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diff --git a/25299-8.txt b/25299-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf813ed --- /dev/null +++ b/25299-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10376 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Wood Magic, by Richard Jefferies, Illustrated +by Eleanor Vere Boyle + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Wood Magic + A Fable + + +Author: Richard Jefferies + + + +Release Date: May 2, 2008 [eBook #25299] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD MAGIC*** + + +E-text prepared by Malcolm Farmer and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 25299-h.htm or 25299-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/2/9/25299/25299-h/25299-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/2/9/25299/25299-h.zip) + + +Transcriber's note: + + Obvious minor typesetting errors in punctuation have been + silently corrected. + + One sentence which began "The gale had cracked a very + large bow..." has been changed for consistency with the + rest of the paragraph to read "The gale had cracked a very + large bough..." + + + + + +WOOD MAGIC + +A Fable + +by + +RICHARD JEFFERIES + +Author of "The Gamekeeper at Home," "Field and Hedgerow," "The Toilers +of the Field," Etc. + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + +[Illustration] + + + +New Impression + +Longmans, Green, and Co. +39 Paternoster Row, London +New York, Bombay, and Calcutta +1907 + +All rights reserved + + + + +_BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE._ + +_First published, 2 vols., post 8vo, by Cassell & Co., in 1881; Reissued +by them in one volume in 1882._ + +_'Silver Library' Edition, June, 1883. Reprinted September, 1894; +January, 1899; February, 1903; April, 1907._ + + + + +_Inscribed to Harold._ + + + + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + + + I. Sir Bevis + II. At Home + III. Adventures of the Weasel + IV. Brook-Folk + V. Kapchack + VI. The Squirrel + VII. The Courtiers + VIII. The Emperor Choo Hoo + IX. The Council + X. Traitors + XI. The Storm in the Night + XII. The Old Oak.--The King's Despair + XIII. The Courtship in the Orchard + XIV. The Great Battle + XV. Palace Secrets + XVI. The New King + XVII. Sir Bevis and the Wind + + + + +PREFATORY NOTE. + + +Little need be said as to this re-issue of _Wood Magic_. It was +originally published in two volumes, post 8vo, by Messrs. Cassell & Co. +in 1881, and re-issued by them in one volume in 1882. The present +edition is reprinted from the original edition. The frontispiece and +vignette are drawn by the accomplished lady who chooses to be known as +E. V. B., whose illustrations to the _Story Without an End_ charmed many +boys and girls years ago, and I hope still fascinate their children. + +C. J. L. + + + + + + + +WOOD MAGIC. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SIR BEVIS. + + +One morning as little "Sir" Bevis [such was his pet name] was digging in +the farmhouse garden, he saw a daisy, and throwing aside his spade, he +sat down on the grass to pick the flower to pieces. He pulled the +pink-tipped petals off one by one, and as they dropped they were lost. +Next he gathered a bright dandelion, and squeezed the white juice from +the hollow stem, which drying presently, left his fingers stained with +brown spots. Then he drew forth a bennet from its sheath, and bit and +sucked it till his teeth were green from the sap. Lying at full length, +he drummed the earth with his toes, while the tall grass blades tickled +his cheeks. + +Presently, rolling on his back, he drummed again with his heels. He +looked up at the blue sky, but only for a moment, because the glare of +light was too strong in his eyes. After a minute, he turned on his side, +thrust out one arm, placed his head on it, and drew up one knee, as if +going to sleep. His little brown wrist, bared by the sleeve shortening +as he extended his arm, bent down the grass, and his still browner +fingers played with the blades, and every now and then tore one off. + +A flutter of wings sounded among the blossom on an apple-tree close by, +and instantly Bevis sat up, knowing it must be a goldfinch thinking of +building a nest in the branches. If the trunk of the tree had not been +so big, he would have tried to climb it at once, but he knew he could +not do it, nor could he see the bird for the leaves and bloom. A puff of +wind came and showered the petals down upon him; they fell like +snowflakes on his face and dotted the grass. + +Buzz! A great bumble-bee, with a band of red gold across his back, flew +up, and hovered near, wavering to and fro in the air as he stayed to +look at a flower. + +Buzz! Bevis listened, and knew very well what he was saying. It was: +"This is a sweet little garden, my darling; a very pleasant garden; all +grass and daisies, and apple-trees, and narrow patches with flowers and +fruit-trees one side, and a wall and currant-bushes another side, and a +low box-hedge and a haha, where you can see the high mowing grass quite +underneath you; and a round summer-house in the corner, painted as blue +inside as a hedge-sparrow's egg is outside; and then another haha with +iron railings, which you are always climbing up, Bevis, on the fourth +side, with stone steps leading down to a meadow, where the cows are +feeding, and where they have left all the buttercups standing as tall +as your waist, sir. The gate in the iron railings is not fastened, and +besides, there is a gap in the box-hedge, and it is easy to drop down +the haha wall, but that is mowing grass there. You know very well you +could not come to any harm in the meadow; they said you were not to go +outside the garden, but that's all nonsense, and very stupid. _I_ am +going outside the garden, Bevis. Good-morning, dear." Buzz! And the +great bumble-bee flew slowly between the iron railings, out among the +buttercups, and away up the field. + +Bevis went to the railings, and stood on the lowest bar; then he opened +the gate a little way, but it squeaked so loud upon its rusty hinges +that he let it shut again. He walked round the garden along beside the +box-hedge to the patch by the lilac trees; they were single lilacs, +which are much more beautiful than the double, and all bowed down with a +mass of bloom. Some rhubarb grew there, and to bring it up the faster, +they had put a round wooden box on it, hollowed out from the sawn butt +of an elm, which was rotten within and easily scooped. The top was +covered with an old board, and every time that Bevis passed he lifted up +the corner of the board and peeped in, to see if the large red, swelling +knobs were yet bursting. + +One of these round wooden boxes had been split and spoilt, and half of +it was left lying with the hollow part downwards. Under this shelter a +toad had his house. Bevis peered in at him, and touched him with a twig +to make him move an inch or two, for he was so lazy, and sat there all +day long, except when it rained. Sometimes the toad told him a story, +but not very often, for he was a silent old philosopher, and not very +fond of anybody. He had a nephew, quite a lively young fellow, in the +cucumber frame on the other side of the lilac bushes, at whom Bevis also +peered nearly every day after they had lifted the frame and propped it +up with wedges. + +The gooseberries were no bigger than beads, but he tasted two, and then +a thrush began to sing on an ash-tree in the hedge of the meadow. +"Bevis! Bevis!" said the thrush, and he turned round to listen: "My +dearest Bevis, have you forgotten the meadow, and the buttercups, and +the sorrel? You know the sorrel, don't you, that tastes so pleasant if +you nibble the leaf? And I have a nest in the bushes, not very far up +the hedge, and you may take just one egg; there are only two yet. But +don't tell any more boys about it, or we shall not have one left. That +is a very sweet garden, but it is very small. I like all these fields to +fly about in, and the swallows fly ever so much farther than I can; so +far away and so high, that I cannot tell you how they find their way +home to the chimney. But they will tell you, if you ask them. +Good-morning! I am going over the brook." + +Bevis went to the iron railings and got up two bars, and looked over; +but he could not yet make up his mind, so he went inside the +summer-house, which had one small round window. All the lower part of +the blue walls was scribbled and marked with pencil, where he had +written and drawn, and put down his ideas and notes. The lines were +somewhat intermingled, and crossed each other, and some stretched out +long distances, and came back in sharp angles. But Bevis knew very well +what he meant when he wrote it all. Taking a stump of cedar pencil from +his pocket, one end of it much gnawn, he added a few scrawls to the +inscriptions, and then stood on the seat to look out of the round +window, which was darkened by an old cobweb. + +Once upon a time there was a very cunning spider--a very cunning spider +indeed. The old toad by the rhubarb told Bevis there had not been such a +cunning spider for many summers; he knew almost as much about flies as +the old toad, and caught such a great number, that the toad began to +think there would be none left for him. Now the toad was extremely fond +of flies, and he watched the spider with envy, and grew more angry about +it every day. + +As he sat blinking and winking by the rhubarb in his house all day long, +the toad never left off thinking, thinking, thinking about the spider. +And as he kept thinking, thinking, thinking, so he told Bevis, he +recollected that he knew a great deal about a good many other things +besides flies. So one day, after several weeks of thinking, he crawled +out of his house in the sunshine, which he did not like at all, and went +across the grass to the iron railings, where the spider had then got his +web. The spider saw him coming, and being very proud of his cleverness, +began to taunt and tease him. + +"Your back is all over warts, and you are an old toad," he +said. "You are so old, that I heard the swallows saying their +great-great-great-grandmothers, when they built in the chimney, did +not know when you were born. And you have got foolish, and past doing +anything, and so stupid that you hardly know when it is going to rain. +Why, the sun is shining bright, you stupid old toad, and there isn't a +chance of a single drop falling. You look very ugly down there in the +grass. Now, don't you wish that you were me and could catch more flies +than you could eat? Why, I can catch wasps and bees, and tie them up so +tight with my threads that they cannot sting nor even move their wings, +nor so much as wriggle their bodies. I am the very cleverest and most +cunning spider that ever lived." + +"Indeed, you are," replied the toad. "I have been thinking so all the +summer; and so much do I admire you, that I have come all this way, +across in the hot sun, to tell you something." + +"Tell _me_ something!" said the spider, much offended, "_I_ know +everything." + +"Oh, yes, honoured sir," said the toad; "you have such wonderful eyes, +and such a sharp mind, it is true that you know everything about the +sun, and the moon, and the earth, and flies. But, as you have studied +all these great and important things, you could hardly see all the very +little trifles like a poor old toad." + +"Oh, yes, I can. I know everything--everything!" + +"But, sir," went on the toad so humbly, "this is such a little--such a +very little--thing, and a spider like you, in such a high position of +life, could not mind me telling you such a mere nothing." + +"Well, I don't mind," said the spider--"you may go on, and tell me, if +you like." + +"The fact is," said the toad, "while I have been sitting in my hole, I +have noticed that such a lot of the flies that come into this garden +presently go into the summer-house there, and when they are in the +summer-house, they always go to that little round window, which is +sometimes quite black with them; for it is the nature of flies to buzz +over glass." + +"I do not know so much about that," said the spider; "for I have never +lived in houses, being an independent insect; but it is possible you may +be right. At any rate, it is not of much consequence. You had better go +up into the window, old toad." Now this was a sneer on the part of the +spider. + +"But I can't climb up into the window," said the toad; "all I can do is +to crawl about the ground, but you can run up a wall quickly. How I do +wish I was a spider, like you. Oh, dear!" And then the toad turned +round, after bowing to the clever spider, and went back to his hole. + +Now the spider was secretly very much mortified and angry with himself, +because he had not noticed this about the flies going to the window in +the summer-house. At first he said to himself that it was not true; but +he could not help looking that way now and then, and every time he +looked, there was the window crowded with flies. They had all the garden +to buzz about in, and all the fields, but instead of wandering under +the trees, and over the flowers, they preferred to go into the +summer-house and crawl over the glass of the little window, though it +was very dirty from so many feet. For a long time, the spider was too +proud to go there too; but one day such a splendid blue-bottle fly got +in the window and made such a tremendous buzzing, that he could not +resist it any more. + +So he left his web by the railings, and climbed up the blue-painted +wall, over Bevis's writings and marks, and spun such a web in the window +as had never before been seen. It was the largest and the finest, and +the most beautifully-arranged web that had ever been made, and it caught +such a number of flies that the spider grew fatter every day. In a +week's time he was so big that he could no longer hide in the crack he +had chosen, he was quite a giant; and the toad came across the grass one +night and looked at him, but the spider was now so bloated he would not +recognise the toad. + +But one morning a robin came to the iron railings, and perched on the +top, and put his head a little on one side, to show his black eye the +better. Then he flew inside the summer-house, alighted in the window, +and gobbled up the spider in an instant. The old toad shut his eye and +opened it again, and went on thinking, for that was just what he knew +would happen. Ever so many times in his very long life he had seen +spiders go up there, but no sooner had they got fat than a robin or a +wren came in and ate them. Some of the clever spider's web was there +still when Bevis looked out of the window, all dusty and draggled, with +the skins and wings of some gnats and a dead leaf entangled in it. + +As he looked, a white butterfly came along the meadow, and instantly he +ran out, flung open the gate, rushed down the steps, and taking no heed +of the squeak the gate made as it shut behind him, raced after the +butterfly. + +The tall buttercups brushed his knees, and bent on either side as if a +wind was rushing through them. A bennet slipped up his knickerbockers +and tickled his leg. His toes only touched the ground, neither his heels +nor the hollow of his foot; and from so light a pressure the grass, +bowed but not crushed, rose up, leaving no more mark of his passage than +if a grasshopper had gone by. + +Daintily fanning himself with his wings, the butterfly went before +Bevis, not yet knowing that he was chased, but sauntering along just +above the buttercups. He peeped as he flew under the lids of the +flowers' eyes, to see if any of them loved him. There was a glossy green +leaf which he thought he should like to feel, it looked so soft and +satin-like. So he alighted on it, and then saw Bevis coming, his hat on +the very back of his head, and his hand stretched out to catch him. The +butterfly wheeled himself round on the leaf, shut up his wings, and +seemed so innocent, till Bevis fell on his knee, and then under his +fingers there was nothing but the leaf. His cheek flushed, his eye lit +up, and away he darted again after the butterfly, which had got several +yards ahead before he could recover himself. He ran now faster than +ever. + +"Race on," said the buttercups; "race on, Bevis; that butterfly disdains +us because we are so many, and all alike." + +"Be quick," said a great moon-daisy to him; "catch him, dear. I asked +him to stay and tell me a story, but he would not." + +"Never mind me," said the clover; "you may step on me if you like, +love." + +"But just look at me for a moment, pet, as you go by," cried the purple +vetch by the hedge. + +A colt in the field, seeing Bevis running so fast, thought he too must +join the fun, so he whisked his tail, stretched his long floundering +legs, and galloped away. Then the mare whinnied and galloped too, and +the ground shook under her heavy hoofs. The cows lifted their heads from +gathering the grass close round the slender bennets, and wondered why +any one could be so foolish as to rush about, when there was plenty to +eat and no hurry. + +The cunning deceitful butterfly, so soon as Bevis came near, turned +aside and went along a furrow. Bevis, running in the furrow, caught his +foot in the long creepers of the crowfoot, and fell down bump, and +pricked his hand with a thistle. Up he jumped again, red as a peony, and +shouting in his rage, ran on so quickly that he nearly overtook the +butterfly. But they were now nearer the other hedge. The butterfly, +frightened at the shouting and Bevis's resolution, rose over the +brambles, and Bevis stopping short flung his hat at him. The hat did not +hit the butterfly, but the wind it made puffed him round, and so +frightened him, that he flew up half as high as the elms, and went into +the next field. + +When Bevis looked down, there was his hat, hung on a branch of ash, far +beyond his reach. He could not touch the lowest leaf, jump as much as he +would. His next thought was a stone to throw, but there were none in the +meadow. Then he put his hand in his jacket pocket for his knife, to cut +a long stick. It was not in that pocket, nor in the one on the other +side, nor in his knickers. Now the knife was Bevis's greatest +treasure--his very greatest. He looked all round bewildered, and the +tears rose in his eyes. + +Just then Pan, the spaniel, who had worked his head loose from the +collar and followed him, ran out of the hedge between Bevis's legs with +such joyful force, that Bevis was almost overthrown, and burst into a +fit of laughter. Pan ran back into the hedge to hunt, and Bevis, with +tears rolling down his cheeks into the dimples made by his smiles, +dropped on hands and knees and crept in after the dog under the briars. +On the bank there was a dead grey stick, a branch that had fallen from +the elms. It was heavy, but Bevis heaved it up, and pushed it through +the boughs and thrust his hat off. + +Creeping out again, he put it on, and remembering his knife, walked out +into the field to search for it. When Pan missed him, he followed, and +presently catching scent of a rabbit, the spaniel rushed down a furrow, +which happened to be the very furrow where Bevis had tumbled. Going +after Pan, Bevis found his knife in the grass, where it had dropped when +shaken from his pocket by the jerk of his fall. He opened the single +blade it contained at once, and went back to the hedge to cut a stick. +As he walked along the hedge, he thought the briar was too prickly to +cut, and the thorn was too hard, and the ash was too big, and the willow +had no knob, and the elder smelt so strong, and the sapling oak was +across the ditch, and out of reach, and the maple had such rough bark. +So he wandered along a great way through that field and the next, and +presently saw a nut-tree stick that promised well, for the sticks grew +straight, and not too big. + +He jumped into the ditch, climbed half up the mound, and began to cut +away at one of the rods, leaning his left arm on the moss-grown stole. +The bark was easily cut through, and he soon made a notch, but then the +wood seemed to grow harder, and the chips he got out were very small. +The harder the wood, the more determined Bevis became, and he cut and +worked away with such force that his chest heaved, his brow was set and +frowning, and his jacket all green from rubbing against the hazel. +Suddenly something passed between him and the light. He looked up, and +there was Pan, whom he had forgotten, in the hedge looking down at him. +"Pan! Pan!" cried Bevis. Pan wagged his tail, but ran back, and Bevis, +forsaking his stick, scrambled up into the stole, then into the mound, +and through a gap into the next field. Pan was nowhere to be seen. + +There was a large mossy root under a great oak, and, hot with his +cutting, Bevis sat down upon it. Along came a house martin, the kind of +swallow that has a white band across his back, flying very low, and only +just above the grass. The swallow flew to and fro not far from Bevis, +who watched it, and presently asked him to come closer. But the swallow +said: "I shall not come any nearer, Bevis. Don't you remember what you +did last year, sir? Don't you remember Bill, the carter's boy, put a +ladder against the wall, and you climbed up the ladder, and put your +paw, all brown and dirty, into my nest and took my eggs? And you tried +to string them on a bennet, but the bennet was too big, so you went +indoors for some thread. And you made my wife and me dreadfully unhappy, +and we said we would never come back any more to your house, Bevis." + +"But you have come back, swallow." + +"Yes, we have come back--just once more; but if you do it again we shall +go away for ever." + +"But I won't do it again; no, that I won't! Do come near." + +So the swallow came a little nearer, only two yards away, and flew +backwards and forwards, and Bevis could hear the snap of his beak as he +caught the flies. + +"Just a little bit nearer still," said he. "Let me stroke your lovely +white back." + +"Oh, no, I can't do that. I don't think you are quite safe, Bevis. Why +don't you gather the cowslips?" + +Bevis looked up and saw that the field was full of cowslips--yellow with +cowslips. "I will pick every one," said he, "and carry them all back to +my mother." + +"You cannot do that," said the swallow, laughing, "you will not try long +enough." + +"I _hate_ you!" cried Bevis in a passion, and flung his knife, which was +in his hand, at the bird. The swallow rose up, and the knife whizzed by +and struck the ground. + +"I told you you were not safe," said the swallow over his head; "and I +am sure you won't pick half the cowslips." + +Bevis picked up his knife and put it in his pocket; then he began to +gather the cowslips, and kept on for a quarter of an hour as fast as +ever he could, till both hands were full. There was a rustle in the +hedge, and looking up he saw Pan come out, all brown with sand sticking +to his coat. He shook himself, and sent the sand flying from him in a +cloud, just like he did with the water when he came up out of the pond. +Then he looked at Bevis, wagged his tail, cried "Yowp!" and ran back +into the hedge again. + +Bevis rushed to the spot, and saw that there was a large rabbits' hole. +Into this hole Pan had worked his way so far that there was nothing of +him visible but his hind legs and tail. Bevis could hear him panting in +the hole, he was working so hard to get at the rabbit, and tearing with +his teeth at the roots to make the hole bigger. Bevis clapped his hands, +dropping his cowslips, and called "Loo! Loo!" urging the dog on. The +sand came flying out behind Pan, and he worked harder and harder, as if +he would tear the mound to pieces. + +Bevis sat down on the grass under the shadow of the oak, by a maple +bush, and taking a cowslip, began to count the spots inside it. It was +always five in all the cowslips--five brown little spots--that he was +sure of, because he knew he had five fingers on each hand. He lay down +at full length on his back, and looked up at the sky through the boughs +of the oak. It was very, very blue, and very near down. With a long +ladder he knew he could have got up there easily, and it looked so +sweet. "Sky," said Bevis, "I love you like I love my mother." He pouted +his lips, and kissed at it. Then turning a little on one side to watch +Pan, in an instant he fell firm asleep. + +Pan put his head out of the hole to breathe two or three times, and +looked aside at Bevis, and seeing that he was still, went back to work +again. Two butterflies came fluttering along together. The swallow +returned, and flew low down along the grass near Bevis. The wind came +now and then, and shook down a shower of white and pink petals from a +crab-tree in the hedge. By-and-by a squirrel climbing from tree to tree +reached the oak, and stayed to look at Bevis beneath in the shadow. He +knew exactly how Bevis felt--just like he did himself when he went to +sleep. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AT HOME. + + +"Yowp, yow; wow-wow!" The yelling of Pan woke Bevis, who jumped up, and +seeing the bailiff beating the spaniel with a stick, instantly, and +without staying the tenth of a second to rub his eyes or stretch +himself, rushed at the man and hit him with his doubled fists. As if he +had seen it in his sleep, Bevis understood what was taking place +immediately his eyelids opened. So the bailiff beat the dog, and Bevis +beat the bailiff. The noise made quite an echo against the thick hedges +and a high bank that was near. When the bailiff thought he had thrashed +Pan sufficiently, he turned round and looked down at Bevis, whose face +was red, and his knuckles sore with striking the bailiff's hard coat. + +"How fess you be, measter," said the bailiff (meaning fierce), "you mind +as you don't hurt yourself. Look'ee here, there've bin a fine falarie +about you, zur." He meant that there had been much excitement when it +was found that Bevis was not in the garden, and was nowhere to be found. +Everybody was set to hunt for him. + +First they thought of the brook, lest he should have walked in among the +flags that were coming up so green and strong. Then they thought of the +tallet over the stable,--perhaps he had climbed up there again from the +manger, over the heads of the great cart-horses, quietly eating their +hay, while he put his foot on the manger and then on the projecting +steps in the corner, and into the hayrack--and so up. He had done it +once before, and could not get down, and so the tallet was searched. One +man was sent to the Long Pond, with orders to look everywhere, and +borrow the punt and push in among the bulrushes. + +Another was despatched to the Close, to gruffly inquire where the +cottage boys were, and what they had been doing, for Bevis was known to +hanker after their company, to go catching loach under the stones in the +stream that crossed the road, and creeping under the arch of the bridge, +and taking the moor-hens' eggs from the banks of the ponds where the +rushes were thick. Another was put on the pony, to gallop up the road +after the carter and his waggon, for he had set off that morning with a +load of hay for the hills that could be seen to the southward. + +Running over every possible thing that Bevis could have done in his +mind, his papa remembered that he had lately taken to asking about the +road, and would not be satisfied till they had taken him up to the +sign-post--a mile beyond the village, and explained the meaning of it. +Some one had told him that it was the road to Southampton--the place +where the ships came. Now, Bevis was full of the ships, drawing them on +the blue wall of the summer-house, and floating a boat on the trough in +the cow-yard, and looking wistfully up the broad dusty highway, as if +he could see the masts and yards sixty miles away or more. Perhaps when +the carter went with the waggon that way, Bevis had slipped up the +footpath that made a short cut across the fields, and joined the waggon +at the cross-roads, that he might ride to the hills thinking to see the +sea on the other side. + +And the bailiff, not to be behindhand, having just come in for his +lunch, ran out again without so much as wetting his stubbly white beard +in the froth of the drawn quart of ale, and made away as fast as his +stiff legs could carry him to where there was a steam ploughing engine +at work--a mile distant. The sight of the white steam, and the humming +of the fly-wheel, always set Bevis "on the jig," as the village folk +called it, to get to the machinery, and the smell of the cotton waste +and oil wafted on the wind was to him like the scent of battle to the +war-horse. + +But Bevis was not in the tallet, nor the brook, nor among the bulrushes +of the Long Pond, nor under the bridge dabbling for loach, nor watching +the steam plough, and the cottage boys swore their hardest (and they +knew how to swear quite properly) that they had not seen him that +morning. But they would look for him, and forthwith eagerly started to +scour the fields and hedges. Meantime, Bevis, quite happy, was sleeping +under the oak in the shadow, with Pan every now and then coming out of +the rabbit-hole to snort out the sand that got into his nostrils. + +But, by-and-by, when everything had been done and everybody was +scattered over the earth seeking for him, the bailiff came back from the +steam plough, weary with running, and hungry, thirsty, and cross. As he +passed through the yard he caught a glimpse of Pan's kennel, which was a +tub by the wood pile, and saw that the chain was lying stretched to its +full length. Pan was gone. At first the bailiff thought Bevis had loosed +him, and that he had got a clue. But when he came near, he saw that the +collar was not unbuckled; Pan had worked his head out, and so escaped. + +The bailiff turned the collar over thoughtfully with his foot, and felt +his scanty white beard with his hard hand; and then he went back to the +cart-house. Up in the cart-house, on the ledge of the wall beneath the +thatch, there were three or four sticks, each about four feet long and +as thick as your thumb, with the bark on--some were ground ash, some +crab-tree, and one was hazel. This one was straight and as hard as could +be. These sticks were put there for the time when the cows were moved, +so that the men might find their sticks quick. Each had his stick, and +the bailiff's was the hazel one. With the staff in his hand the bailiff +set out straight across the grass, looking neither to the right nor the +left, but walking deliberately and without hesitation. + +He got through a gap in one hedge, and then he turned to the corner +making towards the rabbit-burrows, for he guessed that Pan had gone +there. As he approached he saw Bevis sleeping, and smiled, for looking +for the dog he had found the boy. But first stepping softly up to Bevis, +and seeing that he was quite right and unhurt, only asleep, the bailiff +went to the hedge and thrust his staff into the hole where Pan was at +work. + +Out came Pan, and instantly down came the rod. Pan cowered in the grass; +he was all over sand, which flew up in a cloud as the rod struck him +again. "Yowp!--yow--wow--wow!" and this row awoke Bevis. + +Bevis battled hard for his dog, but the bailiff had had his lunch +delayed, and his peace of mind upset about the boy, and he was +resolutely relieving himself upon the spaniel. Now the hazel rod, being +dry and stiff, was like a bar of iron, and did not yield or bend in the +least, but made the spaniel's ribs rattle. Pan could not get low enough +into the grass; he ceased to howl, so great was the pain, but merely +whimpered, and the tears filled his brown eyes. At last the bailiff +ceased, and immediately Bevis pulled out his handkerchief, and sat down +on the grass and wiped away the spaniel's tears. + +"Now, measter, you come along wi' I," said the bailiff, taking his hand. +Bevis would not come, saying he hated him. But when the bailiff told him +about the hunt there had been, and how the people were everywhere +looking for him, Bevis began to laugh, thinking it was rare fun. + +"Take me 'pick-a-back,'" said he. + +So the bailiff stooped and took him. "Gee-up!" said Bevis, punching his +broad back and kicking him to go faster. Pan, now quite forgotten, crept +along behind them. + +Bevis listened to the lecture they gave him at home with a very bad +grace. He sulked and pouted, as if he had himself been the injured +party. But no sooner was he released from the dinner-table, than he was +down on his knees at his own particular corner cupboard, the one that +had been set apart for his toys and things ever since he could walk. It +was but a small cupboard, made across the angle of two walls, and with +one shelf only, yet it was bottomless, and always contained something +new. + +There were the last fragments of the great box of wooden bricks, cut and +chipped, and notched and splintered by that treasure, his pocket-knife. +There was the tin box for the paste, or the worms in moss, when he went +fishing. There was the wheel of his old wheelbarrow, long since smashed +and numbered with the Noah's arks that have gone the usual way. There +was the brazen cylinder of a miniature steam-engine bent out of all +shape. There was the hammer-head made specially for him by the +blacksmith down in the village, without a handle, for people were tired +of putting new handles to it, he broke them so quickly. There was a +horse-shoe, and the iron catch of a gate, and besides these a boxwood +top, which he could not spin, but which he had payed away half the +savings in his money-box for, because he had seen it split the other +boys' tops in the road. + +In one corner was a brass cannon, the touch-hole blackened by the +explosion of gunpowder, and by it the lock of an ancient pistol--the +lock only, and neither barrel nor handle. An old hunting-crop, some +feathers from pheasants' tails, part of a mole-trap, an old brazen +bugle, much battered, a wooden fig-box full of rusty nails, several +scraps of deal board and stumps of cedar pencil were heaped together in +confusion. But these were not all, nor could any written inventory +exhaust the contents, and give a perfect list of all that cupboard held. +There was always something new in it: Bevis never went there, but he +found something. + +With the hunting-crop he followed the harriers and chased the doubling +hare; with the cannon he fought battles, such as he saw in the pictures; +the bugle, too, sounded the charge (the bailiff sometimes blew it in the +garden to please him, and the hollow "who-oo!" it made echoed over the +fields); with the deal boards and the rusty nails, and the hammer-head, +he built houses, and even cities. The jagged and splintered wooden +bricks, six inches long, were not bricks, but great beams and baulks of +timber; the wheel of the wheelbarrow was the centre of many curious +pieces of mechanism. He could see these things easily. So he sat down at +his cupboard and forgot the lecture instantly; the pout disappeared from +his lips as he plunged his hand into the inexhaustible cupboard. + +"Bevis, dear," he heard presently, "you may have an apple." + +Instantly, and without staying to shut the door on his treasures, he +darted upstairs--up two flights, with a clatter and a bang, burst open +the door, and was in the apple-room. It was a large garret or attic, +running half the length of the house, and there, in the autumn, the best +apples from the orchard were carried, and put on a thin layer of hay, +each apple apart from its fellow (for they ought not to touch), and each +particular sort, the Blenheim Oranges and the King Pippins, the Creepers +and the Grindstone Pippins (which grew nowhere else), divided from the +next sort by a little fence of hay. + +The most of them were gone now, only a few of the keeping apples +remained, and from these Bevis, with great deliberation, chose the +biggest, measuring them by the eye and weighing them in his hand. Then +downstairs again with a clatter and a bang, down the second stairs this +time, past the gun-room, where the tools were kept, and a carpenter's +bench; then through the whole length of the ground floor from the +kitchen to the parlour slamming every door behind him, and kicking over +the chairs in front of him. + +There he stayed half-a-minute to look at the hornet's nest under the +glass-case on the mantelpiece. The comb was built round a central pillar +or column, three stories one above the other, and it had been taken from +the willow tree by the brook, the huge hollow willow which he had twice +tried to chop down, that he might make a boat of it. Then out of doors, +and up the yard, and past the cart-house, when something moved in the +long grass under the wall. It was a weasel, caught in a gin. + +The trap had been set by the side of a drain for rats, and the weasel +coming out, or perhaps frightened by footsteps, and hastening +carelessly, had been trapped. Bevis, biting his apple, looked at the +weasel, and the weasel said: "Sir Bevis, please let me out, this gin +hurts me so; the teeth are very sharp and the spring is very strong, and +the tar-cord is very stout, so that I cannot break it. See how the iron +has skinned my leg and taken off the fur, and I am in such pain. Do +please let me go, before the ploughboy comes, or he will hit me with a +stick, or smash me with a stone, or put his iron-shod heel on me; and I +have been a very good weasel, Bevis. I have been catching the horrid +rats that eat the barley-meal put for the pigs. Oh, let me out, the gin +hurts me so!" + +Bevis put his foot on the spring, and was pressing it down, and the +weasel thought he was already free, and looked across at the wood pile +under which he meant to hide, when Bevis heard a little squeak close to +his head, and looked up and saw a mouse under the eaves of the +cart-house, peeping forth from a tiny crevice, where the mortar had +fallen from between the stones of the wall. + +"Bevis, Bevis!" said the mouse, "don't you do it--don't you let that +weasel go! He is a most dreadful wicked weasel, and his teeth are ever +so much sharper than that gin. He does not kill the rats, because he is +afraid of them (unless he can assassinate one in his sleep), but he +murdered my wife and sucked her blood, and her body, all dry and +withered, is up in the beam there, if you will get a ladder and look. +And he killed all my little mouses, and made me very unhappy, and I +shall never be able to get another wife to live with me in this +cart-house while he is about. There is no way we can get away from him. +If we go out into the field he follows us there, and if we go into the +sheds he comes after us there, and he is a cruel beast, that wicked +weasel. You know you ate the partridge's eggs," added the mouse, +speaking to the weasel. + +"It is all false," said the weasel. "But it is true that you ate the +wheat out of the ears in the wheat-rick, and you know what was the +consequence. If that little bit of wheat you ate had been thrashed, and +ground, and baked, and made into bread, then that poor girl would have +had a crust to eat, and would not have jumped into the river, and she +would have had a son, and he would have been a great man and fought +battles, just as Bevis does with his brazen cannon, and won great +victories, and been the pride of all the nation. But you ate those +particular grains of wheat that were meant to do all this, you wicked +little mouse. Besides which, you ran across the bed one night, and +frightened Bevis's mother." + +"But I did not mean to," said the mouse; "and you did mean to kill my +wife, and you ate the partridge's eggs." + +"And a very good thing I did," said the weasel. "Do you know what would +have happened, if I had not taken them? I did it all for good, and with +the best intentions. For if I had left the eggs one more day, there was +a man who meant to have stolen them all but one, which he meant to have +left to deceive the keeper. If he had stolen them, he would have been +caught, for the keeper was watching for him all the time, and he would +have been put to prison, and his children would have been hungry. So I +ate the eggs, and especially I ate every bit of the one the man meant to +have left." + +"And why were you so particular about eating that egg?" asked Bevis. + +"Because," said the weasel, "if that egg had come to a partridge chick, +and the chick had lived till the shooting-time came, then the sportsman +and his brother, when they came round, would have started it out of the +stubble, and the shot from the gun of the younger would have +accidentally killed the elder, and people would have thought it was done +to murder him for the sake of the inheritance." + +"Now, is this true?" said Bevis. + +"Yes, that it is; and I killed the mouse's wife also for the best of +reasons." + +"You horrid wretch!" cried the mouse. + +"Oh, you needn't call me a wretch," said the weasel; "I am sure you +ought to be grateful to me, for your wife was very jealous because you +paid so much attention to the Miss Mouse you want to marry now, and in +the night she meant to have gnawn your throat." + +"And you frightened my mother," said Bevis, "by running across her bed +in the night;" and he began to press on the spring of the gin. + +"Yes, that he did," said the weasel, overjoyed; "and he made a hole in +the boards of the floor, and it was down that hole that the +half-sovereign rolled and was lost, and the poor maid-servant sent away +because they thought she had stolen it." + +"What do you say to that?" asked Bevis. + +But the mouse was quite aghast and dumb-founded and began to think that +it was he after all who was in the wrong, so that for the moment he +could not speak. Just then Bevis caught sight of the colt that had come +up beside his mother, the cart mare, to the fence; and thinking that he +would go and try and stroke the pretty creature, Bevis started forward, +forgetting all about the weasel and the mouse. As he started, he pressed +the spring down, and in an instant the weasel was out, and had hobbled +across to the wood pile. When the mouse saw this, he gave a little +squeak of terror, and ran back to his hiding-place. + +But when Bevis put out his hand to stroke the colt, the colt started +back, so he picked up a stick and threw it at him. Then he took another +stick and hunted the hens round and round the ricks to make them lay +their eggs faster, as it is well known that is the best way. For he +remembered that last year they had shown him three tiny bantam chicks, +such darling little things, all cuddled cosily together in the hollow of +a silver table-spoon. The hens clucked and raced, and Bevis raced after +and shouted, and the cock, slipping on one side, for it hurt his +dignity to run away like the rest, hopped upon the railings, napped his +wings, crew, and cried: "You'll be glad when I'm dead". That was how +Bevis translated his "hurra-ca-roorah". + +In the midst of the noise out came Polly, the dairy-maid, with a bone +for Pan, which Bevis no sooner saw, than he asked her to let him give +Pan his dinner. "Very well, dear," said Polly, and went in to finish her +work. So Bevis took the bone, and Pan, all weary and sore from his +thrashing, crept out from his tub to receive it; but Bevis put the bone +on the grass (all the grass was worn bare where Pan could reach) just +where the spaniel could smell it nicely but could not get it. Pan +struggled, and scratched, and howled, and scratched again, and tugged +till his collar, buckled tightly now, choked him, and he gasped and +panted, while Bevis, taking the remnant of his apple from his pocket, +nibbled it and laughed with a face like an angel's for sweetness. + +Then a rook went over and cawed, and Bevis, looking up at the bird, +caught a glimpse of the swing over the wall--it stood under the sycamore +tree. Dropping the bit of apple, away he ran to the swing, and sat in +it, and pushed himself off. As he swung forward he straightened his legs +and leant back; when he swung back he drew his feet under him and leant +forward, and by continuing this the weight of his body caused the swing +to rise like a pendulum till he went up among the sycamore boughs, +nearly as high as the ivy-grown roof of the summer-house, just +opposite. There he went to and fro, as easily as possible, shutting his +eyes and humming to himself. + +Presently a cock chaffinch came and perched in the ash close by, and +immediately began to sing his war-song: "I am lord of this tree," sang +the chaffinch, "I am lord of this tree; every bough is mine, and every +leaf, and the wind that comes through it, and the sunshine that falls on +it, and the rain that moistens it, and the blue sky over it, and the +grass underneath it--all this is mine. My nest is going to be made in +the ivy that grows half-way up the trunk, and my wife is very busy +to-day bringing home the fibres and the moss, and I have just come back +a little while to tell you all that none of you must come into or touch +my tree. I like this tree, and therefore it is mine. Be careful that +none of you come inside the shadow of it, or I shall peck you with all +my might." + +Then he paused awhile, and Bevis went on swinging and listening. In a +minute or two another chaffinch came to the elm in the hedge just +outside the garden, and quite close to the ash. Directly he perched, he +ruffled up and began to sing too: "I am lord of this tree, and it is a +very high tree, much higher than the ash, and even above the oak where +that slow fellow the crow is building. Mine is the very highest tree of +all, and I am the brightest and prettiest of all the chaffinches. See my +colours how bright they are, so that you would hardly know me from a +bullfinch. There is not a feather rumpled in my wing, or my tail, and I +have the most beautiful eyes of all of you." + +Hardly had he done singing than another chaffinch came into the +crab-tree, a short way up the hedge, and he began to sing too: "I have a +much bigger tree than either of you, but as it is at the top of the +field I cannot bring it down here, but I have come down into this +crab-tree, and I say it is mine, and I am lord of two trees. I am +stronger than both of you, and neither of you dare come near me." + +The two other chaffinches were silent for a minute, and then one of +them, the knight of the ash-tree, flew down into the hedge under the +crab-tree; and instantly down flew the third chaffinch, and they fought +a battle, and pecked and buffeted one another with their wings, till +Bevis's tears ran down with laughing. Presently they parted, and the +third chaffinch went home to his tree at the top of the field, leaving +one little feather on the ground, which the first chaffinch picked up +and carried to his nest in the ash. + +But scarcely had he woven it into the nest than down flew the second +chaffinch from the elm into the shadow of the ash. Flutter, flutter went +the first chaffinch to meet him, and they had such a battle as Bevis had +never seen before, and fought till they were tired; then each flew up +into his tree, and sang again about their valour. + +Immediately afterwards ten sparrows came from the house-top into the +bushes, chattering and struggling all together, scratching, pecking, +buffeting, and all talking at once. After they had had a good fight +they all went back to the house-top, and began to tell each other what +tremendous blows they had given. Then there was such a great cawing from +the rook trees, which were a long way off, that it was evident a battle +was going on there, and Bevis heard the chaffinch say that one of the +rooks had been caught stealing his cousin's sticks. + +Next two goldfinches began to fight, and then a blackbird came up from +the brook and perched on a rail, and he was such a boaster, for he said +he had the yellowest bill of all the blackbirds, and the blackest coat, +and the largest eye, and the sweetest whistle, and he was lord over all +the blackbirds. In two minutes up came another one from out of the +bramble bushes at the corner, and away they went chattering at each +other. Presently the starlings on the chimney began to quarrel, and had +a terrible set-to. Then a wren came by, and though he was so small, his +boast was worse than the blackbird's, for he said he was the sharpest +and the cleverest of all the birds, and knew more than all put together. + +Afar off, in the trees, there were six or seven thrushes, all declaring +that they were the best singers, and had the most speckled necks; and up +in the sky the swallows were saying that they had the whitest bosoms. + +"Oo! whoo," cried a wood-pigeon from the very oak under which Bevis had +gone to sleep. "There are none who can fly so fast as I can. I am a +captain of the wood-pigeons, and in the winter I have three hundred and +twenty-two pigeons under me, and they all do exactly as I tell them. +They fly when I fly, and settle down when I settle down. If I go to the +west, they go to the west; and if I go to the east, then they follow to +the east. I have the biggest acorns, and the best of the peas, for they +leave them especially for me. And not one of all the three hundred and +twenty-two pigeons dares to begin to eat the wheat in August till I say +it is ripe and they may, and not one of them dares to take a wife till I +say yes. Oo-whoo! Is not my voice sweet and soft, and delicious, far +sweeter than that screeching nightingale's in the hawthorn yonder?" + +But he had no sooner finished than another one began in the fir copse, +and said he was captain of one thousand pigeons, and was ever so much +stronger, and could fly ten miles an hour faster. So away went the first +pigeon to the fir copse, and there was a great clattering of wings and +"oo-whoo"-ing, and how it was settled Bevis could not tell. + +So as he went on swinging, he heard all the birds quarrelling, and +boasting, and fighting, hundreds of them all around, and he said to the +chaffinch on the ash:-- + +"Chaffinch, it seems to me that you are all very wicked birds, for you +think of nothing but fighting all day long". + +The chaffinch laughed, and said: "My dear Sir Bevis, I do not know what +you mean by wicked. But fighting is very nice indeed, and we all feel +so jolly when fighting time comes. For you must know that the spring is +the duelling time, when all the birds go to battle. There is not a tree +nor a bush on your papa's farm, nor on all the farms all around, nor in +all the country, nor in all this island, but some fighting is going on. +I have not time to tell you all about it; but I wish you could read our +history, and all about the wars that have been going on these thousand +years. Perhaps if you should ever meet the squirrel he will tell you, +for he knows most about history. As we all like it so much, it must be +right, and we never hurt one another very much. Sometimes a feather is +knocked out, and sometimes one gets a hard peck; but it does not do any +harm. And after it is over, in the autumn, we are all very good friends, +and go hunting together. You may see us, hundreds of us in your papa's +stubble-fields, Bevis, all flying together very happy. I think the +skylarks fight the most, for they begin almost in the winter if the sun +shines warm for an hour, and they keep on all day in the summer, and +till it is quite dark and the stars are out, besides getting up before +the cuckoo to go on again. Yet they are the sweetest and nicest of all +the birds, and the most gentle, and do not mind our coming into their +fields. So I am sure, Bevis, that you are wrong, and fighting is not +wicked if you love one another. You and Mark are fond of one another, +but you hit him sometimes, don't you?" + +"Yes, that I do," said Bevis, very eagerly, "I hit him yesterday so +hard with my bat that he would not come and play with me. It is very +nice to hit any one." + +"But you cannot do it like we do it," said the chaffinch, swelling with +pride again, "for we sing and you can't, and if you can't sing you have +no business to fight, and besides, though you are much older than me you +are not married yet. Now I have such a beautiful wife, and to tell you +the truth, Bevis, we do the fighting because the ladies love to see it, +and kiss us for it afterwards. I am the knight of this tree!" + +After which Bevis, being tired of swinging, went to the summer-house to +read what he had written with his stump of pencil till he was called to +tea. In the evening, when the sun was sinking, he went out and lay down +on the seat--it was a broad plank, grey with lichen--under the russet +apple-tree, looking towards the west, over the brook below. He saw the +bees coming home to the hives close by on the haha, and they seemed to +come high in the air, flying straight as if from the distant hills where +the sun was. He heard the bees say that there were such quantities of +flowers on the hills, and such pleasant places, and that the sky was +much more blue up there, and he thought if he could he would go to the +hills soon. