Half-Past Bedtime

by Sir H. H. Bashford

  "Was that her name?" asked Doris.

  Fat Bill nodded.

  "That's the English of it," he said. "But her people are savages."

  Then he disappeared for a moment, and there was nothing but thestarlight and the _clup, clup_ of the water; and it was while he wasgone that there came into Doris's mind a wild but just possible idea.She turned to Cuthbert.

  "I tell you what," she said. "Why shouldn't he take us to Hotoneeta? Iexpect he could somehow, if he really wanted to; and you _did_ help tosave Blossom-blossom."

  Cuthbert considered.

  "Well, of course he _might_," he said, and then Fat Bill was sittingbeside them again.

  "Just been to Ohio," he said, "to a place called Columbus--kid fell intoa lake there--nobody by."

  He laid down his landing-net and rubbed his hands.

  "It's a hard life," he said, "being a saint."

  But he looked so comfortable, sitting on the rock, with his fat thighsspread out beneath him, that Doris was almost sure that he wouldn'tmind, and so she asked him if he would take them. He stroked his chinfor a moment and looked at her thoughtfully.

  "Well, of course I _could_," he said, "though it would be ratherirregular. But Albert Hezekiah here would have to look after mylanding-net, because I've only got two hands."

  So they all three of them looked at the moon-boy, and he promised totake care of the landing-net; and then Fat Bill held out his hands, andCuthbert and Doris each took one of them. The moment they did so theywere, of course, in In-between Land, because that was where Fat Bill andhis brother lived; and the rocks looked ghostly, just like dream-rocks,and they could see the moon-boy's soul, like a tiny flame. But the nextmoment they were alone on a shore of the whitest sand that they had everseen, and the dawn was coming up over an enormous sea, stiller thanstillness and breathlessly blue. At their feet lay a shallow lagoon--orat least it looked shallow--trembling with colour; and strange-petalledweeds swung to and fro in it, and the silver-scaled fishes slid betweenthem.

  It was so hot that they wanted to throw their clothes away, and thejungle behind them was full of odours--sleepy odours, like the odours ofa medicine-chest--and nodding, red-lipped flowers. Leading from theshore, between the walls of the jungle, was a narrow path of grass andsand; and standing in the middle of it, still as an idol, was a littledark-brown naked girl. Fat Bill had gone, but they knew that it wasBlossom-blossom, and then she gave a yell and fled from sight; andCuthbert and Doris couldn't help laughing as they began to explore therim of the lagoon.

  But a minute or two later, as they were kneeling on the shore andpeering down into that wonderful water, something happened that madethem think of Blossom-blossom in rather a different sort of way. Forjust as Doris had made up her mind to take off her shoes and stockings,they heard a little sound, and the next moment a spear was quivering inthe sand between them. They sprang to their feet just in time to avoidanother one and to see a man crouching at the edge of the jungle; andthen they were snatched up, and there they were on the rock again, withGannet Head towering above them. The moon-boy was laughing, but Fat Billlooked serious.

  "Narrow squeak," he said. "That was Blossom-blossom's father. I thoughthe was asleep in his hut."

  Then he shook hands with them and said good-bye, and they climbed up thepath again and went home to bed; and when Uncle Joe came up to look atthem, they confessed to him what they had been doing. He was ratherangry, of course, but he didn't laugh at them, and as for Fat Bill, hesaid that he had heard of him; and as for the old clown, he promised tosee what he could do for him before they left the town next morning.

  "But don't you think it was rough," said Cuthbert, "after I had helpedto save Blossom-blossom, to have her father throwing spears at me?"

  But that was just the sort of thing, said Uncle Joe, that saviours hadto be prepared for.

  The candle's finger shakes. My story's done. "No more," says Father Time, "or shall we say Just one?"

  THE CHRISTMAS TREE

  Still Talking]

  XIV

  THE CHRISTMAS TREE

  The worst of discovering anybody like Fat Bill at the very beginning ofthe summer holidays is that it makes the rest of the holidays seem alittle dull; and that was just what Cuthbert and Doris felt. So theywere really rather glad when the winter term at school began; and sowere Gwendolen and Marian, who hadn't been to school since the spring.

  It was an important term, too, for they were all moved up; and Marianhad to buy her first hockey-stick; and Doris and Gwendolen began tolearn Latin; and Cuthbert's homework became really unbearable. But hemanaged to survive, and they were all so busy that the term was overalmost before it had begun; and here was Christmas close at hand again,and everybody rushing about buying presents.

  As for Cuthbert and Marian, they had so much to do in the three or fourdays before Christmas that they were half afraid they would never beable to do it, because on Christmas Eve they were going to have a party.It was to be rather a special party, because neither Cuthbert nor Marianhad been able that year to have a birthday party; and all the peoplethat they had invited had sent replies saying that they were coming.

