　woman　who　bought
the　vegetables　either；　only　one　old　woman；　who　is　ninety　years
old；　said　it　might　have　been　the　fairy　Herbaline；　who　came　into
the　town　once　in　every　fifty　years　to　buy　things。'

As　his　father　spoke；　things　grew　clearer　to　Jem's　mind；　and　he
saw　now　that　he　had　not　been　dreaming；　but　had　really　served　the
old　woman　seven　years　in　the　shape　of　a　squirrel。　　As　he　thought
it　over　rage　filled　his　heart。　　Seven　years　of　his　youth　had　been
st