"Then if the _plan_ offers no difficulty, _I_ won't," said the Sentry,with a cold-blooded laugh. "When is it to be carried out?"
"This very day, in about two hours' time," replied the Mouse. "Well,good-bye for the present, I think it is all very nicely arranged;" andhe nimbly scurried back to tell the Horse that the Rabbit was to bekilled by the Sentry; which he did with the utmost glee.
Perhaps, however, his glee would not have been so great had he knownthat whilst he was giving his account of what had occurred to the Horse,_his wicked plan was at the same time being told to the intendedvictim_!
This is how such a strange thing happened.
Whilst the Mouse and the Sentry were talking, they had forgotten thatthe Owl's usual position was just behind the sentry-box. Or, if theythought of it at all, they gave no heed to the fact, being aware thatthe Owl was accustomed to sleep during the whole of the day.
It so happened, however, that at the very moment the Mouse began hisconversation with the Sentry, the Owl awakened with a start from a baddaymare, and all but hooted with fright. Growing calm as he became widerawake, he was going off to sleep again,--when the name of the Rabbitcaught his ear. Being well acquainted with both him and the Mouse, whosesqueaking voice he recognized, the Owl listened to what was being said,at first with drowsy then with startled attention.
He only waited until he had learned all the details of the vile plot,and then, overcoming, in the cause of friendship, every desire to closehis heavy eyes, he stole away, and imparted his startling news to theastonished Rabbit.
"_Impossible!_" exclaimed his hearer, letting his drum-stick fall with acrash upon the instrument he had been industriously practising. "I wouldas soon doubt my own honor as that of the little Mouse--my friend andcompanion through weal and woe. _Impossible!_ You must have dreamt it,or invented it."
"Don't be so hasty in your judgment," remarked the Owl. "I have neitherdreamt nor invented it. If you doubt me go without delay to the brownHorse's stable, where you will find the Mouse at this present momenttalking with his wicked companion. I will wait here until you return, incase I may be needed to help you in your difficulty."
"Many thanks," said the Rabbit, and leaving his drum in charge of theOwl he hurried away.
But a short time passed, and then he returned with a look of horror anddismay.
"All you have told me is but too true," he exclaimed. "Let me tender youmy most sincere apologies for having doubted your word. Unseen by myfaithless friend, I listened to his conversation with the Horse, andoverheard more than enough to convince me of the truth of your story.
"Yet who," he continued sorrowfully, "who could have believed it of thatlittle Mouse? Who would have imagined so great an amount of deceit dweltin so small a body?"
Then he recovered his spirit. "I will baulk him yet!" he exclaimed, hispink eyes flashing, and his white fur bristling with excitement.
"How can I help you?" asked the Owl. "I will endeavor to keep awake aslong as I am wanted."
"Wait a moment," answered the Rabbit, and then he beat a tattoothoughtfully on his drum. "I think I have arrived at a conclusion," hesaid presently. "I will meet their dastardly plot by a counter-plot. Ido not expect the Mouse back for another half-hour; he told me he shouldbe busy till half-past twelve putting away our recent earnings. Thiswill just give us time to do what I wish.
"Here is _my_ plot," he continued. "Having procured a bottle of gum wewill go to the sentry-box, at the back of which you will take up yourposition. I will tell the Sentry you have been telling me a most comicallittle dream you have had--the one, indeed, you told me of late. He is agreat fellow for good stories, and will certainly hurry off to hear it.
"Whilst he is away I will spread the bottom of the sentry-box with gum.When, on his return, he steps into the box, I shall keep him still, andgive the gum time to take effect, by offering him a bet of a gold piecethat he will not stand perfectly motionless whilst I go home and back.He is very fond of a bet, and is sure to accept it. Leaving you to seethat he acts fairly, I shall go and meet the Mouse, returning here forthe performance which is to be suggested.