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ADVENTURES OF THE WEASEL. + + +After awhile the mowers came and began to cut the long grass in the Home +Field, and the meadow by the brook. Bevis could see them from the +garden, and it was impossible to prevent him from straying up the +footpath, so eager was he to go nearer. The best thing that could be +done, since he could not be altogether stopped, was to make him promise +that he would not go beyond a certain limit. He might wander as much as +he pleased inside the hedge and the Home Field, in which there was no +pond, nor any place where he could very well come to harm. But he must +not creep through the hedge, so that he would always be in sight from +the garden. If he wished to enter the meadow by the brook he must ask +special permission, that some one might be put to watch now and then. + +But more expressly he was forbidden to enter the Little Field. The grass +there was not yet to be mown--it was too long to walk in--and they were +afraid lest he should get through the hedge, or climb over the high +padlocked gate in some way or other, for the Long Pond was on the other +side, though it could not be seen for trees. Nor was he to approach +nearer to the mowers than one swathe; he was always to keep one swathe +between him and the scythes, which are extremely sharp and dangerous +instruments. + +Sir Bevis repeated these promises so seriously, and with so demure and +innocent an expression, that no one could doubt but that he would keep +them strictly, nor, indeed, did any idea of exceeding these limits occur +to him. He was so overjoyed at the vast extent of territory, almost a +new world thrown open for exploration, that he did not think it possible +he could ever want to go any farther. He rushed into the Home Field, +jumping over the swathes till he was tired, and kicking the grass about +with his feet. Then he wanted a prong, and a stout stick with a fork was +cut and pointed for him, and with this he went eagerly to work for five +minutes. Next he wanted some one to bury under the grass, and could not +be satisfied till the dairy-maid was sent out and submitted to be +completely hidden under a heap of it. + +Next he walked all round the field, and back home down the middle. +By-and-by he sat down and looked at the mowers, who were just finishing +the last corner before they went into the meadow by the brook. While he +was sitting there a number of greenfinches, and sparrows, and two or +three hasty starlings (for they are always in a hurry), came to the +sward where the mowers had just passed, and searched about for food. +They seemed so happy and looked so pretty, Bevis thought he should like +to shoot one, so away he ran home to the summer-house for his bow and +arrow. Hastening back with these, he built a heap of the grass to hide +behind, like a breastwork, and then sat down and watched for the birds. + +They did not come directly, as they ought to have done, so he kicked up +his heels, and rolled over on his back, and looked up at the sky, as was +his wont. Every now and then he could hear Pan whining woefully in his +tub a long way off. Since the whipping the spaniel had been in disgrace, +and no one would let him loose. Bevis, so delighted with his field to +roam about in, quite forgot him, and left him to sorrow in his tub. +Presently he heard a lark singing so sweetly, though at a great +distance, that he kept quite still to listen. The song came in verses, +now it rose a little louder, and now it fell till he could hardly hear +it, and again returned. Bevis got up on his knees to try and find where +the lark was, but the sky was so blue there or the bird so high up, he +could not see it, though he searched and searched. It was somewhere in +the next field, far beyond the great oak where he once fell asleep. + +He then peered round his heap of grass, but there were no greenfinches +near; they had come out from the hedges, and the starling had come from +the hollow pollard where he had a nest, but all had settled a long way +off from his hiding-place. Bevis was very angry, so he stood up, and +pulled his bow with all his might, and let the arrow fly into the air +almost straight up. When it had risen so far, it turned over and came +down among the flock of birds and stuck in the ground. + +They flew away in terror, and though he had not killed any, Bevis was +highly delighted at the fright they were in. He picked up his arrow, +and tried another long shot at a rook on the other side of the field, +but he could not send it so great a distance. As he ran for it, he saw +that the rook's back was towards him, and, thinking that the rook could +not see him, he raced on quietly to try and catch him, but just as he +got close, up rose the rook over the hedge with a "Caw, caw!" Whizz! +went Bevis's arrow after him, and fell on the other side of the hedge, +where he was not to go. + +In his anger at the rook's behaviour Bevis forgot all about his promise; +he jumped into the ditch regardless of the stinging-nettles, pushed his +way up through the briars, tearing his sleeve, forced his way across the +mound, and went on his hands and knees through the young green fern on +the other side (just as Pan would have done) under the thick thorn +bushes, and so out into the next field. It was the very field where he +and Pan had wandered before, only another part of it. There was his +arrow ever so far off, sticking upright in the grass among the cowslips. +As he went to pick up his arrow he saw another flower growing a little +farther on, and went to gather that first; it was an orchid, and when he +stood up with it in his hand he heard a mouse rustle in the grass, and +stepped quietly to try and see it, but the mouse hid in a hole. + +Then there was an enormous humble-bee, so huge that when it stayed to +suck a cowslip, the cowslip was bent down with its weight. Bevis walked +after the giant humble-bee, and watched it take the honey from several +cowslips; then he saw a stone standing in the field, it was not +upright, but leaned to one side--yet it was almost as tall as he was. He +went to the stone and looked all round it, and got up on it and sat +still a minute, and while he was there a cuckoo came by, so close, that +he jumped off to run after it. But the cuckoo flew fast, and began to +call "Cuckoo!" and it was no use to chase him. + +When Bevis stopped and looked about he was in a hollow, like a big salad +bowl, only all grass, and he could see nothing but the grass and +cowslips all round him--no hedges--and the sky overhead. He began to +dance and sing with delight at such a curious place, and when he paused +the lark was on again, and not very far this time. There he was, rising +gradually, singing as he went. Bevis ran up the side of the hollow +towards the lark, and saw a hedge cut and cropped low, and over it a +wheat-field. He watched the lark sing, sing, sing, up into the sky, and +then he thought he would go and find his nest, as he remembered the +ploughboy had told him larks made their nests on the ground among the +corn. + +He ran to the low hedge, but though it was low it was very thorny, and +while he was trying to find a place to get through, he looked over and +spied a hare crouched in the rough grass, just under the hedge between +it and the wheat. The hare was lying on the ground; she did not move, +though she saw Bevis, and when he looked closer he saw that her big eyes +were full of tears. She was crying very bitterly, all by herself, while +the sun was shining so brightly, and the wind blowing so sweetly, and +the flowers smelling so pleasantly, and the lark sing, sing, singing +overhead. + +"Oh! dear," said Bevis, so eager and so sorry, that he pushed against +the hedge, and did not notice that a thorn was pricking his arm: +"Whatever is the matter?" But the hare was so miserable she would not +answer him at first, till he coaxed her nicely. Then she said: "Bevis, +Bevis, little Sir Bevis, do you know what you have done?" + +"No," said Bevis, "I can't think: was it me?" + +"Yes, it was you; you let the weasel loose, when he was caught in the +gin." + +"Did I?" said Bevis, "I have quite forgotten it." + +"But you did it," said the hare, "and now the weasel has killed my son, +the leveret, while he was sleeping, and sucked his blood, and I am so +miserable; I do not care to run away any more." Then the hare began to +weep bitterly again, till Bevis did not know what to do to comfort her. + +"Perhaps the weasel only killed the leveret for your good," he said +presently. + +"What!" cried the hare, putting her fore-feet down hard, and stamping +with indignation. "That is what the wicked old wretch told you, did he +not, about the mouse and the partridge's eggs. Cannot you see that it is +all a pack of lies? But I do not wonder that he deceives you, dear, +since he has deceived the world for so long. Let me tell you, Sir Bevis, +the weasel is the wickedest and most dreadful creature that lives, and +above all things he is so cunning he can make people believe anything +he chooses, and he has succeeded in making fools of us all--every one. + +"There is not one of all the animals in the hedge, nor one of the birds +in the trees, that he has not cheated. He is so very, very cunning, and +his talk is so soft and smooth. Do you please take care, Sir Bevis, or +perhaps he may deceive you, as he deceived the fox. Why, do you know, he +has made the people believe that his crimes are committed by the fox, +who consequently bears all the disgrace; and not only that, but he has +spread it abroad that the fox is the most cunning of all, in order that +he may not be suspected of being so clever as he is. I daresay the +weasel will have me some day, and I do not care if he does, now my +leveret is dead; and very soon his poor bones will be picked clean by +the ants, and after the corn is carried the plough will bury them." + +Bevis was terribly distressed at the hare's story, and showed such +indignation against the weasel, and stamped his little foot so hard, +knitting his brow, that the hare was somewhat appeased, and began to +explain all about it. + +"Of course you did not know, dear," she said, "when you stepped on the +spring of the gin, what trouble we had had to get him into the trap. For +we had all suffered so long from his cruelty, that we had all agreed at +last to try and put an end to it. The trees could not bear to stand +still and see it go on under them, yet they could not move. The earth +could not bear to feel him running about on his bloodthirsty business, +through the holes the rabbits had made. The grass hated to feel him +pushing through, for it had so often been stained with the blood that he +had shed. So we all took counsel together, and I carried the messages, +dear, from the oak, where you slept, to the ash and the elm, and to the +earth in the corner where the rabbits live; and the birds came up into +the oak and gave their adherence, every one; and the fox, too, though he +did not come himself, for he is too cunning to commit himself till he +knows which way the wind is going to blow, sent word of his high +approval. + +"Thus we were all prepared to act against that midnight assassin, the +weasel, but we could not begin. The trees could not move, the earth +could not wag a step, the grass could do nothing, and so it went on for +some months, during all which time the weasel was busy with his +wickedness, till at last the bailiff set the gin for the rat by the +cart-house. Then the fox came out by day--contrary to his custom, for he +likes a nap--and went to a spot where he knew a rabbit sat in the grass; +and he hunted the poor rabbit (it was very good sport to see--I do not +like rabbits), till he had driven him across the ditch, where the weasel +was. Then the fox stopped, and hid himself in the furze; and the weasel, +first looking round to see that no one was near, stole after the rabbit. +Now the rabbit knew that the fox was about, and therefore he was afraid +to run across the open field; all he could do was to go down the hedge +towards the garden. + +"Everything was going on well, and we sent word to the rat, to warn him +against the gin--we did not like the rat, but we did not want the gin +thrown--don't you see, dear? But when the rabbit had gone half-way down +the hedge, and was close to the garden, he became afraid to venture any +nearer your house, Bevis. Still the weasel crept after him, and +presently drove him almost up to your sycamore-tree. Then the rabbit did +not know what to do; for if he went forward the people in the house +might see him and bring out the gun, and if he turned back the weasel +would have him, and if he ran out into the field the fox would be there, +and he could not climb up a tree. He stopped still, trying to think, +till the weasel came so near he could smell the rabbit's blood, and +then, in his terror, the rabbit darted out from the hedge, and into the +ditch of your haha wall, under where the bee-hives are. There he saw a +dry drain, and hopped into it, forgetting in his fright that he might +not be able to get out at the other end. + +"The weasel thought he had now got him safe, and was just going to rush +across and follow, when an ant spoke to him from the trunk of a tree it +was climbing. The ant said the fox had asked him yesterday to watch, and +if the weasel came that way, to warn him that there was a plot laid for +his life, and not to be too venturesome. This was a piece of the same +double-faced ways the fox has been notorious for these many years past. +No one hates the weasel so much as the fox, but he said to himself: 'The +weasel is so cunning, that even if he is caught, he is sure to find some +way to get free, and then he will perhaps discover that I had a hand in +it, and will turn round on me and spoil some of my schemes out of spite. +Besides which, I don't see why I should take much interest in the hare +or the mouse.' So, though he hunted the rabbit for us, yet he sent the +weasel this message, to take care and mind and not be too bold. + +"When the weasel heard this he stopped, and thought to himself that it +was rather dangerous to go so near a house, almost under it; and yet he +could not help licking his mouth, as he remembered the sweet scent of +the rabbit's blood. But he was so very, very cunning, that he thought to +himself the rabbit would be obliged to come out again presently, and +would be sure to come up the hedge if he did not see the weasel. So the +weasel turned round to go up the hedge, and we were all in anxiety lest +the scheme should miscarry. But as the weasel was going under the elm, +the elm dropped a large dead branch, and as it came crashing down, it +fell so near the weasel as to pinch his foot, and, hearing another +branch go crack, he lost his presence of mind, turned back again, and +darted across the corner into the drain. There the scent of the rabbit +was so strong he could not help but follow it, and in a moment or two he +saw the poor creature crouched at the end where he could not pass. + +"The weasel bounded forward, when the earth squeezed out a stone, and +the stone fell between the weasel and the rabbit. Before he could tell +what to do, the earth squeezed out another stone behind him and he was +caught, and could neither go forward or backward. Now we thought we had +got him, and that he must starve to death. As for the rabbit, when the +stone fell down it left a hole above, up which he scrambled into the +cow-yard, and there hid himself behind a bunch of nettles till night, +when he escaped into the field. + +"Meantime the weasel in a dreadful fright was walking to and fro in his +narrow prison, gnashing his teeth with rage and terror, and calling to +all the animals and birds and insects and even to the mole (whom he +despised most of all) to help him out. He promised to be the nicest, +kindest weasel that ever was known; but it was no use, for they were all +in the secret, and overjoyed to see him on the point of perishing. There +he had to stay, and though he scratched and scratched, he could not make +any hole through the solid stone, and by-and-by he got weaker, and he +began to die. While he was dying the rat came and peeped down at him +through a chink, and laughed and said: 'What is the use of all your +cunning, you coward? If you had been bold like me you would never have +got into this scrape, by being afraid of a dead branch of a tree because +it pinched your foot. I should have run by quickly. You are a silly, +foolish, blind sort of creature; could you not see that all the things +had agreed to deceive you?' + +"At this the weasel was so wroth it woke him up from his dying, and he +returned the taunt and said: 'Rat, you are by far the silliest to help +the hare and the mouse; it is true they sent you a message about the +gin, but that was not for love of you, I am sure, and I can't think why +they should send it; but you may depend it is some trick, and very +likely the gin is not where they said at all, but in another place, and +you will walk into it when you are not thinking, and then you will curse +the hare and the mouse'. + +"'Ah,' said the rat, 'that sounds like reason; you are right, the hare +and the mouse are going to play me a trick. But I will spite them, I +will let you out.' + +"'Will you?' said the weasel, starting up and feeling almost strong +again. 'But you can't, these stones are so thick you cannot move them, +nor scratch through them, nor raise them; no, you cannot let me out.' + +"'Oh, yes, I can,' said the rat, 'I know a way to move the biggest +stones, and if you can only wait a day or two I will make this chink +large enough for you to come up.' + +"'A day or two,' said the weasel in despair; 'why, I am nearly dead now +with hunger.' + +"'Well then,' said the rat, 'gnaw your own tail;' and off he went +laughing at the joke. The miserable weasel cried and sniffed, and +sniffed and cried, till by-and-by he heard the rat come back and begin +to scratch outside. Presently the rat stopped, and was going away again, +when the weasel begged and prayed him not to leave him to die there in +the dark. + +"'Very well,' said the rat, 'I will send the cricket to sing to you. In +a day or two you will see the chink get bigger, and meantime you can +eat your tail; and as you will get very thin, you will be able to creep +through a very small hole and get out all the quicker. Ha! ha! As for +me, I am going to have a capital dinner from Pan's dish, for he has +fallen asleep in his tub.' + +"So the weasel was left to himself, and though he watched and watched, +he could not see the chink open in the least, and he got so dreadfully +hungry that at last, after sucking his paws, he was obliged to bring his +tail round and begin to gnaw it a little bit. The pain was dreadful, but +he could not help himself, he was obliged to do it or die. In the +evening the cricket came, as the rat had promised, to the top of the +chink, and at once began to sing. He sang all about the lady cricket +with whom he was in love, and then about the beautiful stars that were +shining in the sky, and how nice it was to be a cricket, for the +crickets were by far the most handsome and clever of all creatures, and +everybody would like to be a cricket if they could. + +"Next, he went on to praise himself, that his lady might hear what fine +limbs he had, and so noble a form, and such a splendid chink to live in. +Thus he kept on the livelong night, and all about himself; and his +chirp, chirp, chirp filled the weasel's prison with such a noise that +the wretched thing could not sleep. He kept asking the cricket to tell +him if the rat had really done anything to enlarge the chink; but the +cricket was too busy to answer him till the dawn, and then, having +finished his song, he found time to attend to the weasel. + +"'You have been very rude,' he said, 'to keep on talking while I was +singing, but I suppose, as you are only an ignorant weasel, you do not +understand good manners, and therefore I will condescend so far as to +inform you of the measures taken by my noble friend the rat to get you +out. If you were not so extremely ignorant and stupid you would guess +what he has done.' + +"Now all this was very bitter to the weasel, who had always thought he +knew everything, to be insulted by a cricket; still he begged to be told +what it was. 'The rat,' went on the cricket, 'has brought a little piece +from a fungus, and has scratched a hole beside the stone and put it in +there. Now, when this begins to grow and the fungus pushes up, it will +move the stone and open a chink. In this way I have seen my lord the rat +heave up the heaviest paving stones and make a road for himself. Now are +you not stupid?' Then the cricket went home to bed. + +"All day long the miserable weasel lay on the floor of his prison, +driven every now and then to gnaw his tail till he squeaked with the +pain. The only thing that kept him from despair was the hope of the +revenge he would have, if ever he did get out, on those who had laid the +trap for him. For hours he lay insensible, and only woke up when the rat +looked down the chink and asked him, with a jolly chuckle, how his tail +tasted, and then went off without waiting for an answer. Then the +cricket came again, and taking not the least notice of the prisoner, +sang all night. + +"In the morning the weasel looked up, and saw that the chink had really +opened. He crawled to it, he was so faint he could not walk, so he had +to crawl over the floor, which was all red with his own blood. The +fungus, a thick, yellowish-green thing, like a very large and +unwholesome mushroom, was growing fast, so fast he could see it move, +and very slowly it shoved and lifted up the stone. The chink was now so +far open that in his thin, emaciated state, the weasel could have got +through; but he was so weak he could not climb up. He called to the rat, +and the rat came and tried to reach him, but it was just a little too +far down. + +"'If I only had something to drink,' said the weasel, 'only one drop of +water, I think I could do it, but I am faint from thirst.' + +"Off ran the rat to see what he could do, and as he passed the tub where +Pan lived he saw a bowl of water just pumped for the spaniel. The bowl +was of wood with a projecting handle--not a ring to put the fingers +through, but merely a short straight handle. He went round to the other +side of the tub in which Pan was dozing and began to scratch. Directly +Pan heard the scratching:-- + +"'Ho! ho!' said he, 'that's that abominable rat that steals my food,' +and he darted out, and in his tremendous hurry his chain caught the +handle of the bowl, just as the rat had hoped it would. Over went the +bowl, and all the water was spilt, but the rat, the instant he heard Pan +coming, had slipped away back to the weasel. + +"When Pan was tired of looking where he had heard the scratching, he +went back to take a lap, but found the bowl upset, and that all the +water had run down the drain. As he was very thirsty after gnawing a +salt bacon-bone, he set up a barking, and the dairy-maid ran out, +thinking it was a beggar, and began to abuse him for being so clumsy as +to knock over his bowl. Pan barked all the louder, so she hit him with +the handle of her broom, and he went howling into his tub. He vowed +vengeance against the rat, but that did not satisfy his thirst. + +"Meantime the water had run along the drain, and though the fungus +greedily sucked up most of it, the weasel had a good drink. After that +he felt better, and he climbed up the chink, squeezing through and +dragging his raw tail behind him, till he nearly reached the top. But +there it was still a little tight, and he could not manage to push +through, not having strength enough left. He felt himself slipping back +again, and called on the rat to save him. The rat without ceremony leant +down the chink, and caught hold of his ear with his teeth, and snipped +it so tight he bit it right through, but he dragged the weasel out. + +"There he lay a long time half dead and exhausted, under a dock leaf +which hid him from view. The rat began to think that the weasel would +die after all, so he came and said: 'Wake up, coward, and come with me +into the cart-house; there is a very nice warm hole there, and I will +tell you something; if you stay here very likely the bailiff may see +you, and if Pan should be let loose he will sniff you out in a second'. +So the weasel, with very great difficulty, dragged himself into the +cart-house, and found shelter in the hole. + +"Now the rat, though he had helped the weasel, did not half like him, +for he was afraid to go to sleep while the weasel was about, lest his +guest should fasten on his throat, for he knew he was treacherous to the +last degree. He cast about in his mind how to get rid of him, and at the +same time to serve his own purpose. By-and-by he said that there was a +mouse in the cart-house who had a very plump wife, and two fat little +mouses. At this the weasel pricked up his ears, for he was so terribly +hungry, and sat up and asked where they were. The rat said the wife and +the children were up in the beam; the wood had rotted, and they had a +hole there, but he was afraid the mouse himself was away from home just +then, most likely in the corn-bin, where the barley-meal for the pigs +was kept. + +"'Never mind,' said the weasel, eagerly, 'the wife and the baby mice +will do very well,' and up he started and climbed up through the rat's +hole in the wall to the roof, and then into the hole in the beam, where +he had a good meal on the mice. Now the rat hated this mouse because he +lived so near, and helped himself to so much food, and being so much +smaller, he could get about inside the house where you live, Bevis, +without being seen, and so got very fat, and made the rat jealous. He +thought, too, that when the weasel had eaten the wife and the babies, +that he would be strong enough to go away. Presently the weasel came +down from his meal, and looked so fierce and savage that the rat, strong +as he was, was still more anxious to get rid of him as quickly as +possible. + +"He told the weasel that there was a way by which he could get to the +corn-bin without the least danger, though it was close to the house, and +there he would be certain to find the mouse himself, and very likely +another Miss Mouse whom he used to meet there. At this the weasel was so +excited he could hardly wait to be shown the way, and asked the rat to +put him in the road directly; he was so hungry he did not care what he +did. Without delay the rat took him to the mouth of the hole, and told +him to stay there and listen a minute to be sure that no one was coming. +If he could not hear any footsteps, all he had to do was to rush across +the road there, only two or three yards, to the rough grass, the +dandelions, and the docks opposite. Just there there was an iron grating +made in the wall of the house to let in the air and keep the rats out; +but one of the bars had rusted off and was broken, and that was the +mouse's track to the corn-bin. + +"The weasel put out his head, glanced round, saw no one, and without +waiting to listen rushed out into the roadway. In an instant the rat +pushed against a small piece of loose stone, which he kept for the +purpose, and it fell down and shut up the mouth of his hole. As the +weasel was running across the roadway suddenly one of the labourers came +round the corner with a bucket of food for the pigs. Frightened beyond +measure, the weasel hastened back to the rat's hole, but could not get +in because of the stone. Not knowing what to do, he ran round the +cart-house, where there was some grass under the wall, with the man +coming close behind him. Now it was just there that the bailiff had set +the gin for the rat, near the mouth of the drain, but the rat knew all +about it, and used the other hole. + +"The grass, knowing that we wished to drive the weasel that way into the +gin, had tried to grow faster and hide the trap, but could not get on +very well because the weather was so dry. But that morning, when the rat +upset Pan's bowl of water, and it ran down the drain, some part of it +reached the roots of the grass and moistened them, then the grass shot +up quick and quite hid the trap, except one little piece. Now, seeing +the weasel rushing along in his fright, the grass was greatly excited, +but did not know what to do to hide this part, so the grass whispered to +his friend the wind to come to his help. + +"This the wind was very ready to do, for this reason--he hated to smell +the decaying carcases of the poor creatures the weasel killed, and left +to rot and to taint the air, so that it quite spoilt his morning ramble +over the fields. With a puff the wind came along and blew a dead leaf, +one of last year's leaves, over the trap, and so hid it completely. + +"The weasel saw the mouth of the drain, and thinking to be safe in a +minute darted at it, and was snapped up by the gin. The sudden shock +deprived him of sense or motion, and well for him it did, for had he +squeaked or moved ever so little the man with the bucket must have seen +or heard him. After a time he came to himself, and again began to beg +the rat to help him; but the rat, having had his revenge on the mouse, +did not much care to trouble about it, and, besides, he remembered how +very wolfish and fierce the weasel had looked at him when in his hole. +At least he thought he would have a night's sleep in comfort first, for +he had been afraid to sleep a wink with the weasel so near. Now the +weasel was in the gin he could have a nap. + +"All night long the weasel was in the gin, and to a certainty he would +have been seen--for the bailiff would have been sure to come and look at +his trap--but if you remember, Bevis, dear, that was the very day you +were lost (while asleep under the oak), and everything was confusion, +and the gin was forgotten. Well, in the morning the weasel begged so +piteously of the rat to help him again, that the rat began to think he +would, now he had had a good sleep, when just as he was peeping out +along you came, Bevis, dear, and found the weasel in the gin. + +"Now, I daresay you remember the talk you had with the weasel, and what +the mouse said; well, the rat was listening all the while, and he heard +the weasel say to you that he always killed the rats. 'Aha!' thought +the rat, 'catch me helping you again, sir;' and the weasel heard him say +it. So when you stepped on the spring and loosed the weasel, he did not +dare go into the drain, knowing that the rat (while awake) was stronger +than he, but hobbled as well as he could across to the wood-pile. There +he stopped, exhausted, and stiff from his wounds. Meantime the rat +deliberated how best he could drive the treacherous weasel away from the +place. + +"At night, accordingly, he cautiously left his hole and went across to +the tub where Pan was sleeping, curled up comfortably within. The end of +Pan's chain, where it was fastened to the staple outside the tub, was +not of iron, but tar-cord. The last link had been broken, and it was +therefore tied in this manner. The rat easily gnawed through the +tar-cord, and then slipped back to his hole to await events. About the +middle of the night, when the weasel had rested and began to stir out, +Pan woke up, and seeing that it was light, stepped out to bay at the +moon. He immediately found that his chain was undone, and rushed about +to try and find some water, being very thirsty. He had not gone very far +before he smelt the weasel, and instantly began to chase him. The +weasel, however, slipped under a faggot, and so across and under the +wood-pile, where he was safe; but he was so alarmed that presently he +crept out the other side, and round by the pig-sty, and so past the +stable to the rick-yard, and then into the hedge, and he never stopped +running, stiff as he was, till he was half-a-mile away in the ash copse +and had crept into a rabbit's hole. He could not have got away from the +wood-pile, only Pan, being so thirsty, gave up looking for him, and went +down to the brook. + +"In the morning, as they thought Pan had broken his chain, they kicked +the spaniel howling into his tub again. And now comes the sad part of +it, Bevis, dear. You must know that when the weasel was in the trap we +all thought it was quite safe, and that our enemy was done for at last, +and so we went off to a dancing-party, on the short grass of the downs +by moonlight, leaving our leverets to nibble near the wheat. We stayed +at the dancing-party so late that the dawn came and we were afraid to go +home in the daylight, and next night we all felt so merry we had another +dance, and again danced till it was morning. + +"While we were sleeping in the day, the weasel, having now recovered a +good deal, crept out from the rabbit-hole in the copse. We were so far +off, you see, the mice could not send us word that he had escaped from +the gin in time, and, indeed, none of them knew exactly where to find +us; they told the swallows, and the swallows searched, but missed us. +The wind, too, blew as many ways as he could to try and reach us, but he +had to blow east that day, and could not manage it. If we had only been +at home we should have been on the watch; but my poor leveret, and my +two friends' poor leverets, were sleeping so comfortably when the wicked +weasel stole on them one by one, and bit their necks and killed them. He +could not eat them, nor half of them, he only killed them for revenge, +and oh! dear little Sir Bevis, what shall I do? what shall I do?" + +"I will kill the weasel," said Bevis. "He is dreadfully wicked. I will +shoot him this minute with my bow and arrow." + +But when he looked round he had got neither of them; he had dropped the +bow in the Home Field when he jumped into the ditch to scramble through +the hedge, and he had wandered so far among the cowslips that he could +not see the arrow. Bevis looked all round again, and did not recognise +any of the trees, nor the hedges, nor could he see the house nor the +ricks, nor anything that he knew. His face flushed up, and the tears +came into his eyes; he was lost. + +"Don't cry," said the hare, much pleased at the eagerness with which he +took up the quarrel against the weasel; "don't cry, darling, I will show +you the way home and where to find your arrow. It is not very far, +though you cannot see it because of the ground rising between you and +it. But will you really kill the weasel next time?" + +"Yes, indeed I will," said Bevis, "I will shoot my arrow and kill him +quite dead in a minute." + +"But I am not sure you can hit him with your arrow; don't you remember +that you could not hit the greenfinches nor the rook?" + +"Well then," said Bevis, "if you will wait till I am a man, papa will +lend me his gun, and then I can certainly kill him." + +"But that will be such a long time, Sir Bevis; did not your papa tell +you you would have to eat another peck of salt before you could have a +gun?" + +"Then I know what I will do," said Bevis, "I will shoot the weasel with +my brass cannon. Ah, that is the way! And I know where papa keeps his +gunpowder; it is in a tin canister on the topmost shelf, and I will tell +you how I climb up there. First, I bring the big arm-chair, and then I +put the stool on that, and then I stand on the lowest shelf, and I can +just reach the canister." + +"Take care, Sir Bevis," said the hare, "take care, and do not open the +canister where there is a fire in the room, or a candle, because a spark +may blow you up just when you are not thinking." + +"Oh! I know all about that; I'll take care," said Bevis, "and I will +shoot the wretch of a weasel in no time. Now please show me the way +home." + +"So I will; you stay there till I come to you, I will run round by the +gateway." + +"Why not come straight through the hedge?" said Bevis, "you could easily +creep through, I'm sure." + +"No, dear. I must not come that way, that road belongs to another hare, +and I must not trespass." + +"But you can run where you like--can you not?" + +"Oh, dear no; all the hares have different roads, Sir Bevis, and if I +were to run along one of theirs that did not belong to me, to-night they +would bite me and thump me with their paws till I was all bruised." + +"I can't see any path," said Bevis, "you can run where you like in the +field, I'm sure." + +"No, I can't, dear; I shall have to go a quarter of a mile round to come +to you, because there are three paths between you and me, and I shall +have to turn and twist about not to come on them." + +While Bevis was thinking about this, and how stupid it was of the hares +to have roads, the hare ran off, and in two or three minutes came to him +through the cowslips. "Oh, you pretty creature!" said Sir Bevis, +stooping down and stroking her back, and playing with the tips of her +long ears. "Oh, I do love you so!" At this the hare was still more +pleased, and rubbed her head against Bevis's hand. + +"Now," she said, "you must come along quickly, because I dare not stay +on this short grass, lest some dog should see me. Follow me, dear." She +went on before him, and Bevis ran behind, and in a minute or two they +went over the rising ground, past the tall stone (put there for the cows +to rub their sides against), and then the hare stopped and showed Bevis +the great oak tree, where he once went to sleep. She told him to look at +it well, and recollect the shape of it, so that another time he could +find his way home by the tree. Then she told him to walk straight to the +tree, and on his way there he would find the arrow, and close by the +tree was the gap in the hedge, and when he got through the gap, he would +see the house and the ricks, and if he followed the ditch then he would +presently come to the place where he dropped his bow. "Thank you," said +Bevis, "I will run as fast as I can, for I am sure it must be nearly +dinner time. Good-bye, you pretty creature;" and having stroked her ears +just once more, off he started. In a few minutes he found his arrow, and +looked back to show it to the hare, but she was gone; so he went on to +the oak, got through the gap, and there was the house at the other side +of the field. He could hear Pan barking, so he felt quite at home, and +walked along the ditch till he picked up his bow. He was very hungry +when he got home, and yet he was glad when the dinner was over, that he +might go to the cupboard and get his brass cannon. + +When he came to examine the cannon, and to think about shooting the +weasel with it, he soon found that it would not do very well, because he +could not hold it in his hand and point it straight, and when it went +off it would most likely burn his fingers. But looking at his papa's gun +he saw that the barrel, where the powder is put in, was fixed in a +wooden handle called the stock, so he set to work with his pocket-knife +to make a handle for his cannon. He cut a long thick willow stick, +choosing the willow because it was soft and easiest to cut, and chipped +away till he had made a groove in it at one end in which he put the +cannon, fastening it in with a piece of thin copper wire twisted round. +Next he cut a ramrod, and then he loaded his gun, and fired it off with +a match to see how it went. + +This he did at the bottom of the orchard, a long way from the house, +for he was afraid that if they saw what he was doing they might take it +from him, so he kept it hidden in the summer-house under an old sack. +The cannon went off with a good bang, and the shot he had put in it +stuck in the bark of an apple tree. Bevis jumped about with delight, and +thought he could now kill the weasel. It was too late to start that day, +but the next morning off he marched with his gun into the Home Field, +and having charged it behind the shelter of a tree out of sight, began +his chase for the weasel. + +All round the field he went, looking carefully into the ditch and the +hedge, and asking at all the rabbits'-holes if they knew where the +scoundrel was. The rabbits knew very well, but they were afraid to +answer, lest the weasel should hear about it, and come and kill the one +that had betrayed him. Twice he searched up and down without success, +and was just going to call to the hare to come and show him, when +suddenly he discovered a thrush sitting on her nest in a bush. He put +down his gun, and was going to see how many eggs she had got, when the +weasel (who had no idea he was there) peeped over the bank, having a +fancy for the eggs, but afraid that the nest was too high for him to +reach. + +"Ho! Ho!" cried Bevis, "there you are. Now I have you. Just stand still +a minute, while I get my gun and strike a match." + +"Whatever for?" asked the weasel, very innocently. + +"I am going to shoot you," said Bevis, busy getting his gun ready. + +"Shoot _me_!" said the weasel, in a tone of the utmost astonishment; +"why ever do you want to shoot me, Sir Bevis? Did I not tell you that I +spent all my life doing good?" + +"Yes, you rascal!" said Bevis, putting a pinch of powder on the +touch-hole, "you know you are a wicked story-teller; you killed the poor +leveret after I let you loose. Now!" and he went down on one knee, and +put his cannon-stick on the other as a rest to keep it straight. + +"Wait a minute," said the weasel, "just listen to me a minute. I assure +you----" + +"No; I sha'n't listen to you," said Bevis, striking his match. + +"Oh," said the weasel, kneeling down, "if you will only wait one second, +I will tell you all the wickedness I have committed. Don't, please, kill +me before I have got this load of guilt off my mind." + +"Well, make haste," said Bevis, aiming along his cannon. + +"I will," said the weasel; "and first of all, if you are going to kill +me, why don't you shoot the thrush as well, for she is ever so much more +wicked and cruel than I have been?" + +"Oh, what a dreadful story!" said the thrush. "How can you say so?" + +"Yes, you are," said the weasel. "Sir Bevis, you remember the two snails +you found in the garden path--those you put on a leaf, and watched to +see which could crawl the fastest?" + +"I remember," said Sir Bevis. "But you must make haste, or my match will +burn out." + +"And you recollect that the snails had no legs and could not walk, and +that they had no wings and could not fly, and were very helpless +creatures?" + +"Yes, I remember; I left them on the path." + +"Well, directly you left them, out came this great ugly speckled thrush +from the shrubbery--you see how big the thrush is, quite a monster +beside the poor snails; and you see what long legs she has, and great +wings, and such a strong, sharp beak. This cruel monster of a thrush +picked up the snails, one at a time, and smashed them on the stones, and +gobbled them up." + +"Well," said the thrush, much relieved, "is that all? snails are very +nice to eat." + +"Was it not brutally cruel?" asked the weasel. + +"Yes, it was," said Bevis. + +"Then," said the weasel, "when you shoot me, shoot the thrush too." + +"So I will," said Bevis, "but how can I hit you both?" + +"I will show you," said the weasel. "I will walk along the bank till I +am just in a line with the thrush's nest, and then you can take aim at +both together." + +So he went along the bank and stopped behind the nest, and Bevis moved +his cannon-stick and took another aim. + +"Dear me!" cried the thrush, dreadfully alarmed, "you surely are not +going to shoot me? I never did any harm. Bevis, stop--listen to me!" + +Now if the thrush had flown away she might have escaped, but she was +very fond of talking, and while she was talking Bevis was busy getting +his gun ready. + +"It is straight now," said the weasel; "it is pointed quite straight. +Hold it still there, and I will sit so that I shall die quick;--here is +my bosom. Tell the hare to forgive me." + +"Oh," said the thrush, "don't shoot!" + +"Shoot!" cried the weasel. + +Bevis dropped his match on the touch-hole, puff went the priming, and +bang went the cannon. Directly the smoke had cleared away, Bevis looked +in the ditch, to see the dead weasel and the thrush. There was the +thrush right enough, quite dead, and fallen out of the nest; the nest, +too, was knocked to pieces, and the eggs had fallen out (two were +broken), but there was one not a bit smashed, lying on the dead leaves +at the bottom of the ditch. But the weasel was nowhere to be seen. + +"Weasel," cried Bevis, "where are you?" But the weasel did not answer. +Bevis looked everywhere, over the bank and round about, but could not +find him. At last he saw that under some grass on the bank there was a +small rabbit's-hole. Now the weasel had sat up for Bevis to shoot him +right over this hole, and when he saw him move the match, just as the +priming went puff, the weasel dropped down into the hole, and the shot +went over his head. + +Bevis was very angry when he saw how the weasel had deceived him, and +felt so sorry for the poor thrush, whose speckled breast was all +pierced by the shot, and who would never sing any more. He did not know +what to do, he was so cross; but presently he ran home to fetch Pan, to +see if Pan could hunt out the weasel. + +When he had gone a little way the weasel came out of the hole, and went +down into the ditch and feasted on the thrush's egg, which he could not +have got had not the shot knocked the nest to pieces, just as he had +contrived. He never tasted so sweet an egg as that one, and as he sucked +it up he laughed as he thought how cleverly he had deceived them all. +When he heard Pan bark he went back into the hole, and so along the +hedge till he reached the copse; and then creeping into another hole, a +very small one, where no dog could get at him, he curled himself up very +comfortably and went to sleep. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BROOK-FOLK. + + +Some time afterwards it happened one morning that Bevis was sitting on a +haycock in the Home Field, eating a very large piece of cake, and +thinking how extremely greedy the young rook was yonder across the +meadow. For he was as big and as black as his father and mother, who +were with him; and yet he kept on cawing to them to stuff his beak with +sweets. Bevis, who had another large slice in his pocket, having stolen +both of them from the cupboard just after breakfast, felt angry to see +such greediness, and was going to get up to holloa at this ill-mannered +rook, when he heard a grasshopper making some remarks close by the +haycock. + +"S----s," said the grasshopper to a friend, "are you going down to the +brook? I am, in a minute, so soon as I have hopped round this haycock, +for there will be a grand show there presently. All the birds are going +to bathe, as is their custom on Midsummer Day, and will be sure to +appear in their best feathers. It is true some of them have bathed +already, as they have to leave early in the morning, having business +elsewhere. I spoke to the cricket just now on the subject, but he could +not see that it was at all interesting. He is very narrow-minded, as +you know, and cannot see anything beyond the mound where he lives. +S----s." + +"S----s," replied the other grasshopper; "I will certainly jump that way +so soon as I have had a chat with my lady-love, who is waiting for me on +the other side of the furrow. S----s." + +"S----s, we shall meet by the drinking-place," said the first +grasshopper; and was just hopping off when Bevis asked him what the +birds went down to bathe for. + +"I'm sure I do not know," said the grasshopper, speaking fast, for he +was rather in a hurry to be gone, he never could stand still long +together. "All I can tell you is that on Midsummer Day every one of the +birds has to go down to the brook and walk in and bathe; and it has been +the law for so many, many years that no one can remember when it began. +They like it very much, because they can show off their fine feathers, +which are just now in full colour; and if you like to go with me you +will be sure to enjoy it." + +"So I will," said Bevis, and he followed the grasshopper, who hopped so +far at every step that he had to walk fast to keep up with him. "But why +do the birds do it?" + +"Oh, I don't know why," said the grasshopper; "what is why?" + +"I want to know," said Bevis, "why do they do it?" + +"Why?" repeated the grasshopper; "I never heard anybody say anything +about that before. There is always a great deal of talking going on, +for the trees have nothing else to do but to gossip with each other; but +they never ask why." + +After that they went on in silence a good way except that the +grasshopper cried "S----s" to his friends in the grass as he passed, and +said good-morning also to a mole who peeped out for a moment. + +"Why don't you hop straight?" said Bevis, presently. "It seems to me +that you hop first one side and then the other, and go in such a zig-zag +fashion it will take us hours to reach the brook." + +"How very stupid you are," said the grasshopper. "If you go straight of +course you can only see just what is under your feet, but if you go +first this way and then that, then you see everything. You are nearly as +silly as the ants, who never see anything beautiful all their lives. Be +sure you have nothing to do with the ants, Bevis; they are a mean, +wretched, miserly set, quite contemptible and beneath notice. Now I go +everywhere all round the field, and spend my time searching for lovely +things; sometimes I find flowers, and sometimes the butterflies come +down into the grass and tell me the news, and I am so fond of the +sunshine, I sing to it all day long. Tell me, now, is there anything so +beautiful as the sunshine and the blue sky, and the green grass, and the +velvet and blue and spotted butterflies, and the trees which cast such a +pleasant shadow and talk so sweetly, and the brook which is always +running? I should like to listen to it for a thousand years." + +"I like you," said Bevis; "jump into my hand, and I will carry you." He +held his hand out flat, and in a second up sprang the grasshopper, and +alighted on his palm, and told him the way to go, and thus they went +together merrily. + +"Are you sure the ants are so very stupid and wicked?" asked Bevis, when +the grasshopper had guided him through a gateway into the meadow by the +brook. + +"Indeed I am. It is true they declare that it is I who am wrong, and +never lose a chance of chattering at me, because they are always laying +up a store, and I wander about, laughing and singing. But then you see, +Bevis dear, they are quite demented, and so led away by their greedy, +selfish wishes that they do not even know that there is a sun. They say +they cannot see it, and do not believe there is any sunshine, nor do +they believe there are any stars. Now I do not sing at night, but I +always go where I can see a star. I slept under a mushroom last night, +and he told me he was pushing up as fast as he could before some one +came and picked him to put on a gridiron. I do not lay up any store, +because I know I shall die when the summer ends, and what is the use of +wealth then? My store and my wealth is the sunshine, dear, and the blue +sky, and the green grass, and the delicious brook who never ceases sing, +sing, singing all day and night. And all the things are fond of me, the +grass and the flowers, and the birds, and the animals, all of them love +me. So you see I am richer than all the ants put together." "I would +rather be you than an ant," said Bevis. "I think I shall take you home +and put you under a glass-case on the mantelpiece." + +Off jumped the grasshopper in a moment, and fell so lightly on the grass +it did not hurt him in the least, though it was as far as if Bevis had +tumbled down out of the clouds. Bevis tried to catch him, but he jumped +so nimbly this way and that, and hopped to and fro, and lay down in the +grass, so that his green coat could not be seen. Bevis got quite hot +trying to catch him, and seeing this, the grasshopper, much delighted, +cried out: "Are you not the stupid boy everybody is laughing at for +letting the weasel go? You will never catch the weasel." + +"I'll stamp on you," said Bevis, in a great rage. + +"S----s," called the grasshopper--who was frightened at this--to his +friends, and in a minute there were twenty of them jumping all round in +every direction, and as they were all just alike Bevis did not know +which to run after. When he looked up there was the brook close by, and +the drinking-place where the birds were to meet and bathe. It was a spot +where the ground shelved gently down from the grass to the brook; the +stream was very shallow and flowed over the sandy bottom with a gentle +murmur. + +He went down to the brook and stood on the bank, where it was high near +a bush at the side of the drinking-place. "Ah, dear little Sir Bevis!" +whispered a reed, bending towards him as the wind blew, "please do not +come any nearer, the bank is steep and treacherous, and hollow +underneath where the water-rats run. So do not lean over after the +forget-me-nots--they are too far for you. Sit down where you are, behind +that little bush, and I will tell you all about the bathing." Bevis sat +down and picked a June rose from a briar that trailed over the bush, and +asked why the birds bathed. + +"I do not know why," said the reed. "There is no why at all. We have +been listening to the brook, me and my family, for ever so many +thousands of years, and though the brook has been talking and singing +all that time, I never heard him ask why about anything. And the great +oak, where you went to sleep, has been there, goodness me, nobody can +tell how long, and every one of his leaves (he has had millions of them) +have all been talking, but not one of them ever asked why; nor does the +sun, nor the stars which I see every night shining in the clear water +down there, so that I am quite sure there is no why at all. + +"But the birds come down to bathe every Midsummer Day, the goldfinches, +and the sparrows, and the blackbirds, and the thrushes, and the +swallows, and the wrens, and the robins, and almost every one of them, +except two or three, whose great-grandfathers got into disgrace a long +while ago. The rooks do not come because they are thieves, and steal the +mussels, nor the crows, who are a very bad lot; the swan does not come +either, unless the brook is muddy after a storm. The swan is so tired of +seeing himself in the water that he quite hates it, and that is the +reason he holds his neck so high, that he may not see more of himself +than he can help. + +"It is no use your asking the brook why they come, because even if he +ever knew, he has forgotten. For the brook, though he sparkles so bright +in the sun, and is so clear and sweet, and looks so young, is really so +very, very old that he has quite lost his memory, and cannot remember +what was done yesterday. He did not even know which way the moor-hen +went just now, when I inquired, having a message to send to my relations +by the osier-bed yonder. + +"But I have heard the heron say--he is talkative sometimes at night when +you are asleep, dear; he was down here this morning paddling about--that +the birds in the beginning learnt to sing by listening to the brook, and +perhaps that is the reason they pay him such deep respect. Besides, +everybody knows that according to an ancient prophecy which was +delivered by the raven before he left this country, if only the birds +can all bathe in the brook on Midsummer Day and hold their tongues, and +not abuse one another or quarrel, they will be able to compose their +differences, and ever afterwards live happily together. + +"Then they could drive away the hawk, for there is only one hawk to ten +thousand finches, and if they only marched shoulder to shoulder all +together they could kill him with ease. They could smother the cat even, +by all coming down at once upon her, or they could carry up a stone and +drop on her head; and as for the crow, that old coward, if he saw them +coming he would take wing at once. But as they cannot agree, the hawk, +and