  Old Miss Hubbard was coming, and so was Uncle Joe, and Mr Parker wascoming with him; and Doris's mummy was coming with Doris and her fivebrothers; and Beardy Ned was bringing little Liz. Then there wasGwendolen, of course, who was coming too, with her aunt and CaptainJeremy; and Lancelot and Mrs Robertson were bringing Pepita; and Percythe gamekeeper's son was bringing Agnes. Just at the last minute, too,they had a letter from the blind painter saying that he was bringingLord Barrington. And Mr and Mrs Williams were coming, and so was Mummy'snurney, and so was Edward Goldsmith.

  "Goodness knows," said Mummy, "where we shall put them all. I hope theywon't mind sitting on the floor."

  But Cuthbert and Marian said that it would be all right, and that theywould have the Christmas tree in the hall.

  "Then we can have the doors open," said Cuthbert, "and people can sit onthe stairs; and Marian and I will make the paper festoons."

  So Mummy and Mummy's nurney and the cook spent hours and hours makingcakes and pastries; and just as it seemed as if they would never beready, they suddenly found that there was nothing to do except to keep alookout for old Jacob Parsley, who came every year selling Christmastrees.

  That was on the morning of the 23rd of December, with a fine rainfalling outside; and as they sat at the window both Cuthbert and Marianfelt a little stale and out of temper. In spite of all the excitementsof the term and the preparations for the party, it suddenly seemed tothem a very long time since they had had a real proper adventure.

  "I shouldn't be surprised," said Marian, "if we never have another."

  "Perhaps we shan't," said Cuthbert, "but it'll be an awful bore," andthen, at that very moment, they heard a familiar voice; and there wasJacob Parsley in the street below.

  Where he came from nobody knew; but every year on the 23rd of Decemberhe limped into the town with his old white horse and a ramshackle cartfull of Christmas trees. There they were, year after year, shining andcrisp and neatly potted; and people used to say that he had dug them upat night from rich men's plantations in other parts of the country. Asfor himself, he was a red-faced old man, with a stubbly grey beard and ascar on his chin, and a pair of bright eyes that used to workseparately, so that nobody could tell which he was looking with.

  "Ker-rismus trees," he would shout, "all in per-hots. All in per-hots,Ker-rismus-trees," and whenever he sold one he would spit in the road,and wish the buyer the compliments of the season. Also, if there wereany change he would generally try to keep it, to buy some cough mixture,he would explain, for his bronchial tubes; and most people let him,because they were afraid that he would slue one of his eyes round andpierce their hearts with a reproachful glance.

  But to-day for the first time his cart seemed empty, though he wasstill shouting; and when they ran downstairs and opened the front doorthey saw that he had only one tree l
eft. It was a queer little tree withsilvery-grey leaves; and that was the reason, he said, why nobody hadbought it. All the others he had sold at once--almost as soon as he hadentered the town.

  "Wish I'd 'ad more," he said, "but this here tree, it ain't folk'snotion of a Ker-rismus tree. Not but what it ain't a good tree, thoughit's a little 'un, and the feller I bought it off a queer sort offeller."

  He stood looking at it, or as nearly looking at it as he ever seemed tolook at anything; and then he coughed for rather a long time and hithimself on the chest and wished them a happy Christmas.

  "It's this here rain," he said. "It gets into the bronchial tubes. Fiveshillings--that's all I'll ask you for it. And it's a good tree. You cantake my word for it. And them as buys it won't regret it."

  Cuthbert and Marian touched its leaves. Just behind them stood theirguardian angels. Even more intently than Cuthbert and Marian they benttheir gaze on the little tree.

  "But what kind of a tree is it?" asked Cuthbert.

  Jacob spat in the road.

  "Well, they tell me," he said, "as it's a olive. And they tell me asit's the seedling of the great-great-grandson of the first Ker-rismustree of all."

  He spat in the road again.

  "Aye, of the very tree," he said, "as held Love's Innocence atween twothieves."

  "I like the leaves of it," said Marian. "It's got wonderful leaves."

  The two angels drew a little closer. The old horse began to shake hisblinkers. So they bought the tree and carried it indoors.

  Round the pot they bound some scarlet paper, and round the paper theytwined a wreath of holly; and they placed the tree on a little tablenear the foot of the stairs in the front hall.

  Said Cuthbert's angel, "This is a queer go."

  Marian's angel smiled as he lit his evening pipe.

  "And they were just grumbling," he said, "because they never had anyadventures. What do you suppose will happen when the guests haveassembled?"

  But Cuthbert's angel shook his head.

  "That's hard to tell," he said. "There's no precedent. Not since theGreat Day has a tree of that line ever been used as a children'sChristmas tree."

  The rain had stopped by then and the moon was shining, and soon aftermidnight the thermometer fell. A hoar frost crept over the roof-tops.The sun's rim rose out of a well of vapour. At eleven o'clock Cuthbertwent to play football, and Marian and Doris went to see Gwendolen.

