25-the enchanted canary-第4章

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another　goose；　to　stuff　it　with　chestnuts；　and　put　it　on　the　spit。



While　it　was　browning　at　the　fire；　Tubby　inquired　for　his　goose

a　second　time。　The　Master　Cook　himself　mounted　to　the　hall　to

make　his　excuses；　and　to　beg　his　lord　to　have　a　little　patience。

Tubby　showed　his　patience　by　abusing　his　son。



‘As　if　it　wasn't　enough；'　he　grumbled　between　his　teeth；　‘that　the

boy　should　pick　up　a　hag　without　a　penny；　but　the　goose　must　go　and

burn　now。　It　isn't　a　wife　he　has　brought　me；　it　is　Famine　herself。'





XIV





While　the　Master　Cook　was　upstairs；　the　golden　bird　came　again

to　perch　on　the　window…sill；　and　called　in　his　clear　voice　to　the　head

scullion；　who　was　watching　the　spit：



‘Good…morning；　my　fine　Scullion！'



‘Good…morning；　lovely　Golden　Bird；'　replied　the　Scullion；　whom

the　Master　Cook　had　forgotten　in　his　excitement　to　warn。



‘I　pray　Heaven；'　went　on　the　Canary；　‘that　it　will　send　you　to

sleep；　and　that　the　goose　may　burn；　so　that　there　may　be　none　left

for　Titty。'



And　the　Scullion　fell　fast　asleep；　and　when　the　Master　Cook　came

back　he　found　the　goose　as　black　as　the　chimney。



In　a　fury　he　woke　the　Scullion；　who　in　order　to　save　himself

from　blame　told　the　whole　story。



‘That　accursed　bird；'　said　the　Cook；　‘it　will　end　by　getting　me

sent　away。　Come；　some　of　you；　and　hide　yourselves；　and　if　it　comes

again；　catch　it　and　wring　its　neck。'



He　spitted　a　third　goose；　lit　a　huge　fire；　and　seated　himself

by　it。



The　bird　appeared　a　third　time；　and　said：　‘Good…morning；　my

fine　Cook。'



‘Good…morning；　lovely　Golden　Bird；'　replied　the　Cook；　as　if

nothing　had　happened；　and　at　the　moment　that　the　Canary　was　beginning；

‘I　pray　Heaven　that　it　may　send；'　a　scullion　who　was　hidden

outside　rushed　out　and　shut　the　shutters。　The　bird　flew　into　the

kitchen。　Then　all　the　cooks　and　scullions　sprang　after　it；　knocking

at　it　with　their　aprons。　At　length　one　of　them　caught　it　just　at　the

very　moment　that　Tubby　entered　the　kitchen；　waving　his　sceptre。

He　had　come　to　see　for　himself　why　the　goose　had　never　made　its

appearance。



The　Scullion　stopped　at　once；　just　as　he　was　about　to　wring　the

Canary's　neck。





XV





‘Will　some　one　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me　the　meaning　of　all　this？'

cried　the　Lord　of　Avesnes。



‘Your　Excellency；　it　is　the　bird；'　replied　the　Scullion；　and　he

placed　it　in　his　hand。



‘Nonsense！　What　a　lovely　bird！'　said　Tubby；　and　in　stroking　its

head　he　touched　a　pin　that　was　sticking　between　its　feathers。　He

pulled　it　out；　and　lo！　the　Canary　at　once　became　a　beautiful　girl

with　a　golden　skin　who　jumped　lightly　to　the　ground。



‘Gracious！　what　a　pretty　girl！'　said　Tubby。



‘Father！　it　is　she！　it　is　Zizi！'　exclaimed　Desire；　who　entered

at　this　moment。



And　he　took　her　in　his　arms；　crying：　‘My　darling　Zizi；　how　happy

I　am　to　see　you　once　more！'



‘Well；　and　the　other　one？'　asked　Tubby。



The　other　one　was　stealing　quietly　to　the　door。



‘Stop　her！　called　Tubby。　‘We　will　judge　her　cause　at　once。'



And　he　seated　himself　solemnly　on　the　oven；　and　condemned

Titty　to　be　burned　alive。　After　which　the　lords　and　cooks　formed

themselves　in　lines；　and　Tubby　betrothed　Desire　to　Zizi。





XVI





The　marriage　took　place　a　few　days　later。　All　the　boys　in　the

country　side　were　there；　armed　with　wooden　swords；　and　decorated

with　epaulets　made　of　gilt　paper。



Zizi　obtained　Titty's　pardon；　and　she　was　sent　back　to　the　brick…

fields；　followed　and　hooted　at　by　all　the　boys。　And　this　is　why　to…

day　the　country　boys　always　throw　stones　at　a　titmouse。



On　the　evening　of　the　wedding…day　all　the　larders；　cellars；

cupboards　and　tables　of　the　people；　whether　rich　or　poor；　were　loaded

as　if　by　enchantment　with　bread；　wine；　beer；　cakes　and　tarts；　roast

larks；　and　even　geese；　so　that　Tubby　could　not　complain　any　more

that　his　son　had　married　Famine。



Since　that　time　there　has　always　been　plenty　to　eat　in　that

country；　and　since　that　time；　too；　you　see　in　the　midst　of　the　fair…

haired　blue…eyed　women　of　Flanders　a　few　beautiful　girls；　whose

eyes　are　black　and　whose　skins　are　the　colour　of　gold。　They　are

the　descendants　of　Zizi。＇21＇



＇21＇　Charles　Deulin；　Contes　du　Roi　Gambrinus。