the cat, and the crow do as they like. For the chaffinches all fight +one another, you heard them challenging, and saw them go to battle, and +then when at last they leave off and are good fellows again, they all +flock together and will have nothing to do with the goldfinches, or the +blackbirds. It is true the wood-pigeons, and the rooks, and the +starlings, and the fieldfares and redwings are often about in the same +field, but that is only because they eat the same things; if a hawk +comes they all fly away from each other, and do not unite and fight him +as they might do. + +"But if once they could come down to the brook on Midsummer Day, and +never quarrel, then, according to the prophecy I told you of, all this +diversity would cease, and they would be able to do just as they +pleased, and build three or four nests in the summer instead of one, and +drive away and kill all the hawks, and crows, and cats. They tried to do +it, I can't tell you how many years, but they could never succeed, for +there was always a dispute about something, so at last they gave it up, +and it was almost forgotten (for they came to the conclusion that it was +no use to try), till last year, when the mole, the one that spoke to the +grasshopper just now, reminded them of it. + +"Now the reason the mole reminded them of it was because one day a hawk +came down too quick for his wife (who was peeping out of doors), and +snapped her up in a minute, so he bore the hawk a grudge, and set about +to seek for vengeance. And as he could not fly or get at the hawk he +thought he would manage it through the other birds. So one morning when +the green woodpecker came down to pick up the ants with his tongue, the +mole looked out and promised to show him where there was a capital +feast, and to turn up the ground for him, if in return he would fly all +round the forest and the fields, and cry shame on the birds for letting +the hawk go on as he did when they could so easily prevent it, just by +holding their tongues one day. + +"This the woodpecker promised to do, and after he had feasted off he +went, and having tapped on a tree to call attention, he began to cry +shame upon them, and having a very loud voice he soon let them know his +mind. At which the birds resolved to try again, and, do you know, last +year they very nearly succeeded. For it rained hard all Midsummer Day, +and when the birds came down to the brook they were so bedraggled, and +benumbed, and cold, and unhappy, that they had nothing to say for +themselves, but splashed about in silence, and everything would have +happened just right had not a rook, chancing to pass over, accidentally +dropped something he was carrying in his bill, which fell into the flags +there. + +"The starling forgot himself, and remarked he supposed it was an acorn; +when the wood-pigeon called him a donkey, as the acorns were not yet +ripe, nor large enough to eat; and the usual uproar began again. But +afterwards, when they talked it over, they said to each other that, as +they had so nearly done it, it must be quite possible, and next year +they would all hold their tongues as tight as wax, though the sun should +drop out of the sky. Now the hawk, of course, being so high up, circling +round, saw and heard all this, and he was very much alarmed, as they had +so nearly succeeded; and he greatly feared lest next year, what he had +dreaded so long would come to pass, as the raven had foretold. + +"So he flew down and took counsel of his ancient friend the weasel. What +they said I cannot tell you, nor has it been found out, but I have no +doubt they made up something wicked between them, and it is greatly to +be regretted that you let the weasel go, for the hawk, sharp as he is, +is not very clever at anything new, and if he had not got the weasel to +advise him I suspect he would not be much after all. We shall see +presently what they have contrived--I am much mistaken if they have not +put their heads together for something. Do you keep quite still, Bevis +dear, when the birds come, and take care and not frighten them." + +"I will," said Bevis; "I will be very quiet." + +"It is my turn to tell you a story now," said a green flag waving to and +fro in the brook. "The reed has been talking too much." + +"No, it is my turn," said a perch from the water under the bank. Bevis +leaned over a little, and could see the bars across his back and sides. + +"Hold your tongue," replied the flag; "you ate the roach this morning, +whose silvery scales used to flash like a light under the water." + +"I will nibble you," said the perch, very angry. "I will teach you to +tell tales." + +"I will ask the willow, he is a very old friend of mine, not to shake +any more insects into the brook for you from his leaves," replied the +flag. + +"It was not I who ate the roach," said the perch; "it was the pike, +Bevis dear." + +"Indeed it was not," said the pike, coming forward a little from under +some floating weeds, where he had been in hiding, so that Bevis could +now see his long body. "The perch says things that are not true." + +"You know you hate me," said the perch; "because your +great-great-grandfather swallowed mine in a rage, and my +great-great-grandfather's spines stuck in your great-great-grandfather's +throat and killed him. And ever since then, Bevis dear, they have done +nothing but tell tales against me. I did not touch the roach; the pike +wanted him, I know, for breakfast." + +"I deny it," said the pike; "but if it was not the perch it was the +rat." + +"That's false," said the rat; "I have only this minute come down to the +brook. If it was not the pike nor the perch, depend upon it it was the +heron." + +"I am sure it was not the heron," said a beautiful drake, who came +swimming down the stream. "I was here as early as any one, and I will +not have my acquaintance the heron accused in his absence. I assure you +it was not the heron." + +"Well, who did it then?" said Bevis. + +"The fact is," said a frog on the verge of the stream, "they are all as +bad as one another; the perch is a rogue and a thief; the pike is a +monster of iniquity; the heron never misses a chance of gobbling up +somebody; and as for the drake, for all his glossy neck and his innocent +look, he is as ready to pick up anything as the rest." + +"Quack," cried the drake in a temper; "quack." + +"Hush!" said a tench from the bottom of a deep hole under the bank--he +was always a peacemaker. "Hush! do stop the noise you are making. If you +would only lie quiet in the mud like me, how pleasant you would find +life." + +"Bevis," began the reed; "Bevis dear. Ah, ah!" His voice died away, for +as the sun got higher the wind fell, and the reed could only speak while +the wind blew. The flag laughed as the reed was silenced. + +"You need not laugh," said the perch; "you can only talk while the water +waggles you. The horse will come down to the brook to-morrow, and bite +off your long green tip, and then you will not be able to start any more +falsehoods about me." + +"The birds are coming," said the frog. "I should like to swim across to +the other side, where I can see better, but I am afraid of the pike and +the drake. Bevis dear, fling that piece of dead stick at them." + +Bevis picked up the dead stick and flung it at the drake, who hastened +off down the stream; the pike, startled at the splash, darted up the +brook, and the frog swam over in a minute. Then the birds began to come +down to the drinking-place, where the shore shelved very gently, and the +clear shallow water ran over the sandy bottom. They were all in their +very best and brightest feathers, and as the sun shone on them and they +splashed the water and strutted about, Bevis thought he had never seen +anything so beautiful. + +They did not all bathe, for some of them were specially permitted only +to drink instead, but they all came, and all in their newest dresses. So +bright was the goldfinch's wing, that the lark, though she did not dare +speak, had no doubt she rouged. The sparrow, brushed and neat, so quiet +and subdued in his brown velvet, looked quite aristocratic among so much +flaunting colour. As for the blackbird, he had carefully washed himself +in the spring before he came to bathe in the brook, and he glanced round +with a bold and defiant air, as much as to say: "There is not one of you +who has so yellow a bill, and so beautiful a black coat as I have". In +the bush the bullfinch, who did not care much to mix with the crowd, +moved restlessly to and fro. The robin looked all the time at Bevis, so +anxious was he for admiration. The wood-pigeon, very consequential, +affected not to see the dove, whom Bevis longed to stroke, but could +not, as he had promised the reed to keep still. + +All this time the birds, though they glanced at one another, and those +who were on good terms, like the chaffinch and the greenfinch, exchanged +a nod, had not spoken a word, and the reed, as a puff came, whispered to +Bevis that the prophecy would certainly come to pass, and they would +all be as happy as ever they could be. Why ever did they not make haste +and fly away, now they had all bathed or sipped? The truth was, they +liked to be seen in their best feathers, and none of them could make up +their minds to be the first to go home; so they strutted to and fro in +the sunshine. Bevis, in much excitement, could hardly refrain from +telling them to go. + +He looked up into the sky, and there was the hawk, almost up among the +white clouds, soaring round and round, and watching all that was +proceeding. Almost before he could look down again a shadow went by, and +a cuckoo flew along very low, just over the drinking-place. + +"Cuckoo!" he cried, "cuckoo! The goldfinch has the prettiest dress," and +off he went. + +Now the hawk had bribed the cuckoo, who was his cousin, to do this, and +the cuckoo was not at all unwilling, for he had an interest himself in +keeping the birds divided, so he said that although he had made up his +mind to go on his summer tour, leaving his children to be taken care of +by the wagtail, he would stop a day or two longer, to manage this little +business. No sooner had the cuckoo said this, than there was a most +terrible uproar, and all the birds cried out at once. The blackbird was +so disgusted that he flew straight off, chattering all across the field +and up the hedge. The bullfinch tossed his head, and asked the goldfinch +to come up in the bush and see which was strongest. The greenfinch and +the chaffinch shrieked with derision; the wood-pigeon turned his back, +and said "Pooh!" and went off with a clatter. The sparrow flew to tell +his mates on the house, and you could hear the chatter they made about +it, right down at the brook. But the wren screamed loudest of all, and +said that the goldfinch was a painted impostor, and had not got half so +much gold as the yellow-hammer. So they were all scattered in a minute, +and Bevis stood up. + +"Ah!" said the reed, "I am very sorry. It was the hawk's doings, I am +sure, and he was put up to the trick by the weasel, and now the birds +will never agree, for every year they will remember this. Is it not a +pity they are so vain? Bevis dear, you are going, I see. Come down +again, dear, when the wind blows stronger, and I will tell you another +story. Ah! ah!" he sighed; and was silent as the puff ceased. + +Bevis, tired of sitting so long, went wandering up the brook, peeping +into the hollow willow trees, wishing he could dive like the rats, and +singing to the brook, who sang to him again, and taught him a very old +tune. By-and-by he came to the hatch, where the brook fell over with a +splash, and a constant bubbling, and churning, and gurgling. A +kingfisher, who had been perched on the rail of the hatch, flew off when +he saw Bevis, whistling: "Weep! weep!" + +"Why do you say, weep, weep?" said Bevis. "Is it because the birds are +so foolish?" But the kingfisher did not stay to answer. The water +rushing over the hatch made so pleasant a sound that Bevis, delighted +with its tinkling music, sat down to listen and to watch the bubbles, +and see how far they would swim before they burst. Then he threw little +pieces of stick on the smooth surface above the hatch to see them come +floating over and plunge under the bubbles, and presently appear again +by the foam on the other side among the willow roots. + +Still more sweetly sang the brook, so that even restless Bevis stayed to +hearken, though he could not quite make out what he was saying. A +moor-hen stole out from the rushes farther up, seeing that Bevis was +still enchanted with the singing, and began to feed among the green +weeds by the shore. A water-rat came out of his hole and fed in the +grass close by. A blue dragon-fly settled on a water-plantain. Up in the +ash-tree a dove perched and looked down at Bevis. Only the gnats were +busy; they danced and danced till Bevis thought they must be dizzy, just +over the water. + +"Sing slower," said Bevis presently, "I want to hear what you are +saying." So the brook sang slower, but then it was too low, and he could +not catch the words. Then he thought he should like to go over to the +other side, and see what there was up the high bank among the brambles. +He looked at the hatch, and saw that there was a beam across the brook, +brown with weeds, which the water only splashed against and did not +cover deeply. By holding tight to the rail and putting his feet on the +beam he thought he could climb over. + +He went down nearer and took hold of the rail, and was just going to put +his foot on the beam, when the brook stopped singing, and said: "Bevis +dear, do not do that; it is very deep here, and the beam is very +slippery, and if you should fall I would hold you up as long as I could, +but I am not very strong, and should you come to harm I should be very +unhappy. Do please go back to the field, and if you will come down some +day when I am not in such a hurry, I will sing to you very slowly, and +tell you everything I know. And if you come very gently, and on tip-toe, +you will see the kingfisher, or perhaps the heron." Bevis, when he heard +this, went back, and followed the hedge a good way, not much thinking +where he was going, but strolling along in the shadow, and humming to +himself the tune he had learnt from the brook. By-and-by he spied a gap +in the hedge under an ash-tree, so he went through in a minute, and +there was a high bank with trees like a copse, and bramble-bushes and +ferns. He went on up the bank, winding in and out the brambles, and at +last it was so steep he had to climb on his hands and knees, and +suddenly as he came round a bramble-bush there was the Long Pond, such a +great piece of water, all gleaming in the sunshine and reaching far away +to the woods and the hills, as if it had no end. + +Bevis clapped his hands with delight, and was just going to stand up, +when something caught him by the ankles; he looked round, and it was the +bailiff, who had had an eye on him all the time from the hayfield. Bevis +kicked and struggled, but it was no use; the bailiff carried him home, +and then went back with a bill-hook, and cutting a thorn bush, stopped +up the gap in the hedge. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +KAPCHACK. + + +"Q--q--q," Bevis heard a starling say some weeks afterwards on the +chimney-top one morning when he woke up. The chimney was very old and +big, and the sound came down it to his room. "Q--q--q, my dear, I will +tell you a secret"--he was talking to his lady-love. + +"Phe-hu," she said, in a flutter. Bevis could hear her wings go plainly. +"Whatever is it? Do tell me." + +"Look all round first," he said, "and see that no one is about." + +"No one is near, dear; the sparrows are out in the corn, and the +swallows are very high up; the blackbird is busy in the orchard, and the +robin is down at the red currants; there's no one near. Is it a very +great secret?" + +"It is a very great secret indeed, and you must be very careful not to +whistle it out by accident; now if I tell you will you keep your beak +quite shut, darling?" + +"Quite." + +"Then, listen--Kapchack is in love." + +"Phe--hu--u; who is it? Is he going to be married? How old is she? Who +told you? When did you hear it? Whatever will people say? Tell me all +about it, dear!" + +"The tomtit told me just now in the fir-tree; the woodpecker told him on +his promising that he would not tell anybody else." + +"When is the marriage to come off, dear?" she asked, interrupting him. +"Kapchack--Phe--u!" + +Somebody came round the house, and away they flew, just as Bevis was +going to ask all about it. He went to the window as soon as he was +dressed, and as he opened it he saw a fly on the pane; he thought he +would ask the fly, but instantly the fly began to fidget, and finding +that the top of the window was open out he went, buzzing that Kapchack +was in love. At breakfast time a wasp came in--for the fruit was +beginning to ripen, and the wasps to get busy--and he went all round the +room saying that Kapchack was in love, but he would not listen to +anything Bevis asked, he was so full of Kapchack. When Bevis ran out of +doors the robin on the palings immediately said: "Kapchack is in love; +do you know Kapchack is in love?" and a second afterwards the wren flew +up to the top of the wood-pile and cried out just the same thing. + +Three finches passed him as he went up the garden, telling each other +that Kapchack was in love. The mare in the meadow whinnied to her colt +that Kapchack was in love, and the cows went "boo" when they heard it, +and "booed" it to some more cows ever so far away. The leaves on the +apple-tree whispered it, and the news went all down the orchard in a +moment; and everything repeated it. Bevis got into his swing, and as he +swung to and fro he heard it all round him. + +A humble-bee went along the grass telling all the flowers that were +left, and then up into the elm, and the elm told the ash, and the ash +told the oak, and the oak told the hawthorn, and it ran along the hedge +till it reached the willow, and the willow told the brook, and the brook +told the reeds, and the reeds told the kingfisher, and the kingfisher +went a mile down the stream and told the heron, and the heron went up +into the sky and called it out as loud as he could, and a rabbit heard +it and told another rabbit, and he ran across to the copse and told +another, and he told a mouse, and he told a butterfly, and the butterfly +told a moth, and the moth went into the great wood and told another +moth, and a wood-pigeon heard it and told more wood-pigeons, and so +everybody said: "Kapchack is in love!" + +"But I thought it was a great secret," said Bevis to a thrush, "and that +nobody knew it, except the tomtit, and the woodpecker, and the starling; +and, besides, who is Kapchack?" The thrush was in the bushes where they +came to the haha, and when he heard Bevis ask who Kapchack was, he +laughed, and said he should tell everybody that Bevis, who shot his +uncle with the cannon-stick, was so very, very stupid he did not know +who Kapchack was. Ha! Ha! Could anybody be so ignorant? he should not +have believed it if he had not heard it. + +Bevis, in a rage at this, jumped out of the swing and threw a stone at +the thrush, and so well did he fling it that if the thrush had not +slipped under a briar he would have had a good thump. Bevis went +wandering round the garden, and into his summer-house, when he heard +some sparrows in the ivy on the roof all chattering about Kapchack, and +out he ran to ask them, but they were off in a second to go and tell the +yellow-hammers. Bevis stamped his foot, he was so cross because nobody +would tell him about Kapchack, and he could not think what to do, till +as he was looking round the garden he saw the rhubarb, and remembered +the old toad. Very likely the toad would know; he was so old, and knew +almost everything. Away he ran to the rhubarb and looked under the piece +of wood, and there was the toad asleep, just as he always was. + +He was so firm asleep, he did not know what Bevis said, till Bevis got a +twig and poked him a little. Then he yawned and woke up, and asked Bevis +what time it was, and how long it would be before the moon rose. + +"I want to know who Kapchack is, this minute," said Bevis, "this _very_ +minute, mind." + +"Well I never!" said the toad, "well I never! Don't you know?" + +"Tell me directly--this very minute--you horrid old toad!" + +"Don't you really know?" said the toad. + +"I'll have you shovelled up, and flung over to the pigs, if you don't +tell me," said Bevis. "No, I'll get my cannon-stick, and shoot you! No, +here's a big stone--I'll smash you! I hate you! Who's Kapchack?" + +"Kapchack," said the toad, not in the least frightened, "Kapchack is the +magpie; and he is king over everything and everybody--over the fly and +the wasp, and the finches, and the heron, and the horse, and the rabbit, +and the flowers, and the trees. Kapchack, the great and mighty magpie, +is the king," and the toad bumped his chin on the ground, as if he stood +before the throne, so humble was he at the very name of Kapchack. Then +he shut one eye in a very peculiar manner, and put out his tongue. + +"Why don't you like Kapchack?" said Bevis, who understood him in a +minute. + +"Hush!" said the toad, and he repeated out loud, "Kapchack is the great +and noble magpie--Kapchack is the king!" Then he whispered to Bevis to +sit down on the grass very near him, so that he might speak to him +better, and not much louder than a whisper. When Bevis had sat down and +stooped a little, the toad came close to the mouth of his hole, and said +very quietly: "Bevis dear, Kapchack is a horrid wretch!" + +"Why," said Bevis, "why do you hate him? and where does he live? and why +is he king? I suppose he is very beautiful?" + +"Oh, dear, no!" said the toad, hastily, "he is the ugliest creature that +ever hopped. The feathers round one eye have all come out and left a +bare place, and he is quite blind on the other. Indeed his left eye is +gone altogether. His beak is chipped and worn; his wings are so beaten +and decayed that he can hardly fly; and there are several feathers out +of his tail. He is the most miserable thing you ever saw." + +"Then why is he king?" asked Bevis. + +"Because he is," said the toad; "and as he is king, nobody else can be. +It is true he is very wise--at least everybody says so--wiser than the +crow or the rook, or the weasel (though the weasel is so cunning). And +besides, he is so old, so very old, nobody knows when he was born, and +they say that he will always live, and never die. Why, he put my +grandfather in prison." + +"In prison?" said Bevis. "Where is the prison?" + +"In the elm-tree, at the top of the Home Field," said the toad. "My +grandfather has been shut up there in a little dungeon so tight, he +cannot turn round, or sit, or stand, or lie down, for so long a time +that, really, Bevis dear, I cannot tell you; but it was before you were +born. And all that time he has had nothing to eat or drink, and he has +never seen the sun or felt the air, and I do not suppose he has ever +heard anything unless when the thunderbolt fell on the oak close by. +Perhaps he heard the thunder then." + +"Well, then, what has he been doing?" asked Bevis, "and why doesn't he +get out?" + +"He cannot get out, because the tree has grown all round him quite hard, +as Kapchack knew it would when he ordered him to be put there in the +hole. He has not been doing anything but thinking." + +"I should get tired of thinking all that time," said Bevis; "but why was +he put there?" + +"For reasons of state," said the toad. "He knows too much. Once upon a +time he saw Kapchack do something, I do not know what it was, and +Kapchack was very angry, and had him put in there in case he should tell +other people. I went and asked him what it was before the tree quite +shut him in, while there was just a little chink you could talk through; +but he always told me to stop in my hole and mind my own business, else +perhaps I should get punished, as he had been. But he did tell me that +he could not help it, that he did not mean to see it, only just at the +moment it happened he turned round in his bed, and he opened his eyes +for a second, and you know the consequences, Bevis dear. So I advise you +always to look the other way, unless you're wanted." + +"It was very cruel of Kapchack," said Bevis. + +"Kapchack is very cruel," said the toad, "and very greedy, more greedy +even than the ants; and he has such a treasure in his palace as never +was heard of. No one can tell how rich he is. And as for cruelty, why, +he killed his uncle only a week since, just for not answering him the +very instant he spoke; he pecked him in the forehead and killed him. +Then he killed the poor little wren, whom he chanced to hear say that +the king was not so beautiful as her husband. Next he pecked a thrush to +death, because the thrush dared to come into his orchard without +special permission. + +"But it is no use my trying to tell you all the shameful things he has +done in all these years. There is never a year goes by without his doing +something dreadful; and he has made everybody miserable at one time or +other by killing their friends or relations, from the snail to the +partridge. He is quite merciless, and spares no one; why, his own +children are afraid of him, and it is believed that he has pecked +several of them to death, though it is hushed up; but people talk about +it all the same, sometimes. As for the way he has behaved to the ladies, +if I were to tell you you would never believe it." + +"I hate him," said Bevis. "Why ever do they let him be king? How they +must hate him." + +"Oh, no, they don't, dear," said the toad. "If you were to hear how they +go on, you would think he was the nicest and kindest person that ever +existed. They sing his praises all day long; that is, in the spring and +summer, while the birds have their voices. You must have heard them, +only you did not understand them. The finches and the thrushes, and the +yellow-hammers and the wrens, and all the birds, every one of them, +except Choo Hoo, the great rebel, sing Kapchack's praises all day long, +and tell him that they love him more than they love their eggs, or their +wives, or their nests, and that he is the very best and nicest of all, +and that he never did anything wrong, but is always right and always +just. + +"And they say his eye is brighter than the sun, and that he can see more +with his one eye than all the other birds put together; and that his +feathers are blacker and whiter and more beautiful than anything else in +the world, and his voice sweeter than the nightingale's. Now, if you +will stoop a little lower I will whisper to you the reason they do this +(Bevis stooped down close); the truth is they are afraid lest he should +come himself and peck their eggs, or their children, or their wives, or +if not himself that he should send the hawk, or the weasel, or the +stoat, or the rat, or the crow. Don't you ever listen to the crow, +Bevis; he is a black scoundrel. + +"For Kapchack has got all the crows, and hawks, and weasels (especially +that very cunning one, that old wretch that cheated you), and rats, to +do just as he tells them. They are his soldiers, and they carry out his +bidding quicker than you can wink your eye, or than I can shoot out my +tongue, which I can do so quickly that you cannot see it. When the +spring is over and the birds lose their voices (many of them have +already), they each send one or two of their number every day to visit +the orchard where Kapchack lives, and to say (as they can no longer +sing) that they still think just the same, and they are all his very +humble servants. Kapchack takes no notice of them whatever unless they +happen to do what he does not like, and then they find out very soon +that he has got plenty of spies about. + +"My opinion is that the snail is no better than a spy and a common +informer. Do you just look round and turn over any leaves that are +near, lest any should be here, and tell tales about me. I can tell you, +it is a very dangerous thing to talk about Kapchack, somebody or other +is sure to hear, and to go and tell him, so as to get into favour. Now, +that is what I hate. All the rabbits and hares (and your friend the hare +that lives at the top of the Home Field), and the squirrel and the +mouse, all of them have to do just the same as the birds, and send +messages to Kapchack, praising him and promising to do exactly as he +tells them, all except Choo Hoo." + +"Who is Choo Hoo?" said Bevis. + +"Choo Hoo is the great wood-pigeon," said the toad. "He is a rebel; but +I cannot tell you much about him, for it is only of late years that we +have heard anything of him, and I do not know much about the present +state of things. Most of the things I can tell you happened, or began, a +long time ago. If you want to know what is going on now, the best person +you can go to is the squirrel. He is a very good fellow; he can tell +you. I will give you a recommendation to him, or perhaps he will be +afraid to open his mouth too freely; for, as I said before, it is a very +dangerous thing to talk about Kapchack, and everybody is most terribly +afraid of him--he is so full of malice." + +"Why ever do they let him be king?" said Bevis; "I would not, if I were +them. Why ever do they put up with him, and his cruelty and greediness? +I will tell the thrush and the starling not to endure him any longer." + +"Pooh! pooh!" said the toad. "It is all very well for you to say so, but +you must excuse me for saying, my dear Sir Bevis, that you really know +very little about it. The thrush and the starling would not understand +what you meant. The thrush's father always did as Kapchack told him, and +sang his praises, as I told you, and so did his grandfather, and his +great-grandfather, and all his friends and relations, these years and +years past. So that now the thrushes have no idea of there being no +Kapchack. They could not understand you, if you tried to explain to them +how nice it would be without him. If you sat in your swing and talked to +them all day long, for all the summer through, they would only think you +very stupid even to suppose such a state of things as no Kapchack. Quite +impossible, Bevis dear!--excuse me correcting you. Why, instead of +liking it, they would say it would be very dreadful to have no +Kapchack." + +"Well, they are silly!" said Bevis. "But _you_ do not like Kapchack!" + +"No, I do not," said the toad; "and if you will stoop down +again----(Bevis stooped still nearer.) No; perhaps you had better lie +down on the grass! There--now I can talk to you quite freely. The fact +is, do you know, there are other people besides me who do not like +Kapchack. The crow--I can't have anything to do with such an old +rogue!--the crow, I am certain, hates Kapchack, but he dares not say so. +Now I am so old, and they think me so stupid and deaf that people say a +good deal before me, never imagining that I take any notice. And when I +have been out of a dewy evening, I have distinctly heard the crow +grumbling about Kapchack. The crow thinks he is quite as clever as +Kapchack, and would make quite as good a king. + +"Nor is the rat satisfied, nor the weasel, nor the hawk. I am sure they +are not, but they cannot do anything alone, and they are so suspicious +of each other they cannot agree. So that, though they are dissatisfied, +they can do nothing. I daresay Kapchack knows it very well indeed. He is +so wise--so very, very wise--that he can see right into what they think, +and he knows that they hate him, and he laughs in his sleeve. I will +tell you what he does. He sets the hawk on against the rat, and the rat +on against the crow, and the crow against the weasel. He tells them all +sorts of things; so that the weasel thinks the crow tells tales about +him, and the hawk thinks the rat has turned tail and betrayed his +confidence. The result is, they hate one another as much as they hate +him. + +"And he told the rook--it was very clever of him to do so, yes, it was +very clever of him, I must admit that Kapchack is extremely clever--that +if he was not king somebody else would be, perhaps the hawk, or the rat. +Now the rook told his friends at the rookery, and they told everybody +else, and when people came to talk about it, they said it was very true. +If Kapchack was not king, perhaps the hawk would be, and he would be as +bad, or worse; or the rat, and he would be very much worse; or perhaps +the weasel, the very worst of all. + +"So they agreed that, rather than have these, they would have Kapchack +as the least evil. When the hawk and the rat heard what the king had +said, they hated each other ten times more than before, lest +Kapchack--if ever he should give up the crown--should choose one or +other of them as his successor, for that was how they understood the +hint. Not that there is the least chance of his giving up the crown; not +he, my dear, and he will never die, as everybody knows (here the toad +winked slightly), and he will never grow any older; all he does is to +grow wiser, and wiser, and wiser, and wiser. All the other birds die, +but Kapchack lives for ever. Long live the mighty Kapchack!" said the +toad very loud, that all might hear how loyal he was, and then went on +speaking lower. "Yet the hawk, and the crow, and the rook, and the jay, +and all of them, though they hate Kapchack in their hearts, all come +round him bowing down, and they peck the ground where he has just +walked, and kiss the earth he has stood on, in token of their humility +and obedience to him. Each tries to outdo the rest in servility. They +bring all the news to the palace, and if they find anything very nice in +the fields, they send a message to say where it is, and leave it for +him, so that he eats the very fat of the land." + +"And where is his palace?" asked Bevis. "I should like to go and see +him." + +"His palace is up in an immense old apple-tree, dear. It is a long way +from here, and it is in an orchard, where nobody is allowed to go. And +this is the strangest part of it all, and I have often wondered and +thought about it months together; once I thought about it for a whole +year, but I cannot make out why it is that the owner of the orchard, who +lives in the house close by it, is so fond of Kapchack. He will not let +anybody go into the orchard unless with him. He keeps it locked (there +is a high wall around), and carries the key in his pocket. + +"As the orchard is very big, and Kapchack's nest is in the middle, no +one can see even it from the outside, nor can any boys fling a stone and +hit it; nor, indeed, could any one shoot at it, because the boughs are +all round it. Thus Kapchack's palace is protected with a high wall, by +the boughs, by its distance from the outside, by lock and key, and by +the owner of the orchard, who thinks more of him than of all the world +besides. He will not let any other big birds go into the orchard at all, +unless Kapchack seems to like it; he will bring out his gun and shoot +them. He watches over Kapchack as carefully as if Kapchack were his son. +As for the cats he has shot for getting into the orchard, there must +have been a hundred of them. + +"So that Kapchack every year puts a few more sticks on his nest, and +brings up his family in perfect safety, which is what no other bird can +do, neither the rook, nor the hawk, nor the crow, nor could even the +raven, when he lived in this country. This is a very great advantage to +Kapchack, for he has thus a fortress to retreat to, into which no one +can enter, and he can defy everybody; and this is a great help to him as +king. It is also one reason why he lives so long, though perhaps there +is another reason, which I cannot, really I dare not, even hint at; it +is such a dreadful secret, I should have my head split open with a peck +if I even so much as dared to think it. Besides which, perhaps it is not +true. + +"If it were not so far, and if there was not a wall round the orchard, I +would tell you which way to go to find the place. His palace is now so +big he can hardly make it any bigger lest it should fall; yet it is so +full of treasures that it can barely hold them all. There are many who +would like to rob him, I know. The crow is one; but they dare not +attempt it, not only for fear of Kapchack, but because they would +certainly be shot. + +"Everybody talks about the enormous treasure he has up there, and +everybody envies him. But there are very dark corners in his palace, +dark and blood-stained, for, as I told you, his family history is full +of direful deeds. Besides killing his uncle, and, as is whispered, +several of his children, because he suspected them of designs upon his +throne, he has made away with a great many of his wives, I should think +at least twenty. So soon as they begin to get old and ugly they +die--people pretend the palace is not healthy to live in, being so +ancient, and that that is the reason. Though doubtless they are very +aggravating, and very jealous. Did you hear who it was Kapchack was in +love with?" + +"No," said Bevis. "The starling flew away before I could ask him, and as +for the rest they are so busy telling one another they will not answer +me." + +"One thing is very certain," said the toad, "if Kapchack is in love you +may be sure there will be some terrible tragedy in the palace, for his +wife will be jealous, and besides that his eldest son and heir will not +like it. Prince Tchack-tchack is not a very good temper--Tchack-tchack +is his son, I should tell you--and he is already very tired of waiting +for the throne. But it is no use his being tired, for Kapchack does not +mean to die. Now, Bevis dear, I have told you everything I can think of, +and I am tired of sitting at the mouth of this hole, where the sunshine +comes, and must go back to sleep. + +"But if you want to know anything about the present state of things (as +I can only tell you what happened a long time since) you had better go +and call on the squirrel, and say I sent you, and he will inform you. He +is about the best fellow I know; it is true he will sometimes bite when +he is very frisky, it is only his play, but you can look sharp and put +your hands in your pockets. He is the best of them all, dear; better +than the fox, or the weasel, or the rat, or the stoat, or the mouse, or +any of them. He knows all that is going on, because the starlings, who +are extremely talkative, come every night to sleep in the copse where he +lives, and have a long gossip before they go to sleep; indeed, all the +birds go to the copse to chat, the rooks, the wood-pigeons, the +pheasant, and the thrush, besides the rabbits and the hares, so that +the squirrel, to whom the copse belongs, hears everything." + +"But I do not know my way to the copse," said Bevis; "please tell me the +way." + +"You must go up to the great oak-tree, dear," said the toad, "where you +once went to sleep, and then go across to the wheat-field, and a little +farther you will see a footpath, which will take you to another field, +and you will see the copse on your right. Now the way into the copse is +over a narrow bridge, it is only a tree put across the ditch, and you +must be careful how you cross it, and hold tight to the hand-rail, and +look where you put your feet. It is apt to be slippery, and the ditch +beneath is very deep; there is not much water, but a great deal of mud. +I recollect it very well, though I have not been there for some time: I +slipped off the bridge one rainy night in the dark, and had rather a +heavy fall. The bridge is now dry, and therefore you can pass it easily +if you do not leave go of the hand-rail. Good-morning, dear, I feel so +sleepy--come and tell me with whom Kapchack has fallen in love; and +remember me to the squirrel." So saying the toad went back into his hole +and went to sleep. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE SQUIRREL. + + +All this talking had passed away the morning, but in the afternoon, when +the sun got a little lower, and the heat was not quite so great, Bevis, +who had not been allowed to go out at noon, came forth again, and at +once started up the Home Field. He easily reached the great oak-tree, +and from there he knew his way to the corner of the wheat-field, where +he stopped and looked for the hare, but she was not there, nor did she +answer when he called to her. At the sound of his voice a number of +sparrows rose from the wheat, which was now ripening, and flew up to the +hedge, where they began to chatter about Kapchack's love affair. + +Bevis walked on across the field, and presently found a footpath; he +followed this, as the toad had instructed him, and after getting over +two stiles there was the copse on the right, though he had to climb over +a high gate to get into the meadow next to it. There was nothing in the +meadow except a rabbit, who turned up his white tail and went into his +hole, for having seen Bevis with the hare, whom he did not like, the +rabbit did not care to speak to Bevis. When Bevis had crossed the meadow +he found, just as the toad had said, that there was a very deep ditch +round the copse, but scarcely any water in it, and that was almost +hidden with weeds. + +After walking a little way along the ditch he saw the tree which had +been cut down and thrown across for a bridge. It was covered with moss, +and in the shadow underneath it the hart's-tongue fern was growing. +Remembering what the toad had told him, Bevis put his hand on the +rail--it was a willow pole--but found that it was not very safe, for at +the end the wasps (a long time ago) had eaten it hollow, carrying away +the wood for their nests, and what they had left had become rotten. +Still it was enough to steady his footsteps, and taking care that he did +not put his foot on a knot, Bevis got across safely. There was a rail to +climb over on the other side, and then he was in the copse, and began to +walk down a broad green path, a road which wound in among the ash-wood. + +Nobody said anything to him, it was quite silent, so silent, that he +could hear the snap of the dragon-fly's wing as he stopped in his swift +flight and returned again. Bevis pulled a handful of long green rushes, +and then he picked some of the burrs from the tall burdocks; they stuck +to his fingers when he tried to fling them away, and would not go. The +great thistles were ever so far above his head, and the humble-bees on +them glanced down at him as he passed. Bevis very carefully looked at +the bramble-bushes to see how the blackberries were coming on; but the +berries were red and green, and the flowers had not yet all gone. There +was such a beautiful piece of woodbine hanging from one of the ash-poles +that he was not satisfied till he had gathered some of it; the long +brome-grass tickled his face while he was pulling at the honeysuckle. + +He clapped his hands when he found some young nuts; he knew they were +not ripe, but he picked one and bit it with his teeth, just to feel how +soft it was. There were several very nice sticks, some of which he had +half a mind to stay and cut, and put his hand in his pocket for his +knife, but there were so many things to look at, he thought he would go +on a little farther, and come back and cut them presently. The ferns +were so tall and thick in many places that he could not see in among the +trees. When he looked back he had left the place where he came in so far +behind that he could not see it, nor when he looked round could he see +any daylight through the wood; there was only the sky overhead and the +trees and ash-stoles, and bushes, and thistles, and long grass, and fern +all about him. + +Bevis liked it very much, and he ran on and kicked over a bunch of tawny +fungus as he went, till by-and-by he came to a piece of timber lying on +the ground, and sat down upon it. Some finches went over just then; they +were talking about Kapchack as they flew; they went so fast he could not +hear much. But the squirrel was nowhere about; he called to him, but no +one answered, and he began to think he should never find him, when +presently, while he sat on the timber whistling very happily, something +came round the corner, and Bevis saw it was the hare. + +She ran up to him quickly, and sat down at his feet, and he stroked her +very softly. "I called for you at the wheat-field," he said, "but you +were not there." + +"No, dear," said the hare, "the truth is, I have been waiting for ever +so long to come into the copse on a visit to an old friend, but you must +know that the weasel lives here." + +"Does the weasel live here?" said Bevis, starting up. "Tell me where, +and I will kill him; I will cut off his head with my knife." + +"I cannot tell you exactly where he lives," said the hare, "but it is +somewhere in the copse. It is of no use your looking about; it is in +some hole or other, quite hidden, and you would never find it. I am +afraid to come into the copse while he is here; but this afternoon the +dragon-fly brought me word that the weasel had gone out. So I made haste +to come while he was away, as I had not seen my old friend the squirrel +for ever so long, and I wanted to know if the news was true." + +"Do you mean about Kapchack?" said Bevis. "I came to see the squirrel +too, but I cannot find him." + +"Yes, I mean about Kapchack," said the hare. "Is it not silly of him to +fall in love at his age? Why, he must be ten times as old as me! Really, +I some times think that the older people get the sillier they are. But +it is not much use your looking for the squirrel, dear. He may be up in +the fir-tree, or he may be in the beech, or he may have gone along the +hedge. If you were by yourself, the best thing you could do would be to +sit still where you are, and he would be nearly sure to come by, sooner +or later. He is so restless, he goes all over the copse, and is never +very long in one place. Since, however, you and I have met, I will find +him for you, and send him to you." + +"How long shall you be?" said Bevis. "I am tired of sitting here now, +and I shall go on along the path." + +"Oh, then," said the hare, "I shall not know where to find you, and that +will not do. Now, I know what I will do. I will take you to the +raspberries, and there you can eat the fruit till I send the squirrel." + +The hare leapt into the fern, and Bevis went after her. She led him in +and out, and round the ash-stoles and bushes, till he had not the least +idea which way he was going. After a time, they came to an immense +thicket of bramble and thorn, and fern growing up in it, and honeysuckle +climbing over it. + +"It is inside this thicket," said the hare. "Let us go all round, and +see if we can find a way in." + +There was a place under an ash-stole, where Bevis could just creep +beneath the boughs (the boughs held up the brambles), and after going on +his hands and knees after the hare a good way, he found himself inside +the thicket, where there was an open space grown over with raspberry +canes. Bevis shouted with delight as he saw the raspberries were ripe, +and began to eat them at once. + +"How ever did they get here?" he asked. + +"I think it was the thrush," said the hare. "It was one of the birds, no +doubt. They take the fruit out of the orchards and gardens, and that was +how it came here, I daresay. Now, don't you go outside the thicket till +the squirrel comes. And when you have quite done talking to the +squirrel, ask him to show you the way back to the timber, and there I +will meet you, and lead you to the wheat-field, where you can see the +oak-tree, and know your way home. Mind you do not go outside the thicket +without the squirrel, or you will lose your way, and wander about among +the trees till it is night." + +Off went the hare to find the squirrel, and Bevis set to work to eat as +many of the raspberries as he could. + +Among the raspberry canes he found three or four rabbit-holes, and +hearing the rabbits talking to each other, he stooped down to listen. +They were talking scandal about the hare, and saying that she was very +naughty, and rambled about too much. At this Bevis was very angry, and +stamped his foot above the hole, and told them they ought to be ashamed +of themselves for saying such things. The rabbits, very much frightened, +went down farther into their holes. After which Bevis ate a great many +more raspberries, and presently, feeling very lazy, he lay down on some +moss at the foot of an oak-tree, and kicked his heels on the ground, and +looked up at the blue sky, as he always did when he wanted some one to +speak to. He did not know how long he had been gazing at the sky, when +he heard some one say: "Bevis dear!" and turning that way he saw the +squirrel, who had come up very quietly, and was sitting on one of the +lower branches of the oak close to him. + +"Well, squirrel," said Bevis, sitting up; "the toad said I was to +remember him to you. And now be very quick, and tell me all you know +about Kapchack, and who it is he is in love with, and all about the +rebel, Choo Hoo, and everything else, in a minute." + +"Well, you are in a hurry," said the squirrel, laughing; "and so am I, +generally; but this afternoon I have nothing to do, and I am very glad +you have come, dear. Now, first----" + +"First," said Bevis, interrupting, "why did the starling say it was a +great secret, when everybody knew it?" + +"It was a great secret," said the squirrel, "till Prince Tchack-tchack +came down here (he is the heir, you know) in a dreadful fit of temper, +and told the tomtit whom he met in the fir-tree, and the tomtit told the +woodpecker, and the woodpecker told the starling, who told his lady-love +on the chimney, and the fly heard him, and when you opened the window +the fly went out and buzzed it to everybody while you were at breakfast. +By this time it is all over the world; and I daresay even the sea-gulls, +though they live such a long way off, have heard it. Kapchack is beside +himself with rage that it should be known, and Tchack-tchack is afraid +to go near him. He made a great peck at Tchack-tchack just now." + +"But why should there be so much trouble about it?" said Bevis. + +"Oh," said the squirrel, "it is a very serious business, let me tell +you. It is not an ordinary falling in love, it is nothing less than a +complete revolution of everything, and it will upset all the rules and +laws that have been handed down ever since the world began." + +"Dear me!" said Bevis. "And who is it Kapchack is in love with? I have +asked twenty people, but no one will tell me." + +"Why, I am telling you," said the squirrel. "Don't you see, if it had +been an ordinary affair--only a young magpie--it would not have mattered +much, though I daresay the queen would have been jealous, but this----" + +"Who is it?" said Bevis, in a rage. "Why don't you tell me who it is?" + +"I am telling you," said the squirrel, sharply. + +"No, you're not. You're telling me a lot of things, but not what I want +to know." + +"Oh, well," said the squirrel, tossing his head and swishing his tail, +"of course, if you know more about it than I do it is no use my +staying." So off he went in a pet. + +Up jumped Bevis. "You're a stupid donkey," he shouted, and ran across to +the other side, and threw a piece of stick up into an elm-tree after the +squirrel. But the squirrel was so quick he could not see which way he +had gone, and in half-a-minute he heard the squirrel say very softly: +"Bevis dear," behind him, and looked back, and there he was sitting on +the oak bough again. + +The squirrel, as the toad had said, was really a very good fellow; he +was very quick to take offence, but his temper only lasted a minute. +"Bevis dear," he said, "come back and sit down again on the moss, and I +will tell you." + +"I sha'n't come back," said Bevis, rather sulkily. "I shall sit here." + +"No, no; don't stop there," said the squirrel, very anxiously. "Don't +stop there, dear; can't you see that great bough above you; that +elm-tree is very wicked, and full of malice, do not stop there, he may +hurt you." + +"Pooh! what rubbish!" said Bevis; "I don't believe you. It is a very +nice elm, I am sure. Besides, how can he hurt me? He has got no legs and +he can't run after me, and he has no hands and he can't catch me. I'm +not a bit afraid of him;" and he kicked the elm with all his might. +Without waiting a second, the squirrel jumped down out of the oak and +ran across and caught hold of Bevis by his stocking--he could not catch +hold of his jacket--and tried to drag him away. Seeing the squirrel in +such an excited state, Bevis went with him to please him, and sat down +on the moss under the oak. The squirrel went up on the bough, and Bevis +laughed at him for being so silly. + +"Ah, but my dear Sir Bevis," said the squirrel, "you do not know all, or +you would not say what you did. You think because the elm has no legs +and cannot run after you, and because he has no hands and cannot catch +you, that therefore he cannot do you any harm. You are very much +mistaken; that is a very malicious elm, and of a very wicked +disposition. Elms, indeed, are very treacherous, and I recommend you to +have nothing to do with them, dear." + +"But how could he hurt me?" said Bevis. + +"He can wait till you go under him," said the squirrel, "and then drop +that big bough on you. He has had that bough waiting to drop on somebody +for quite ten years. Just look up and see how thick it is, and heavy; +why, it would smash a man out flat. Now, the reason the elms are so +dangerous is because they will wait so long till somebody passes. Trees +can do a great deal, I can tell you; why, I have known a tree, when it +could not drop a bough, fall down altogether when there was not a breath +of wind, nor any lightning, just to kill a cow or a sheep, out of sheer +bad temper." + +"But oaks do not fall, do they?" asked Bevis, looking up in some alarm +at the oak above him. + +"Oh, no," said the squirrel; "the oak is a very good tree, and so is the +beech and the ash, and many more (though I am not quite certain of the +horse-chestnut, I have heard of his playing tricks), but the elm is not; +if he can he will do something spiteful. I never go up an elm if I can +help it, not unless I am frightened by a dog or somebody coming along. +The only fall I ever had was out of an elm. + +"I ran up one in a hurry, away from that wretch, the weasel (you know +him), and put my foot on a dried branch, and the elm, like a