"That, however, I shall cut short, having no desire to waste my talenton a villain like the Sentry. I shall turn away with the Mouse, who, ongiving the signal agreed upon, will, to his amazement, find that it isfollowed by no result. For by that time the Sentry will be gummed sotightly to the floor of his sentry-box that he will not be able to movean inch.
"Having enjoyed the sight of their confusion I shall punish them, bitingoff the head of the Mouse--for whose deceit no punishment can be toosevere,--and beating the Sentry about the head until he can't see out ofhis eyes. Nor shall the Horse escape my vengeance. I shall creep intohis stall, and suddenly, and with a precise aim, throw a piece of goldat the pupils of his wicked eyes. Thus he will be totally blinded by thegold he has wrongfully helped to keep. A most fit and properpunishment."
"Your plans are well and thoughtfully worked out," said the Owl,blinking his eyes.
"To business, then," remarked the Rabbit; and the two having firstprocured the gum took their way to the sentry-box; the Rabbit strollingthither on his hind-legs to avoid any appearance of alarm or haste, theOwl hopping by his side with a certain grave and sleepy dignity.
Arrived at the sentry-box, the Owl placed himself behind it, whilst theRabbit, concealing the bottle of gum under his drum, went to the frontand bid the Sentry "good-day."
"Good-day," said the Sentry. "What are you grinning at?" For the Rabbitwas smiling from ear to ear.
"Nothing of much consequence," he replied. "Merely a most comical littledream that the Owl--who happens for a wonder to be awake--has beentelling me. It made me die of laughter."
"Pass it on," said the Sentry.
"I shouldn't think of doing that," replied the Rabbit. "I don't approveof telling people's own particular little stories; they prefer the funof relating them themselves. Look here, you go round for a moment or twoand get him to let you hear it before he drops asleep again. It is anoccasion to seize, for he is hardly ever awake when other people are,and he tells a story better than anyone else I know."
"Well, I rather think I will," answered the Sentry. "I'm very fond of agood story. You take my place whilst I'm away, there's a good fellow.Here, put down your drum and take my bayonet."
"Very good," answered the Rabbit, and the Sentry hurried off.
The moment he had turned the corner the Rabbit set to work and spreadgum all over the floor of the sentry-box. Then, standing outside, hetook up the bayonet and mounted guard, first carefully hiding thetell-tale bottle behind a box of bricks. By and by the Sentry returned.
"Well, it was not a very good story after all," he said rudely. "Thankyou for nothing. Why aren't you in the sentry-box? I am inclined tobayonet you for breaking your word."
"I should not have been able to move about sufficiently," the Rabbitanswered. "I should have suffered from cramp."
"Stuff and nonsense!" the Sentry replied. "I stand in it for hours at atime."
"But not without moving?" asked the Rabbit, with an air of disbelief."Without stirring an eighth of an inch," the Sentry said.
"I don't believe it," replied the Rabbit. "I challenge you to keepperfectly still for any length of time. I bet you a gold piece you won'tstand motionless whilst I run home and back again."
"Done!" said the Sentry, and straightway stepped into his box.
"This sentry-box gets slimy and dirty," he said, without the least ideaof what the Rabbit had done. "It is quite sticky with dirt. It wouldn'tbe a bad thing if you were to clean it out for me some day."
"I'll see," answered the other carelessly, fearing to be either toopolite or too rude lest he should arouse any suspicions in the Sentry'smind. "I don't generally care to do other people's dirty work, but I maydo that some day when I am not busy. You serve your country, so youdeserve a little help."
"If you don't do it willingly, you shall do it unwillingly," heblustered. "If _I_ serve my co
untry, _you_ must serve me."
"There's plenty of time to think it over," answered the Rabbit. "In themeanwhile, you can't stir even to have it cleaned or you lose your bet.I'm off. But wait, I must call the Owl to be a witness that you keepstrictly to the terms we have agreed upon."
Then, having called the Owl and stated the terms of the bet, the Rabbitwent home.
Here he awaited the arrival of the Mouse, who presently returned, fullof pretended sympathy for the dulness of the Sentry's life.