  The sun had climbed free by then, but the wind was in the north, and asthe day went on the frost deepened. During the afternoon the childrenwent to some friends' houses to borrow chairs for the party. When theycame back Mummy was stooping over the Christmas-tree, fixing candles toits slender twigs. In her eyes there was a curious look. Cuthbertkissed her and asked her what was the matter.

  "Nothing," said Mummy, "but wouldn't it be wonderful if what Jacob saidabout this tree were true?"

  Marian bent her lips to one of the leaves.

  "I believe it is," she said. "It makes me feel funny."

  Old Mother Hubbard was the first guest to come, and she brought a hamperwith her full of presents. Some of them were new, but some of them weretrinkets that she had kept ever since she was a girl.

  "And now I want to give them away," she said, "because for fifty years Ihave never known what giving was like."

  Soon after that came Uncle Joe, driving in his little pony-cart with MrParker; and Mr Parker took the pony-cart to the stables at the end ofthe street. Uncle Joe was wearing an overcoat, with poacher's pockets inits lining; and the pockets were bulging with middling-sized parcels tobe placed on the floor round the Christmas tree. Then came CaptainJeremy and Gwendolen and Gwendolen's aunt, with the frosty air still intheir faces; and Lancelot and Mrs Robertson brought Pepita, well wrappedup and a little shy.

  Then a great car hummed down the street bringing Lord Barrington and theblind painter, with Mr and Mrs Williams in their Sunday clothes, and abig round cheese that they had brought for a present. Percy, their son,and his sweetheart Agnes were the next to knock at the front door; andthey had hardly stepped inside before Doris and her mummy arrived withthe five boys. Then came Edward, looking very smart, with a hot-houseflower in his button-hole; and the last to appear was Beardy Ned, asshabby as usual, with Liz on his shoulder.

  Most of the others were having tea by now round the dining-room table,or in the drawing-room, or sitting on the stairs, or standing in thehall, or leaning against the banisters. And there, in the middle ofthem, still unlit and waiting till the feasting should be over, stoodthe little olive tree, hushed and inconspicuous, with the scarlet paperround its pot.

  Mr Parker came back from the stables.

  "Rough weather," he said, "in the Baltic. That's a rum-looking treeyou've got for a Christmas tree," and the blind painter heard him andturned round.

  "Where is it?" he asked. "Will you take me to it?" And Marian led him tothe little table. He bent his head for a moment, and there crept intohis eyes the same odd look that Marian had seen in Mummy's.

  Said Cuthbert's angel, "He's beginning to hear something. What do yousuppose will happen when they have lit the candles?"

  But Marian's angel shook his head.

  "The others will hear nothing," he said. "But will they see?"

  Said Doris's angel, "Can they see and live?"

  "Look," said Gwendolen's angel. "They're lighting the candles." And itwas just at that moment that a young man, shabbier even than Beardy Ned,turned into Peter Street. But for his presence the street was empty.Doris's angel was the first to see him. He lifted his head and spoke aName, and slowly the others filed out after him. Down the front stepsand along the pavement they made a lane of angels. But the door wasshut, and deep in their hearts was the dreadful fear that it mightn't beopened.

  Then Uncle Joe struck another match and lit the last candle on the tree,and Marian's daddy picked up one of the parcels and turned it over tofind the name on it. Smiling in her chair, old Miss Hubbard envied theluckier women who had had children. Half in shadow, between Marian andGwendolen, stood Lord Barrington with his hawk-like face. There came aknock at the front door. Cuthbert, who was nearest to it, turned andopened it. He saw a young man in shabby clothes, and there was no beautyin him that he should desire him. He stood there smiling in the outsidedarkness.

  "May I come in?" he asked, and Cuthbert changed his mind. Everythingbeautiful that he had ever seen shone into his heart from the youngman's eyes.

  "Yes, rather," said Cuthbert. "We're having a party."

  His eyes sought his mother's.

  "Mummy, here's somebody else."

  Everybody turned round as the young man entered. The candles on theolive tree shed their light upon him. All but the blind painter lookedinto his eyes. Each saw the thing in them that he wanted most. Marianand Gwendolen and Cuthbert and Doris, not wanting anything inparticular, only saw vaguely all that they hoped to be when they shouldhave become grown-up men and women. So did Edward and so did Pepita;but Christopher Mark saw a celestial rabbit; and Percy and Agnes,holding each other's hand, saw the darlingest of babies. What Beardy Nedsaw you can guess, and what Lord Barrington saw was Truth; and the blindpainter heard the angels singing the song that explains every othersong.

  Then the young man stooped for a moment over the little olive-tree.

  "Make them happy," he said, and then he was gone; and though nobody sawthem, of course, the guardian angels came and stood again in theiraccustomed places. Marian turned impulsively to Lord Barrington.

  "Oh, who was he?" she said. "Tell me his name."

  Lord Barrington kissed her.

  "The loveliest present," he said, "that ever hung upon a tree."

 
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