treacherous +thing as he is, let it go, and down I went crash, and should have hurt +myself very much if my old friend the ivy had not put out a piece for me +to catch hold of, and so just saved me. As for you, dear, don't you ever +sit under an elm, for you are very likely to take cold there, there is +always a draught under an elm on the warmest day. + +"If it should come on to rain while you are out for a walk, be sure and +not go under an elm for shelter if the wind is blowing, for the elm, if +he possibly can, will take advantage of the storm to smash you. + +"And elms are so patient, they will wait sixty or seventy years to do +somebody an injury; if they cannot get a branch ready to fall they will +let the rain in at a knot-hole, and so make it rotten inside, though it +looks green without, or ask some fungus to come up and grow there, and +so get the bough ready for them. That elm across there is quite rotten +inside--there is a hole inside so big you could stand up, and yet if +anybody went by they would say what a splendid tree. + +"But if you asked Kauhaha, the rook, he would shake his head, and +decline to have anything to do with that tree. So, my dear Sir Bevis, do +not you think any more that because a thing has no legs, nor arms, nor +eyes, nor ears, that therefore it cannot hurt you. There is the earth, +for instance; you may stamp on the earth with your feet and she will not +say anything, she will put up with anything, but she is always lying in +wait all the same, and if you could only find all the money she has +buried you would be the richest man in the world; I could tell you +something about that. The flints even----" + +"Now I do not believe what you are going to say," said Bevis, "I am sure +the flints cannot do anything, for I have picked up hundreds of them and +flung them splash into the brook." + +"But I assure you they can," said the squirrel. "I will tell you a story +about a flint that happened only a short time since, and then you will +believe. Once upon a time a waggon was sent up on the hills to fetch a +load of flints; it was a very old waggon, and it wanted mending, for it +belonged to a man who never would mend anything." + +"Who was that?" said Bevis. "What a curious man." + +"It was the same old gentleman (he is a farmer, only he is like your +papa, Sir Bevis, and his land is his own), the same old gentleman who is +so fond of Kapchack, whose palace is in his orchard. Well, the waggon +went up on the hills, where the men had dug up some flints which had +been lying quite motionless in the ground for so many thousand years +that nobody could count them. There were at least five thousand flints, +and the waggon went jolting down the hill and on to the road, and as it +went the flints tried to get out, but they could not manage it, none but +one flint, which was smaller than the rest. + +"This one flint, of all the five thousand, squeezed out of a hole in the +bottom of the waggon, and fell on the dust in the road, and was left +there. There was not much traffic on the road (it is the same, dear, +that goes to Southampton, where the ships are), so that it remained +where it fell. Only one waggon came by with a load of hay, and had the +wheel gone over the flint of course it would have been crushed to +pieces. But the waggoner, instead of walking by his horses, was on the +grass at the side of the road talking to a labourer in the field, and +his team did not pass on their right side of the road, but more in the +middle, and so the flint was not crushed. + +"In the evening, when it was dark, a very old and very wealthy gentleman +came along in his dog-cart, and his horse, which was a valuable one, +chanced to slip on the flint, which, being sharp and jagged, hurt its +hoof, and down the horse fell. The elderly gentleman and his groom, who +was driving, were thrown out; the groom was not hurt, but his master +broke his arm, and the horse broke his knees. The gentleman was so angry +that no sooner did he get home than he dismissed the groom, though it +was no fault of his, for how could he see the flint in the night? Nor +would he give the man a character, and the consequence was he could not +find another place. He soon began to starve, and then he was obliged to +steal, and after a while he became a burglar. + +"One night he entered a house in London, and was getting on well, and +stealing gold watches and such things, when somebody opened the door +and tried to seize him. Pulling out his pistol, he shot his assailant +dead on the spot, and at once escaped, and has not since been heard of, +though you may be sure if he is caught he will be hung, and they are +looking very sharp after him, because he stole a box with some papers in +it which are said to be of great value. And the person he shot was the +same gentleman who had discharged him because the horse fell down. Now +all this happened through the flint, and as I told you, Bevis dear, +about the elm, the danger with such things is that they will wait so +long to do mischief. + +"This flint, you see, waited so many years that nobody could count them, +till the waggon came to fetch it. They are never tired of waiting. Be +very careful, Bevis dear, how you climb up a tree, or how you put your +head out of window, for there is a thing that is always lying in wait, +and will pull you down in a minute, if you do not take care. It has been +waiting there to make something fall ever since the beginning of the +world, long before your house was built, dear, or before any of the +trees grew. You cannot see it, but it is there, as you may prove by +putting your cap out of window, which in a second will begin to fall +down, as you would if you were tilted out. + +"And I daresay you have seen people swimming, which is a very pleasant +thing, I hear from the wild ducks; but all the time the water is lying +in wait, and if they stop swimming a minute they will be drowned, and +although a man very soon gets tired of swimming, the water never gets +tired of waiting, but is always ready to drown him. + +"Also, it is the same with your candle, Bevis dear, and this the bat +told me, for he once saw it happen, looking in at a window as he flew +by, and he shrieked as loud as he could, but his voice is so very shrill +that it is not everybody can hear him, and all his efforts were in vain. +For a lady had gone to sleep in bed and left her candle burning on the +dressing-table, just where she had left it fifty times before, and found +it burnt down to the socket in the morning, and no harm done. But that +night she had had a new pair of gloves, which were wrapped up in a piece +of paper, and she undid these gloves and left the piece of paper +underneath the candlestick, and yet it would not have hurt had the +candle been put up properly, but instead of that a match had been stuck +in at the side, like a wedge, to keep it up. When the flame came down to +the match the match caught fire, and when it had burnt a little way +down, that piece fell off, and dropped on the paper in which the gloves +had been wrapped. The paper being very thin was alight in an instant, +and from the paper the flame travelled to some gauze things hung on the +looking-glass, and from that to the window curtains, and from the window +curtains to the bed curtains, till the room was in a blaze, and though +the bat shrieked his loudest the lady did not wake till she was very +much burnt. + +"Also with the sea; for the cod-fish told the seagull, who told the +heron, who related the fact to the kingfisher, who informed me. The +cod-fish was swimming about in the sea and saw a ship at anchor, and +coming by the chain-cable the fish saw that one of the links of the +chain was nearly eaten through with rust; but as the wind was calm it +did not matter. Next time the ship came there to anchor the cod-fish +looked again; and the rust had gone still further into the link. A third +time the ship came back to anchor there, and the sailors went to sleep +thinking it was all right, but the cod-fish swam by and saw that the +link only just held. In the night there came a storm, and the sailors +woke up to find the vessel drifting on the rocks, where she was broken +to pieces, and hardly any of them escaped. + +"Also, with living things, Bevis dear; for there was once a little +creeping thing (the sun-beetle told me he heard it from his grandfather) +which bored a hole into a beam under the floor of a room--the hole was +so tiny you could scarcely see it, and the beam was so big twenty men +could not lift it. After the creeping thing had bored this little hole +it died, but it left ten children, and they bored ten more little holes, +and when they died they left ten each, and they bored a hundred holes, +and left a thousand, and they bored a thousand holes, and they left a +thousand tens, who bored ten thousand holes, and left ten thousand tens, +and they bored one hundred thousand holes, and left one hundred thousand +tens, and they bored a million holes; and when a great number of people +met in the room to hear a man speak, down the beam fell crash, and they +were all dreadfully injured. + +"Now, therefore, Bevis, my dear little Sir Bevis, do you take great care +and never think any more that a thing cannot hurt you, because it has +not got any legs, and cannot run after you, or because it has no hands, +and cannot catch you, or because it is very tiny, and you cannot see it, +but could kill a thousand with the heel of your boot. For as I told you +about the malice-minded elm, all these things are so terribly dangerous, +because they can wait so long, and because they never forget. + +"Therefore, if you climb up a tree, be sure and remember to hold tight, +and not forget, for the earth will not forget, but will pull you down to +it thump, and hurt you very much. And remember if you walk by the water +that it is water, and do not forget, for the water will not forget, and +if you should fall in, will let you sink and drown you. And if you take +a candle be careful what you are doing, and do not forget that fire will +burn, for the fire will not forget, but will always be on the look-out +and ready, and will burn you without mercy. And be sure to see that no +little unseen creeping thing is at work, for they are everywhere boring +holes into the beam of life till it cracks unexpectedly; but you must +stay till you are older, and have eaten the peck of salt your papa tells +you about, before you can understand all that. Now----" + +"But," said Bevis, who had been listening to the story very carefully, +"you have not told me about the wind. You have told me about the earth, +and the water, and the fire, but you have not said anything about the +wind." + +"No more I have," said the squirrel. "You see I forget, though the earth +does not, neither does the water, nor the fire. Well, the wind is the +nicest of all of them, and you need never be afraid of the wind, for he +blows so sweetly, and brings the odour of flowers, and fills you with +life, and joy, and happiness. And oh, Bevis dear, you should listen to +the delicious songs he sings, and the stories he tells as he goes +through the fir-tree and the oak. Of course if you are on the ground, so +far below, you can only hear a sound of whispering, unless your ears are +very sharp; but if you were up in the boughs with me, you would be +enchanted with the beauty of his voice. + +"No, dear, never be afraid of the wind, but put your doors open and let +him come in, and throw your window open and let him wander round the +room, and take your cap off sometimes, and let him stroke your hair. The +wind is a darling--I love the wind, and so do you, dear, for I have seen +you racing about when the wind was rough, chasing the leaves and +shouting with delight. Now with the wind it is just the reverse to what +it is with all the others. If you fall on the earth it thumps you; into +the water, it drowns you; into the fire, it burns you; but you cannot do +without wind. + +"Always remember that you must have wind, dear, and do not get into a +drawer, as I have heard of boys doing, from the mouse, who goes about a +good deal indoors, and being suffocated for want of wind; or into a +box, or a hole, or anywhere where there is no wind. It is true he +sometimes comes along with a most tremendous push, and the trees go +cracking over. That is only because they are malice-minded, and are +rotten at the heart; and the boughs break off, that is only because they +have invited the fungus to grow on them; and the thatch on your papa's +ricks is lifted up at the corner just as if the wind had chucked them +under the chin. + +"But that is nothing. Everybody loses his temper now and then, and why +not the wind? You should see the nuts he knocks down for me where I +could not very well reach them, and the showers of acorns, and the +apples! I take an apple out of your orchard, dear, sometimes, but I do +not mean any harm--it is only one or two. I love the wind! But do not go +near an elm, dear, when the wind blows, for the elm, as I told you, is a +malicious tree, and will seize any pretence, or a mere puff, to do +mischief." + +"I love the wind too!" said Bevis. "He sings to me down the chimney, and +hums to me through the door, and whistles up in the attic, and shouts at +me from the trees. Oh, yes, I will do as you say; I will always have +plenty of the wind. You are a very nice squirrel. I like you very much; +and you have a lovely silky tail. But you have not told me yet who it is +Kapchack is in love with." + +"I have been telling you all the time," said the squirrel; "but you are +in such a hurry; and, as I was saying, if it was only a young magpie, +now--only an ordinary affair--very likely the queen would be jealous, +indeed, and there would be a fight in the palace, which would be nothing +at all new, but this is much more serious, a very serious matter, and +none can tell how it will end. As Kauc, the crow, was saying to Cloctaw, +the jackdaw, this morning----" + +"But who is it?" asked Bevis, jumping up again in a rage. + +"Why, everybody knows who it is," said the squirrel; "from the ladybird +to the heron; from the horse to the mouse; and everybody is talking of +it, and as since the raven went away, there is no judge to settle any +dispute----" + +"I hate you!" said Bevis, "you do talk so much; but you do not tell me +what I want to know. You are a regular donkey, and I will pull your +tail." + +He snatched at the squirrel's tail, but the squirrel was too quick; he +jumped up the boughs and showed his white teeth, and ran away in a +temper. + +Bevis looked all round, but could not see him, and as he was looking a +dragon-fly came and said that the squirrel had sent him to say that he +was very much hurt, and thought Bevis was extremely rude to him, but he +had told the dragon-fly to show him the way to the piece of timber, and +if he would come back to-morrow, and not be so rude, he should hear all +about it. So the dragon-fly led Bevis to the piece of timber, where the +hare was waiting, and the hare led him to the wheat-field, and showed +him the top of the great oak-tree, and from there he easily found his +way home to tea. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE COURTIERS. + + +The next morning passed quickly, Bevis having so much to do. Hur-hur, +the pig, asked him to dig up some earth-nuts for him with his knife, for +the ground was hard from the heat of the sun, and he could not thrust +his snout in. Then Pan, the spaniel, had to be whipped very severely +because he would not climb a tree; and so the morning was taken up. +After the noontide heat had decreased, Bevis again started, and found +his way by the aid of the oak to the corner of the wheat-field. The +dragon-fly was waiting for him with a message from the hare, saying that +she had been invited to a party on the hills, so the dragon-fly would +guide him into the copse. + +Flying before him, the dragon-fly led the way, often going a long +distance ahead, and coming back in a minute, for he moved so rapidly it +was not possible for Bevis to keep pace with him, and he was too +restless to stand still. Bevis walked carefully over the bridge, holding +to the rail, as the toad had told him; and passing the thistles, and the +grass, and the ferns, came to the piece of timber. There he sat down to +rest, while the dragon-fly played to and fro, now rising to the top of +the trees, and now darting down again, to show off his dexterity. While +he was sitting there a crow came along and looked at him hard, but said +nothing; and immediately afterwards a jackdaw went over, remarking what +a lovely day it was. + +"Now take me to the raspberries," said Bevis; and the dragon-fly, +winding in and out the trees, brought him to the thicket, showed him the +place to creep in, and left, promising to return by-and-by and fetch him +when it was time to go home. Bevis, warm with walking in the sunshine, +after he had crept in to the raspberries, went across and sat down on +the moss under the oak; and he had hardly leant his back against the +tree than the squirrel came along the ground and sat beside him. + +"You are just in time, my dear," he said, speaking low and rapidly, and +glancing round to see that no one was near; "for there is going to be a +secret council of the courtiers this afternoon, while Kapchack takes his +nap; and in order that none of the little birds may play the spy and +carry information to the police, Kauc, the crow, has been flying round +and driving them away, so that there is not so much as a robin left in +the copse. This is an employment that suits him very well, for he loves +to play the tyrant. Perhaps you saw him coming in. And this council is +about Kapchack's love affair, and to decide what is to be done, and +whether it can be put up with, or whether they must refuse to receive +her." + +"And who is she?" said Bevis; "you keep on talking, but you do not tell +me." The squirrel pricked up his ears and looked cross, but he heard +the people coming to the council, and knew there was no time to be lost +in quarrelling, so he did not go off in a pet this time. "The lady is +the youngest jay, dear, in the wood; La Schach is her name; she is +sweetly pretty, and dresses charmingly in blue and brown. She is sweetly +pretty, though they say rather a flirt, and flighty in her ways. She has +captivated a great many with her bright colour, and now this toothless +old Kapchack--but hush! It is a terrible scandal. I hear them coming; +slip this way, Bevis dear." + +Bevis went after him under the brambles and the ferns till he found a +place in a hollow ash-stole, where it was hung all round with +honeysuckle, and then, doing as the squirrel told him, he sat down, and +was quite concealed from sight; while the squirrel stopped on a bough +just over his head, where he could whisper and explain things. Though +Bevis was himself hidden, he could see very well; and he had not been +there a minute before he heard a rustling, and saw the fox come +stealthily out from the fern, and sit under an ancient hollow pollard +close by. + +The stoat came close behind him; he was something like the weasel, and +they say a near relation; he is much bolder than the weasel, but not one +quarter so cunning. He is very jealous, too, of the power the weasel has +got on account of his cunning, and if he could he would strangle his +kinsman. The rat could not attend, having very important business at the +brook that day, but he had sent the mouse to listen and tell him all +that was said. The fox looked at the mouse askance from the corner of +his eye; and the stoat could not refrain from licking his lips, though +it was well understood that at these assemblies all private feelings +were to be rigidly suppressed. So that the mouse was quite safe; still, +seeing the fox's glance, and the stoat's teeth glistening, he kept very +near a little hole under a stole, where he could rush in if alarmed. + +"I understood Prince Tchack-tchack was coming," said the fox, "but I +don't see him." + +"I heard the same thing," said the stoat. "He's very much upset about +this business." + +"Ah," said the fox, "perhaps he had an eye himself to this beautiful +young creature. Depend upon it there's more under the surface than we +have heard of yet." Just then a message came from the weasel regretting +very much that he could not be present, owing to indisposition, but +saying that he quite agreed with all that was going to be said, and that +he would act as the others decided, and follow them in all things. This +message was delivered by a humble-bee, who having repeated all the +weasel had told him to, went buzzing on among the thistles. + +"I do not quite like this," said a deep hollow voice; and looking up, +Bevis saw the face of the owl at the mouth of a hole in the +pollard-tree. He was winking in the light, and could not persuade +himself to come out, which was the reason the council was held at the +foot of his house, as it was necessary he should take part in it. "I do +not quite like this," said the owl, very solemnly, "Is the weasel +sincere in all he says? Is he really unwell, or does he keep away in +order that if Kapchack hears of this meeting he may say: 'I was not +there. I did not take any part in it'?" + +"That is very likely," said the stoat. "He is capable of anything--I say +it with sorrow, as he is so near a relation, but the fact is, gentlemen, +the weasel is not what he ought to be, and has, I am afraid, much +disgraced our family." + +"Let us send for the weasel," said the hawk, who just then came and +alighted on the tree above the owl. "Perhaps the squirrel, who knows the +copse so well, will go and fetch him." + +"I really do not know where he lives," said the squirrel. "I have not +seen him lately, and I am afraid he is keeping his bed." Then the +squirrel whispered down to Bevis: "That is not all true, but you see I +am obliged not to know too much, else I should offend somebody and do +myself no good". + +"Well, then," said the rook, who had just arrived, "send the mouse; he +looks as if he wanted something to do." + +"I cannot agree to that," said the owl; "the mouse is very clever, and +his opinion worthy of attention; we cannot spare him." The truth was, +the owl, squinting down, had seen what a plump mouse it was, and he +reflected that if the weasel saw him he would never rest till he had +tasted him, whereas he thought he should like to meet the mouse by +moonlight shortly. "Upon the whole, I really don't know that we need +send for the weasel," he went on, thinking that if the weasel came he +would fasten his affections upon the mouse. + +"But I do," said the stoat. + +"And so do I," said the fox. + +"And I," said Kauc, the crow, settling down on a branch of the pollard. + +"For my part," said Cloctaw, the old jackdaw, taking his seat on a +branch of horse-chestnut, "I think it is very disrespectful of the +weasel." + +"True," said the wood-pigeon. "True-whoo," as he settled on the ash. + +"Quite true-oo," repeated the dove, perching in the hawthorn. + +"Send for the weasel, then," said a missel-thrush, also perching in the +hawthorn. "Why all this delay? I am for action. Send for the weasel +immediately." + +"Really, gentlemen," said the mouse, not at all liking the prospect of a +private interview with the weasel, "you must remember that I have had a +long journey here, and I am not quite sure where the weasel lives at +present." + +"The council is not complete without the weasel," screamed a jay, coming +up; he was in a terrible temper, for the lady jay whom Kapchack was in +love with had promised him her hand, till the opportunity of so much +grandeur turned her head, and she jilted him like a true daughter of the +family, as she was. For the jays are famous for jilting their lovers. +"If the mouse is afraid," said the jay, "I'll fetch the humble-bee +back, and if he won't come I'll speak a word to my friend the shrike, +and have him spitted on a thorn in a minute." Off he flew, and the +humble-bee, dreadfully frightened, came buzzing back directly. + +"It falls upon you, as the oldest of the party, to give him his +commands," said Tchink, the chaffinch, addressing the owl. The owl +looked at the crow, and the crow scowled at the chaffinch, who turned +his back on him, being very saucy. He had watched his opportunity while +the crow went round the copse to drive away the small birds, and slipped +in to appear at the council. He was determined to assert his presence, +and take as much part as the others in these important events. If the +goldfinches, and the thrushes, and blackbirds, and robins, and +greenfinches, and sparrows, and so on, were so meek as to submit to be +excluded, and were content to have no voice in the matter till they were +called upon to obey orders, that was their affair. They were a bevy of +poor-spirited, mean things. He was not going to be put down like that. +Tchink was, indeed, a very impudent fellow: Bevis liked him directly, +and determined to have a chat with him by-and-by. + +"If I am the oldest of the party, it is scarcely competent for you to +say so," said the owl with great dignity, opening his eyes to their full +extent, and glaring at Tchink. + +"All right, old Spectacles," said Tchink; "you're not a bad sort of +fellow by daylight, though I have heard tales of your not behaving quite +so properly at night." Then catching sight of Bevis (for Tchink was +very quick) he flew over and settled near the squirrel, intending, if +any violence was offered to him, to ask Bevis for protection. + +The owl, seeing the fox tittering, and the crow secretly pleased at this +remark, thought it best to take no notice, but ordered the humble-bee, +in the name of the council, to at once proceed to the weasel, and inform +him that the council was unable to accept his excuses, but was waiting +his arrival. + +"Is Tchack-tchack coming?" asked the mouse, recovering his spirits now. + +"I too-whoo should like to know if Tchack-tchack is coming," said the +wood-pigeon. + +"And I so, too-oo," added the dove. "It seems to me a most important +matter." + +"In my opinion," said Cloctaw, speaking rather huskily, for he was very +old, "Tchack-tchack will not come. I know him well--I can see through +him--he is a double-faced rascal like--like (he was going to say the +fox, but recollected himself in time) his--well, never matter; like all +his race then. My opinion is, he started the rumour that he was coming +just to get us together, and encourage us to conspire against his +father, in the belief that the heir was with us and approved of our +proceedings. But he never really meant to come." + +"The jackdaw is very old," said the crow, with a sneer. "He is not what +he used to be, gentlemen, you must make allowance for his +infirmities." + +"It seems to me," said the missel-thrush, interrupting, "that we are +wasting a great deal of time. I propose that we at once begin the +discussion, and then if the weasel and Tchack-tchack come they can join +in. I regret to say that my kinsman, the missel-thrush who frequents the +orchard (by special permission of Kapchack, as you know), is not here. +The pampered fawning wretch!--I hate such favourites--they disgrace a +court. Why, all the rest of our family are driven forth like rogues, and +are not permitted to come near! If the tyrant kills his children in his +wanton freaks even then this minion remains loyal: despicable being! But +now without further delay let us ask the owl to state the case plainly, +so that we can all understand what we are talking about." + +"Hear, hear," said Tchink. + +"I agree too," said the wood-pigeon. + +"I too," said the dove. + +"It is no use waiting for Tchack-tchack," said the hawk. + +"Hum! haw! caw!" said the rook, "I do not know about that." + +"Let us go on to business," said the stoat, "the weasel knows no more +than we do. His reputation is much greater than he deserves." + +"I have heard the same thing," said the fox. "Indeed I think so myself." + +"I am sure the owl will put the case quite fairly," said the mouse, much +pleased that the owl had saved him from carrying the message to the +weasel. + +"_We_ are all waiting, Owl," said Tchink. + +"_We_, indeed," said the hawk, very sharply. + +"Hush! hush!" said the squirrel. "This is a privileged place, gentlemen; +no personal remarks, if you please." + +"I think, think, the owl is very stupid not to begin," said the +chaffinch. + +"If you please," said the fox, bowing most politely to the owl, "we are +listening." + +"Well then, gentlemen, since you all wish it," said the owl, ruffling +out his frills and swelling up his feathers, "since you all wish it, I +will endeavour to put the case as plainly as possible, and in as few +words as I can. You must understand, gentlemen, indeed you all +understand already, that from time immemorial, ever since the oak bore +acorns, and the bramble blackberries, it has been the established custom +for each particular bird and each particular animal to fall in love +with, and to marry some other bird or animal of the same kind. + +"To explain more fully, so that there cannot by any possibility be the +least chance of any one mistaking my meaning, I should illustrate the +position in this way, that it has always been the invariable custom for +owls to marry owls; for crows to marry crows; for rooks to fall in love +with rooks; for wood-pigeons to woo wood-pigeons; doves to love doves; +missel-thrushes to court lady missel-thrushes; jackdaws, jackdaws; +hawks, hawks; rats, rats; foxes, foxes; stoats, stoats; weasels, +weasels; squirrels, squirrels; for jays to marry jays ('Just so,' +screamed the jay); and magpies to marry magpies." + +"And chaffinches to kiss chaffinches," added Tchink, determined not to +be left out. + +"This custom," continued the owl, "has now existed so long, that upon +looking into the archives of my house, and turning over the dusty +records, not without inconvenience to myself, I can't discover one +single instance of a departure from it since history began. There is no +record, gentlemen, of any such event having taken place. I may say, +without fear of contradiction, that no precedent exists. We may, +therefore, regard it as a fixed principle of common law, from which no +departure can be legal, without the special and express sanction of all +the nation, or of its representatives assembled. We may even go further, +and hazard the opinion, not without some authority, that even with such +sanction, such departure from constitutional usage could not be +sustained were an appeal to be lodged. + +"Even the high court of representatives of all the nation, assembled in +the fulness of their power, could not legalise what is in itself and of +its own nature illegal. Customs of this kind, which are founded upon the +innate sense and feeling of every individual, cannot, in short, be +abolished by Act of Parliament. Upon this all the authorities I have +consulted are perfectly agreed. What has grown up during the process of +so many generations, cannot be now put on one side. This, gentlemen, is +rather an abstruse part of the question, being one which recommends +itself for consideration to the purely legal intellect. It is a matter, +too, of high state policy which rises above the knowledge of the common +herd. We may take it for granted, and pass on from the general to the +special aspect of this most remarkable case. + +"What do we see? We see a proposed alliance between an august magpie and +a beautiful jay. Now we know by experience that what the palace does one +day, the world at large will do to-morrow. It is the instinct of nature +to follow the example of those set so high above us. We may therefore +conclude, without fear of contradiction, that this alliance will be +followed by others equally opposed to tradition. We shall have hundreds +of other equally ill-assorted unions. If it could be confined to this +one instance, a dispensation might doubtless be arranged. I, for one, +should not oppose it. ('I hate you!' shouted the jay.) But no one can +for a moment shut his eye to what must happen. We shall have, as I +before remarked, hundreds of these ill-assorted unions. + +"Now I need not enlarge upon the unhappy state of affairs which would +thus be caused: the family jars, the shock to your feelings, the pain +that must be inflicted upon loving hearts. With that I have nothing to +do. It may safely be left to your imagination. But what I, as a +statesman and a lawyer, have to deal with, is the legal, that is the +common-sense view of the situation, and my first question is this: I ask +myself, and I beg you, each of you, to ask yourselves--I ask myself, +What effect would these ill-assorted unions produce upon the inheritance +of property?" + +"True-whoo!" said the wood-pigeon. + +"Hum! Haw!" said the rook. + +"Law-daw!" said Cloctaw. + +"Very important, very!" said the fox. "The sacred laws of property +cannot with safety be interfered with." + +"No intrusion can be thought of for a moment," said the stoat. + +"Most absurd!" said the jay. + +"The very point!" said the missel-thrush. + +"Very clear, indeed!" said the mouse; "I am sure the rat will echo the +sentiment." + +"Every one will agree with you," said Ki Ki, the hawk. + +"I think the same," said the chaffinch. + +"The question is undoubtedly very important," continued the owl, when +the buzz had subsided, and much pleased at the sensation he had caused. +"You all agree that the question is not one to be lightly decided or +passed over. In order to fully estimate the threatened alteration in our +present system, let us for a moment survey the existing condition of +affairs. I, myself, to begin with, I and my ancestors, for many +generations, have held undisputed possession of this pollard. Not the +slightest flaw has ever been discovered in our title-deeds; and no +claimant has ever arisen. The rook has had, I believe, once or twice +some little difficulty respecting his own particular tenancy, which is +not a freehold; but his townsmen, as a body, possess their trees in +peace. The crow holds an oak; the wood-pigeon has an ash; the +missel-thrush a birch; our respected friend the fox here, has a burrow +which he inherited from a deceased rabbit, and he has also contingent +claims on the witheybed, and other property in the country; the stoat +has a charter of free warren." + +"And I have an elm," said Tchink; "let anybody come near it, that's +all." + +"The squirrel," continued the owl, "has an acknowledged authority over +this copse; and the jay has three or four firs of his own." + +"And St. Paul belongs to me," said Cloctaw, the jackdaw. + +"Well, now," said the owl, raising his voice and overpowering the husky +Cloctaw, "about these various properties little or no dispute can take +place; the son succeeds to the father, and the nephew to the uncle. +Occasional litigation, of course, occurs, which I have often had the +pleasure of conducting to an amicable and satisfactory termination. But, +upon the whole, there is very little difficulty; and the principle of +inheritance is accepted by all. Your approval, indeed, has just been +signified in the most unanimous manner. But what shall we see if the +example set by the palace spreads among society? The ash at the present +moment is owned by the wood-pigeon; were the wood-pigeon's heir to marry +the missel-thrush's heiress, just imagine the conflicting claims which +would arise. + +"The family would be divided amongst itself; all the relations upon the +paternal side, and the relations upon the maternal side would join the +contest, and peace would be utterly at an end. And so in all other +instances. The crow would no longer have a fee-simple of the oak, the +jackdaw of the steeple, the rook of the elm, the fox of the burrow, or I +of my pollard. We might even see the rook claiming the----But I will not +follow the illustration further, lest I be charged with descending to +personalities. I will only add, in conclusion, that if this ill-fated +union takes place, we must look forward to seeing every home broken up, +our private settlements, our laws of hereditary succession set upon one +side, our property divided among a miscellaneous horde of people, who +will not know their own grandfathers, and our most cherished sentiments +cast to the winds of heaven." With which words the owl concluded, and +was greeted with marks of approval from all parts of the circle. + +"We are all very much indebted to the owl," said the fox, "for putting +the true aspect of the case so clearly before us. His learned +discourse--not more learned than lucid--has convinced us all of the +extreme inexpediency of this alliance." + +"If this course is persisted in," said the crow, "it can only end, in my +opinion, in a way disastrous to the state. The king cannot decline to +listen to our representations, if we are united." + +"Haw!" said the rook; "I'm not so sure of that. Kapchack likes his own +way." + +"Kapchack is very self-willed," said the hawk. "It is almost our turn to +have our way once now." + +"So I should say," screamed the jay, who could never open his beak +without getting into a temper. "So I should say; Kapchack is a wicked +old----" + +"Hush, hush," said the squirrel; "you can't tell who may be listening." + +"I don't care," said the jay, ruffling up his feathers; "Kapchack is a +wicked old fellow, and Tchack-tchack is as bad." + +"Capital!" said Tchink, the chaffinch; "I like outspoken people. But I +have heard that you (to the jay) are very fond of flirting." At this +there would have been a disturbance, had not the fox interfered. + +"We shall never do anything, unless we agree amongst ourselves," he +said. "Now, the question is, are we going to do anything?" + +"Yes, that is it," said the missel-thrush, who hated talking, and liked +to be doing; "what is it we are going to do?" + +"Something must be done," said the owl, very solemnly. + +"Yes; something must be done," said Cloctaw. + +"Something must be done," said Ki Ki. + +"I think, think so," said Tchink. + +"I, too," said the dove. + +"Quite true," said the wood-pigeon. + +"Something must be done," said the stoat. + +"Let us tell Kapchack what we think," said the mouse, getting bold, as +he was not eaten. + +"A good idea," said the crow; "a very good idea. We will send the mouse +with a message." + +"Dear me! No, no," cried the mouse, terribly frightened; "Kapchack is +awful in a rage--my life would not be worth a minute's purchase. Let the +stoat go." + +"Not I," said the stoat; "I have had to suffer enough already, on +account of my relation to that rascal the weasel, whom Kapchack suspects +of designs upon his throne. I will not go." + +"Nor I," said the fox; "Kapchack has looked angrily at me for a long +time--he cannot forget my royal descent. Let the hawk go." + +"I! I!" said Ki Ki. "Nonsense; Kapchack does not much like me now; he +gave me a hint the other day not to soar too high. I suppose he did not +like to think of my overlooking him kissing pretty La Schach." + +"Wretch! horrid wretch!" screamed the jay, at the mention of the +kissing, in a paroxysm of jealousy. "Pecking is too good for him!" + +"Send the jackdaw or the crow," said Ki Ki. + +"No, no," said Kauc and Cloctaw together. "Try the wood-pigeon." + +"I go?--whoo," said the pigeon. "Impossible. Kapchack told me to my face +the other day that he more than half suspected me of plotting to go over +to Choo Hoo. I dare not say such a thing to him." + +"Nor I," said the dove. "Why not the owl?" + +"The fact is," said the owl, "my relations with Kapchack are of a +peculiar and delicate nature. Although I occupy the position of a +trusted counsellor, and have the honour to be chief secretary of state, +that very position forbids my taking liberties, and it is clear if I +did, and were in consequence banished from the court, that I could not +plead your cause. Now, the rat----" + +"I am sure the rat will not go," said the mouse. "My friend the rat is +very particularly engaged, and could not possibly stir from home at this +juncture. There is the missel-thrush." + +"Ridiculous," said the missel-thrush. "Everybody knows I had to leave my +hawthorn-tree because Prince Tchack-tchack took a fancy to it. He would +very likely accuse me to his father of high treason, for he hates me +more than poison ever since he did me that injury, and would lose no +chance of compassing my destruction. Besides which my relative--the +favourite--would effectually prevent me from obtaining an audience. Now, +there's the squirrel." + +"My dear sir," said the squirrel, "it is well known I never meddle with +politics. I am most happy to see you all here, and you can have the use +of my copse at any time, and I may say further that I sympathise with +your views in a general way. But on no account could I depart from my +principles." + +"His principles," muttered the crow, always a cynical fellow. "His +principles are his own beech-trees. If anybody touched them he would not +object to politics then." + +"This is rather awkward," said the owl. "There seems an embarrassment on +the part of all of us, and we must own that to venture into the presence +of a despotic monarch with such unpleasant advice requires no slight +courage. Now, I propose that since the weasel has attained so high a +reputation for address, that he be called upon to deliver our message." + +"Hear, hear," said the fox. + +"Hear, hear," said the stoat. + +"Capital," said the chaffinch. "Old Spectacles can always see a way out +of a difficulty." + +"Haw!" said the rook. "I'm doubtful. Perhaps the weasel will not see it +in this light." + +"Buzz," said the humble-bee, just then returning. "Gentlemen, I have +seen the weasel. His lordship was lying on a bank in the sun--he is very +ill indeed. His limbs are almost powerless; he has taken a chill from +sleeping in a damp hole. He sends his humble apology, and regrets he +cannot move. I left him licking his helpless paw. Buzz, buzz." + +"Hark! hark!" said the woodpecker, bursting into the circle with such a +shout and clatter that the dove flew a little way in alarm. "Kapchack is +waking up. I have been watching all the time to let you know. And there +is no chance of Prince Tchack-tchack coming, for he told me that +Kapchack ordered him not to leave the orchard while he was asleep." + +"I do not believe it," said the jay. "He is a false scoundrel, and I +daresay Kapchack never gave any such order, and never thought about it. +However, there is no help for it, we must break up this meeting, or we +shall be missed. But it is clear that something must be done." + +"Something must be done," said the wood-pigeon, as he flew off. + +"Something must be done," repeated the dove. + +"Something must be done," said the owl, as he went down into the pollard +to sleep the rest of the day. Off went the mouse as fast as he could go, +anxious to get away from the neighbourhood of the weasel. The +missel-thrush had started directly he heard what the woodpecker said, +disgusted that there was no action, and nothing but talk. The jay went +off with the hawk, remarking as he went that he had expected better +things of the fox, whose royal ancestors had so great a reputation, and +could contrive a scheme to achieve anything, while their ignoble +descendant was so quiet, and scarce spoke a word. It seemed as if the +weasel would soon outdo him altogether. The rook flew straight away to +the flock to which he belonged, to tell them all that had been said. The +chaffinch left at the same time; the fox and the stoat went away +together; the crow and the jackdaw accompanied each other a little way. +When they had gone a short distance the crow said he wanted to say +something very particular, so they perched together on a lonely branch. + +"What is it?" said Cloctaw. + +"The fact is," said the crow, "my belief is--come a little nearer--my +belief is that Kapchack's reign is coming to an end. People won't put +up with this." + +"Ah," said the jackdaw, "if that is the case who is to be king?" + +"Well," said the crow, "let me whisper to you; come a little nearer." He +hopped towards Cloctaw. Cloctaw hopped the other way. The crow hopped +towards him again, till Cloctaw came to the end of the branch, and could +go no farther without flying, which would look odd under the +circumstances. So he kept a very sharp eye on Kauc, for the fact was +they had had many a quarrel when they were younger, and Cloctaw was not +at all sure that he should not have a beak suddenly driven through his +head. + +"The truth is," said the crow, in a hoarse whisper, "there's a chance +for you and me. Can't you see the fox is very stupid, quite abject, and +without the least spirit; the stoat is very fierce, but has no mind; +everybody suspects the weasel, and will not trust him; as for the rat, +he is no favourite; the hawk is--well, the hawk is dangerous, but might +be disposed of ('You black assassin,' thought Cloctaw to himself); the +rook has not a chance, for his friends would be too jealous to let one +of their number become a king; and for the rest, they are too weak. +There's only you and me left." + +"I see," said Cloctaw; "but we could not both be king." + +"Why not?" said the crow; "you wear the crown and live in the palace; +you are old, and it would be nice and comfortable; you have all the +state and dignity, and I will do the work." + +"It is very kind of you to propose it," said Cloctaw, as if considering. +In his heart he thought: "Oh, yes, very convenient indeed; I am to wear +the crown, and be pecked at by everybody, and _you_ to do all the +work--that is, to go about and collect the revenue, and be rich, and +have all the power, while I have all the danger". + +"It is quite feasible, I am sure," said the crow; "especially if Prince +Tchack-tchack continues his undutiful course, and if Choo Hoo should +come up with his army." + +"I must think about it," said Cloctaw; "we must not be too hasty." + +"Oh, dear no," said the crow, delighted to have won over one important +politician to his cause so easily; "we must wait and watch events. Of +course this little conversation is quite private?" + +"Perfectly private," said Cloctaw; and they parted. + +The crow had an appointment, and Cloctaw flew direct to the steeple. His +nest was in the highest niche, just behind the image of St. Paul; and it +was not only the highest, but the safest from intrusion, for there was +no window near, and, on account of some projections below, even a ladder +could not be put up, so that it was quite inaccessible without +scaffolding. This niche he discovered in his hot youth, when he won +renown by his strength and courage: he chose it for his home, and +defended it against all comers. He was now old and feeble, but his +reputation as a leading politician, and his influence at the court of +King Kapchack, were too great for any to think of ousting him by force. + +But the members of his family, in their extreme solicitude for his +personal safety, frequently represented to him the danger he incurred in +ascending so high. Should a wing fail him, how terrible the +consequences! more especially for the race of which he was so +distinguished an ornament. Nor was there the least reason for his +labouring to that elevation; with his reputation and influence, none +would dare to meddle with him. There were many pleasant places not so +exposed, as the gurgoyle, the leads, the angle of the roof, where he +could rest without such an effort; and upon their part they would +willingly assist him by collecting twigs for a new nest. + +But Cloctaw turned a deaf ear to these kindly proposals, and could not +be made to see the advantages so benevolently suggested. He would in no +degree abate his dignity, his right, power, or position. He adhered to +St. Paul. There he had built all his days, and there he meant to stay to +the last, for having seen so much of the world, well he knew that +possession is ten points of the law, and well he understood the envy and +jealousy which dictated these friendly counsels. + +At the same time, as the fox and the stoat were going through the fern, +the stoat said: "It appears to me that this is a very favourable +opportunity for ruining the weasel. Could we not make up some tale, and +tell Kapchack how the weasel asked us to a secret meeting, or +something?" + +Now the fox had his own ideas, and he wanted to get rid of the stoat. +"Another time," he said, "another time, we will consider of it; but why +waste such a capital chance as you have to-day?" + +"Capital chance to-day?" said the stoat; "what is it you mean?" + +"Did you not see the mouse?" said the fox. "Did you not see how fat he +was? And just think, he has a long and lonely road home; and it would be +very easy to make a short cut (for he will not leave the hedges which +are round about) and get in front of, and so intercept him. I should go +myself, but I was out last night, and feel tired this afternoon." + +"Oh, thank you," said the stoat; "I'll run that way directly." And off +he started, thinking to himself: "How silly the fox has got, and how +much he has fallen off from the ancient wisdom for which his ancestors +were famous. Why ever did he not hold his tongue, and I should never +have thought of the mouse, and the fox could have had him another day?" + +But the fact was the fox recollected that the mouse had had a long +start, and it was very doubtful if the stoat could overtake him, and if +he did, most likely the rat would come to meet his friend, and the stoat +would get the worst of the encounter. + +However ill the rat served the mouse, however much he abused his +superior strength, wreaking his temper on his weaker companion, still +the mouse clung to him all the more. On the other hand the rat, ready +enough to injure the mouse himself, would allow no one else (unless with +his permission) to touch his follower, wishing to reserve to himself a +monopoly of tyranny. + +So soon as the stoat was out of sight, the fox looked round to see that +no one was near, and he said to a fly: "Fly, will you carry a message +for me?" + +"I am very busy," said the fly, "very busy indeed." + +So the fox went a little farther, and said to a humble-bee: "Humble-bee, +will you carry a message for me?" + +"I am just going home," said the humble-bee, and buzzed along. + +So the fox went a little farther, and said to a butterfly: "Beautiful +butterfly, will you carry a message for me?" But the disdainful +butterfly did not even answer. + +The fox went a little farther, and met a tomtit. "Te-te," said he, +addressing the tomtit by name, "will you carry a message for me?" + +"What impudence!" said Te-te. "Mind your own business, and do not speak +to gentlemen." + +"I see how it is," said the fox to himself, "the fortunes of my family +are fallen, and I am disregarded. When we were rich, and had a great +reputation, and were the first of all the people in the wood, then we +had messengers enough, and they flew to do our bidding. But now, they +turn aside. This is very bitter. When I get home, I must curl round and +think about it; I cannot endure this state of things. How dreadful it +is to be poor! I wish we had not dissipated our wealth so freely. +However, there is a little left still in a secret corner. As I said, I +must see about it. Here is a gnat. Gnat, will you carry a message for +me?" + +"Well, I don't know," said the gnat; "I must think about it. Will +to-morrow do?" + +"No," said the fox quickly, before the gnat flew off. "Go for me to +Kapchack, and say there has been a secret----" + +"A secret?" said the gnat; "that's another matter." And he went down +closer to the fox. + +"Yes," said the fox, "you fly as fast as you can, and whisper to +Kapchack--you have free admittance, I know, to the palace--that there +has been a secret meeting in the copse about his love affair, and that +the courtiers are all against it, and are bent on his destruction, +especially the owl, the hawk, the crow, the rook, the weasel (the weasel +worst of all, for they would have chosen him as their deputy), the +stoat, and the jackdaw, and that he has only one true friend, the fox, +who sends the message." + +"All right!" said the gnat; "all right, I'll go!" And off he flew, +delighted to be entrusted with so great a secret. + +While the courtiers were thus intriguing, not only against Kapchack, but +against each other, Bevis and the squirrel went back into the +raspberries, and Bevis helped himself to the fruit that had ripened +since yesterday. + +"It seems to me," said Bevis, after he had eaten as much as he could, +"that they are all very wicked." + +"So they are," said the squirrel. "I am sorry to say they are rather +treacherous, and I warned you not to believe all they said to you. I +would not let them use my copse, but the fact is, if they are wicked, +Kapchack is a hundred times more so. Besides, it is very hard on the +jay, who is an old acquaintance of mine--we often have a chat in the +fir-trees--to have his dear, sweet, pretty lady stolen away from him by +such a horrid old wretch, whose riches and crown have quite turned her +head!" + +"What a business it all is," said Bevis. "Everybody seems mixed up in +it. And so it is true that Prince Tchack-tchack is also in love with the +pretty jay?" + +"Yes, that it is," said the squirrel; "and, between you and me, I have +seen her flirt with him desperately, in that very hawthorn bush he +forced the missel-thrush to give up to him. And that is the reason he +will not let Kapchack peck his eye out, as he is so vain, and likes to +look nice." + +"Let Kapchack peck his eye out! But Kapchack is his father. Surely his +papa would not peck his eye out?" + +"Oh, dear me!" said the squirrel, "I almost let the secret out. +Goodness! I hope nobody heard me. And pray, Bevis dear, don't repeat +it--oh, pray don't!