"He told me to-day," said the little rascal, "that the dulness of hislife was killing him. It struck me that it would be really an act ofcharity on our part to give him a little performance, and let him fullyunderstand we expect no money for it. I hinted at something of the sortto him, and the poor fellow's face lighted up in a way that was quitetouching. Suppose we go his way now as we have a little spare time."
"I'm quite willing to," replied the Rabbit. "But I've just come fromhim, and he never complained of dulness to me. In fact, he was in quitegood enough spirits to have a bet with me on the subject of his beingable to stand motionless for a certain time."
"Oh, he did that to try and kill care, no doubt," answered the Mouse. "Iknow him well, though he is a reserved chap and opens out his heart tofew. Come on."
Now by the time the Rabbit and the Mouse returned to the sentry-box, thegum had had time to get well dried, so that the Sentry was firmly fixedin his box. Nevertheless, there was still the danger that he mightattempt to move, and so find out too soon the trick that had been playedupon him. To avert this, directly the Rabbit came back again he lost notime in remarking to the Sentry:
"Yes, I acknowledge you have won the bet. But you have only just managedto do so; you are looking quite tired out. Another five minutes or less,and you would have been unable to stand still a moment longer."
"Double or quits!" cried the Sentry. "For another gold piece, I'llengage to keep still for the time you mention. If I fail to do so, ofcourse you don't pay me anything."
"Agreed," said the Rabbit.
"Oh, friends," exclaimed the Mouse, shaking his head, "do not give wayto this habit! It is, indeed, a sad, bad one."
This he merely said to impress the Owl (on whom he had not counted as aspectator) with a sense of his moral worth. He hoped by this means tocounteract any after suspicions that might arise in the good bird'smind.
"As to that," said the Sentry, who was generally rude whether he wasaddressing friend or foe, "it is my own concern whether I bet or not.You had better not trouble yourself with my affairs, but if you reallymean to give me one of your performances you would do well to begin."
"Just as you will," the Mouse said. "But I can't help taking aninterest in the welfare of those with whom I have to do." Thenaddressing the Rabbit: "Dear friend," he said smoothly, "will you openwith your famous _reverie_, 'Dreamings of a Drum,' whilst I perform my_pas de quatre_, 'Twirlings of the Toes?'"
"Very good," agreed the Rabbit.
And the two performers began. But in a few moments the Rabbit stopped.
"I cannot continue," he said. "I am suffering from cramp in the musclesof my drum-legs."
"Dear! What a pity!" exclaimed the Mouse. "Come for a walk and braceyourself up."
"All right!" answered the Rabbit. "We'll go and fetch the gold pieceswhich I must give this fellow."
"Can't you give me something at once?" asked the Sentry, who did not, inhis greed of gold, wish to lose the chance of getting all he could.
"I've nothing with me," replied the Rabbit. And so saying he followedthe Mouse, who with his back towards the Sentry had already moved away.
They had hardly gone more than half a dozen steps when the Mouse saidsuddenly and loudly: "That Sentry friend of ours is a smart chap; _he_knows how to handle the bayonet."
"You are right," answered the Rabbit, and walked on, the Mouse doingthe same, though with lagging steps.
Presently a look of anger and wonder crept into his eyes, remarkingwhich the Rabbit laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" asked the Mouse uneasily.
"At nothing particular," answered his companion. "Cheerfulness, youknow, is a habit of the mind."
At this moment a loud groan burst from the Sentry, who during this timehad been struggling to get free, and in a last frantic effort, had justsucceeded in giving a most painful rick to his back.
"Our Sentry friend does not look happy," said the Rabbit grimly.
"He is not well, I suppose," answered the Mouse nervously. "What hashappened, I wonder?"
"ALL IS DISCOVERED!" exclaimed the Rabbit loudly.
Then as the Mouse made a desperate effort to run away, the Rabbit dealthim a blow on the back which injured the clockwork within his body andquite put a stop to his flight.