--or it will be sure to be traced to me. I wish I had +never heard it. If I had not listened to that vile old crow; if I had +not been so curious, and overheard him muttering to himself, and +suggesting doubts at night! Bevis dear, don't you ever be curious, and +don't you say a word." + +The squirrel was in a terrible fright, till Bevis promised not to repeat +anything. + +"But," said he, "you have not told me the secret." + +"No," said the squirrel, "but I very nearly did, and only just stopped +in time. Why, if the trees heard it, they would pass it from one to the +other in a moment. Dear, dear!" He sat down, he was so frightened he +could not frisk about. But Bevis stroked him down, and soothed him, and +said he had the most lovely silky tail in the world, and this brought +him to himself again. + +"All this comes," said the squirrel, "of my having run up the wrong side +of the tree first this morning. Take care, Bevis dear, that you too do +not make a mistake, and put the wrong foot first out of bed when you get +up." Bevis laughed at this, and asked which was his wrong foot. "Well," +said the squirrel, "the fact is, it depends: sometimes it is one, and +sometimes it is the other, and that is the difficulty, to know which it +is, and makes all the difference in life. The very best woman I ever +knew (and she was a farmer's wife) always, when she was out walking, put +one foot before the other, and so was always right." + +"Nonsense," said Bevis, "how could she walk without putting one foot +before the other?" + +"Oh, yes," said the squirrel, "many people, though they think they put +one foot before the other, really keep the wrong foot foremost all the +time. But do you remember to-morrow morning when you get up." + +"I do not see what difference it can make," said Bevis. + +"If you put one foot out first," said the squirrel, "it will very likely +lead you to the looking-glass, where you will see yourself and forget +all the rest, and you will do one sort of thing that day; and if you put +the other out first it will lead you to the window, and then you will +see something, and you will think about that, and do another sort of +thing; and if you put both feet out of bed together they will take you +to the door, and there you will meet somebody, who will say something, +and you will do another kind of thing. So you see it is a very important +matter, and this woman, as I said, was the best that ever lived." + +"No she wasn't," said Bevis, "she was not half so good as my mother is." + +"That is true, dear," said the squirrel. "Your mother is the very best +of all. But don't forget about your feet to-morrow morning, dear." + +"Look up," said Bevis, "and tell me what bird that is." + +The squirrel looked up, and saw a bird going over at a great height. +"That is a peewit," he said. "He is a messenger; you can see how fast +and straight he is flying. He is bringing some news, I feel sure, about +Choo Hoo. Kapchack sent an out-post of peewits over the hills to watch +Choo Hoo's movements, and to let him know directly if he began to +gather his army together. Depend upon it, dear, there is some very +important news. I must tell the woodpecker, and he will find out; he is +very clever at that." The squirrel began to get restless, though he did +not like to tell Bevis to go. + +"You promised to tell me about Choo Hoo," said Bevis. + +"So I did," said the squirrel, "and if you will come to-morrow I will do +so; I am rather in a hurry just now." + +"Very well," said Bevis, "I will come to-morrow. Now show me the way to +the felled tree." As they were going Bevis recollected the weasel, and +asked if he was really so ill he could not move, but was obliged to lick +his paw to cure the pain. + +The squirrel laughed. "No," he whispered; "don't you say I said so: the +truth is, the weasel is as well as you or I, and now the council is +broken up I daresay he is running about as quickly as he likes. And, +Bevis dear, stoop down and I'll tell you (Bevis stooped), the fact is, +he was at the council all the time." + +"But I never saw him," said Bevis, "and he never said anything." + +"No," whispered the squirrel very quietly, "he wanted to hear what they +said without being present; he was in the elm all the time; you know, +dear, that malice-minded elm on the other side of the raspberries, which +I told you was rotten inside. He lives there in that hole; there is a +way into it level with the ground; that is his secret hiding-place." + +"I will bring my cannon-stick to-morrow," said Bevis, delighted to have +discovered where the weasel lived at last, "and I will shoot into the +hole and kill him." + +"I could not let you do that," said the squirrel. "I do not allow any +fighting, or killing, in my copse, and that is the reason all the birds +and animals come here to hold their meetings, because they know it is a +sanctuary. If you shoot off your cannon the birds are sure to hear it, +and you will not be present at any more of their meetings, and you will +not hear any more of the story. Therefore it would be very foolish of +you to shoot off your cannon; you must wait, Bevis dear, till you can +catch the weasel outside my copse, and then you may shoot him as much as +you like." + +"Very well," said Bevis, rather sulkily, "I will not shoot him in the +hole if you do not want me to. But how could the weasel have been in the +elm all the time, when the humble-bee said he found him lying in the +sunshine on a bank licking his paw?" + +"Why, of course he told the humble-bee to say that." + +"What a cheater he is, isn't he?" said Bevis. "And how did you find out +where he lived? I looked everywhere for him, and so did Pan--Pan sniffed +and sniffed, but could not find him." + +"Nor could I," said the squirrel. "After you shot the--I mean after the +unfortunate business with the thrush, he kept out of the way, knowing +that you had vowed vengeance against him, and although I go about a +good deal, and peep into so many odd corners, I could not discover his +whereabouts, till the little tree-climber told me. You know the +tree-climber, dear, you have seen him in your orchard at home; he goes +all round and round the trees, and listens at every chink, and so he +learns almost all the secrets. He heard the weasel in the elm, and came +at once and told me. Here is the timber, and there is the dragon-fly. +Good-afternoon, Bevis dear; come to-morrow, and you shall hear the +peewit's news, and be sure and not forget to put the right foot out of +bed first in the morning." Bevis kissed his hand to the squirrel, and +went home with the dragon-fly. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE EMPEROR CHOO HOO. + + +When he woke next morning, Bevis quite forgot what the squirrel had told +him; he jumped out of bed without thinking, and his right foot touched +the floor first, and led him to the window. From the window he saw the +brook, and recollected that the brook had promised to tell him what he +was singing, so as soon as ever he could get out of doors away he went +through the gateway the grasshopper had shown him, and down to the +hatch. Instead of coming quietly on tip-toe, as the brook had told him, +he danced up, and the kingfisher heard him, and went off as before, +whistling: "Weep, weep". Bevis stood on the brink and said: "Brook, +Brook, what are you singing? You promised to tell me what you were +saying." + +The brook did not answer, but went on singing. Bevis listened a minute, +and then he picked a willow leaf and threw it into the bubbles, and +watched it go whirling round and round in the eddies, and back up under +the fall, where it dived down, and presently came up again, and the +stream took it and carried it away past the flags. "Brook, Brook," said +Bevis, stamping his foot, "tell me what you are singing." + +And the brook, having now finished that part of his song, said: "Bevis +dear, sit down in the shadow of the willow, for it is very hot to-day, +and the reapers are at work; sit down under the willow, and I will tell +you as much as I can remember." + +"But the reed said you could not remember anything," said Bevis, leaning +back against the willow. + +"The reed did not tell you the truth, dear; indeed, he does not know +all; the fact is, the reeds are so fond of talking that I scarcely ever +answer them now, or they would keep on all day long, and I should never +hear the sound of my own voice, which I like best. So I do not encourage +them, and that is why the reeds think I do not recollect." + +"And what is that you sing about?" said Bevis, impatiently. + +"My darling," said the brook, "I do not know myself always what I am +singing about. I am so happy I sing, sing, and never think about what it +means; it does not matter what you mean as long as you sing. Sometimes I +sing about the sun, who loves me dearly, and tries all day to get at me +through the leaves and the green flags that hide me; he sparkles on me +everywhere he can, and does not like me to be in the shadow. Sometimes I +sing to the wind, who loves me next most dearly, and will come to me +everywhere, in places where the sun cannot get. He plays with me +whenever he can, and strokes me softly, and tells me the things he has +heard in the woods and on the hills, and sends down the leaves to float +along, for he knows I like something to carry. Fling me in some leaves, +Bevis dear. + +"Sometimes I sing to the earth and the grass; they are fond of me too, +and listen the best of all. I sing loudest at night, to the stars, for +they are so far away they would not otherwise hear me." + +"But what do you say?" said Bevis; but the brook was too occupied now to +heed him, and went on. + +"Sometimes I sing to the trees; they, too, are fond of me, and come as +near as they can; they would all come down close to me if they could. +They love me like the rest, because I am so happy, and never cease my +chanting. If I am broken to pieces against a stone, I do not mind in the +least; I laugh just the same, and even louder. When I come over the +hatch, I dash myself to fragments; and sometimes a rainbow comes and +stays a little while with me. The trees drink me, and the grass drinks +me, the birds come down and drink me; they splash me, and are happy. The +fishes swim about, and some of them hide in deep corners. Round the bend +I go, and the osiers say they never have enough of me. The long grass +waves and welcomes me; the moor-hens float with me; the kingfisher is +always with me somewhere, and sits on the bough to see his ruddy breast +in the water. And you come too, Bevis, now and then to listen to me; and +it is all because I am so happy." + +"Why are you so happy?" said Bevis. + +"I do not know," said the brook. "Perhaps it is because all I think of +is this minute; I do not know anything about the minute just gone by, +and I do not care one bit about the minute that is just coming; all I +care about is this minute, this very minute now. Fling me in some more +leaves, Bevis. Why do you go about asking questions, dear? Why don't you +sing, and do nothing else?" + +"Oh, but I want to know all about everything," said Bevis. "Where did +you come from, and where are you going, and why don't you go on and let +the ground be dry--why don't you run on, and run all away? Why are you +always here?" + +The brook laughed, and said: "My dear, I do not know where I came from, +and I do not care at all where I am going. What does it matter, my love? +All I know is I shall come back again; yes, I shall come back again." +The brook sang very low, and rather sadly now: "I shall go into the sea, +and shall be lost; and even you would not know me--ask your father, +love, he has sailed over the sea in the ships that come to Southampton, +and I was close to him, but he did not know me. But by-and-by, when I am +in the sea, the sun will lift me up, and the clouds will float +along--look towards the hills, Bevis dear, every morning, and you will +see the clouds coming and bringing me with them; and the rain and the +dew, and sometimes the thunder and the lightning, will put me down +again, and I shall run along here and sing to you, my sweet, if you will +come and listen. Fling in some little twigs, my dear, and some bits of +bark from the tree." + +Then the brook sang very low and very sad, and said: "I shall come back +again, Bevis; I always come back, and I am always happy; and yet I do +not know either if I am really happy when I am singing so joyously. +Bevis dear, try and think and tell me. Am I really happy, Bevis? Tell +me, dear; you can see the sun sparkling on me, and the wind stroking me, +just as he strokes your hair (he told me he was very fond of you, and +meant to tell you a story some day), and the reeds whispering, and the +willows drooping over me, and the bright kingfisher; you can hear me +singing, Bevis, now am I happy?" + +"I do not know," said Bevis; "sometimes you sound very happy, but just +now you sound very sad. Stop a little while and think about it." + +"Oh, no, Bevis; I cannot stop, I must keep running. Nothing can stop, +dear: the trees cannot stop growing, they must keep on growing till they +die; and then they cannot stop decaying, till they are all quite gone; +but they come back again. Nor can you stop, Bevis dear." + +"I will stop," said Bevis. + +"You cannot," said the brook. + +"But I will." + +"You cannot. You are a very clever boy, Bevis, but you cannot stop; nor +can your papa, nor anybody, you must keep on. Let me see, let me think. +I remember, I have seen you before; it was so many, many thousand years +ago, but I am almost sure it was you. Now I begin to think about it, I +believe I have seen you two or three times, Bevis; but it was before the +hippopotamus used to come and splash about in me. I cannot be quite +certain, for it is a long time to remember your face, dear." + +"I do not believe it," said Bevis; "you are babbling, Brook. My mamma +says you babble--it is because you are so old. I am sure I was not born +then." + +"Yes, you were, dear; and I daresay you will come back again, when all +the hills are changed and the roads are covered with woods, and the +houses gone. I daresay you will come back again and splash in me, like +the blackbirds." + +"Now you are talking nonsense, you silly Brook," said Bevis; "the hills +will never change, and the roads will always be here, and the houses +will not be gone: but why are you sighing, you dear old Brook?" + +"I am sighing, my love, because I remember." + +"What do you remember?" + +"I remember before the hills were like they are now; I remember when I +was a broad deep river; I remember the stars that used to shine in me, +and they are all gone, you cannot see them now, Bevis ('Pooh,' said +Bevis); I remember the stories the lions used to tell me when they came +down to drink; I remember the people dancing on the grass by me, and +sing, singing; they used to sing like me, Bevis, without knowing what it +was they sung, and without any words (not stupid songs, Bevis, like your +people sing now), but I understood them very well. I cannot understand +the songs the folk sing now, the folk that live now have gone away so +far from me." + +"What nonsense you say, old Brook; why, we live quite close, and the +waggons go over your bridge every day." + +"I remember (the brook took no notice, but went on), I remember them +very well, and they loved me dearly too; they had boats, Bevis, made out +of trees, and they floated about on me." + +"I will have a boat," said Bevis, "and float about on you." + +"And they played music, which was just like my singing, and they were +very happy, because, as I told you about myself, they did not think +about the minute that was coming, or the minute that had gone by, they +only thought about this minute." + +"How long was that ago?" said Bevis. + +"Oh," said the brook, "I daresay your papa would tell you it was +thousands upon thousands of years, but that is not true, dear; it was +only a second or two since." + +"I shall not stay to listen much longer, silly Brook, if you talk like +that; why, it must be longer than that, or I should have seen it." + +"My dear," said the brook, "that which has gone by, whether it happened +a second since, or a thousand thousand years since, is just the same; +there is no real division betwixt you and the past. You people who live +now have made up all sorts of stupid, very stupid stories, dear; I hope +you will not believe them; they tell you about time and all that. Now +there is no such thing as time, Bevis my love; there never was any time, +and there never will be; the sun laughs at it, even when he marks it on +the sun-dial. Yesterday was just a second ago, and so was ten thousand +years since, and there is nothing between you and then; there is no wall +between you and then--nothing at all, dear,"--and the brook sang so low +and thoughtfully that Bevis could not catch what he said, but the tune +was so sweet, and soft, and sad that it made him keep quite still. While +he was listening the kingfisher came back and perched on the hatch, and +Bevis saw his ruddy neck and his blue wings. + +"There is nothing between you and then," the brook began again, "nothing +at all, dear; only some stories which are not true; if you will not +believe me, look at the sun, but you cannot look at the sun, darling; it +shines so bright. It shines just the same, as bright and beautiful; and +the wind blows as sweet as ever, and I sparkle and sing just the same, +and you may drink me if you like; and the grass is just as green; and +the stars shine at night. Oh, yes, Bevis dear, _we_ are all here just +the same, my love, and all things are as bright and beautiful as ten +thousand times ten thousand years ago, which is no longer since than a +second. + +"But your people have gone away from us--that is their own fault. I +cannot think why they should do so; they have gone away from us, and +they are no longer happy, Bevis; they cannot understand our songs--they +sing stupid songs they have made up themselves, and which they did not +learn of us, and then because they are not happy, they say: 'The world +is growing old'. But it is not true, Bevis, the world is not old, it is +as young as ever it was. Fling me a leaf--and now another. Do not you +forget me, Bevis; come and see me now and then, and throw twigs to me +and splash me." + +"That I will," said Bevis; and he picked up a stone and flung it into +the water with such a splash that the kingfisher flew away, but the +brook only laughed, and told him to throw another, and to make haste and +eat the peck of salt, and grow bigger and jump over him. "That I will," +said Bevis, "I am very hungry now--good-morning, I am going home to +dinner." + +"Good-morning, dear," said the brook, "you will always find me here when +you want to hear a song." Bevis went home to dinner humming the tune the +brook had taught him, and by-and-by, when the hot sun had begun to sink +a little, he started again for the copse, and as before the dragon-fly +met him, and led him to the timber, and from there to the raspberries. + +The squirrel was waiting for him on a bough of the oak, and while Bevis +picked the fruit that had ripened since yesterday, told him the news the +peewits had brought about the great rebel Choo Hoo. A party of the +peewits, who had been watching ever so far away, thought they saw a stir +and a movement in the woods; and presently out came one of the captains +of the wood-pigeons with two hundred of his soldiers, and they flew over +the border into King Kapchack's country and began to forage in one of +his wheat-fields, where the corn was ripe. When they saw this, the +peewits held a council on the hill, and they sent a messenger to +Kapchack with the news. While they were waiting for him to return, some +of the wood-pigeons, having foraged enough, went home to the woods, so +that there was not much more than half of them left. + +Seeing this--for his soldiers who were wheeling about in the air came +and told him--the captain of the peewits thought: "Now is my time! This +is a most lucky and fortunate circumstance, and I can now win the high +approval of King Kapchack, and obtain promotion. The captain of the +wood-pigeons has no idea how many of us are watching his proceedings, +for I have kept my peewits behind the cover of the hill so that he could +not count them, and he has allowed half of the wood-pigeons to go home. +We will rush down upon the rest, and so win an easy victory." + +So saying he flew up, and all the peewits followed him in the +expectation of an easy conquest. But, just as they were descending upon +the wheat-field, up flew the wood-pigeons with such a terrible clangour +of their strong wings, and facing towards them, showed such a +determination to fight to the last breath, that the peewits, who were +never very celebrated for their courage, turned tail, and began to +retreat. + +They would still have reached the hills in good order, and would have +suffered no great disgrace (for they were but a small party, and not so +numerous as the wood-pigeons), but in the midst of these manoeuvres, +the lieutenant of the pigeons, who had gone home with those who had done +foraging, flew out from the wood with his men, and tried by a flank +movement to cut off the peewits' retreat. At this they were so alarmed +they separated and broke up their ranks, each flying to save himself as +best he might. Nor did they stop till long after the wood-pigeons, being +cautious and under complete control, had ceased to pursue; not till they +had flown back two or three miles into the fastnesses of Kapchack's +hills. Then some of them, collecting again, held a hurried council, and +sent off messengers with the news of this affray. + +About the same time, it happened that a missel-thrush arrived at the +court, a son of the favourite missel-thrush, the only bird whom Kapchack +(and the farmer) allowed to build in the orchard. The missel-thrush had +just travelled through part of the country which once belonged to +Kapchack, but which Choo Hoo had over-run the year before, and he +brought Kapchack such a terrible account of the mighty armies that he +saw assembling, that the king was beside himself with terror. Next came +a crow, one of Kauc's warriors, who had been that way, and he said that +two captains of the wood-pigeons, hearing of the peewits' defeat, had +already, and without staying for instructions from Choo Hoo, entered the +country and taken possession of a copse on the slope of the hill from +which the peewits had descended. + +"And," said the squirrel, as Bevis, having eaten all the raspberries, +came and sat down on the moss under the oak, "the upshot of it is that +King Kapchack has called a general council of war, which is to be held +almost directly at the owl's castle, in the pollard hard by. For you +must understand that the farmer who lives near Kapchack's palace is so +fierce, he will not let any of the large birds (except the favourite +missel-thrush) enter the orchard, and therefore Kapchack has to hold +these great councils in the copse. What will be the result I cannot +think, and I am not without serious apprehensions myself, for I have +hitherto held undisputed possession of this domain. But Choo Hoo is so +despotic, and has such an immense army at his back, that I am not at all +certain he will respect my neutrality. As for Kapchack, he shivers in +his claws at the very name of the mighty rebel." + +"Why does Choo Hoo want King Kapchack's country?" said Bevis. "Why +cannot he stop where he is?" + +"There is no reason, dear; but you know that all the birds and animals +would like to be king if they could, and when Choo Hoo found that the +wood-pigeons (for he was nothing but an adventurer at first, without any +title or property except the ancestral ash) were growing so numerous +that the woods would hardly hold them, and were continually being +increased both by their own populousness and by the arrival of fresh +bands, it occurred to him that this enormous horde of people, if they +could only be persuaded to follow him, could easily over-run the entire +country. Hitherto, it was true, they had been easily kept in subjection, +notwithstanding their immense numbers, first, because they had no +leaders among them, nor even any nobles or rich people to govern their +movements and tell them what to do; and next, because they were +barbarians, and totally destitute of art or refinement, knowledge, or +science, neither had they any skill in diplomacy or politics, but were +utterly outside the civilised nations. + +"Even their language, as you yourself have heard, is very contracted and +poor, without inflection or expression, being nothing but the repetition +of the same sounds, by which means--that is simply by the number and the +depth of hollowness of the same monosyllables--they convey their wishes +to each other. It is, indeed, wonderful how they can do so, and our +learned men, from this circumstance, have held that the language of the +wood-pigeon is the most difficult to acquire, so much so that it is +scarce possible for one who has not been born among the barbarians to +attain to any facility in the use of these gutturals. This is the reason +why little or no intercourse has ever taken place between us who are +civilised and these hordes; that which has gone on has been entirely +conducted by the aid of interpreters, being those few wood-pigeons who +have come away from the main body, and dwell peaceably in our midst. + +"Now, Choo Hoo, as I said, being an adventurer, with no more property +than the ancestral ash, but a pigeon of very extraordinary genius, +considered within himself that if any one could but persuade these +mighty and incredible myriads to follow him he could over-run the entire +country. The very absence of any nobles or rich pigeons among them would +make his sway the more absolute if he once got power, for there would +be none to dispute it, or to put any check upon him. Ignorant and +barbarous as they were, the common pigeons would worship such a captain +as a hero and a demi-god, and would fly to certain destruction in +obedience to his orders. + +"He was the more encouraged to the enterprise because it was on record +that in olden times great bodies of pigeons had passed across the +country sweeping everything before them. Nothing could resist their +onward march, and it is owing to these barbarian invasions that so many +of our most precious chronicles have been destroyed, and our early +history, Bevis dear, involved in obscurity. Their dominion--destructive +as it was--had, however, always passed away as rapidly as it arose, on +account of the lack of cohesion in their countless armies. They marched +without a leader, and without order, obeying for a time a common +impulse; when that impulse ceased they retired tumultuously, suffering +grievous losses from the armies which gathered behind and hung upon +their rear. Their bones whitened the fields, and the sun, it is said, +was darkened at noonday by their hastening crowds fleeing in dense +columns, and struck down as they fled by hawks and crows. + +"Had they possessed a leader in whom they felt confidence the result +might have been very different; indeed, our wisest historians express no +doubt that civilisation must have been entirely extinguished, and these +lovely fields and delicious woods have been wholly occupied by the +barbarians. Fortunately it was not so. But, as I said, Choo Hoo, +retiring to the top of a lofty fir-tree, and filled with these ideas, +surveyed from thence the masses of his countrymen returning to the woods +to roost as the sun declined, and resolved to lose no time in +endeavouring to win them to his will, and to persuade them to embark +upon the extraordinary enterprise which he had conceived. + +"Without delay he proceeded to promulgate his plans, flying from tribe +to tribe, and from flock to flock, ceaselessly proclaiming that the +kingdom was the wood-pigeons' by right, by reason of their numbers, and +because of the wickedness of Kapchack and his court, which wickedness +was notorious, and must end in disaster. As you may imagine, he met with +little or no response--for the most part the pigeons, being of a stolid +nature, went on with their feeding and talking, and took no notice +whatever of his orations. After a while the elder ones, indeed, began to +say to each other that this agitator had better be put down and debarred +from freedom of speech, for such seditious language must ultimately be +reported to Kapchack, who would send his body-guards of hawks among them +and exact a sanguinary vengeance. + +"Finding himself in danger, Choo Hoo, not one whit abashed, instead of +fleeing, came before the elders and openly reproached them with +misgovernment, cowardice, and the concealment or loss of certain ancient +prophecies, which foretold the future power of the wood-pigeons, and +which he accused them of holding back out of jealousy, lest they should +lose the miserable petty authority they enjoyed on account of their age. +Now, whether there were really any such prophecies, I cannot tell you, +or whether it was one of Choo Hoo's clever artifices, it is a moot point +among our most learned antiquaries; the owl, who has the best means of +information, told me once that he believed there was some ground for the +assertion. + +"At any rate it suited Choo Hoo's purpose very well; for although the +elders and the heads of the tribes forthwith proceeded to subject him to +every species of persecution, and attacked him so violently that he lost +nearly all his feathers, the common pigeons sympathised with him, and +hid him from their pursuit. They were the more led to sympathise with +him because, on account of their ever-increasing numbers, the territory +allotted to them by Kapchack was daily becoming less and less suited to +their wants, and, in short, there were some signs of a famine. They, +therefore, looked with longing eyes at the fertile country, teeming with +wheat and acorns around them, and listened with greedy ears to the +tempting prospect so graphically described by Choo Hoo. + +"Above all, the young pigeons attached themselves to his fortunes and +followed him everywhere in continually increasing bands, for he promised +them wives in plenty and trees for their nests without number; for all +the trees in their woods were already occupied by the older families, +who would not, moreover, part with their daughters to young pigeons who +had not a branch to roost on. Some say that the fox, who had long been +deeply discontented at the loss of his ancestors' kingdom and of his own +wealth, which he dissipated so carelessly, did not scruple to advise +Choo Hoo how to proceed. Be that as it may, I should be the last to +accuse any one of disloyalty without evident proof; be that as it may, +the stir and commotion grew so great among the wood-pigeons, that +presently the news of it reached King Kapchack. + +"His spies, of whom he has so many (the chief of them is Te-te, the +tomtit, of whom I bid you beware), brought him full intelligence of what +was going on. Kapchack lost no time in calling his principal advisers +around him; they met close by here (where the council is to take place +this afternoon), for he well knew the importance of the news. It was not +only, you see, the immense numbers of the wood-pigeons and the +impossibility of resisting their march, were they once set in motion, +but he had to consider that there was a considerable population of +pigeons in our midst who might turn traitors, and he was by no means +sure of the allegiance of various other tribes, who were only held down +by terror. + +"The council fully acknowledged the gravity of the situation, and upon +the advice of the hawk it was resolved that Choo Hoo, as the prime mover +of the trouble, and as the only one capable of bringing matters to a +crisis, should be forthwith despatched. But when the executioners +proceeded to seize him he eluded their clutches with the greatest ease; +for his followers (such was their infatuation) devoted their lives to +his, and threw themselves in the way of Kapchack's emissaries, the +hawks, submitting to be torn in pieces rather than see their beloved +hero lose a feather. Thus baffled, the enraged Kapchack next tried to +get him assassinated, but, as before, his friends watched about him with +such solicitude that no one could enter the wood where he slept at night +without their raising such a disturbance that their evil purpose was +defeated. + +"In his rage Kapchack ordered a decimation of the wood-pigeons, which I +myself think was a great mistake; but, as I have told you before, I do +not meddle with politics. Still I cannot help thinking that if he had, +instead, of his royal bounty and benevolence, given the wood-pigeons an +increase of territory, seeing how near they sometimes came to a famine, +that they would have been disarmed and their discontent turned to +gratitude; but he ordered in his rage and terror that they should be +decimated, and let loose the whole army of his hawks upon them, so that +the slaughter was awful to behold, and the ground was strewn with their +torn and mangled bodies. Yet they remained faithful to Choo Hoo, and not +one traitor was found among these loyal barbarians. + +"But Choo Hoo, deeply distressed in mind, said that he would relieve +them from the burden of his presence rather than thus be the cause of +their sorrow. He therefore left those provinces and flew out of the +country, leaving word behind him that he would never return till he had +seen the raven, and recovered from him those ancient prophecies that had +so long been lost. He flew away, and disappeared in the distance; the +days and weeks passed, but he did not return, and at last Kapchack, +relieved of his apprehensions, recalled his murderous troops, and the +pigeons were left in peace to lament their Choo Hoo. + +"A twelvemonth passed, and still Choo Hoo did not come; the people said +he had been called to the happy Forest of the Heroes, and averred that +sometimes they heard his voice calling to them when no one was near. +There was no doubt that he had gone with the raven. The raven, you must +know, my dear Sir Bevis, was once the principal judge and arbiter of +justice amongst us, so much so that he was above kings, and it is +certain that had he been here we should not have had to submit to the +sanguinary tyranny of Kapchack, nor condemned to witness the scandalous +behaviour of his court, or the still greater scandal of his own private +life. But for some reason the raven mysteriously left this country about +a hundred years ago, leaving behind him certain prophecies, some of +which no doubt you have heard, especially that upon his return there +will be no more famine, nor frost, nor slaughter, nor conflict, but we +shall all live together in peace. + +"However that may be, the raven has never come back; the learned hold +that he must have died long since, for he was so aged when he went away +no one knew his years, hinting in their disbelief that he went away to +die, and so surround his death with a halo of mystery; but the common +people are quite of a different opinion, and strenuously uphold the +belief that he will some day return. Well, as I told you, a twelvemonth +went by, and Choo Hoo did not come, when suddenly in the spring (when +Kapchack himself was much occupied in his palace, and most of his spies +were busy with their nests, and the matter had almost been forgotten) +Choo Hoo reappeared, bringing with him the most beautiful young bride +that was ever beheld, as he himself was, on the other hand, the +strongest and swiftest of the wood-pigeons. + +"When this was known (and the news spread in a minute) the enthusiasm of +the barbarians knew no bounds. Notwithstanding it was nesting-time, they +collected in such vast numbers that the boughs cracked with their +weight; they unanimously proclaimed Choo Hoo emperor (for they disdained +the title of king as not sufficiently exalted), and declared their +intention, as soon as the nesting-time was over, and the proper +season--the autumn--for campaigning arrived, of following him, and +invading the kingdom of Kapchack. + +"Choo Hoo told them that, after many months of wandering, he had at last +succeeded in finding the raven; at least he had not seen the raven +himself, but the raven had sent a special messenger, the hawfinch, to +tell him to be of good cheer, and to return to the wood-pigeons, and to +lead them forth against Kapchack, who tottered upon his throne; and that +he (the raven) would send the night-jar, or goat-sucker, with crooked +and evil counsels to confound Kapchack's wisdom. And indeed, Bevis, my +dear, I have myself seen several night-jars about here, and I am rather +inclined to think that there is some truth in this part at least of what +Choo Hoo says; for it is an old proverb, which I daresay you have heard, +that when the gods design the destruction of a monarch they first make +him mad, and what can be more mad than Kapchack's proposed marriage with +the jay, to which he was doubtless instigated by the night-jars, who, +like genii of the air, have been floating in the dusky summer twilight +round about his palace? + +"And they have, I really believe, confounded his council and turned his +wisdom to folly; for Kapchack has been so cunning for so many, many +years, and all his family have been so cunning, and all his councillors, +that now I do believe (only I do not meddle with politics) that this +extreme cunning is too clever, and that they will overreach themselves. +However, we shall see what is said at the council by-and-by. + +"Choo Hoo, having told the pigeons this, added that he had further been +instructed by the raven to give them a sacred and mystic pass-word and +rallying cry; he did not himself know what it meant; it was, however, +something very powerful, and by it they would be led to victory. So +saying, he called 'Koos-takke!' and at once the vast assembly seized the +signal and responded 'Koos-takke!' which mystic syllables are now their +war-cry, their call of defiance, and their welcome to their friends. You +may often hear them shouting these words in the depths of the woods; +Choo Hoo learnt them in the enchanted Forest of Savernake, where, as +every one knows, there are many mighty magicians, and where, perhaps, +the raven is still living in its deep recesses. Now this war-cry +supplied, as doubtless the raven had foreseen, the very link that was +wanting to bind the immense crowd of wood-pigeons together. +Thenceforward they had a common sign and pass-word, and were no longer +scattered. + +"In the autumn Choo Hoo crossed the border with a vast horde, and +although Kapchack sent his generals, who inflicted enormous losses, such +as no other nation but the barbarians could have sustained, nothing +could stay the advance of such incredible numbers. After a whole autumn +and winter of severe and continued fighting, Choo Hoo, early in the next +year, found that he had advanced some ten (and in places fifteen) miles, +giving his people room to feed and move. He had really pushed much +farther than that, but he could not hold all the ground he had taken for +the following reason. In the spring, as the soft warm weather came, and +the sun began to shine, and the rain to fall, and the brook to sing more +sweetly, and the wind to breathe gently with delicious perfume, and the +green leaves to come forth, the barbarians began to feel the influence +of love. + +"They could no longer endure to fly in the dense column, they no longer +obeyed the voice of their captain. They fell in love, and each marrying +set about to build a nest, free and unmolested in those trees that Choo +Hoo had promised them. Choo Hoo himself retired with his lovely bride to +the ancestral ash, and passed the summer in happy dalliance. With the +autumn the campaign recommenced, and with exactly the same result. After +a second autumn and winter of fighting, Choo Hoo had pushed his frontier +another fifteen miles farther into Kapchack's kingdom. Another summer of +love followed, and so it went on year after year, Choo Hoo's forces +meantime continually increasing in numbers, since there were now no +restrictions as to nest trees, but one and all could marry. + +"Till at last he has under his sway a horde of trained warriors, whose +numbers defy calculation, and he has year by year pushed into Kapchack's +territory till now it seems as if he must utterly overwhelm and destroy +that monarch. This he would doubtless have achieved ere now, but there +is one difficulty which has considerably impeded his advance, as he came +farther and farther from his native province. This difficulty is water. + +"For in the winter, when the Long Pond is frozen, and the brook nearly +covered with ice, and all the ponds and ditches likewise, so vast a +horde cannot find enough to satisfy their thirst, and must consequently +disperse. Were it not for this Choo Hoo must ere now have overwhelmed +us. As it is, Kapchack shivers in his claws, and we all dread the +approaching autumn, for Choo Hoo has now approached so near as to be at +our very doors. If he only knew one thing he would have no difficulty +in remaining here and utterly destroying us." + +"What is that?" said Bevis. + +"Will you promise faithfully not to tell any one?" said the squirrel, +"for my own existence depends upon this horde of barbarians being kept +at bay; for, you see, should they pass over they will devour everything +in the land, and there will certainly be a famine--the most dreadful +that has ever been seen." + +"I will promise," said Bevis. "I promise you faithfully." + +"Then I will tell you," went on the squirrel. "In this copse of mine +there is a spring of the clearest and sweetest water (you shall see it, +I will take you to it some day) which is a great secret, for it is so +hidden by ferns and fir-trees overhanging it, that no one knows anything +about it, except Kapchack, myself, the weasel, and the fox; I wish the +weasel did not know, for he is so gluttonous for blood, which makes him +thirsty, that he is continually dipping his murderous snout into the +delicious water. + +"Now this spring, being so warm in the fern, and coming out of ground +which is, in a manner, warm too, of all the springs in this province +does not freeze, but always runs clear all the winter. If Choo Hoo only +knew it, don't you see, he could stay in Kapchack's country, no matter +how hard the frost, and his enormous army, whose main object is plunder, +would soon starve us altogether. But he does not know of it. + +"He has sent several of his spies, the wood-cocks, to search the +country for such a spring, but although they are the most cunning of +birds at that trick, they have not yet succeeded in finding my spring +and thrusting their long bills into it. They dare not come openly, but +fly by night, for Kapchack's hawks are always hovering about; well +enough he knows the importance of this secret, and they would pay for +their temerity with their lives if they were seen. All I am afraid of is +lest the weasel or the fox, in their eagerness for empire, should betray +the secret to Choo Hoo. + +"The fox, though full of duplicity, and not to be depended upon, is at +least brave and bold, and so far as I can judge his character would not, +for his own sake (hoping some day to regain the kingdom), let out this +secret. But of the weasel I am not so sure; he is so very wicked, and so +cunning, no one can tell what he may do. Thus it is that in the highest +of my beech trees I do not feel secure, but am in continual fear lest a +wood-cock should steal in, or the weasel play the traitor, for if so a +famine is imminent, and that is why I support, so far as I can without +meddling with politics, the throne of Kapchack, as the last barrier +against this terrible fate. + +"Even now could he but be brought to reform his present life something +might be hoped for, for he has a powerful army; but, as you have seen, +this affair with the jay has caused ambitious ideas to spring up in the +minds of his chief courtiers, some of whom (especially, I think, the +crow and the weasel) are capable of destroying a country for their +private and personal advantage. Therefore it is that I look forward to +this council, now about to be held, with intense anxiety, for upon it +will depend our future, the throne of Kapchack, our existence or +destruction. And here comes the rook; the first as usual." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE COUNCIL. + + +Before Bevis could ask any questions, the squirrel went off to speak to +the rook, and to show him a good bough to perch on near the owl's +castle. He then came back and conducted Bevis to the seat in the +ash-stole, where he was hidden by the honeysuckle, but could see well +about him. Hardly had Bevis comfortably seated himself than the +councillors began to arrive. They were all there; even the rat did not +dare stay away, lest his loyalty should be suspected, but took up his +station at the foot of the pollard-tree, and the mouse sat beside him. +The rook sat on the oak, no great way from the squirrel; Kauc, the crow, +chose a branch of ash which projected close to the pollard. So envious +was he of the crown that he could not stay far from it. + +Cloctaw, the jackdaw, who had flown to the council with him, upon +arrival, left his side, and perched rather in the rear. Reynard, the +fox, and Sec, the stoat, his friend, waited the approach of the king by +some fern near the foot of the pollard. The owl every now and then +appeared at the window of his castle, sometimes to see who had arrived, +and sometimes to look for the king, who was not yet in sight. Having +glanced round, the owl retreated to his study, doubtless to prepare his +speech for this important occasion. The heaving up of the leaves and +earth, as if an underground plough was at work, showed that the mole had +not forgotten his duty; he had come to show his loyalty, and he brought +a message from the badger, who had long since been left outside the +concert of the animals and birds, humbly begging King Kapchack to accept +his homage. + +It is true that neither the hare nor the rabbit were present, but that +signified nothing, for they had no influence whatever. But the pheasant, +who often stood aloof from the court, in his pride of lineage despising +Kapchack though he was king, came on this occasion, for he too, like the +squirrel, was alarmed at the progress of Choo Hoo, and dreaded a +scarcity of the berries of the earth. Tchink, the chaffinch, one of the +first to come, could not perch still, but restlessly passed round the +circle, now talking to one and now to another, and sometimes peering in +at the owl's window. But merry as he was, he turned his back upon Te-te, +the tomtit, and chief of the spies, disdaining the acquaintance of a +common informer. Te-te, not one whit abashed, sat on a willow, and +lifted his voice from time to time. + +The jay came presently, and for some reason or other he was in high good +spirits, and dressed in his gayest feathers. He chaffed the owl, and +joked with Tchink; then he laughed to himself, and tried to upset the +grave old Cloctaw from his seat, and, in short, played all sorts of +pranks to the astonishment of everybody, who had hitherto seen him in +such distress for the loss of his lady-love. Everybody thought he had +lost his senses. Eric, the favourite missel-thrush (not the +conspirator), took his station very high up on the ash above Kauc, whom +he hated and suspected of treason, not hesitating even to say so aloud. +Kauc, indeed, was not now quite comfortable in his position, but kept +slyly glancing up at the missel-thrush, and would have gone elsewhere +had it not been that everybody was looking. + +The wood-pigeon came to the hawthorn, some little way from the castle; +he represented, and was the chief of those pigeons who dwelt peacefully +in Kapchack's kingdom, although aliens by race. His position was +difficult in the extreme, for upon the one hand he knew full well that +Kapchack was suspicious of him lest he should go over to Choo Hoo, and +might at any moment order his destruction, and upon the other hand he +had several messages from Choo Hoo calling upon him to join his +brethren, the invaders, on pain of severe punishment. Uncertain as to +his fate, the wood-pigeon perched on the hawthorn at the skirt of the +council place, hoping from thence to get some start if obliged to flee +for his life. The dove, his friend, constant in misfortune, sat near him +to keep him in countenance. + +The humble-bee, the bee, the butterfly, the cricket, the grasshopper, +the beetle, and many others arrived as the hour drew on. Last of all +came Ki Ki, lord of all the hawks, attended with his retinue, and +heralding the approach of the king. Ki Ki perched on a tree at the side +of the pollard, and his warriors ranged themselves around him: a +terrible show, at which the mouse verily shrank into the ground. +Immediately afterwards a noise of wings and talking announced the +arrival of Kapchack, who came in full state, with eight of his finest +guards. The king perched on the top of the pollard, just over the owl's +window, and the eight magpies sat above and around, but always behind +him. + +"What an ugly old fellow he is!" whispered Bevis, who had never before +seen him. "Look at his ragged tail!" + +"Hush!" said the squirrel, "Te-te is too near." + +"Are they all here?" asked the king, after he had looked round and +received the bows and lowly obeisance of his subjects. + +"They are all here," said the owl, sitting in his porch. "They are all +here--at least, I think; no, they are not, your majesty." + +"Who is absent?" said Kapchack, frowning, and all the assembly cowered. + +"It is the weasel," said the owl. "The weasel is not here." + +Kapchack frowned and looked as black as thunder, and a dead silence fell +upon the council. + +"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, presently coming to +the front. "If it please your majesty, the weasel----" + +"It does _not_ please me," said Kapchack. + +But the humble-bee began again: "If it please your majesty----" + +"His majesty is _not_ pleased," repeated the owl, severely. + +But the humble-bee, who could sing but one tune, began again: "If it +please your majesty, the weasel asked me to say----" + +"What?" said the king, in a terrible rage. "What did he say?" + +"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, who must begin over +again every time he was interrupted, "the weasel asked me to say that he +sent his humble, his most humble, loyal, and devoted obedience, and +begged that you would forgive his absence from the council, as he has +just met with a severe accident in the hunting-field, and cannot put one +paw before the other." + +"I do not believe it," said King Kapchack. "Where is he?" + +"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, "he is lying on a bank +beyond the copse, stretched out in the sunshine, licking his paw, and +hoping that rest and sunshine will cure him." + +"Oh, what a story!" said Bevis. + +"Hush," said the squirrel. + +"Somebody said it was a story," said the owl. + +"So it is," said Te-te. "I have made it my business to search out the +goings-on of the weasel, who has kept himself in the background of late, +suspecting that he was up to no good, and with the aid of my lieutenant, +the tree-climber, I have succeeded in discovering his retreat, which he +has concealed even from your majesty." + +"Where is it?" said Kapchack. + +"It is in the elm, just there," said Te-te, "just by those raspberries." + +"The rascal," said the owl, in a great fright. "Then he has been close +by all the time listening." + +"Yes, he has been listening," said Te-te, meaningly. + +The owl became pale, remembering the secret meeting of the birds, and +what was said there, all of which the treacherous weasel must have +overheard. He passed it off by exclaiming: "This is really intolerable". + +"It _is_ intolerable," said Kapchack; "and you," addressing the +humble-bee, "wretch that you are to bring me a false message----" + +"If it please your majesty," began the humble-bee, but he was seized +upon by the bee (who was always jealous of him), and the butterfly, and +the beetle, and hustled away from the precinct of the council. + +"Bring the weasel here, this instant," shouted Kapchack. "Drag him here +by the ears." + +Everybody stood up, but everybody hesitated, for though they all hated +the weasel they all feared him. Ki Ki, the hawk, bold as he was, could +not do much in the bushes, nor enter a hole; Kauc, the crow, was in the +like fix, and he intended if he was called upon to take refuge in the +pretence of his age; the stoat, fierce as he was, shrank from facing the +weasel, being afraid of his relation's tricks and stratagems. Even the +fox, though he was the biggest of all, hesitated, for he recollected +once when Pan, the spaniel, snapped at the weasel, the weasel made his +teeth meet in Pan's nostrils. + +Thus they all hesitated, when the rat suddenly stood out and said: "I +will fetch the weasel, your majesty; I will bring that hateful traitor +to your feet". + +"Do so, good and loyal rat," said the king, well pleased. And the rat +ran off to compel the weasel to come. + +As the elm was so close, they all looked that way, expecting to hear +sounds of fighting; but in less than half-a-minute the rat appeared, +with the weasel limping on three legs in his rear. For when the weasel +heard what the rat said, he knew it was of no use to stay away any +longer; but in his heart he vowed that he would, sooner or later, make +the rat smart for his officious interference. + +When he came near, the weasel fell down and bowed himself before the +king, who said nothing, but eyed him scornfully. + +"I am guilty," said the weasel, in a very humble voice; "I am guilty of +disobedience to your majesty's commands, and I am guilty of sending you +a deceitful message, for which my poor friend the humble-bee has been +cruelly hustled from your presence; but I am not guilty of the treason +of which I am accused. I hid in the elm, your majesty, because I went in +terror of my life, and I feigned to be ill, in order to stay away from +the council, because there is not one of all these (he pointed to the +circle of councillors) who has not sworn to destroy me, and I feared to +venture forth. They have all banded together to compass my destruction, +because I alone of all of them have remained faithful to your throne, +and have not secretly conspired." + +At these words, there was such an outcry on the part of all the birds +and animals, that the wood echoed with their cries; for the stoat +snapped his teeth, and the fox snarled, and the jay screamed, and the +hawk napped his wings, and the crow said "Caw!" and the rook "Haw!" and +all so eagerly denied the imputation, that it was some minutes before +even King Kapchack could make himself heard. + +When the noise in some degree subsided, however, he said: "Weasel, you +are so false of tongue, and you have so many shifts and contrivances +('That he has!' said Bevis, who was delighted at the downfall of the +weasel), that it is no longer possible for any of us to believe anything +you say. We have now such important business before us, that we cannot +stop to proceed to your trial and execution, and we therefore order that +in the meantime you remain where you are, and that you maintain complete +silence--for you are degraded from your rank--until such time as we can +attend to your contemptible body, which will shortly dangle from a tree, +as a warning to traitors for all time to come. My lords, we will now +proceed with our business, and, first of all, the secretary will read +the roll-call of our forces." + +The owl then read the list of the army, and said: "First, your majesty's +devoted body-guard, with--with Prince Tchack-tchack (the king frowned, +and the jay laughed outright) at their head; Ki Ki, lord of hawks, one +thousand beaks; the rooks, five thousand beaks; Kauc, the crow, two +hundred beaks;" and so on, enumerating the numbers which all the tribes +could bring to battle. + +In the buzz of conversation that arose while the owl was reading (as it +usually does), the squirrel told Bevis that he believed the crow had not +returned the number of his warriors correctly, but that there were +really many more, whom he purposely kept in the background. As for +Prince Tchack-tchack, his absence from the council evidently disturbed +his majesty, though he was too proud to show how he felt the defection +of his eldest son and heir. + +The number of the rooks, too, was not accurate, and did not give a true +idea of their power, for it was the original estimate furnished many +years ago, when Kapchack first organised his army, and although the +rooks had greatly increased since then, the same return was always made. +But it was well understood that the nation of the rooks could send, and +doubtless would send, quite ten thousand beaks into the field. + +"It is not a little curious," said the squirrel, "that the rooks, who, +as you know, belong to a limited monarchy--so limited that they have no +real king--should form the main support of so despotic a monarch as +Kapchack, who obtains even more decisive assistance from them than from +the ferocious and wily Ki Ki. It is an illustration of the singular +complexity and paradoxical positions of politics that those who are +naturally so opposed, should thus form the closest friends and allies. +I do not understand why it is so myself, for as you know, dear, I do not +attempt to meddle with politics, but the owl has several times very +learnedly discoursed to me upon this subject, and I gather from him that +one principal reason why the rooks support the tyrant Kapchack, is +because they well know if he is not king some one else will be. Now +Kapchack, in return for their valuable services, has, for one thing, +ordered Ki Ki on no account to interfere with them (which is the reason +they have become so populous), and under the nominal rule of Kapchack +they really enjoy greater liberty than they otherwise could. + +"But the beginning of the alliance, it seems, was in this way. Many +years ago, when Kapchack was a young monarch, and by no means firmly +established upon his throne, he sought about for some means of gaining +the assistance of the rooks. He observed that in the spring, when the +rooks repaired their dwellings, they did so in a very inferior manner, +doing indeed just as their forefathers had done before them, and +repeating the traditional architecture handed down through innumerable +generations. So ill-constructed were their buildings, that if, as often +chanced, the March winds blew with fury, it was a common thing to see +the grass strewn with the wreck of their houses. Now Kapchack and all +his race are excellent architects, and it occurred to him to do the +rooks a service, by instructing them how to bind their lower courses, so +that they should withstand the wind. + +"With some difficulty, for the older rooks, though they would loudly +deny it, are eminently conservative (a thing I do not profess to +understand), he succeeded in persuading the younger builders to adopt +his design; and the result was that in the end they all took to it, and +now it is quite the exception to hear of an accident. Besides the +preservation of life, Kapchack's invention also saved them an immense +amount in timber for rebuilding. The consequence has been that the +rooks have flourished above all other birds. They at once concluded an +alliance with Kapchack, and as they increased in numbers, so they became +more firmly attached to his throne. + +"It is not that they feel any gratitude--far from it, they are a selfish +race--but they are very keen after their own interest, which is, +perhaps, the strongest tie. For, as I observed, the rooks live under a +limited monarchy; they had real kings of their own centuries since, but +now their own king is only a name, a state fiction. Every single rook +has a voice in the affairs of the nation (hence the tremendous clamour +you may hear in their woods towards sunset when their assemblies are +held), but the practical direction of their policy is entrusted to a +circle or council of about ten of the older rooks, distinguished for +their oratorical powers. These depute, again, one of their own number to +Kapchack's court; you see him yonder, his name is Kauhaha. The council +considers, I have no doubt, that by supporting Kapchack they retain +their supremacy, for very likely if they did not have a foreigner to +reign over them, some clever genius of their own race would arise and +overturn these mighty talkers. + +"On the other hand Kapchack fully appreciates their services, and if he +dared he would give the chief command of his forces to the generalissimo +of the rooks--not the one who sits yonder--the commander's name is Ah +Kurroo. But he dreads the jealousy of Ki Ki, who is extremely off-handed +and high in his ways, and might go off with his contingent. I am curious +to see who will have the command. As for the starlings, I daresay you +will notice their absence; they are under the jurisdiction of the rooks, +and loyal as their masters; the reason they are not here is because they +are already mobilised and have taken the field; they were despatched in +all haste very early this morning, before you were awake, Bevis dear, to +occupy the slope from whence the peewits fled. Now they are discussing +the doubtful allies." + +"The larks," the owl was saying as the squirrel finished, "have sent a +message which I consider extremely impertinent. They have dared to say +that they have nothing whatever to do with the approaching contest, and +decline to join either party. They say that from time immemorial they +have been free mountaineers, owing allegiance to no one, and if they +have attended your court it has been from courtesy, and not from any +necessity that they were under." + +"They are despicable creatures," said the king, who was secretly +annoyed, but would not show it. "Ki Ki, I deliver them over to you; let +your men plunder them as they like." + +"The finches," went on the owl. "I hardly know----" + +"We are loyal to the last feather," said Tchink, the chaffinch, bold as +brass, and coming to the front, to save his friends from the fate of the +larks. "Your majesty, we are perfectly loyal--why, our troops, whom you +know are only lightly armed, have already gone forward, and have +occupied the furze on the summits of the hills." + +"I am much pleased," said the king, who had been a little doubtful. +"Tell your friends to continue in that spirit." + +"With all my heart," said Tchink, laughing in Ki Ki's face; he actually +flew close by the terrible hawk, and made a face at him, for he knew +that he was disappointed, having hoped for permission to tear and rend +the finches as the larks. + +"The thrushes," began the owl again. + +"Pooh," said the king, "they are feeble things; we can easily keep the +whole nation of them in subjection by knocking out some of their brains +now and then, can't we, Ki Ki?" + +"It is a capital way," said Ki Ki. "There is no better." + +"They are fit for nothing but ambassadors and couriers," said Kapchack. +"We will not waste any more time over such folk whose opinions are +nothing to us. Now I call upon you all to express your views as to the +best means of conducting the campaign, and what measures had better be +taken for the defence of our dominions. Ki Ki, speak first." + +"I am for immediate action," said Ki Ki. "Let us advance and attack at +once, for every day swells the ranks of Choo Hoo's army, and should +there be early frosts it would be so largely increased that the mere +numbers must push us back. Besides which in a short time he will receive +large reinforcements, for his allies, the fieldfares and redwings, are +preparing to set sail across the sea hither. But now, before his host +becomes irresistible, is our opportunity; I counsel instant attack. War +to the beak is my motto!" + +"War to the beak," said the crow. + +"War to the beak," said the jay, carefully adjusting his brightest +feathers, "and our ladies will view our deeds." + +"I agree," said the rook, "with what Ki Ki says." The rook was not so +noisy and impetuous as the hawk, but he was even more warlike, and by +far the better statesman. "I think," Kauhaha went on, "that we should +not delay one hour, but advance and occupy the plain where Choo Hoo is +already diminishing our supplies of food. If our supplies are consumed +or cut off our condition will become critical." + +"Hear, hear," said everybody except the crow, who hated the rook. "Hear! +hear! the rook speaks well." + +"All are then for immediately advancing?" said Kapchack, much pleased. + +"May it please your majesty," said the fox, thus humbling himself, he +who was the descendant of kings, "may it please your majesty, I am not +certain that the proposed course is the wisest. For, if I may be +permitted to say so, it appears to me that the facts are exactly +opposite to what Ki Ki and the rook have put forward as the reason for +battle. My experience convinces me that the very vastness of Choo Hoo's +host is really its weakness. The larger his numbers the less he can +effect. It is clear that they must soon, if they continue to draw +together in these enormous bodies, destroy all the forage of the +country, and unless they are prepared to die of starvation they must +perforce retire. + +"If, therefore, your majesty could be prevailed upon to listen to my +counsels, I would the rather suggest, most humbly suggest, that the +defensive is your best course. Here in the copse you have an enclosure +capable with a little trouble of being converted into an impregnable +fortress. Already the ditches are deep, the curtain wall of hawthorn +high and impenetrable, the approaches narrow. By retiring hither with +your forces, occupying every twig, and opposing a beak in every +direction, you would be absolutely safe, and it is easy to foresee what +would happen. + +"Choo Hoo, boastful and vainglorious, would approach with his enormous +horde; he would taunt us, no doubt, with his absurd 'Koos-takke,' which +I verily believe has no meaning at all, and of which we need take no +heed. In a few days, having exhausted the supplies, he would have to +retire, and then sallying forth we could fall upon his rear and utterly +destroy his unwieldy army." + +This advice made some impression upon Kapchack, notwithstanding that he +was much prejudiced against the fox, for it was evidently founded upon +facts, and the fox was known to have had great experience. Kapchack +appeared thoughtful, and leaning his head upon one side was silent, when +Kauc, the crow (who had his own reasons for wishing Kapchack to run as +much risk as possible), cried out that the fox was a coward, and wanted +to sneak into a hole. Ki Ki shouted applaudingly; the rook said he for +one could not shut himself up while the country was ravaged; and the jay +said the ladies would despise them. Kapchack remembered that the fox had +always had a character for duplicity, and perhaps had some secret motive +for his advice, and just then, in the midst of the uproar, a starling +flew into the circle with part of his tail gone and his feathers greatly +ruffled. + +It was evident that he had brought news from the seat of war, and they +all crowded about him. So soon as he had recovered breath the starling +told them that half-an-hour since Choo Hoo had himself crossed the +border, and driving in the outposts of the starlings, despite the most +desperate resistance, had passed the front line of the hills. At this +news the uproar was tremendous, and for some time not a word could be +heard. By-and-by the owl obtained something like order, when the rook +said he for one could not stay in council any longer, he must proceed to +assemble the forces of his nation, as while they were talking his city +might be seized. Ki Ki, too, flapping his wings, announced his intention +of attacking; the jay uttered a sneer about one-eyed people not being +able to see what was straight before them, and thus goaded on against +his better judgment, Kapchack declared his intention of sending his army +to the front. + +He then proceeded to distribute the commands. Ki Ki was proclaimed +commander-in-chief (the rook did not like this, but he said nothing, as +he knew Kapchack could not help himself), and the rooks had the right +wing, the crow the left wing (the crow was surprised at this, for his +usual post was to guard the rear, but he guessed at once that Kapchack +suspected him, and would not leave him near the palace), and the owl had +the reserve. As they received their orders, each flew off; even the owl, +though it was daylight, started forth to summon his men, and though he +blundered against the branches, did not stay a second on that account. +The squirrel had charge of the stores, and jumped down to see after +them. Not one was forgotten, but each had an office assigned, and went +to execute it, all except the fox and the weasel. The weasel, obedient +to orders, lay still at the foot of the pollard, humbly hiding his head. + +The fox, presently finding that he had been overlooked, crept under +Kapchack, and, bowing to the earth, asked if there was no command and no +employment for him. + +"Begone," said Kapchack, who was not going to entrust power to one of +royal descent. "Begone, sir; you have not shown any ability lately." + +"But did not the gnat tell you?" began the fox, humbly. + +"The gnat told me a great deal," said Kapchack. + +"But did he not say I sent him?" + +"No, indeed," said Kapchack, for the gnat, not to be outdone, had indeed +delivered the fox's message, but had taken the credit of it for himself. +"Begone, sir (the fox slunk away); and do you (to his guards) go to the +firs and wait for me there." The eight magpies immediately departed, and +there was no one left but the weasel. + +The king looked down at the guilty traitor; the traitor hung his head. +Presently the king said: "Weasel, false and double-tongued weasel, did I +not choose you to be my chiefest and most secret counsellor? Did you not +know everything? Did I not consult you on every occasion, and were you +not promoted to high honour and dignity? And you have repaid me by +plotting against my throne, and against my life; the gnat has told me +everything, and it is of no avail for you to deny it. You double +traitor, false to me and false to those other traitors who met in this +very place to conspire against me. It is true you were not among them in +person, but why were you not among them? Do you suppose that I am to be +deceived for a moment? Wretch that you are. You set them on to plot +against me while you kept out of it with clean paws, that you might +seize the throne so soon as I was slain. Wretch that you are." + +Here the weasel could not endure it any longer, but crawling to the foot +of the tree, besought the king with tears in his eyes to do what he +would--to order him to instant execution, but not to reproach him with +these enormities, which cut him to the very soul. But the more he +pleaded, the more angry Kapchack became, and heaped such epithets upon +the crouching wretch, and so bitterly upbraided him that at last the +weasel could bear it no more, but driven as it were into a corner, +turned to bay, and faced the enraged monarch. + +He sat up, and looking Kapchack straight in the face, as none but so +hardened a reprobate could have done, he said, in a low but very +distinct voice: "You have no right to say these things to me, any more +than you have to wear the crown! I do not believe you are Kapchack at +all--you are an impostor!" + +At these words Kapchack became as pale as death, and could not keep his +perch upon the pollard, but fluttered down to the ground beside the +weasel. He was so overcome that for a moment or two he could not speak. +When he found breath, he turned to the weasel and asked him what he +meant. The weasel, who had now regained his spirits, said boldly enough +that he meant what he said; he did not believe that the king was really +Kapchack. + +"But I am Kapchack," said the king, trembling, and not knowing how much +the weasel knew. + +In truth the weasel knew very little, but had only shot a bolt at random +from the bow of his suspicions, but he had still a sharper shaft to +shoot, and he said: "You are an impostor, for you told La Schach, who +has jilted you, that you were not so old as you looked." + +"The false creature!" said Kapchack, quite beside himself with rage. In +his jealousy of Prince Tchack-tchack, who was so much younger, and had +two eyes, he had said this, and now he bitterly repented his vanity. +"The false creature!" he screamed, "where is she? I will have her torn +to pieces! She shall be pecked limb from limb! Where is she?" he +shrieked. "She left the palace yesterday evening, and I have not seen +her since." + +"She went to the firs with the jay," said the weasel. "He is her old +lover, you know. Did you not see how merry he was just now, at the +council?" + +Then Kapchack pecked up the ground with his beak, and tore at it with +his claws, and gave way to his impotent anger. + +"There shall not be a feather of her left!" he said. "I will have her +utterly destroyed! She shall be nailed to a tree!" + +"Nothing of the kind," said the weasel, with a sneer. "She is too +beautiful. As soon as you see her, you will kiss her and forgive her." + +"It is true," said Kapchack, becoming calmer. "She is so beautiful, she +must be forgiven. Weasel, in consideration of important services +rendered to the state in former days, upon this one occasion you shall +be pardoned. Of course the condition is that what has passed between us +this day is kept strictly private, and that you do not breathe a word of +it." + +"Not a word of it," said the weasel. + +"And you must disabuse your mind of that extraordinary illusion as to my +identity of which you spoke just now. You must dismiss so absurd an idea +from your mind." + +"Certainly," said the weasel, "it is dismissed entirely. But, your +majesty, with your permission, I would go further. I would endeavour to +explain to you, that although my conduct was indiscreet, and so far open +to misconstruction, there was really nothing more in it than an +ill-directed zeal in your service. It is really true, your majesty, that +all the birds and animals are leagued against me, and that is why I have +been afraid to stir abroad. I was invited to the secret council, of +which you have heard from the gnat, and because I did not attend it, +they have one and all agreed to vilify me to your majesty. + +"But in fact I, for once, with the service of your majesty in view, +descended (repugnant as it was to my feelings) to play the eavesdropper, +and I overheard all that was said, and I can convince your majesty that +there are far greater traitors in your dominions than you ever supposed +me to be. The gnat does not know half that took place at the council, +for he only had it second-hand from that villain, the fox, who is, I +believe, secretly bent on your destruction. But I can tell you not only +all that went on--I can also relate to you the designs of Kauc, the +crow, who conferred with Cloctaw in private, after the meeting was over. +And I can also give you good reasons for suspecting Ki Ki, the hawk, +whom you have just nominated to the command of your forces, of the +intention of making a bargain with Choo Hoo, and of handing you over to +him a prisoner." + +Now this last was a pure invention of the weasel's out of envy, since Ki +Ki had obtained such distinction. Kapchack, much alarmed at these words, +ordered him to relate everything in order, and the weasel told him all +that had been said at the council, all that Kauc, the crow, had said to +Cloctaw, and a hundred other matters which he made up himself. When +Kapchack heard these things he was quite confounded, and exclaimed that +he was surrounded with traitors, and that he did not see which way to +turn. He hopped a little way off, in order the better to consider by +himself, and leant his head upon one side. + +First he thought to himself: "I must take the command from Ki Ki, but I +cannot do that suddenly, lest he should go over to Choo Hoo. I will +therefore do it gradually. I will countermand the order for an immediate +attack; that will give me time to arrange. Who is to take Ki Ki's place? +Clearly the weasel, for though he is an archtraitor, yet he is in the +same boat with me; for I know it to be perfectly true that all of them +are bitter against him." + +So he went back to the weasel, and told him that he should give him the +chief command of the forces, on the third day following, and meantime +told him to come early in the evening to the drain which passed under +the orchard, where his palace was, so that he could concert the details +of this great state business in secret with him. + +The weasel, beyond measure delighted at the turn things had taken, and +rejoicing extremely at the impending fall of Ki Ki, whom he hated, +thanked Kapchack with all his might, till Kapchack, enjoining on him the +necessity of secrecy, said "Good-afternoon"; and flew away towards the +firs, where his guard was waiting for him. Then the weasel, puffed up +and treading the ground proudly, went back to his cave in the elm, and +Bevis, seeing that there was nothing more going on that day, stole back +to the raspberry canes. + +None of them had noticed, not even the cunning weasel, that the mole, +when the council broke up, had not left with the rest: indeed, being +under the surface of the earth, they easily overlooked him. Now the +mole, who hated the weasel beyond all, had waited to have the pleasure +of hearing King Kapchack upbraid the traitor, and presently consign him +to execution. Fancy then his feelings when, after all, the weasel was +received into the highest favour, and promised the supreme command of +the army, while he himself was not even noticed, though he was a clever +engineer, and could mine and countermine, and carry on siege operations +better than any of them. + +He listened to all that was said attentively, and then, so soon as +Kapchack had flown away, and the weasel had gone to his hole, and Bevis +to the raspberries, he drove a tunnel to the edge of the copse, and +there calling a fly, sent him with a message to the hawk, asking Ki Ki +to meet him beside the leaning stone in the field (which Bevis had once +passed), because he had a secret to communicate which would brook no +delay. At the same time, as Kapchack was flying to the firs where his +guards were waiting, it occurred to him that, although he had no +alternative, it was dangerous in the extreme to trust the army to the +weasel, who, perhaps, just as there was an opportunity of victory, would +retire, and leave him to be destroyed. Thinking about this, he perched +on a low hawthorn bush, and asked himself whether it was worth while to +attempt to defend a kingdom held under such precarious tenure. Would it +not be better to make terms with Choo Hoo, who was not unreasonable, and +to divide the territory, and thus reign in peace and safety over half at +least,--making it, of course, a condition of the compact that Choo Hoo +should help him to put down all domestic traitors? + +The idea seemed so good that, first glancing round to see that he was +not observed, he called a thrush, who had been coming to the hawthorn, +but dared not enter it while the king was there. The thrush, much +frightened, came as he was bid, and Kapchack carefully instructed him in +what he was to do. Having learnt his message by heart, the thrush, +delighted beyond expression at so high a negotiation being entrusted to +him, flew straight away towards Choo Hoo's camp. But not unobserved; for +just then Ki Ki, wheeling in the air at an immense height, whither he +had gone to survey the scene of war, chanced to look down and saw him +quit the king, and marked the course he took. Kapchack, unaware that Ki +Ki had detected this manoeuvre, now returned to his guards, and flew +to his palace. + +Meantime the weasel, curled up on his divan in the elm, was thinking +over the extraordinary good fortune that had befallen him. Yet such was +his sagacity that even when thus about to attain almost the topmost +pinnacle of his ambition, he did not forget the instability of affairs, +but sought to confirm his position, or even to advance it. He reflected +that Kapchack was not only cunning beyond everything ever known, but he +was just now a prey to anxieties, and consumed with jealousy, which +upset the tenor of his mind, so that his course could not be depended +upon, but might be changed in a moment. The favour of a despotic monarch +was never a firm staff to lean upon; when that monarch was on the brink +of a crisis which threatened both his throne and his life, his smile +might become a frown before any one was aware that a change was +impending. + +Impressed with these ideas, the weasel asked himself how he could at +once secure his position and advance himself to further dignity. He +considered that up to the present the forces of Kapchack had always been +compelled to retreat before the overwhelming masses thrown against them +by Choo Hoo. He could scarcely hope under the most favourable +circumstances to do more than defend the frontier, and should Choo Hoo +win the battle, Kapchack would either be taken prisoner, or, what was +not at all unlikely, fall a victim during the confusion, and be +assassinated, perhaps, by the villainous crow. Where, then, would be his +own high command? But by making terms with Choo Hoo he might himself +obtain the throne, and reign perfectly secure as Choo Hoo's regent. + +On coming to this conclusion, he called to his old friend the +humble-bee, and said he desired to send a message to Choo Hoo, the +purport of which must not be divulged to any flower upon the route. The +humble-bee instantly guessed that this message must be something to the +injury of Kapchack, and resenting the manner in which he had been +hustled from the council, declared that he would carry it without a +moment's delay. + +"Go then, my friend," said the weasel. "Go straight to Choo Hoo, and +say: 'The weasel is appointed to the command of King Kapchack's army, +and will supersede Ki Ki, the hawk, upon the third day. On that day he +will lead forth the army to the south, professing to go upon a flank +march, and to take you in the rear. Be not deceived by this movement, +but so soon as you see that the guards are withdrawn from the frontier, +cross the border in force, and proceed straight towards the palace. When +Kapchack's army finds you between it and its base of supplies it will +disperse, and you will obtain an easy victory. + +"'And in proof of his good-will towards you, the weasel, furthermore, +bade me inform you of the great secret which has hitherto been preserved +with such care, and which will enable your army to remain in this place +all the winter. In the squirrel's copse there is a spring, which is +never frozen, but always affords excellent drinking water, and moistens +a considerable extent of ground.'" This was the weasel's message, and +without a moment's delay the humble-bee buzzed away direct to Choo Hoo's +camp. + +At the same time the fly with the mole's message reached Ki Ki, the +hawk, as he was soaring among the clouds. Ki Ki, having finished his +observations, and full of suspicions as to the object with which the +king had despatched the thrush to Choo Hoo, decided to keep the mole's +appointment at once, so down he flew direct to the leaning stone in the +meadow, where Bevis had gathered the cowslips, and found the mole +already waiting for him. + +Now, the mole hated Ki Ki exceedingly, because, as previously related, +he had killed his wife, but he hated the weasel, who had persecuted him +all his life, even more, and by thus betraying the weasel to the hawk he +hoped to set the two traitors by the ears, and to gratify his own +vengeance by seeing them tear each other to pieces. Accordingly he now +informed Ki Ki of everything--how the weasel had disclosed the names of +all those who attended the secret meeting (except one, _i.e._, the owl, +which, for reasons of his own, the weasel had suppressed), particularly +stating that Ki Ki had taken a foremost part, that Kapchack was enraged +against the hawk, and had already promised the weasel the chief command, +so that in three days Ki Ki would be superseded. + +Ki Ki, suppressing his agitation, thanked the mole very cordially for +his trouble, and soared towards the sky, but he had scarce gone a +hundred yards before one of Kapchack's body-guard met him with a message +from the king countermanding the advance of the army which had been +decided upon. Ki Ki replied that his majesty's orders should be +implicitly obeyed and continued his upward flight. He had now no doubt +that what the mole had told him was correct in every particular, since +it had been so immediately confirmed; and as for the thrush, it seemed +clear that Kapchack had some design of saving himself by the sacrifice +of his friends. That must be his reasons for countermanding the +advance--to give time for negotiation. Angry beyond measure, Ki Ki flew +to his own clump of trees, and calling to him a keen young hawk--one of +his guard, and who was only too delighted to be selected for +confidential employment--sent him with a flag of truce to Choo Hoo. + +He was to say that Ki Ki, being disgusted with the treachery of King +Kapchack, had determined to abandon his cause, and that on the day of +battle, in the midst of the confusion, if Choo Hoo would push forward +rapidly, Ki Ki would draw off his contingent and expose the centre, when +Kapchack must inevitably be destroyed. Away flew the hawk, and thus in +one hour Choo Hoo received three messengers. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +TRAITORS. + + +The first that arrived was the thrush, hearing the message from the +king. Choo Hoo, delighted beyond expression at so pleasant a solution of +the business, which he knew must, if it came to battle, entail great +slaughter of his friends, received the thrush with the highest honours, +called his principal counsellors around him, and acceded to everything +King Kapchack had proposed. The territory should be equally divided: +Choo Hoo to have the plains, and Kapchack the woods and hills, and peace +should be proclaimed, Choo Hoo engaging to support Kapchack against all +domestic enemies and traitors. This treaty having been completed, the +thrush made as if about to depart, but Choo Hoo would in no wise permit +this. "Remain with us," he said, "my dear Thrush, till the evening; +feast and make merry." + +So the thrush was surrounded with a guard of honour, and conducted to +the choicest feeding places, and regaled upon the fat of the land. Thus +enjoying himself, he thought it was the happiest day of his life, and +was not at all desirous of seeing the shadows lengthen. + +Hardly had the thrush gone with his guard to the banquet, than the +humble-bee was announced, bearing the message from the weasel. To this +the assembled counsellors listened attentively, but Choo Hoo, being only +a barbarian, could on no account break faith, but was resolved to carry +out his compact with King Kapchack. Nevertheless, he reflected that the +king was extremely cunning, and not altogether to be relied upon (the +humble-bee, for aught he knew, might have been in reality sent by +Kapchack to try him), and therefore he would go so far as this, he would +encourage the weasel without committing himself. "Return," he said to +the humble-bee, "return to him who sent you, and say: 'Do you do your +part, and Choo Hoo will certainly do his part'." With which ambiguous +sentence (which of course the weasel read in his own sense) he dismissed +the humble-bee, who had scarce departed from the camp, than the flag of +truce arrived from Ki Ki, and the young hawk, bright and defiant in his +bearing, was admitted to the great Emperor Choo Hoo. + +When the council heard his message they all cried with one accord: +"Koos-takke! koos-takke! the enemy are confounded; they are divided +against each other. They are delivered over to us. Koos-takke!" + +So soon as there was silence, Choo Hoo said:-- + +"Young sir, tell your master that we do not need his assistance," and he +waved the messenger to depart. + +But the hawk said: "Mighty emperor, consider that I am young, and that +if I go to my master with so curt a message, you know that he is fierce +beyond reason, and I shall infallibly be torn to pieces". + +"Very well," said Choo Hoo, speaking in a harsh tone of voice, for he +hated the whole race of hawks, and could scarce respect the flag of +truce, "very well, tell your master the reason I do not want his +assistance is, first, because Kapchack and I have concluded a treaty; +secondly, because the weasel has been before him, and has told me where +the secret spring is in the squirrel's copse--the spring that does not +freeze in winter." + +The hawk, not daring to parley further with the emperor, bowed his way +out, and went direct to Ki Ki with this reply. + +All the council of Choo Hoo rejoiced exceedingly, both at the treaty +which assured so peaceful and pleasant a conclusion to their arduous +labours, and to a sanguinary war which had lasted so many years, and in +which they had lost so many of their bravest, and also at the treachery +which prevailed in Kapchack's palace and confounded his efforts. They +cried "Koos-takke!" and the shout was caught up throughout the camp with +such vehemence that the woods echoed to the mysterious sound. + +Now the young hawk, winging his way swiftly through the air, soon +arrived at the trees where Ki Ki was waiting for him, and delivered the +answer in fear and trembling, expecting every moment to be dashed to the +ground and despatched. Ki Ki, however, said nothing, but listened in +silence, and then sat a long time thinking. + +Presently he said: "You have done ill, and have not given much promise +of your future success; you should not have taken Choo Hoo's answer so +quickly. You should have argued with him, and used your persuasive +powers. Moreover, being thus admitted to the very presence of our +greatest enemy, and standing face to face with him, and within a few +inches of his breast, you should have known what it was your business to +do. I could not tell you beforehand, because it would have been against +my dignity to seem to participate before the deed in things of that +kind. To you the opportunity was afforded, but you had not the ready wit +either to see or to seize it. + +"While Choo Hoo was deliberating you should have flown at his breast, +and despatched the archrebel with one blow of your beak. In the +confusion you could have escaped with ease. Upon such a catastrophe +becoming known, the whole of Choo Hoo's army would have retreated, and +hanging upon their rear we could have wreaked our wills upon them. As +for you, you would have obtained fame and power; as for me, I should +have retained the chief command; as for Kapchack, he would have rewarded +you with untold wealth. But you missed--you did not even see--this +golden opportunity, and you will never have another such a chance." + +At this the young hawk hung his head, and could have beaten himself to +death against the tree, in shame and sorrow at his folly. + +"But," continued Ki Hi, "as I see you are unfeignedly sorry, I will even +yet entrust you with one more commission (the hawk began to brighten up +a little). You know that at the end of the Long Pond there is a very +large wood which grows upon a slope; at the foot of the slope there is +an open space or glade, which is a very convenient spot for an ambush. +Now when the thrush comes home in the evening, bringing the treaty to +Kapchack, he is certain to pass that way, because it is the nearest, and +the most pleasant. Go there and stay in ambush till you hear him coming, +then swoop down and kill him, and tear his heart from his breast. Do not +fail, or never return to my presence. + +"And stay--you may be sure of the place I mean, because there is an old +oak in the midst of the glade, it is old and dead, and the route of the +thrush will be under it. Strike him there." + +Without waiting a moment, the hawk, knowing that his master liked +instant obedience, flew off swift as the wind, determined this time to +succeed. He found the glade without trouble, and noted the old oak with +its dead gaunt boughs, and then took up his station on an ash, where he +watched eagerly for the shadows to lengthen. Ki Ki, after sitting a +little longer, soared up into the sky to reflect upon further measures. +By destroying the thrush he knew that the war must continue, for Choo +Hoo would never believe but that it had been done by Kapchack's order, +and could not forgive so brutal an affront to an ambassador charged with +a solemn treaty. Choo Hoo must then accept his (Ki Ki's) offer; the +weasel, it was true, had been before him, but he should be able to +destroy the weasel's influence by revealing his treachery to Kapchack, +and how he had told Choo Hoo the secret of the spring which was never +frozen. He felt certain that he should be able to make his own terms, +both with Kapchack and Choo Hoo. + +Thus soaring up he saw his messenger, the young hawk, swiftly speeding +to the ambush, and smiled grimly as he noted the eager haste with which +the youthful warrior went to fulfil his orders. Still soaring, with +outstretched wings, he sought the upper sky. + +Meantime Bevis had grown tired of waiting for the squirrel, who had gone +off to see about the stores, and flung himself at full length on the +moss under the oak. He hardly stopped there a minute before he got up +again and called and shouted for the squirrel, but no one answered him; +nor did the dragon-fly appear. Bevis, weary of waiting, determined to +try and find his way home by himself, but when he came to look round he +could not discover the passage through the thicket. As he was searching +for it he passed the elm, which was hollow inside, where the weasel lay +curled up on his divan, and the weasel, hearing Bevis go by, was so +puffed up with pride that he actually called to him, having conceived a +design of using Bevis for his own purposes. + +"Sir Bevis! Sir Bevis!" he said, coming to the mouth of his hole, "Sir +Bevis, I want to speak to you!" + +"You are the weasel," said Bevis, "I know your hateful voice--I hate +you, and if ever I find you outside the copse I will smash you into +twenty pieces. If it was not for the squirrel, whom I love (and I have +promised not to hurt anything in his copse), I would bring my papa's +hatchet, and chop your tree down and cut your head off; so there." + +"If you did that," said the weasel, "then you would not know what the +rat is going to do in your house to-night." + +"Why should I not know?" said Bevis. + +"Because if you cut my head off I could not tell you." + +"Well, tell me what it is," said Bevis, who was always very curious, +"and make haste about it, for I want to go home." + +"I will," said the weasel, "and first of all, you know the fine large +cake that your mamma is making for you?" + +"No," said Bevis, excitedly. "Is she making me a cake? I did not know +it." + +"Yes, that she is, but she did not tell you, because she wished it to be +a surprise to you to-morrow morning at lunch, and it is no use for you +to ask her about it, for she would not tell you. But if you are not very +sharp it is certain that you will never touch a mouthful of it." + +"Why not?" said Bevis. + +"Because," said the weasel, "the mouse has found out where your mamma +has put it in the cupboard, and there is a little chink through which +he can smell it, but he cannot quite get through, nor is he strong +enough to gnaw such very hard wood, else you may depend he would have +kept the secret to himself. But as he could not creep through he has +gone and told Raoul, the rat, who has such strong teeth he can bite a +way through anything, and to-night, when you are all in bed and firm +asleep, and everything is quiet, Yish, the mouse, is going to show the +rat where the chink is, the rat is going to gnaw a hole, and in the +morning there will be very little left of your cake." + +"I will tell the bailiff," said Bevis, in a rage, "and the bailiff shall +set a trap for the rat." + +"Well, that was what I was going to suggest," said the weasel; "but upon +consideration I am not so sure that it is much use telling the bailiff, +because, as I daresay you recollect, the bailiff has often tried his +hand setting up a trap for the rat, but has never yet caught him, from +which I conclude that the rat knows all the places where the bailiff +sets the trap, and takes good care not to go that way without previous +examination." + +"I'll set up the trap," said Bevis, "I'll set it up myself in a new +place. Let me see, where can I put it?" + +"I think it would be a very good plan if you did put it up yourself," +said the weasel, "because there is no doubt you understand more about +these things than the bailiff, who is getting old." + +"Yes," said Bevis, "I know all about it--I can do it very well indeed." + +"Just what I thought," said the weasel; "I thought to myself, Bevis +knows all about it--Bevis can do it. Now, as the bailiff has set up the +trap by the drain or grating beside the cart-house, and under the +wood-pile, and by the pump, and has never caught the rat, it is clear +that the rat knows these places as well as the bailiff, and if you +remember there is a good deal of grass grows there, so that the rat no +doubt says to himself: 'Aha! They are sure to put the trap here, because +they think I shall not see it in the grass--as if I was so silly.' So +that, depend upon it, he is always very careful how he goes through the +grass there. + +"Therefore I think the best place you could select to set up the trap +would be somewhere where there is no kind of cover, no grass, nor +anything, where it is quite bare and open, and where the rat would run +along quickly and never think of any danger. And he would be sure to run +much faster and not stay to look under his feet in crossing such places, +lest Pan should see him and give chase, or your papa should come round +the corner with a gun. Now I know there is one such place the rat passes +every evening; it is a favourite path of his, because it is a short cut +to the stable--it is under the wall of the pig-sty. I know this, because +I once lived with the rat a little while, and saw all his habits. + +"Well, under this wall it is quite open, and he always runs by extremely +fast, and that is the best place to put the trap. Now when you have set +the trap, in order to hide it from view do you get your little spade +with which you dig in your garden, and take a spadeful of the dust that +lies about there (as it is so dry there is plenty of dust) and throw it +over the trap. The dust will hide the trap, and will also prevent the +rat (for he has a wonderful sharp nose of his own) from scenting where +your fingers touched it. In the morning you are sure to find him caught. + +"By-the-by, you had better not say anything to your mamma that you know +of the cake, else perhaps she will move it from the cupboard, and then +the rat may go on some other moonlit ramble instead. As I said, in the +morning you are sure to find him in the trap, and then do not listen to +anything he has to say, for he has a lying tongue, but let Pan loose, +who will instantly worry him to death." + +"I will do as you say," said Bevis, "for I see that it is a very clever +way to catch the rat, but, Sir Weasel, you have told me so many false +stories that I can scarce believe you now it is plain you are telling me +the truth; nor shall I feel certain that you are this time (for once in +your wicked life) saying the truth, unless I know why you are so anxious +for the rat to be caught." + +"Why," said the weasel, "I will tell you the reason; this afternoon the +rat played me a very mean and scurvy trick; he disgraced me before the +king, and made me a common laughing-stock to all the council, for which +I swore to have his life. Besides, upon one occasion he bit his teeth +right through my ear--the marks of it are there still. See for +yourself." So the weasel thrust his head out of his hole, and Bevis saw +the marks left by the rat's teeth, and was convinced that the weasel, +out of malice, had at last been able for once to tell the truth. + +"You are a horrid wretch," said Bevis, "still you know how to catch the +rat, and I will go home and do it; but I cannot find my way out of this +thicket--the squirrel ought to come." + +"The way is under the ash bough there," said the weasel, "and when you +are outside the thicket turn to your left and go downhill, and you will +come to the timber--and meantime I will send for the dragon-fly, who +will overtake you." + +"All right, horrid wretch," said Bevis, and away he went. Now all this +that the weasel had said really was true, except about the cake; it was +true that the rat was very careful going through the grass, and that he +knew where the bailiff set the gin, and that he used to run very quickly +across the exposed place under the wall of the pig-sty. But the story +about the cake he had made up out of his cunning head just to set Bevis +at work to put up the trap; and he hoped too, that while Bevis was +setting up the gin, the spring would slip and pinch his fingers. + +By thus catching the rat, the weasel meant in the first place to gratify +his own personal malice, and next to get rid of a very formidable +competitor. For the rat was very large and very strong, and brave and +bold beyond all the others; so much so that the weasel would even have +preferred to have a struggle with the fox (though he was so much +bigger), whose nostril he could bite, than to meet the rat in fair and +equal combat. Besides, he hated the rat beyond measure, because the rat +had helped him out of the drain, which was when his ear was bitten +through. He intended to go down to the farmyard very early next morning +when the rat was caught, and to go as near as he dared and taunt the +rat, and tell him how Pan would presently come and crunch up his ribs. +To see the rat twist, and hear him groan, would be rare sport; it made +his eyes glisten to think of it. He was very desirous that Bevis should +find his way home all right, so he at once sent a wasp for the +dragon-fly, and the dragon-fly at once started after Bevis. + +Just after the weasel had sent the wasp, the humble-bee returned from +Choo Hoo, and delivered the emperor's message, which the weasel saw at +once was intended to encourage him in his proposed treachery. He thanked +the humble-bee for the care and speed with which his errand had been +accomplished, and then curled himself up on his divan to go to sleep, so +as to be ready to go down early in the morning and torment the rat. As +he was very happy since his schemes were prospering, he went to sleep in +a minute as comfortable as could be. + +Bevis crept through the thicket, and turned to the left, and went down +the hill, and found the timber, and then went along the green track till +he came to the stile. He got over the bridge and followed the footpath, +when the dragon-fly overtook him and apologised most sincerely for his +neglect. "For," said he, "we are so busy making ready for the army, and +I have had so much to do going to and fro with messages, that, my dear +Sir Bevis, you must forgive me for forgetting you. Next time I will send +a moth to stay close by you, so that the moment you want me the moth can +go and fetch me." + +"I will forgive you just this once," said Bevis; and the dragon-fly took +him all the way home. After tea Bevis went and found the gin, and tried +to set it up under the pig-sty wall, just as the weasel had told him; +but at first he could not quite manage it, being as usual in such a +hurry. + +Now there was a snail on the wall, and the snail looked out of his shell +and said: "Sir Bevis, do not be too quick. Believe me, if you are too +quick to-day you are sure to be sorry to-morrow." + +"You are a stupid snail," said Bevis. Just then, as the weasel had +hoped, he pinched his fingers with the spring so hard that tears almost +came into his eyes. + +"That was your fault," he said to the snail; and snatching the poor +thing off the wall, he flung him ever so far; fortunately the snail fell +on the grass, and was not hurt, but he said to himself that in future, +no matter what he saw going on, he would never interfere, but let people +hurt themselves as much as they liked. But Bevis, though he was so +hasty, was also very persevering, and presently he succeeded in setting +up the trap, and then taking his spade he spread the dust over it and so +hid it as the weasel had told him to. He then went and put his spade +back in the summer-house, and having told Pan that in the morning there +would be a fine big rat for him to worry, went indoors. + +Now it is most probable that what the weasel had arranged so well would +all have happened just as he foresaw, and that the trap so cleverly set +up would have caught the rat, had not the bailiff, when he came home +from the fields, chanced to see Bevis doing it. He had to attend to +something else then, but by-and-by, when he had finished, he went and +looked at the place where Bevis had set the gin, and said to himself: +"Well, it is a very good plan to set up the gin, for the rat is always +taking the pigs' food, and even had a gnaw at my luncheon, which was +tied up in my handkerchief, and which I--like a stupid--left on the +ground in my hurry instead of hanging up. But it is a pity Sir Bevis +should have set it here, for there is no grass or cover, and the rat is +certain to see it, and Bevis will be disappointed in the morning, and +will not find the rat. Now I will just move the gin to a place where the +rat always comes, and where it will be hidden by the grass, that is, +just at the mouth of the drain by the cart-house; it will catch the rat +there, and Sir Bevis will be pleased." + +So the bailiff, having thought this to himself, as he leant against the +wall, and listened to the pigs snoring, carefully took up the gin and +moved it down to the mouth of the drain by the cart-house, and there set +it up in the grass. + +The rat was in the drain, and when he heard the bailiff's heavy +footsteps, and the noise he made fumbling about with the trap, he +laughed, and said to himself: "Fumble away, you old stupid--I know what +you are doing. You are setting up a gin in the same place you have set +it twenty times before. Twenty times you have set the gin up there and +never caught anything, and yet you cannot see, and you cannot +understand, and you never learn anything, and you are the biggest dolt +and idiot that ever walked, or rather, you would be, only I thank heaven +everybody else is just like you! As if I could not hear what you are +doing; as if I did not look very carefully before I come out of my hole, +and before I put my foot down on grass or leaves, and as if I could not +smell your great clumsy fingers: really I feel insulted that you should +treat me as if I was so foolish. However, upon the whole, this is rather +nice and considerate of you. Ha! Ha!" and the rat laughed so loud that +if the bailiff had been sharp he must have heard this unusual chuckling +in the drain. But he heard nothing, but went off down the road very +contented with himself, whistling a bar from "Madame Angôt" which he had +learnt from Bevis. + +When Bevis went to bed he just peeped out of the window to look at the +moon, but the sky was now overcast, and the clouds were hurrying by, and +the wind rising--which the snail had expected, or he would not have +ventured out along the wall. While Bevis was peeping out he saw the owl +go by over the orchard and up beside the hedge. + +The very same evening the young hawk, as has been previously related, +had gone to the glade in the wood, and sat there in ambush waiting for +the thrush. Like Sir Bevis, the hawk was extremely impatient, and the +time as he sat on the ash passed very slowly till at last he observed +with much delight that the sun was declining, and that the shadow of the +dead oak-tree would soon reach across towards him. + +The thrush, having sat at the banquet the whole of the afternoon, and +tasted every dainty that the camp of Choo Hoo afforded, surrounded all +the time by crowds of pleasant companions, on the other hand, saw the +shadows lengthening with regret. He knew that it was time for him to +depart and convey the intelligence to King Kapchack that Choo Hoo had +fully agreed to his proposal. Still loth to leave he lingered, and it +was not until dusk that he quitted the camp, accompanied a little way +over the frontier by some of Choo Hoo's chief counsellors, who sought in +every way to do him honour. Then wishing him good-night, with many +invitations to return shortly, they left him to pursue his journey. + +Knowing that he ought to have returned to the king before this, the +thrush put forth his best speed, and thought to himself as he flew what +a long account he should have to give his wife and his children (who +were now grown up) of the high and important negotiation with which he +had been entrusted, and of the attentions that had been paid to him by +the emperor. Happy in these anticipations, he passed rapidly over the +fields and the woods, when just as he flew beneath the old dead oak in +the glade down swooped the hawk and bore him to the ground. In an +instant a sharp beak was driven into his head, and then, while yet his +body quivered, the feathers were plucked from his breast and his heart +laid bare. Hungry from his fast, for he had touched nothing