"I know all!" the Rabbit said sternly. "You are a little villain! Whatdefence can you offer for so grossly deceiving me?"
But the Mouse made no reply. In a fury of disappointment and fear he wasbiting the Rabbit's legs, hoping thus to disable him and prevent hispunishing the treachery that had been brought to light.
"Desist!" cried the Rabbit, "or I shall end your life without delay. Irepeat, what excuse can you offer for having so wickedly broken theterms of our agreement? You have tried to rob me of my life and mymoney. Make your defence."
"There was no written agreement," answered the Mouse shamelessly. "Eachwas at liberty to understand it in his own way."
"Most wicked of animals, you are not fit to live," cried the Rabbit withdisgust. "Your moments are numbered."
Then before the Mouse could offer any protest, the Rabbit bit his headright off and swallowed it.
"You will observe," said the Rabbit to the Owl with dignity, "that Istill maintain my proper position in the eyes of the world as a Welshrare-bit, but the Mouse, owing to his misdeeds, is now in thecontemptible state of the biter bit. Such is the end of the wicked.
"As for you," he continued to the Sentry, who, with his boastful spiritcrushed, stood trembling in the Sentry-box; "as for you, you have seentoo much of the world and its ways. It would be better for you to see alittle less of it for a time."
Then, according to his intention, the Rabbit beat the Sentry about thehead until he could not see out of his eyes.
"It now only remains to deal with the Horse. I go to give him the duereward of his deeds," the Rabbit remarked, taking up his drum andpreparing to leave. But pausing a moment he added to the Owl: "Withregard to you, my good friend, if ever an opportunity arises by which Ican show you my gratitude for your kind services, rest assured that Ishall eagerly avail myself of it."
Now, the next morning the woman who keeps this shop spoke severely toher own little girl.
"You have been touching the toys and damaging them," she said withanger. "See what mischief you have done! You have knocked off the headof this mouse--and, what is more, I can't find it anywhere,--you haverubbed all the paint off this sentry's face, and you have broken theglass eyes of this brown horse. You shall be punished."
The little girl began to whimper.
"I have not hurt the toys," she said. "I have never touched them sinceyou put me to bed for breaking the baby doll."
The woman looked puzzled: "If you say you haven't, you haven't, Isuppose," she said, "for I know you are a truthful child. Then how hasit happened? I shouldn't think any customer would do it without mynoticing. I can't understand it."
Nor can she to this day. But we can: you, the Rabbit, the Owl, theSentry, the Horse, and myself. But not the Mouse, for he has lost hishead.
CHAPTER III
Here the little Marionette paused.
"That is all," she said.
"What a good thing that the Mouse had his head bitten off," said thelittle girl thoughtfully.
"It was just as well," the Marionette answered, "since he could use itto no better purpose."
"Some of the toys were very wicked in that story, I think; dreadfullywicked."
"I think the same. They were bad, wi
cked toys, with bad, wicked ways."
"Are many of the toys you know as wicked as that?" asked Molly.
"Oh, dear no!" said the little Marionette, quite shocked. "Most of myfriends and acquaintances are really wonderfully well-behaved."
"Do you know, I should like you next time to tell me about one of them."
"About some one simple, perhaps?"
"Yes, I think so."
The little Marionette thought a moment.
Then she said: "I know of no one more simple than Belinda."
"Tell me about her, if you please."
"Very good. You shall hear of Belinda and her simplicity."
So the next day she told her friend the story of "Belinda."
BELINDA
Belinda was a little wax doll who had a most charming way of opening andshutting her eyes. When Mortals were about, she could not do it unlessthey helped by pulling a wire. But when once the shop was closed, andthe toys, left to themselves, could move at pleasure, _then_ Belindapulled her own wires and opened and shut her eyes as she pleased. Shedid this in so simple and unaffected a fashion that it delightedeveryone to see her.
Adventures in Toyland; What the Marionette Told Molly Page 2