that day, +being so occupied with his master's business, the hawk picked the bones, +and then, after the manner of his kind, wishing to clean his beak, flew +up and perched on a large dead bough of the oak just overhead. + +The moment he perched, a steel trap which had been set there by the +keeper flew up and caught him, with such force that his limbs were +broken. With a shriek the hawk flapped his wings to fly, but this only +pulled his torn and bleeding legs, and overcome with the agony, he +fainted, and hung head downwards from the bough, suspended by his +sinews. Now this was exactly what Ki Ki had foreseen would happen. There +were a hundred places along the thrush's route where an ambush might +have been placed, as well as in the glade, but Ki Ki had observed that a +trap was set upon the old dead oak, and ordered his servant to strike +the thrush there, so that he might step into it afterwards, thus killing +two birds with one stone. + +He desired the death of his servant lest he should tell tales, and let +out the secret mission upon which he had been employed, or lest he +should boast, in the vain glory of youth, of having slain the +ambassador. Cruel as he was, Ki Ki, too, thought of the torture the +young hawk would endure with delight, and said to himself that it was +hardly an adequate punishment for having neglected so golden an +opportunity for assassinating Choo Hoo. From the fate of the thrush and +the youthful hawk, it would indeed appear that it is not always safe to +be employed upon secret business of state. Yet Ki Ki, with all his cruel +cunning, was not wholly successful. + +For the owl, as he went his evening rounds, after he had flown over the +orchard where Bevis saw him, went on up the hedge by the meadow, and +skirting the shore of the Long Pond, presently entered the wood and +glided across the glade towards the dead oak-tree, which was one of his +favourite haunts. As he came near he was horrified to hear miserable +groans and moans, and incoherent talking, and directly afterwards saw +the poor hawk hanging head downwards. He had recovered his consciousness +only to feel again the pressure of the steel, and the sharp pain of his +broken limbs, which presently sent him into a delirium. + +The owl circling round the tree was so overcome by the spectacle that he +too nearly fainted, and said to himself: "It is clear that my lucky star +rose to-night, for without a doubt the trap was intended for me. I have +perched on that very bough every evening for weeks, and I should have +alighted there to-night had not the hawk been before me. I have escaped +from the most terrible fate which ever befell any one, to which indeed +crucifixion, with an iron nail through the brain, is mercy itself, for +that is over in a minute, but this miserable creature will linger till +the morning." + +So saying, he felt so faint that (first looking very carefully to see +that there were no more traps) he perched on a bough a little way above +the hawk. The hawk, in his delirium, was talking of all that he had done +and heard that day, reviling Ki Ki and Choo Hoo, imploring destruction +upon his master's head, and then flapping his wings and so tearing his +sinews and grinding his broken bones together, he shrieked with pain. +Then again he went on talking about the treaty, and the weasel's +treason, and the assassination of the ambassador. The owl, sitting close +by, heard all these things, and after a time came to understand what the +hawk meant; at first he could not believe that his master, the king, +would conclude a treaty without first consulting him, but looking +underneath him he saw the feathers of the thrush scattered on the grass, +and could no longer doubt that what the hawk said was true. + +But when he heard the story of Ki Ki's promised treason on the day of +battle, when he heard that the weasel had betrayed the secret of the +spring, which did not freeze in winter, he lifted up his claw and opened +his eyes still wider in amazement and terror. "Wretched creature!" he +said, "what is this you have been saying." But the hawk, quite mad with +agony, did not know him, but mistook him for Ki Ki, and poured out such +terrible denunciations that the owl, shocked beyond measure, flew away. + +As he went, after he had gone some distance under the trees, and could +no longer hear the ravings of the tortured hawk, he began to ask himself +what he had better do. At first he thought that he would say nothing, +but take measures to defeat these traitors. But presently it occurred to +him that it was dangerous even to know such things, and he wished that +he had never heard what the hawk had said. He reflected, too, that the +bats had been flying about some time, and might have heard the hawk's +confessions, and although they were not admitted at court, as they +belonged to the lower orders, still under such circumstances they might +obtain an audience. They had always borne him ill-will, they must have +seen him, and it was not unlikely they might say that the owl knew all +about it, and kept it from the king. On the other hand, he thought that +Kapchack's rage would be terrible to face. + +Upon the whole, however, the owl came to the conclusion that his safest, +as well as his most honourable course, was to go straight to the king, +late as it was, and communicate all that had thus come to his knowledge. +He set out at once, and upon his way again passed the glade, taking care +not to go too near the dead oak, nor to look towards the suspended hawk. +He saw a night-jar like a ghost wheeling to and fro not far from the +scaffold, and anxious to get from the ill-omened spot, flew yet more +swiftly. Round the wood he went, and along the hedges, so occupied with +his thoughts that he did not notice how the sky was covered with +clouds, and once or twice narrowly escaping a branch blown off by the +wind which had risen to a gale. Nor did he see the fox with his brush +touching the ground, creeping unhappily along the mound, but never +looked to the right nor left, hastening as fast as he could glide to +King Kapchack. + +Now the king had waited up that night as long as ever he could, +wondering why the thrush did not return, and growing more and more +anxious about the ambassador every moment. Yet he was unable to imagine +what could delay him, nor could he see how any ill could befall him, +protected as he was by the privileges of his office. As the night came +on, and the ambassador did not come, Kapchack, worn out with anxieties, +snapped at his attendants, who retired to a little distance, for they +feared the monarch in these fits of temper. + +Kapchack had just fallen asleep when the owl arrived, and the attendants +objected to letting him see the king. But the owl insisted, saying that +it was his particular privilege as chief secretary of state to be +admitted to audience at any moment. With some difficulty, therefore, he +at last got to the king, who woke up in a rage, and stormed at his +faithful counsellor with such fury that the attendants again retired in +affright. But the owl stood his ground and told his tale. + +When King Kapchack heard that his ambassador had been foully +assassinated, and that, therefore, the treaty was at an end--for Choo +Hoo would never brook such an affront; when he heard that Ki Ki, his +trusted Ki Ki, who had the command, had offered to retreat in the hour +of battle, and expose him to be taken prisoner; when he heard that the +weasel, the weasel whom that very afternoon he had restored to his +highest favour, had revealed to the enemy the existence of the spring, +he lost all his spirit, and he knew not what to do. He waved the owl +from his presence, and sat alone hanging his head, utterly overcome. + +The clouds grew darker, the wind howled, the trees creaked, and the +branches cracked (the snail had foreseen the storm and had ventured +forth on the wall), a few spots of rain came driving along. Kapchack +heard nothing. He was deserted by all: all had turned traitors against +him, every one. He who had himself deceived all was now deceived by all, +and suffered the keenest pangs. Thus, in dolour and despair the darkness +increased, and the tempest howled about him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE STORM IN THE NIGHT. + + +When the fox, after humbling himself in the dust, was rudely dismissed +by King Kapchack, he was so mortified, that as he slunk away his brush +touched the ground, and the tip of his nostrils turned almost white. +That he, whose ancestors had once held regal dignity, should thus be +contemned by one who in comparison was a mere upstart, and that, too, +after doing him a service by means of the gnat, and after bowing +himself, as it were, to the ground, hurt him to his soul. He went away +through the fern and the bushes to his lair in the long grass which grew +in a corner of the copse, and having curled himself up, tried to forget +the insult in slumber. + +But he could not shut his eyes, and after a while he went off again down +the hedgerow to another place where he sometimes stayed, under thick +brambles on a broad mound. But he could not rest there, nor in the osier +bed, nor in the furze, but he kept moving from place to place all day, +contrary to his custom, and not without running great danger. The sting +lingered in him, and the more so because he felt that it was true--he +knew himself that he had not shown any ability lately. Slowly the long +day passed, the shadows lengthened and it became night. Still +restlessly and aimlessly wandering he went about the fields noticing +nothing, but miserable to the last degree. The owl flew by on his errand +to King Kapchack; the bats fluttered overhead; the wind blew and the +trees creaked; but the fox neither saw, nor heard, nor thought of +anything except his own degradation. He had been cast forth as +unworthy--even the very mouse had received some instructions, but he, +the descendant of illustrious ancestors, was pointedly told that the wit +for which they had been famous did not exist in him. + +As the night drew on, the wind rose higher, the clouds became thicker +and darker, the branches crashed to the earth, the tempest rushed along +bearing everything before it. The owls, alarmed for their safety, hid in +the hollow trees, or retired to their barns; the bats retreated into the +crevices of the tiles; nothing was abroad but the wildfowl, whose cries +occasionally resounded overhead. Now and then, the fall of some branch +into a hawthorn bush frightened the sleeping thrushes and blackbirds, +who flew forth into the darkness, not knowing whither they were going. +The rabbits crouched on the sheltered side of the hedges, and then went +back into their holes. The larks cowered closer to the earth. + +Ruin and destruction raged around: in Choo Hoo's camp the ash poles beat +against each other, oaks were rent, and his vast army knew no sleep that +night. Whirled about by the fearful gusts, the dying hawk, suspended +from the trap, no longer fluttered, but swung unconscious to and fro. +The feathers of the murdered thrush were scattered afar, and the leaves +torn from the boughs went sweeping after them. Alone in the scene the +fox raced along, something of the wildness of the night entered into +him; he tried, by putting forth his utmost speed, to throw off the sense +of ignominy. + +In the darkness, and in his distress of mind, he neither knew or cared +whither he was going. He passed the shore of the Long Pond, and heard +the waves dashing on the stones, and felt the spray driven far up on the +sward. He passed the miserable hawk. He ran like the wind by the camp of +Choo Hoo, and heard the hum of the army, unable to sleep. Weary at last, +he sought for some spot into which to drag his limbs, and crept along a +mound which, although he did not recognise it in his stupefied state of +mind, was really not far from where he had started. As he was creeping +along, he fancied he heard a voice which came from the ground beneath +his feet; it sounded so strange in the darkness that he started and +stayed to listen. + +He heard it again, but though he thought he knew the voices of all the +residents in the field, he could not tell who it was, nor whence it +came. But after a time he found that it proceeded from the lower part or +butt of an elm-tree. This tree was very large, and seemed perfectly +sound, but it seems there was a crack in it, whether caused by lightning +or not he did not know, which did not show at ordinary times. But when +the wind blew extremely strong as it did to-night, the tree leant over +before the blast, and thus opened the crack. The fox, listening at the +crack, heard the voice lamenting the long years that had passed, the +darkness and the dreary time, and imploring every species of vengeance +upon the head of the cruel King Kapchack. + +After a while the fox came to the conclusion that this must be the toad +who, very many years ago, for some offence committed against the state, +was imprisoned by Kapchack's orders in the butt of an elm, there to +remain till the end of the world. Curious to know why the toad had been +punished in this terrible manner, the fox resolved to speak to the +prisoner, from whom perhaps he might learn something to Kapchack's +disadvantage. Waiting, therefore, till the crack opened as the gust +came, the fox spoke into it, and the toad, only too delighted to get +some one to talk to at last, replied directly. + +But the chink was so small that his voice was scarcely audible; the +chink, too, only opened for a second or two during the savage puffs of +the gale, and then closed again, so that connected conversation was not +possible, and all the fox heard was that the toad had some very +important things to say. Anxious to learn these things, the fox tried +his hardest to discover some way of communicating with the toad, and at +last he hit upon a plan. He looked round till he found a little bit of +flint, which he picked up, and when the elm bent over before the gale, +and the chink opened, he pushed the splinter of flint into the crevice. + +Then he found another piece of flint just a trifle larger, and, watching +his opportunity, thrust it in. This he did three or four times, each +time putting in a larger wedge, till there was a crack sufficiently open +to allow him to talk to the toad easily. The toad said that this was the +first time he had spoken to anybody since his grandson, who lived in the +rhubarb patch, came to exchange a word with him before the butt of the +tree grew quite round him. + +But though the fox plied him with questions, and persuaded him in every +way, he would not reveal the reason why he was imprisoned, except that +he had unluckily seen Kapchack do something. He dared not say what it +was, because if he did he had no doubt he would be immediately put to +death, and although life in the tree was no more than a living death, +still it was life, and he had this consolation, that through being +debarred from all exercise and work, and compelled to exist without +eating or drinking, notwithstanding the time passed and the years went +by, still he did not grow any older. He was as young now as when he was +first put into the dungeon, and if he could once get out, he felt that +he should soon recover the use of his limbs, and should crawl about and +enjoy himself when his grandson who lived in the rhubarb patch, and who +was already very old and warty, was dead. + +Indeed by being thus shut up he should survive every other toad, and he +hoped some day to get out, because although he had been condemned to +imprisonment till the end of the world, that was only Kapchack's +vainglorious way of pronouncing sentence, as if his (Kapchack's) +authority was going to endure for ever, which was quite contrary to +history and the teachings of philosophy. So far from that he did not +believe himself that Kapchack's dynasty was fated to endure very long, +for since he had been a prisoner immured in the earth, he had heard many +strange things whispered along underground, and among them a saying +about Kapchack. Besides which he knew that the elm-tree could not exist +for ever; already there was a crack in it, which in time would split +farther up; the elm had reached its prime, and was beginning to decay +within. By-and-by it would be blown over, and then the farmer would have +the butt grubbed up, and split for firewood, and he should escape. It +was true it might be many years hence, perhaps a century, but that did +not matter in the least--time was nothing to him now--and he knew he +should emerge as young as when he went in. + +This was the reason why he so carefully kept the secret of what he had +seen, so as to preserve his life; nor could the fox by any persuasion +prevail upon him to disclose the matter. + +"But at least," said the fox, "at least tell me the saying you have +heard underground about King Kapchack." + +"I am afraid to do so," said the toad; "for having already suffered so +much I dread the infliction of further misery." + +"If you will tell me," said the fox, "I will do my very best to get you +out. I will keep putting in wedges till the tree splits wide open, so +that you may crawl up the chink." + +"Will you," said the toad, excited at the hope of liberty, "will you +really do that?" + +"Yes, that I will," said the fox; "wait an instant, and I will fetch +another flint." + +So he brought another flint which split the tree so much that the toad +felt the fresh air come down to him. "And you really will do it?" he +said. + +"Yes," repeated the fox, "I will certainly let you out." + +"Then," said the toad, "the saying I have heard underground is this: +'When the hare hunts the hunter in the dead day, the hours of King +Kapchack are numbered'. It is a curious and a difficult saying, for I +cannot myself understand how the day could be dead, nor how the hare +could chase the sportsman; but you, who have so high a reputation for +sagacity, can no doubt in time interpret it. Now put in some more wedges +and help me out." + +But the fox, having learnt all that the toad could tell him, went away, +and finding the osiers, curled himself up to sleep. + +The same night, the weasel, having had a very pleasant nap upon his +divan in the elm in the squirrel's copse, woke up soon after midnight, +and started for the farm, in order to enjoy the pleasure of seeing the +rat in the gin, which he had instructed Bevis how to set up. Had it not +been for this he would not have faced so terrible a tempest, but to see +the rat in torture he would have gone through anything. As he crept +along a furrow, not far outside the copse, choosing that route that he +might be somewhat sheltered in the hollow from the wind, he saw a wire +which a poacher had set up, and stayed to consider how he could turn it +to his advantage. + +"There is Ulu, the hare," he said to himself, "who lives in the +wheat-field; I had her son, he was very sweet and tender, and also her +nephew, who was not so juicy, and I have noticed that she has got very +plump of late. She is up on the hill to-night I have no doubt, +notwithstanding the tempest, dancing and flirting with her disreputable +companions, for vice has such an attraction for some minds that they +cannot forego its pleasures, even at the utmost personal inconvenience. +Such revels, at such a time of tempest, while the wrath of heaven is +wreaked upon the trees, are nothing short of sacrilege, and I for one +have always set my mind against irreverence. I shall do the world a +service if I rid it of such an abandoned creature." So he called to a +moor-hen, who was flying over from the Long Pond at a tremendous pace, +being carried before the wind, and the moor-hen, not without a great +deal of trouble, managed to wheel round (she was never very clever with +her wings) to receive his commands, for she did not dare to pass over or +slight so high a personage. + +"Moor-hen," said the weasel, "do you go direct to the hills and find +Ulu, the hare, and tell her that little Sir Bevis, of whom she is so +fond, is lost in the copse, and that he is crying bitterly because of +the darkness and the wind, and what will become of him I do not know. I +have done my very best to show him the way home, but he cherishes an +unfortunate prejudice against me, and will not listen to what I say. +Therefore if the hare does not come immediately and show him the way I +greatly fear that he will be knocked down by the branches, or cry his +dear pretty darling heart out; and tell her that he is at this minute +close to the birches. Go quickly, Moor-hen." + +"I will, my lord," said the moor-hen, and away she flew. + +Then the weasel proceeded on his way, and shortly afterwards arrived at +the farm. As he came quietly down from the rick-yard, he said to +himself: "I will keep a good way from the wall, as it is so dark, and I +do not know the exact place where Bevis has put the trap. Besides, it is +just possible that the rat may not yet have passed that way, for he does +most of his business in the early morning, and it is not yet dawn." + +So he crossed over to the wood-pile and listened carefully, but could +hear no groans, as he had expected; but, on consideration, he put this +down to the wind, which he observed blew the sound away from him. He +then slipped over to the grass by the cart-house wall, intending to +listen at the mouth of the drain to hear if the rat was within, and then +if that was not the case, to go on along towards the wall of the +pig-sty, for he began to think the rat must have been stunned by the +trap, and so could not squeak. + +If that was the case, he thought he would just bite off the end of the +rat's tail, in revenge for the terrible meal he had once been obliged to +make upon his own, and also to wake up the rat to the misery of his +position. But just as he approached the mouth of the drain, sniffing and +listening with the utmost caution, it happened that a drop of rain fell +through a chink in the top of Pan's tub, and woke him from his slumber. +Pan shook himself and turned round, and the weasel, hearing the +disturbance, dreaded lest Pan was loose, and had caught scent of him. He +darted forwards to get into the drain, when the trap, which the bailiff +had so carefully removed from where Bevis had set it, snapped him up in +a second. The shock and the pain made him faint; he turned over and lay +still. + +About the same time the moor-hen, borne swiftly along by the wind on her +way to the river, reached the hills, and seeing the hare, flew low down +and delivered the weasel's message as well as she could. The hare was +dreadfully alarmed about Sir Bevis, and anxious to relieve him from his +fright in the dark copse, raced down the hill, and over the fields as +fast as she could go, making towards that part of the copse where the +birches stood, as the weasel had directed, knowing that in running there +she would find her neck in a noose. + +It happened just as he had foreseen. She came along as fast as the wind, +and could already see the copse like a thicker darkness before her, when +the loop of the wire drew up around her neck, and over she rolled in the +furrow. + +Now the weasel had hoped that the wire would not hang her at once. He +intended to have come back from the farm, and from taunting the rat in +the trap, in time to put his teeth into her veins, before, in her +convulsive efforts to get free, she tightened the noose and died. + +And this, too, happened exactly as the weasel had intended, but in a +different manner, and with a different result; for it had chanced that +the wind, in the course of its ravages among the trees, snapped off a +twig of ash, which rolling over and over before the blast along the +sward, came against the stick which upheld the wire, and the end of the +twig where it had broken from the tree lodged in the loop. Thus, when +Ulu kicked, and struggled, and screamed, in her fear, the noose indeed +drew up tight and half-strangled her, but not quite, because the little +piece of wood prevented it. But, exhausted with pain and terror, and +partially choked, the poor hare at last could do nothing else but crouch +down in the furrow, where the rain fell on and soaked her warm coat of +fur. For as the dawn came on the wind sank, and the rain fell. + +In this unhappy plight she passed the rest of the night, dreading every +moment lest the fox should come along (as she could not run away), and +not less afraid of the daybreak, when some one would certainly find her. + +After many weary hours, the bailiff coming to his work in the morning +with a sack over his shoulders to keep out the rain, saw something on +the grass, and pounced upon the wretched hare. Already his great thumb +was against the back of her neck--already she was thrown across his +knee--already she felt her sinews stretch, as he proceeded to break her +neck, regardless of her shrieks--when suddenly it occurred to him how +delighted Bevis would be with a living hare. For the bailiff was very +fond of Bevis, and would have done anything to please him. So he took +the hare in his arms, and carried her down to the farm. + +When Bevis got up and came to breakfast, the bailiff came in and brought +him the hare, expecting that he would be highly pleased. But Bevis in an +instant recognised his friend who had shown him his way in the cowslips, +and flew into a rage, and beat the bailiff with his fist for his +cruelty. Nothing would satisfy him but he must let the hare go free +before he touched his breakfast. He would not sit down, he stamped and +made such a to-do that at last they let him have his own way. + +He would not even allow the bailiff to carry the hare for him; he took +her in his arms and went with her up the footpath into the field. He +would not even permit them to follow him. Now, the hare knew him very +well but could not speak when any one else was near, for it is very well +known to be a law among hares and birds, and such creatures, that they +can only talk to one human being, and are dumb when more than one are +present. But when Bevis had taken her out into the footpath, and set her +down, and stroked her back, and her long ears, black at the tip, and had +told her to go straight up the footpath, and not through the long +grass, because it was wet with the rain, the hare told him how she came +in the wire through the wicked weasel telling her that he was lost in +the copse. + +"I was not lost," said Bevis; "I went to bed, and saw the owl go by. The +weasel told another of his stories--now, I remember, he told me to set +the trap for the rat." + +"Did he?" said the hare; "then you may depend it is some more of his +dreadful wickedness; there will be no peace in the world while he is +allowed to go roaming about." + +"No," said Bevis, "that there will not: but as sure as my papa's gun, +which is the best gun in the country, as sure as my papa's gun I will +kill him the next time I see him. I will not listen to the squirrel, I +will cut the weasel's tree down, and chop off his head." + +"I hope you will, dear," said the hare. "But now I must be gone, for I +can hear Pan barking, and no doubt he can smell me; besides which, it is +broad daylight, and I must go and hide; good-bye, my dear Sir Bevis." +And away went the hare up the footpath till Bevis lost sight of her +through the gateway. + +Then he went to his breakfast, and directly afterwards, putting on his +greatcoat, for it still rained a little, he went up to the wall by the +pig-sty expecting to find the rat in the trap. But the trap was gone. + +"There now," said he, falling into another rage, twice already that +morning; "I do believe that stupid bailiff has moved it," and so the +bailiff trying to please him fell twice into disgrace in an hour. + +Looking about to see where the bailiff had put the trap, he remembered +what the weasel had told him, and going to the cart-house wall by the +drain, found the trap and the weasel in it: "Oh! you false and +treacherous creature!" said Bevis, picking up a stone, "now I will smash +you into seventy thousand little pieces," and he flung the stone with +all his might, but being in too much of a hurry (as the snail had warned +him) it missed the mark, and only knocked a bit of mortar out of the +wall. He looked round for a bigger one, so that he might crush the +wretch this time, when the weasel feebly lifted his head, and said: +"Bevis! Bevis! It is not generous of you to bear such malice towards me +now I am dying; you should rather----" + +"Hold your tongue, horrid thing," said Bevis; "I will not listen to +anything you have to say. Here is a brick, this will do, first-rate, to +pound you with, and now I think of it, I will come a little nearer so as +to make quite sure." + +"Oh, Bevis!" said the weasel with a gasp, "I shall be dead in a minute," +and Bevis saw his head fall back. + +"Tell the hare I repented," said the weasel. "I have been very wicked, +Bevis--oh!--but I shall never, never do it any more--oh!----" + +"Are you dead?" said Bevis. "Are you quite dead?" putting down the +brick, for he could not bear to see anything in such distress, and his +rage was over in a minute. + +"I am," said the weasel, "at least I shall be in half-a-minute, for I +must be particular to tell the exact truth in this extremity. Oh! there +is one thing I should like to say----" + +"What is it?" said Bevis. + +"But if you smash me I can't," said the weasel; "and what is the use of +smashing me, for all my bones are broken?" + +"I will not smash you," said Bevis, "I will only have you nailed up to +the stable door so that everybody may see what a wretch you were." + +"Thank you," said the weasel, very gratefully, "will you please tell the +hare and all of them that if I could only live I would do everything I +could to make up to them, for all the wickedness I have +committed--oh!--I have not got time to say all I would. Oh! Bevis, +Bevis!" + +"Yes, poor thing," said Bevis, now quite melted and sorry for the +wretched criminal, whose life was ebbing so fast, "what is it you want? +I will be sure to do it." + +"Then, dear Sir Bevis--how kind it is of you to forgive me, dear Sir +Bevis; when I am dead do not nail me to the door--only think how +terrible that would be--bury me, dear." + +"So I will," said Bevis; "but perhaps you needn't die. Stay a little +while, and let us see if you cannot live." + +"Oh, no," said the weasel, "my time is come. But when I am dead, dear, +please take me out of this cruel trap in which I am so justly caught, +as I set it for another; take me out of this cruel trap which has broken +my ribs, and lay me flat on the grass, and pull my limbs out straight, +so that I may not stiffen all in a heap and crooked. Then get your +spade, my dear Sir Bevis, and dig a hole and bury me, and put a stone on +top of me, so that Pan cannot scratch me up--oh! oh!--will you--oh!" + +"Yes, indeed I will. I will dig the hole--I have a capital spade," said +Bevis; "stay a minute." + +But the weasel gave three gasps and fell back quite dead. Bevis looked +at him a little while, and then put his foot on the spring and pressed +it down and took the weasel out. He stroked down his fur where the trap +had ruffled it, and rubbed the earth from his poor paws with which he +had struggled to get free, and then having chosen a spot close by the +wood-pile, where the ground was soft, to dig the hole, he put the weasel +down there, and pulled his limbs out straight, and so disposed him for +the last sad ceremony. He then ran to the summer-house, which was not +far, and having found the spade came back with it to the wood-pile. But +the weasel was gone. + +There was the trap; there was the place he had chosen--all the little +twigs and leaves brushed away ready for digging--but no weasel. He was +bewildered, when a robin perched on the top of the wood-pile put his +head on one side, and said so softly and sadly: "Bevis, Bevis, little +Sir Bevis, what have you done?" For the weasel was not dead, and was not +even very seriously injured; the trap was old, and the spring not very +strong, and the teeth did not quite meet. If the rat, who was fat, had +got in, it would have pinched him dreadfully, but the weasel was +extremely thin, and so he escaped with a broken rib--the only true thing +he had said. + +So soon as ever Sir Bevis's back was turned, the weasel crawled under +the wood-pile, just as he had done once before, and from there made his +way as quickly as he could up the field sheltered by the aftermath, +which had now grown long again. When Bevis understood that the weasel +had only shammed dying, and had really got away, he burst into tears, +for he could not bear to be cheated, and then threw his spade at the +robin. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE OLD OAK.--THE KING'S DESPAIR. + + +The very same morning, after the rain had ceased, the keeper who looked +after the great woods at the other end of the Long Pond set out with his +gun and his dogs to walk round the preserves. Now the dogs he took with +him were the very best dogs he had, for that night a young gentleman, +who had just succeeded to the estate, was coming down from London, and +on the following morning would be sure to go out shooting. This young +gentleman had unexpectedly come into the property through the death of +the owner, who was shot in his bedroom by a burglar. The robber had once +been his groom, and the squirrel told Bevis how it all happened through +a flint falling out of the hole in the bottom of the waggon which +belonged to the old farmer in whose orchard Kapchack had his palace. + +The heir had been kept at a distance during the old gentleman's +lifetime, for the old gentleman always meant to marry and have a son, +but did not do so, and also always meant to make a will and leave the +best part of his estate to somebody else, but he did not do so, and as +the old toad in the rhubarb patch told Bevis afterwards when he heard +the story, if you are only going to do a thing, it would be no use if +you lived a thousand years, it would always be just the same. So the +young fellow, who had been poor all his life, when he thus suddenly +jumped into such a property, was not a little elated, and wrote to the +keeper that he should come down and have some shooting. + +The keeper was rather alarmed at this, for the former owner was not a +sporting man, and did not look strictly after such things, so that the +game had been neglected and had got scarce; and what was worse, the dogs +were out of training. He therefore got up early that morning, intending +to go his rounds quickly, and then take the dogs out into the stubble, +and try and thrash them into some use. Presently, as he walked along, he +came to the glade in the woods, and saw the dead hawk hanging from the +trap up in the old oak-tree. Pleased to find that his trap, so cunningly +placed, had not been prepared in vain, he went up to the oak, leaned his +gun against the trunk, ordered the dogs to lie down (which they did with +some reluctance), and then climbed up into the tree to re-set the gin. + +He took the hawk from the trap (his feathers were all draggled and wet +from the rain), and threw the dead bird down; and, whether it was that +the act of throwing it caused an extra strain upon the bough, or whether +the storm had cracked it in the night, or whether it had rotted away +more than appeared on the surface, or whether it was all of these things +together, certain it is the bough broke, and down came the keeper thud +on the sward. The bough fell down with him, and as it fell it struck +the gun, and the gun exploded, and although the dogs scampered aside +when they heard the crack, they did not scamper so quick but one of them +was shot dead, and the other two were mortally wounded. + +For a while the keeper lay there stunned, with the wet grass against his +face. But by-and-by, coming to himself, he sat up with difficulty, and +called for assistance, for he could not move, having sprained one ankle, +and broken the small bone of the other leg. There he sat and shouted, +but no one came for some time, till presently a slouching labourer (it +was the very same who put up the wire by the copse in which the hare was +caught) chanced to pass by outside the wood. The keeper saw him, but +hoarse with shouting, and feeling faint too (for a sprained ankle is +extremely painful), he could not make him hear. But he bethought him of +his gun, and dragging it to him, hastily put in a cartridge and fired. + +The report drew the labourer's attention, and peering into the wood, he +saw some one on the ground waving a white handkerchief. After looking a +long time, he made up his mind to go and see what it was; but then he +recollected that if he put his foot inside the wood he should be +trespassing, and as he had got a wire in his pocket that would be a +serious matter. So he altered his mind, and went on. + +Very likely the keeper was angry, but there was no one to hear what he +said except the dead hawk. He would have fired off fifty cartridges if +he had had them, but as he did not like a weight to carry he had only +two or three, and these did not attract attention. As for the labourer, +about midday, when he sat down to lunch in the cart-house at the farm +where he worked with the other men, he did just mention that he thought +he had seen something white waving in the wood, and they said it was +odd, but very likely nothing to speak of. + +One of the wounded dogs ran home, bleeding all the way, and there crept +into his kennel and died; the other could not get so far, but dropped in +a hedge. The keeper's wife wondered why he did not come home to dinner, +but supposed, with a sigh, that he had looked in at an alehouse, and +went on with her work. + +The keeper shouted again when his throat got less hoarse, but all the +answer he obtained was the echo from the wood. He tried to crawl, but +the pain was so exquisite he got but a very little way, and there he had +to lie. The sun rose higher and shone out as the clouds rolled away, and +the rain-drops on the grass glistened bright till presently they dried +up. + +With the gleaming of the sun there was motion in the woods: blackbirds +came forth and crossed the glades; thrushes flew past; a jay fluttered +round the tops of the firs; after a while a pheasant came along the +verge of the underwood, now stepping out into the grass, and now back +again into the bushes. There was a pleasant cawing of rooks, and several +small parties of wood-pigeons (doubtless from Choo Hoo's camp) went +over. Two or three rabbits hopped out and fed; humble-bees went buzzing +by; a green woodpecker flashed across the glade and disappeared among +the trees as if an arrow had been shot into the woods. + +The slow hours went on, and as the sun grew hotter the keeper, unable to +move, began to suffer from the fierceness of the rays, for anything +still finds out the heat more than that which is in movement. First he +lifted his hat from time to time above his head, but it was not much +relief, as the wind had fallen. Next he tried placing his handkerchief +inside his hat. At last he took off his coat, stuck the barrels of his +gun into the ground (soft from the rain), and hung the coat upon it. +This gave him a little shadow. The dead oak-tree having no leaves cast +but a narrow shade, and that fell on the opposite side to where he was. + +In the afternoon, when the heat was very great and all the other birds +appeared to have gone, a crow came (one of Kauc's retainers) and perched +low down on an ash-tree not more than fifty yards away. Perhaps it was +the dead dog; perhaps it was the knowledge that the man was helpless, +that brought him. There he perched, and the keeper reviled him, wishing +that he had but saved one of his cartridges, and forgetting that even +then the barrels of his gun were too full of earth. After a while the +crow flew idly across to the other side of the glade, and went out of +sight; but it was only for a short time, and presently he came back +again. This the crow did several times, always returning to the ash. + +The keeper ran over in his mind the people who would probably miss him, +and cause a search to be made. First there was his wife; but once, when +he had been a long time from home, and she in a great alarm had sought +for him, she found him drunk at the alehouse, and he beat her for her +trouble. It was not likely that she would come. The lad who acted as his +assistant (he had but one, for, as previously stated, the former owner +did not shoot) was not likely to look for him either, for not long +since, bringing a message to his superior, he discovered him selling +some game, and was knocked down for his pains. As for his companions at +the alehouse, they would be all out in the fields, and would not +assemble till night: several of them he knew were poachers, and though +glad enough to share his beer would not have looked towards him if in +distress. + +The slow hours wore on, and the sun declining a little, the shadow of +the dead oak moved round, and together with his coat sheltered him +fairly well. Weary with the unwonted labour of thinking, the tension of +his mind began to yield, and by-and-by he dropped asleep, lying at full +length upon his back. The crow returned once more to the ash, and looked +at the sleeping man and the dead dog, cleaned his beak against the +bough, and uttered a low croak. Once he flew a little way out towards +them, but there was the gun: it was true he knew very well there was no +powder (for, in the first place, he could not smell any, and, secondly, +if there had been any he knew he should have had the shot singing about +his ears long before this; you see, he could put two and two together), +still there was the gun. The dog does not like the corner where the +walking-stick stands. The crow did not like the gun, though it was stuck +in the ground: he went back to the ash, cleaned his bill, and waited. + +Something came stealthily through the grass, now stopping, now advancing +with a creeping, evil motion. It was the weasel. When he stole away from +the wood-pile, after escaping from the trap, he made up the field +towards the copse, but upon reflection he determined to abandon his lair +in the hollow elm, for he had so abused Bevis's good-nature that he +doubted whether Bevis might not attack him even there despite the +squirrel. He did not know exactly where to go, knowing that every +creature was in secret his enemy, and in his wounded state, unable to +move quickly or properly defend himself, he dreaded to trust himself +near them. After a while he remembered the old dead oak, which was also +hollow within, and which was so far from the copse it was not probable +Bevis would find it. + +Thither he bent his painful steps, for his broken rib hurt him very +much, and after many pauses to rest, presently, in the afternoon, he +came near. Lifting his head above the grass he saw the dead dog, and the +sleeping keeper; he watched them a long time, and seeing that neither of +them moved he advanced closer. As he approached he saw the dead hawk, +and recognised one of Ki Ki's retainers; then coming to the dog, the +blood from the shot wounds excited his terrible thirst. But it had +ceased to flow; he sniffed at it and then went towards the man. + +The crow, envious, but afraid to join the venture, watched him from the +ash. Every few inches the weasel stayed, lifted his head; looked, and +listened. Then he advanced again, paused, and again approached. In five +minutes he had reached the keeper's feet; two minutes more and he was by +his waist. He listened again; he sniffed, he knew it was dangerous, but +he could not check the resistless prompting of his appetite. + +He crept up on the keeper's chest; the crow fidgeted on the ash. He +crept up to the necktie; the crow came down on a lower bough. He moved +yet another inch to the collar; the crow flew out ten yards and settled +on the ground. The collar was stiff, and partly covered that part of the +neck which fascinated the weasel's gaze. He put his foot softly on the +collar; the crow hopped thrice towards them. He brought up his other +foot, he sniffed--the breath came warm from the man's half-open lips--he +adventured the risk, and placed his paw on the keeper's neck. + +Instantly--as if he had received an electric shock--the keeper started +to his knees, shuddering; the weasel dropped from his neck upon the +ground, the crow hastened back to the ash. With a blow of his open hand +the keeper knocked the weasel yards away; then, in his rage and fear, +with whitened face, he wished instead he had beaten the creature down +upon the earth, for the weasel, despite the grinding of his broken rib, +began to crawl off, and he could not reach him. + +He looked round for a stick or stone, there was none; he put his hand in +his pocket, but his knife had slipped out when he fell from the tree. He +passed his hands over his waistcoat seeking for something, felt his +watch--a heavy silver one--and in his fury snatched it from the swivel, +and hurled it at the weasel. The watch thrown with such force missed the +weasel, struck the sward, and bounded up against the oak: the glass +shivered and flew sparkling a second in the sunshine; the watch glanced +aside, and dropped in the grass. When he looked again the weasel had +gone. It was an hour before the keeper recovered himself--the shuddering +terror with which he woke up haunted him in the broad daylight. + +An intolerable thirst now tormented him, but the furrow was dry. In the +morning, he remembered it had contained a little water from the rain, +which during the day had sunk into the earth. He picked a bennet from +the grass and bit it, but it was sapless, dried by the summer heat. He +looked for a leaf of sorrel, but there was none. The slow hours wore on; +the sun sank below the wood, and the long shadows stretched out. +By-and-by the grass became cooler to the touch; dew was forming upon it. +Overhead the rooks streamed homewards to their roosting trees. They +cawed incessantly as they flew; they were talking about Kapchack and +Choo Hoo, but he did not understand them. + +The shadows reached across the glade, and yonder the rabbits appeared +again from among the bushes where their burrows were. He began now to +seriously think that he should have to pass the night there. His ankle +was swollen, and the pain almost beyond endurance. The slightest attempt +at motion caused intense agony. His one hope now was that the same +slouching labourer who had passed in the morning would go back that way +at night; but as the shadows deepened that hope departed, and he doubted +too whether any one could see him through the underwood in the dark. The +slouching labourer purposely avoided that route home. He did not want to +see anything, if anything there was. + +He went round by the high road, and having had his supper, and given his +wife a clout in the head, he sauntered down to the alehouse. After he +had taken three quarts of beer, he mentioned the curious incident of the +white handkerchief in the woods to his mates, who congratulated him on +his sense in refraining from going near it, as most likely it was one of +that keeper's tricks, just to get somebody into the wood. More talk, and +more beer. By-and-by the keeper's wife began to feel alarmed. She had +already found the dead dog in the kennel; but that did not surprise her +in the least, knowing her husband's temper, and that if a dog disobeyed +it was not at all unusual for a cartridge to go whistling after him. + +But when the evening came, and the darkness fell; when she had gone down +to the alehouse, braving his wrath, and found that he was not there, +the woman began to get hysterical. The lad who acted as assistant had +gone home, so she went out into the nearest stubble herself, thinking +that her husband must have finished his round before lunch, and was +somewhere in the newly-reaped fields. But after walking about the +rustling stubble till she was weary, she came back to the alehouse, and +begged the men to tell her if they had seen anything of him. Then they +told her about the white handkerchief which the slouching poacher had +seen in the wood that morning. She turned on him like a tiger, and +fiercely upbraided him; then rushed from the house. The sloucher took up +his quart, and said that he saw "no call" to hurry. + +But some of the men went after the wife. The keeper was found, and +brought home on a cart, but not before he had seen the owl go by, and +the dark speck of the bat passing to and fro overhead. + +All that day Bevis did not go to the copse, being much upset with the +cheat the weasel had played him, and also because they said the grass +and the hedges would be so wet after the storm. Nor did anything take +place in the copse, for King Kapchack moped in his fortress, the +orchard, the whole day long, so greatly was he depressed by the +widespread treason of which the owl had informed him. + +Choo Hoo, thinking that the treaty was concluded, relaxed the strictness +of discipline, and permitted his army to spread abroad from the camp and +forage for themselves. He expected the return of the ambassador with +further communications, and ordered search to be made for every dainty +for his entertainment; while the thrush, for whom this care was taken, +had not only ceased to exist, but it would have been impossible to +collect his feathers, blown away to every quarter. + +The vast horde of barbarians were the more pleased with the liberty +accorded to them, because they had spent so ill a night while the gale +raged through their camp. So soon as the sun began to gleam through the +retreating clouds, they went forth in small parties, many of which the +keeper saw go over him while lying helpless by the dead oak-tree. + +King Kapchack, after the owl had informed him of the bewildering maze of +treason with which he was surrounded, moped, as has been said before, +upon his perch. In the morning, wet and draggled from the storm, his +feathers out of place, and without the spirit to arrange them, he seemed +to have grown twenty years older in one night, so pitiable did he +appear. Nor did the glowing sun, which filled all other hearts with joy, +reach his gloomy soul. He saw no resource; no enterprise suggested +itself to him; all was dark at noonday. + +An ominous accident which had befallen the aged apple-tree in which his +palace stood contributed to this depression of mind. The gale had +cracked a very large bough, which, having shown signs of weakness, had +for many years been supported by a prop carefully put up by the farmer. +But whether the prop in course of time had decayed at the line where the +air and earth exercise their corroding influence upon wood; or whether +the bough had stiffened with age, and could not swing easily to the +wind; or whether, as seems most likely, the event occurred at that +juncture in order to indicate the course of fate, it is certain that the +huge bough was torn partly away from the trunk, leaving a gaping cavity. + +Kapchack viewed the injury to the tree, which had so long sustained his +family and fortune, with the utmost concern; it seemed an omen of +approaching destruction so plain and unmistakable that he could not look +at it; he turned his mournful gaze in the opposite direction. The day +passed slowly, as slowly as it did to the keeper lying beneath the oak, +and the king, though he would have resented intrusion with the sharpest +language, noticed with an increasing sense of wrong that the court was +deserted, and with one exception none called to pay their respects. + +The exception was Eric, the favourite missel-thrush, who alone of all +the birds was allowed to frequent the same orchard. The missel-thrush, +loyal to the last, came, but seeing Kapchack's condition, did not +endeavour to enter into conversation. As for the rest, they did not +venture from fear of the king's violent temper, and because their +unquiet consciences made them suspect that this unusual depression was +caused by the discovery of their treachery. They remained away from +dread of his anger. Kapchack, on the other hand, put their absence down +to the mean and contemptible desire to avoid a falling house. He +observed that even the little Te-te, the tomtit, and chief of the +secret police, who invariably came twice or thrice a day with an account +of some gossip he had overheard, did not arrive. How low he must have +fallen, since the common informers disdained to associate with him! + +Towards the evening he sent for his son, Prince Tchack-tchack, with the +intention of abdicating in his favour, but what were his feelings when +the messenger returned without him! Tchack-tchack refused to come. He, +too, had turned away. Thus, deserted by the lovely La Schach, for whom +he had risked his throne; deserted by the whole court and even by his +own son; the monarch welcomed the darkness of the night, the second of +his misery, which hid his disgrace from the world. + +The owl came, faithful by night as the missel-thrush by day, but +Kapchack, in the deepest despondency, could not reply to his remarks. +Twice the owl came back, hoping to find his master somewhat more open to +consolation, and twice had to depart unsuccessful. At last, about +midnight, the king, worn out with grief, fell asleep. + +Now the same evening the hare, who was upon the hills as usual, as she +came by a barn overheard some bats who lived there conversing about the +news which they had learnt from their relations who resided in the woods +of the vale. This was nothing less than the revelations the dying hawk +had made of the treacherous designs of Ki Ki and the weasel, which, as +the owl had suspected, had been partly overheard by the bats. The hare, +in other circumstances, would have rejoiced at the overthrow of King +Kapchack, who was no favourite with her race, for he had, once or twice, +out of wanton cruelty, pecked weakly leverets to death, just to try the +temper of his bill. But she dreaded lest if he were thrust down the +weasel should seize the sovereignty, the weasel, who had already done +her so much injury, and was capable of ruining not only herself but her +whole nation if once he got the supreme power. + +Not knowing what to do herself for the best, away she went down the +valley and over the steep ridges in search of a very old hare, quite +hoar with age--an astrologer of great reputation in those parts. For the +hares have always been good star-gazers, and the whole race of them, one +and all, are not without skill in the mystic sciences, while some are +highly charged with knowledge of futurity, and have decided the fate of +mighty battles by the mere direction in which they scampered. The old +hare no sooner heard her information than he proceeded to consult the +stars, which shone with exceeding brilliance that night, as they often +do when the air has been cleared by a storm, and finding, upon taking +accurate observations, that the house of Jupiter was threatened by the +approach of Saturn to the meridian, he had no difficulty in pronouncing +the present time as full of danger and big with fate. + +The planets were clearly in combination against King Kapchack, who must, +if he desired to avoid extinction, avoid all risks, and hide his head, +as it were, in a corner till the aspect of the heavens changed. Above +all things let him not make war or go forth himself into the combat; let +him conclude peace, or at least enter into a truce, no matter at what +loss of dignity, or how much territory he had to concede to conciliate +Choo Hoo. His person was threatened, the knife was pointed at his heart; +could he but wait a while, and tide as it were over the shallows, he +might yet resume the full sway of power; but if he exposed his life at +this crisis the whole fabric of his kingdom might crumble beneath his +feet. + +Having thus spoken, the hoary astrologer went off in the direction of +Stonehenge, whose stones formed his astrolabe, and the hare, much +excited with the communication she had received (confirmed as it was too +by the facts of the case), resolved to at once warn the monarch of his +danger. Calling a beetle, she charged him with a message to the king: +That he should listen to the voice of the stars, and conclude peace at +no matter what cost, or at least a truce, submitting to be deprived of +territory or treasure to any amount or extent, and that above all things +he should not venture forth personally to the combat. If he hearkened he +would yet reign; if he closed his ears the evil influence which then +threatened him must have its way. Strictly enjoining the beetle to make +haste, and turn neither to the right nor the left, but to speed straight +away for the palace, she dismissed him. + +The beetle, much pleased to be employed upon so important a business, +opened his wing-cases, began to hum, and increasing his pace as he went, +flew off at his utmost velocity. He passed safely over the hills, +descended into the valley, sped across the fields and woods, and in an +incredibly short space of time approached the goal of his journey. The +wall of the orchard was in sight, he began to repeat his message to +himself, so as to be sure and not miss a word of it, when going at this +tremendous pace, and as usual, without looking in front, but blundering +onwards, he flew with his whole force against a post. His body, crushed +by the impetus of its own weight, rebounded with a snap, and he fell +disabled and insensible to the earth. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE COURTSHIP IN THE ORCHARD. + + +The next morning Bevis's papa looking at the almanac found there was +going to be an eclipse of the sun, so Bevis took a piece of glass (part +of one of the many window panes he had broken) and smoked it over a +candle, so as to be able to watch the phenomenon without injury to his +eyes. When the obscuration began too, the dairy-maid brought him a +bucket of clear water in which the sun was reflected and could be +distinctly seen. But before the eclipse had proceeded beyond the mere +edge of the sun, Bevis heard the champing of a bit, and the impatient +pawing of hoofs, and running up to the stable to see who it was, found +that his papa was just on the point of driving over in the dog-cart to +see another farmer (the very old gentleman in whose orchard Kapchack's +palace was situated) about a load of straw. + +Bevis of course insisted upon going too, the smoked glass was thrown +aside, he clambered up and held the reins, and away they went, the +eclipse now counting for nothing. After a while, however, as they went +swiftly along the road, they came to a hill, and from the summit saw a +long way off a vast shadow like that cast by some immense cloud which +came towards them over the earth, and in a second or two arrived, and +as it were put out the light. They looked up and the sun was almost +gone. In its place was a dark body, with a rim of light round it, and +flames shooting forth. + +As they came slowly down the hill a pheasant crowed as he flew up to +roost, the little birds retired to the thickets, and at the farmyards +they passed the fowls went up to their perches. Presently they left the +highway and drove along a lane across the fields, which had once been +divided from each other by gates. Of these there was nothing now +standing but the posts, some of which could hardly be said to stand, but +declining from the perpendicular, were only kept from falling by the +bushes. The lane was so rough and so bad from want of mending that they +could only walk the impatient horse, and at times the jolting was +extremely unpleasant. + +Sometimes they had to stoop down in the trap to pass under the drooping +boughs of elms and other trees, which not having been cut for years, +hung over and almost blocked the track. From the hedges the brambles and +briars extended out into the road, so that the wheels of the dog-cart +brushed them, and they would evidently have entirely shut up the way had +not waggons occasionally gone through and crushed their runners. The +meadows on either hand were brown with grass that had not been mown, +though the time for mowing had long since gone by, while the pastures +were thick with rushes and thistles. Though so extensive there were +only two or three cows in them, and these old and poor, and as it were +broken-down. No horses were visible, nor any men at work. + +There were other fields which had once grown wheat, but were now so +choked with weeds as to be nothing but a wilderness. As they approached +the farmhouse where the old gentleman dwelt, the signs of desolation +became more numerous. There were walls that had fallen, and never been +repaired, around whose ruins the nettles flourished. There were holes in +the roofs of the sheds exposing the rafters. + +Trees had fallen and lay as they fell, rotting away, and not even cut up +for firewood. Railings had decayed till there was nothing left but a few +stumps; gates had dropped from their hinges, and nothing of them +remained but small bits of rotten board attached to rusty irons. In the +garden all was confusion, the thistles rose higher than the gooseberry +bushes, and burdocks looked in at the windows. From the wall of the +house a pear that had been trained there had fallen away, and hung +suspended, swinging with every puff; the boughs, driven against the +windows, had broken the panes in the adjacent casement; other panes +which had been broken were stuffed up with wisps of hay. + +Tiles had slipped from the roof, and the birds went in and out as they +listed. The remnants of the tiles lay cracked upon the ground beneath +the eaves just as they had fallen. No hand had touched them; the hand of +man indeed had touched nothing. Bevis, whose eyes were everywhere, saw +all these things in a minute. "Why," said he, "there's the knocker; it +has tumbled down." It had dropped from the door as the screws rusted; +the door itself was propped up with a log of wood. But one thing only +appeared to have been attended to, and that was the wall about the +orchard, which showed traces of recent mortar, and the road leading +towards it, which had not long since been mended with flints. + +Now Bevis, as I say, noting all these things as they came near with his +eyes, which, like gimlets, went through everything, was continually +asking his papa questions about them, and why everything was in such a +state, till at last his papa, overwhelmed with his inquiries, promised +to tell him the whole story when they got home. This he did, but while +they are now fastening up the horse (for there was no one to help them +or mind it), and while Bevis is picking up the rusty knocker, the story +may come in here very well:-- + +Once upon a time, many, many years ago, when the old gentleman was +young, and lived with his mother at the farmhouse, it happened that he +fell in love. The lady he loved was very young, very beautiful, very +proud, very capricious, and very poor. She lived in a house in the +village little better than a cottage, with an old woman who was said to +be her aunt. As the young farmer was well off, for the land was his own, +and he had no one to keep but his old mother, and as the young lady +dearly loved him, there seemed no possible obstacle in their way. But it +is well known that a brook can never run straight, and thus, though all +looked so smooth, there were, in reality, two difficulties. + +The first of these was the farmer's old mother, who having been mistress +in the farmhouse for very nearly fifty years, did not like, after +half-a-century, to give place to a mere girl. She could not refrain from +uttering disparaging remarks about her, to which her son, being fond of +his mother, could not reply, though it angered him to the heart, and at +such times he used to take down his long single-barrelled gun with brass +fittings, and go out shooting. More than once the jealous mother had +insulted the young lady openly in the village street, which conduct, of +course, as things fly from roof to roof with the sparrows, was known all +over the place, and caused the lady to toss her head like a filly in +spring to show that she did not care for such an old harridan, though in +secret it hurt her pride beyond expression. + +So great was the difficulty this caused, that the young lady, +notwithstanding she was so fond of the handsome young farmer, who rode +so well and shot so straight, and could carry her in his arms as if she +were no more than a lamb, would never put her dainty foot, which looked +so little and pretty even in the rude shoes made for her by the village +cobbler, over the threshold of his house. She would never come in, she +said, except as a wife, while he on his part, anxious as he was to marry +her, could not, from affection for his mother, summon up courage to +bring her in, as it were, rough-shod over his mother's feelings. + +Their meetings, therefore, as she would not come indoors, were always +held in the farmer's orchard, where was a seat in an arbour, a few yards +in front of which stood the ancient apple-tree in which Kapchack, who +was also very young in those days, had built his nest. At this arbour +they met every day, and often twice a day, and even once again in the +evening, and could there chat and make love as sweetly as they pleased, +because the orchard was enclosed by a high wall which quite shut out all +spying eyes, and had a gate with lock and key. The young lady had a +duplicate key, and came straight to the orchard from the cottage where +she lived by a footpath which crossed the lane along which Bevis had +been driven. + +It happened that the footpath just by the lane, on coming near the +orchard, passed a moist place, which in rainy weather was liable to be +flooded, and as this was inconvenient for her, her lover had a +waggon-load of flints brought down from the hills where the hares held +their revels, and placed in the hollow so as to fill it up, and over +these he placed faggots of nut-tree wood, so that she could step across +perfectly clean and dry. In this orchard, then, they had their constant +rendezvous; they were there every day when the nightingale first began +to sing in the spring, and when the apple-trees were hidden with their +pink blossom, when the haymakers were at work in the meadow, when the +reapers cut the corn, and when the call of the first fieldfare sounded +overhead. The golden and rosy apples dropped at their feet, they laughed +and ate them, and taking out the brown pips she pressed them between +her thumb and finger to see how far they would shoot. + +Though they had begun to talk about their affairs in the spring, and had +kept on all the summer and autumn, and though they kept on as often as +the weather was dry (when they walked up and down the long orchard for +warmth, sheltered by the wall), yet when the spring came again they had +not half finished. Thus they were very happy, and the lady used +particularly to laugh at the antics of the magpie, who became so +accustomed to their presence as to go on with the repairs to his nest +without the least shyness. Kapchack, being then very young and full of +spirits, and only just married, and in the honeymoon of prosperity, +played such freaks and behaved in so amusing a manner that the lady +became quite attached to him, and in order to protect her favourite, her +lover drove away all the other large birds that came near the orchard, +and would not permit any one whatever to get up into Kapchack's +apple-tree, nor even to gather the fruit, which hung on the boughs till +the wind pushed it off. + +Thus, having a fortress to retreat to, and being so highly honoured of +men, Kapchack gave the reins to his natural audacity, and succeeded in +obtaining the sovereignty. When the spring came again they had still a +great deal of talking to do; but whether the young lady was weary of +waiting for the marriage-ring, or whether she was jealous of the +farmer's mother, or whether she thought they might continue like this +for the next ten years if she did not make some effort, or whether it +was the worldly counsels of her aunt, or what it was--perhaps her own +capricious nature, it is certain that they now began to quarrel a little +about another gentleman. + +This gentleman was very rich, and the owner of a large estate in the +neighbourhood; he did not often reside there, for he did not care for +sport or country life, but once when he came down he happened to see the +young lady, and was much attracted towards her. Doubtless she did not +mean any harm, but she could not help liking people to admire her, and, +not to go into every little particular, in the course of time (and not +very long either) she and the gentleman became acquainted. Now, when her +own true lover was aware of this, he was so jealous that he swore if +ever he saw them together he would shoot his rival with his +long-barrelled gun, though he were hung for it the next day. + +The lady was not a little pleased at this frantic passion, and secretly +liked him ten times better for it, though she immediately resorted to +every artifice to calm his anger, for she knew his violent nature, and +that he was quite capable of doing as he had said. But the delight of +two strings to her bow was not easily to be foregone, and thus, though +she really loved the farmer, she did not discourage the gentleman. He, +on his part, finding after a while that although she allowed him to talk +to her, and even to visit her at the cottage, and sometimes (when she +knew the young farmer was at market) go for a walk with him, and once +even came and went over his grand mansion, still finding that it was +all talk, and that his suit got no further, he presently bethought him +of diamonds. + +He gave her a most beautiful diamond locket, which he had had down all +fresh and brilliant from London. Now this was the beginning of the +mischief. She accepted it in a moment of folly, and wished afterwards +ten times that she had refused, but having once put it on, it looked so +lovely she could not send it back. She could not openly wear it, lest +her lover should see it, but every morning she put it on indoors, and +frequently glanced in the glass. + +Nor is it any use to find fault with her; for in the first place she has +been dead many years, and in the second she was then very young, very +beautiful, and living quite alone in the world with an old woman. Now +her lover, notwithstanding the sweet assurances she gave him of her +faithfulness, and despite the soft kisses he had in abundance every day +in the orchard, soft as the bloom of the apple-trees, could not quite +recover his peace of mind. He did not laugh as he used to do. He was +restless, and the oneness of his mind was gone. Oneness of mind does not +often last long into life, but while it lasts everything is bright. He +had now always a second thought, a doubt behind, which clouded his face +and brought a line into his forehead. + +After a time his mother, observing his depression, began to accuse +herself of unkindness, and at last resolved to stand no longer in the +way of the marriage. She determined to quit the house in which she had +lived ever since she came to it a happy bride half-a-century before. +Having made up her mind, that very morning she walked along the footpath +to the young lady's cottage, intending to atone for her former +unkindness, and to bring the girl back to lunch, and thus surprise her +son when he came in from the field. + +She had even made up her mind to put up with the cold reception she +would probably meet with, nor to reply if any hard words were used +towards her. Thus thinking, she lifted the latch, as country people do +not use much ceremony, and stepped into the cottage, when what was her +surprise to find the girl she had come to see with a beautiful diamond +locket about her neck, gleaming in the sunshine from the open door! She +instantly understood what it meant, and upbraiding the girl with her +falseness, quitted the place, and lost no time in telling her son, but +first she took the precaution of hiding his gun. As he could not find +that weapon, after the first storm of his jealous anger had gone over he +shut himself up in his room. + +The lady came the same evening to the rendezvous in the orchard, but her +lover did not meet her. She came again next day, and in the evening; and +again the third day, and so all through the week, and for nearly a month +doing all she could without actually entering the house to get access to +him. But he sullenly avoided her; once seeing her in the road, he leaped +his horse over the hedge rather than pass her. For the diamond locket +looked so like a price--as if she valued a glittering bauble far above +true love. + +At last one day she surprised him at the corner of the village street, +and notwithstanding that the people (who knew all the story) were +looking on, she would speak to him. She walked by his side, and said: +"George, I have put the locket in the arbour, with a letter for you. If +you will not speak to me, read the letter, and throw the locket in the +brook." + +More she could not say, for he walked as fast as he could, and soon left +her behind. + +He would not go near the orchard all day, but at last in the evening +something prompted him to go. He went and looked, but the locket and the +letter were not there. + +Either she had not left them as she had said, or else some one had taken +them. No one could enter the orchard without a key, unless they went to +the trouble of bringing a ladder from the rickyard, and as it was +spring, there were no apples to tempt them to do that. He thought, +perhaps, his mother might have taken his key and gone to the arbour, and +there was a terrible scene and bitter words between them--the first time +he had ever replied to her. The consequence was that she packed a chest +that very day, took a bag of money, which in old-fashioned style she +kept under her bed, and left her home for ever; but not before she had +been to the cottage, and reviled the girl with her duplicity and her +falseness, declaring that if she had not got the locket, she had not put +it in the orchard, but had sold it, like the hussy she was! Fortunately, +however, she added, George could now see through her. + +The farmer himself, much agitated at his mother's departure, made +another search for the locket, and mowed the grass in the orchard +himself, thinking that perhaps the lady had dropped it, or that it had +caught in her dress and dragged along, and he also took the rake, and +turned over every heap of dead leaves which the wind had blown into the +corners. But there was no locket and no letter. At last he thought that +perhaps the magpie, Kapchack--as magpies were always famous for their +fondness for glittering things, such as silver spoons--might have picked +up the locket, attracted by the gleaming diamonds. He got a ladder and +searched the nest, even pulling part of it to pieces, despite Kapchack's +angry remonstrances, but the locket was not there. + +As he came down the ladder there was the young lady, who had stolen into +the orchard and watched his operations. They stood and faced each other +for a minute: at least, she looked at him, _his_ sullen gaze was bent +upon the ground. As for her, the colour came and went in her cheek, and +her breast heaved so that, for a while, she could not speak. At last she +said very low: "So you do not believe me, but some day you will know +that you have judged me wrongly". Then she turned, and without another +word went swiftly from the orchard. + +He did not follow her, and he never saw her again. The same evening she +left the village, she and the old woman, her aunt, quietly and without +any stir, and where they went (beyond the market town) no one knew or +even heard. And the very same evening, too, the rich gentleman who had +given her the locket, and who made an unwonted stay in his country home +because of her, also left the place, and went, as was said, to London. +Of course people easily put two and two together, and said no doubt the +girl had arranged to meet her wealthy admirer, but no one ever saw them +together. Not even the coachman, when the gentleman once more returned +home years afterwards, though the great authority in those days, could +say what had become of her; if she had met his master it was indeed in +some secret and mysterious manner. But the folk, when he had done +speaking, and had denied these things, after he had quaffed his ale and +departed, nudged each other, and said that no doubt his master, +foreseeing the inquiries that would be made, had bribed him with a +pocketful of guineas to hold his tongue. + +So the farmer, in one day, found himself alone; his dear lady, his +mother, and his rival were gone. He alone remained, and alone he +remained for the rest of his days. His rival, indeed, came back once now +and then for short periods to his mansion; but his mother never +returned, and died in a few years' time. Then indeed deserted, the +farmer had nothing left but to cultivate, and dwell on, the memory of +the past. He neglected his business, and his farm; he left his house to +take care of itself; the cows wandered away, the horses leaped the +hedges, other people's cattle entered his corn, trampled his wheat, and +fattened on his clover. He did nothing. The hand of man was removed, and +the fields, and the house, and the owner himself, fell to decay. + +Years passed, and still it was the same, and thus it was, that when +Bevis and his papa drove up, Bevis was so interested and so inquisitive +about the knocker, which had fallen from the front door. One thing, and +one place only, received the owner's care, and that was the orchard, the +arbour, the magpie's nest, and the footpath that led to the orchard +gate. Everything else fell to ruin, but these were very nearly in the +same state as when the young lady used to come to the orchard daily. For +the old gentleman, as he grew old, and continued to dwell yet more and +more upon the happy days so long gone by, could not believe that she +could be dead, though he himself had outlived the usual span of life. + +He was quite certain that she would some day come back, for she had said +so herself; she had said that some day he would know that he had judged +her wrongly, and unless she came back it was not possible for him to +understand. He was, therefore, positively certain that some day she +would come along the old footpath to the gate in the orchard wall, open +it with her duplicate key, walk to the arbour and sit down, and smile at +the magpie's ways. The woodwork of the arbour had of course decayed long +since, but it had been carefully replaced, so that it appeared exactly +the same as when she last sat within it. The coping fell from the +orchard wall, but it was put back; the gate came to pieces, but a new +one was hung in its place. + +Kapchack, thus protected, still came to his palace, which had reached an +enormous size from successive additions and annual repairs. As the time +went on people began to talk about Kapchack, and the extraordinary age +to which he had now attained, till, by-and-by, he became the wonder of +the place, and in order to see how long he would live, the gentlemen who +had gamekeepers in the neighbourhood instructed them to be careful not +to shoot him. His reputation extended with his years, and those curious +in such things came to see him from a distance, but could never obtain +entrance to the orchard, nor approach near his tree, for neither money +nor persuasion could induce the owner to admit them. + +In and about the village itself Kapchack was viewed by the superstitious +with something like awe. His great age, his singular fortune, his +peculiar appearance--having but one eye--gave him a wonderful prestige, +and his chattering was firmly believed to portend a change of the +weather or the wind, or even the dissolution of village personages. The +knowledge that he was looked upon in this light rendered the other birds +and animals still more obedient than they would have been. Kapchack was +a marvel, and it gradually became a belief with them that he would never +die. + +Outside the orchard-gate, the footpath which crossed the lane, and +along which the lady used to come, was also carefully kept in its former +condition. By degrees the nut-tree faggots rotted away--they were +supplanted by others; in the process of time the flints sunk into the +earth, and then another waggon-load was sent for. But the waggons had +all dropped to pieces except one which chanced to be under cover; this, +too, was much decayed, still it held together enough for the purpose. It +was while this very waggon was jolting down from the hills with a load +of flints to fill this hollow that the one particular flint, out of five +thousand, worked its way through a hole in the bottom and fell on the +road. And the rich old gentleman, whose horse stepped on it the same +evening, who was thrown from the dog-cart, and whose discharged groom +shot him in his house in London, was the very same man who, years and +years before, had given the diamond locket to the young lady. + +In the orchard the old farmer pottered about every day, now picking up +the dead wood which fell from the trees, now raking up the leaves, and +gathering the fruit (except that on Kapchack's tree), now mowing the +grass, according to the season, now weeding the long gravel path at the +side under the sheltering wall, up and down which the happy pair had +walked in the winters so long ago. The butterflies flew over, the +swallows alighted on the topmost twigs of the tall pear-tree and +twittered sweetly, the spiders spun their webs, or came floating down on +gossamer year after year, but he did not notice that they were not the +same butterflies or the same swallows which had been there in his +youth. Everything was the same to him within the orchard, however much +the world might change without its walls. + +Why, the very houses in the village close by had many of them fallen and +been rebuilt; there was scarcely a resident left who dwelt there then; +even the ancient and unchangeable church was not the same--it had been +renovated; why, even the everlasting hills were different, for the +slopes were now in many places ploughed, and grew oats where nothing but +sheep had fed. But all within the orchard was the same; his lady, too, +was the same without doubt, and her light step would sooner or later +come down the footpath to her lover. This was the story Bevis's papa +told him afterwards. + +They had some difficulty in fastening up the horse, until they pulled +some hay from a hayrick, and spread it before him, for like Bevis he had +to be bribed with cake, as it were, before he would be good. They then +knocked at the front door, which was propped up with a beam of timber, +but no one answered, nor did even a dog bark at the noise; indeed, the +dog's kennel had entirely disappeared, and only a piece of the staple to +which his chain had been fastened remained, a mere rusty stump in the +wall. It was not possible to look into this room, because the broken +windows were blocked with old sacks to keep out the draught and rain; +but the window of the parlour was open, the panes all broken, and the +casement loose, so that it must have swung and banged with the wind. + +Within, the ceiling had fallen upon the table, and the chairs had +mouldered away; the looking-glass on the mantelpiece was hidden with +cobwebs, the cobwebs themselves disused; for as they collected the dust, +the spiders at last left them to spin new ones elsewhere. The carpet, if +it remained, was concealed by the dead leaves which had been carried in +by the gales. On these lay one or two picture frames, the back part +upwards, the cords had rotted from the nails, and as they dropped so +they stayed. In a punch-bowl of ancient ware, which stood upon the old +piano untouched all these years, a robin had had his nest. After Bevis +had been lifted up to the window-ledge to look in at this desolation, +they went on down towards the orchard, as if the old gentleman was not +within he was certain to be there. + +They found the gate of the orchard open--rather an unusual thing, as he +generally kept it locked, even when at work inside--and as they stepped +in, they saw a modern double-barrel gun leant against a tree. A little +farther, and Bevis caught sight of Kapchack's nest, like a wooden castle +in the boughs, and clapped his hands with delight. But there was a +ladder against Kapchack's tree, a thing which had not been seen there +these years and years, and underneath the tree was the old farmer +himself, pale as his own white beard, and only kept from falling to the +ground by the strong arms of a young gentleman who upheld him. They +immediately ran forward to see what was the matter. + +Now it had happened in this way. It will be recollected that when the +keeper fell from the dead oak-tree, he not only disabled himself, but +his gun going off shot the dogs. Thus when the heir to the estate came +down the same evening, he found that there was neither dog nor keeper to +go round with him the next day. But when the morning came, not to be +deprived of his sport, he took his gun and went forth alone into the +fields. He did not find much game, but he shot two or three partridges +and a rabbit, and he was so tempted by the crowds of wood-pigeons that +were about (parties from Choo Hoo's army out foraging), that he fired +away the remaining cartridges in his pocket at them. + +So he found himself early in the day without a cartridge, and was just +thinking of walking back to the house for some more, when the shadow of +the eclipse came over. He stayed leaning against a gate to watch the +sun, and presently as he was looking up at it a hare ran between his +legs--so near, that had he seen her coming he could have caught her with +his hands. + +She only went a short way down the hedge, and he ran there, when she +jumped out of the ditch, slipped by him, and went out fifty or sixty +yards into the field, and sat up. How he now wished that he had not shot +away all his ammunition at the wood-pigeons! While he looked at the hare +she went on, crossed the field, and entered the hedge on the other side; +he marked the spot, and hastened to get over the gate, with the +intention of running home for cartridges. Hardly had he got over, than +the hare came back again on that side of the hedge, passed close to +him, and again leaped into the ditch. He turned to go after her, when +out she came again, and crouched in a furrow only some twenty yards +distant. + +Puzzled at this singular behaviour (for he had never seen a hare act +like it before), he ran after her; and the curious part of it was, that +although she did indeed run away, she did not go far--she kept only a +few yards in front, just evading him. If she went into a hedge for +shelter, she quickly came out again, and thus this singular chase +continued for some time. He got quite hot running, for though he had not +much hope of catching the creature, still he wanted to understand the +cause of this conduct. + +By-and-by the zig-zag and uncertain line they took led them close to the +wall of the old gentleman's orchard, when suddenly a fox started out +from the hedge, and rushed after the hare. The hare, alarmed to the last +degree, darted into a large drain which went under the orchard, and the +fox went in after her. The young gentleman ran to the spot, but could +not of course see far up the drain. Much excited, he ran round the +orchard wall till he came to the gate, which chanced to be open, because +the farmer that day, having discovered that the great bough of +Kapchack's tree had been almost torn from the trunk by the gale, had +just carried a fresh piece of timber in for a new prop, and having his +hands full, what with the prop and the ladder to fix it, he could not +shut the gate behind him. So the sportsman entered the orchard, left +his gun leaning against a tree, and running down to see if he could find +which way the drain went, came upon the old gentleman, and caught sight +of the extraordinary nest of old King Kapchack. + +Now the reason Ulu (for it was the very hare Bevis was so fond of) +played these fantastic freaks, and ran almost into the very hands of the +sportsman, was because the cunning fox had driven her to do so for his +own purposes. + +After he learnt the mysterious underground saying from the toad +imprisoned in the elm, he kept on thinking, and thinking, what it could +mean; but he could not make it out. He was the only fox who had a +grandfather living, and he applied to his grandfather, who after +pondering on the matter all day, advised him to keep his eyes open. The +fox turned up his nostrils at this advice, which seemed to him quite +superfluous. However, next day, instead of going to sleep as usual, he +did keep his eyes open, and by-and-by saw a notch on the edge of the +sun, which notch grew bigger, until the shadow of the eclipse came over +the ground. + +At this he leaped up, recognising in a moment the dead day of the +underground saying. He knew where Bevis's hare had her form, and +immediately he raced across to her, though not clearly knowing what he +was going to do; but as he crossed the fields he saw the sportsman, +without any dogs and with an empty gun, leaning over the gate and gazing +at the eclipse. With a snarl the fox drove Ulu from her form, and so +worried her that she was obliged to run (to escape his teeth) right +under the sportsman's legs, and thus to fulfil the saying: "The hare +hunted the hunter". + +Even yet the fox did not know what was going to happen, or why he was +doing this, for such is commonly the case during the progress of great +events. The actors do not recognise the importance of the part they are +playing. The age does not know what it is doing; posterity alone can +appreciate it. But after a while, as the fox drove the hare out of the +hedges, and met and faced her, and bewildered the poor creature, he +observed that her zig-zag course, entirely unpremeditated, was leading +them closer and closer to the orchard where Kapchack (whom he wished to +overthrow) had his palace. + +Then beginning to see whither fate was carrying them, suddenly he darted +out and drove the hare into the drain, and for safety followed her +himself. He knew the drain very well, and that there was an outlet on +the other side, having frequently visited the spot in secret in order to +listen to what Kapchack was talking about. Ulu, quite beside herself +with terror, rushed through the drain, leaving pieces of her fur against +the projections of the stones, and escaped into the lane on the other +side, and so into the fields there. The fox remained in the drain to +hear what would happen. + +The sportsman ran round, entered the gate, and saw the old farmer +trimming the prop, the ladder just placed against the tree, and caught +sight of the palace of King Kapchack. As he approached a missel-thrush +flew off--it was Eric; the farmer looked up at this, and saw the +stranger, and was at first inclined to be very angry, for he had never +been intruded upon before, but as the young gentleman at once began to +apologise for the liberty, he overlooked it, and listened with interest +to the story the sportsman told him of the vagaries of the hare. While +they were talking the sportsman looked up several times at the nest +above him, and felt an increasing curiosity to examine it. At last he +expressed his wish; the farmer demurred, but the young gentleman pressed +him so hard, and promised so faithfully not to touch anything, that at +last the farmer let him go up the ladder, which he had only just put +there, and which he had not himself as yet ascended. + +The young gentleman accordingly went up the ladder, being the first who +had been in that tree for years, and having examined and admired the +nest, he was just going to descend, when he stayed a moment to look at +the fractured bough. The great bough had not broken right off, but as +the prop gave way beneath it had split at the part where it joined the +trunk, leaving an open space, and revealing a hollow in the tree. In +this hollow something caught his eye; he put in his hand and drew forth +a locket, to which an old and faded letter was attached by a mouldy +ribbon twisted round it. He cast this down to the aged farmer, who +caught it in his hand, and instantly knew the locket which had +disappeared so long ago. + +The gold was tarnished, but the diamonds were as bright as ever, and +glittered in the light as the sun just then began to emerge from the +eclipse. He opened the letter, scarce knowing what he did; the ink was +faded and pale, but perfectly legible, for it had been in a dry place. +The letter said that having tried in vain to get speech with him, and +having faced all the vile slander and bitter remarks of the village for +his sake, she had at last resolved to write and tell him that she was +really and truly his own. In a moment of folly she had, indeed, accepted +the locket, but that was all, and since the discovery she had twice sent +it back, and it had twice been put on her dressing-table, so that she +found it there in the morning (doubtless by the old woman, her aunt, +bribed for the purpose). + +Then she thought that perhaps it would be better to give it to him (the +farmer), else he might doubt that she had returned it; so she said, as +he would not speak to her, she should leave it in the arbour, twisting +the ribbon round her letter, and she begged him to throw the locket in +the brook, and to believe her once again, or she should be miserable for +life. But, if after this he still refused to speak to her, she would +still stay a while and endeavour to obtain access to him; and if even +then he remained so cruel, there was nothing left for her but to quit +the village, and go to some distant relations in France. She would wait, +she added, till the new moon shone in the sky, and then she must go, for +she could no longer endure the insinuations which were circulated about +her. Lest there should be any mistake she enclosed a copy of a note she +had sent to the other gentleman, telling him that she should never +speak to him again. Finally, she put the address of the village in +France to which she was going, and begged and prayed him to write to +her. + +When the poor old man had read these words, and saw that after all the +playful magpie must have taken the glittering locket and placed it, not +in his nest, but a chink of the tree; when he learned that all these +years and years the girl he had so dearly loved must have been waiting +with aching heart for a letter of forgiveness from him, the orchard swam +round, as it were, before his eyes, he heard a rushing sound like a +waterfall in his ears, the returning light of the sun went out again, +and he fainted. Had it not been for the young gentleman, who caught him, +he would have fallen to the ground, and it was just at this moment that +Bevis and his papa arrived at the spot. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE GREAT BATTLE. + + +Early the same morning when Kapchack awoke, he was so much refreshed by +the sound slumber he had enjoyed, that much of his depression--the sharp +edge of his pain as it were--had passed away. The natural vivacity of +his disposition asserted itself, and seemed to respond to the glory of +the sunshine. Hungry from his long fast, away he flew to well-known +places reserved for his own especial feeding-ground, and having +satisfied his appetite went up into a hawthorn, trimmed his feathers, +and began to think things over. + +He at once decided that something of an exceptional character must be +attempted in order to regain his authority. Half measures, delays, and +intrigues were now in vain; some grand blow must be struck, such as +would fill all hearts with admiration or dismay. Another treaty with +Choo Hoo was out of the question, for the overbearing rebel would throw +in his face the assassination of the envoy, and even could it be thought +of, who could he entrust with the mission? His throne was completely +surrounded with traitors. He ground his beak as he thought of them, and +resolved that terrible indeed should be the vengeance he would take if +once he got them again into his power. The hope of revenge was the +keenest spur of all to him to adventure something bold and unexpected; +the hope of revenge, and the determination that the house of Kapchack +should not fall without an effort worthy of a monarch. + +He resolved to at once attack the mighty horde Choo Hoo commanded with +the only troops he could get quickly together in this emergency. These +were the rooks, the praetorian guard of his state, the faithful, +courageous, and warlike tenth legion of his empire. No sooner did he +thus finally resolve than his whole appearance seemed to change. His +outward form in some degree reflected the spirit within. His feathers +ruffled up, and their black and white shone with new colour. The glossy +green of his tail gleamed in the sunshine. One eye indeed was gone, but +the other sparkled with the fire of war; he scented the battle, and +sharpened his bill against the bough. + +He only regretted that he had not taken this course before, instead of +idling in the palace, and leaving his kingdom to the wiles of traitorous +courtiers and delegates. If he had only bestirred himself like the +ancient Kapchack of former days this extremity would not have arisen. +Even yet it was not too late; war was a desperate and uncertain game, +and it was not always the greatest army, in point of numbers, that +rejoiced in the victory. He would trust in his fortune, and swoop down +upon the enemy. Calling to his body-guard, he flew at once straight +towards the plain, where, at that time in the morning, he knew the main +body of the rooks would be foraging. Full of these resolutions he did +not observe the maimed beetle lying helpless in the grass, but looking +neither to the right nor the left, taking counsel of no one--for to whom +could he apply for honest advice?--he winged his way swiftly onward. + +In about half-an-hour he reached the plain, and saw the rooks scattered +over the ground; he rested here upon the lower branch of an elm, and +sent forward a messenger, one of the eight magpies who attended him, to +tell the commander-in-chief to wait upon him. Upon receiving the +message, the general, hoping that at last the king had decided upon +action, since so abrupt a summons to his side was somewhat unusual, flew +hastily to the elm and saluted the monarch. Kapchack, without any +preamble, announced his intention of forming the rooks into column, and +falling at once upon the horde of barbarians. In the rooks, he said, and +their loyal commander, lay the last hope of the state--he placed himself +in their midst and relied upon them solely and alone. + +Ah Kurroo Khan, the commander-in-chief, could scarcely refrain from +shouting with delight. He was not only wild with the joy of coming +combat, but this straightforward speech and conduct went to his heart, +and never in all his long, long reign had Kapchack so complete and +autocratic an empire as at that moment over the rooks. + +Ah Kurroo, when he had in some degree expressed his pleasure at these +commands, and the readiness with which he placed himself and his army +at Kapchack's orders, proceeded first to pass the word to the legions to +fall into their ranks, and next to inform the monarch of the position +held by the enemy. + +They were, he said, dispersed in all directions foraging, and discipline +was much relaxed, insomuch that several bands of them had even fallen to +blows amongst themselves. To attack these scattered positions, which +could individually be easily overwhelmed, would be a mistake, for these +reasons. The advantage of destroying one or two such bands of marauders +would be practically nothing, and while it was being accomplished the +rest would carry the information to Choo Hoo, and he would assemble his +enormous horde. Thus the chance of surprising and annihilating his army +would be lost. + +But it appeared that Choo Hoo's son, Tu Kiu, who was also the second in +command of the barbarians, finding that already the country was becoming +denuded of supplies close to the camp, had during the previous day, at +his father's orders, marched a large division--in itself an immense +army--into a plain at a few miles' distance, which was surrounded with +the hills, and out of sight from the camp. The best strategy therefore +open to Kapchack, was either to assail Choo Hoo's camp, or else to fall +upon the divisions of Tu Kiu. + +The difficulty in the case of the camp was that amidst the trees the +assailants would suffer as much loss from crushing and confusion as +would be inflicted upon the enemy. It was impossible, when once +involved in a forest conflict, to know which way the issue was tending. +The battle became split up into a thousand individual combats, +discipline was of no avail, no officer could survey the scene or direct +the movements, and a panic at any moment was only too probable. On the +other hand, the division of Tu Kiu offered itself for annihilation. It +was not only several miles distant from the main body, but a range of +hills between prevented all view, and obstructed communication. There +was a route by which the plain could be approached, through a narrow +valley well sheltered with woods, which would screen the advancing +troops from sight, and enable them to debouch at once into the midst of +the invaders. Without doubt, thus suddenly attacked, Tu Kiu must give +way; should victory declare for them decisively, it was easy to foretell +what would happen. Tu Kiu falling back in disorder would confuse the +regiments of Choo Hoo coming to his assistance, a panic would arise, and +the incredible host of the barbarians would encumber each other's +flight. + +Kapchack listened to the Khan with the deepest attention, approved of +all he had put forward, and gave the order to attack Tu Kiu. + +Without a sound--for Ah Kurroo had strictly enjoined silence, lest the +unusual noise should betray that something was intended--the legions +fell into rank, and at the word of command, suppressing even the shout +of joy which they wished so much to utter, moved in a dense column to +the southwards. Kapchack, with his guards behind him, and Ah Kurroo +Khan at his side, led the van. + +The Khan secretly congratulated himself as he flew upon his +extraordinary good fortune, that he should thus enter the field of +battle unhampered with any restrictions, and without the useless and +unpleasant companionship of a political officer, appointed by the +council of his nation. Well he knew that had Kapchack given the least +notice of his intention, the rook council would have assembled and held +interminable discussions upon the best method of carrying out the +proposed object, ending, as usual, with a vote in which mere numbers +prevailed, without any reference to reason or experience, and with the +appointment of a state official to overlook the conduct of the general, +and to see that he did not arrogate too much to himself. + +Thus in fact the rooks were accustomed to act, lest a commander should +become too victorious. They liked indeed to win, and to destroy the +enemy, and to occupy his territory, but they did not like all this to be +accomplished by one man, but the rather, at the very zenith of his fame, +provided him with an opportunity for disgracing himself, so that another +might take his place and divide the glory. Ah Kurroo knew all this; +imagine, then, his joy that Kapchack without calling parliament together +had come direct to the camp, and ordered an immediate advance. Himself +choosing the route, trusting to no guides, not even to his own +intelligence department, Ah Kurroo pointed the way, and the legions +with steady and unvarying flight followed their renowned commander. + +The noise of their wings resounded, the air was oppressed with their +weight and the mighty mass in motion. Then did Kapchack indeed feel +himself every feather a king. He glanced back--he could not see the +rear-guard, so far did the host extend. His heart swelled with pride and +eagerness for the fight. Now quitting the plain, they wound by a devious +route through the hills--the general's object being to so manage the +march that none of them should appear above the ridges. The woods upon +the slopes concealed their motions, and the advance was executed without +the least delay, though so great was their length in this extended order +that when the head of the column entered the plain beyond, the +rear-guard had not reached the hills behind. This rendered their front +extremely narrow, but Ah Kurroo, pausing when he had gone half-a-mile +into the plain, and when the enemy were already in sight, and actually +beneath them, ordered the leading ranks to beat time with their wings, +while their comrades came up. + +Thus, in a few minutes, the place where the narrow valley debouched into +the hill-surrounded plain, was darkened with the deploying rooks. +Kapchack, while waiting, saw beneath him the hurrying squadrons of Tu +Kiu. From the cut corn, from the stubble, from the furrows (where +already the plough had begun its work), from the green roots and second +crops of clover, from the slopes of the hills around, and the distant +ridges, the alarmed warriors were crowding to their standards. + +While peacefully foraging, happy in the sunshine and the abundance of +food, without a thought of war and war's hazards, they suddenly found +themselves exposed, all unprepared, to the fell assault of their black +and mortal enemies. The sky above them seemed darkened with the legions, +the hoarse shouts of command as the officers deployed their ranks, the +beating of the air, struck them with terror. Some, indeed, overwhelmed +with affright, cowered on the earth; a few of the outlying bands, who +had wandered farthest, turned tail and fled over the ridges. But the +majority, veterans in fight, though taken aback, and fully recognising +the desperate circumstances under which they found themselves, hastened +with all speed towards Tu Kiu, whose post was in a hedge, in which stood +three low ash-trees by a barn. This was about the centre of the plain, +and thither the squadrons and companies hurried, hoarsely shouting for +their general. + +Tu Kiu, undismayed, and brave as became the son and heir of the mighty +Emperor Choo Hoo, made the greatest efforts to get them into some kind +of array and order. Most fell into rank of their own accord from long +use and habit, but the misfortune was that no sooner had one regiment +formed than fresh arrivals coming up threw all into disorder again. The +crowd, the countless multitude overwhelmed itself; the air was filled, +the earth covered, they struck against each other, and Tu Kiu, hoarse +with shouting, was borne down, and the branch of ash upon which he +stood broken with the weight of his own men. He struggled, he called, he +cried; his voice was lost in the din and clangour. + +Ah Kurroo Khan, soaring with Kapchack, while the legions deployed, +marked the immense confusion of the enemy's centre. He seized the +moment, gave the command, and in one grand charge the whole army bore +swiftly down upon Tu Kiu. Kapchack himself could scarce keep pace with +the increasing velocity of the charge; he was wrapped, as it were, +around with the dense and serried ranks, and found himself hurled in a +moment into the heart of the fight. Fight, indeed, it could not be +called. + +The solid phalanx of the rooks swept through the confused multitude +before them, by their mere momentum cutting it completely in two, and +crushing innumerable combatants underneath. In a minute, in less than a +minute, the mighty host of Tu Kiu, the flower of Choo Hoo's army, was +swept from the earth. He himself, wounded and half-stunned by the shock, +was assisted from the scene by the unwearied efforts of his personal +attendants. + +Each tried to save himself regardless of the rest; the oldest veteran, +appalled by such utter defeat, could not force himself to turn again and +gather about the leaders. One mass of fugitives filled the air; the +slopes of the hills were covered with them. Still the solid phalanx of +Kapchack pressed their rear, pushing them before it. + +Tu Kiu, who, weary and faint, had alighted for a moment upon an ancient +grass-grown earthwork--a memorial of former wars--which crowned a hill, +found it necessary to again flee with his utmost speed, lest he should +be taken captive. + +It was now that the genius of Ah Kurroo Khan showed itself in its most +brilliant aspect. Kapchack, intoxicated with battle, hurried the legions +on to the slaughter--it was only by personal interference that the Khan +could restrain the excited king. Ah Kurroo, calm and far-seeing in the +very moment of victory, restrained the legions, held them in, and not +without immense exertion succeeded in checking the pursuit, and +retaining the phalanx in good order. To follow a host so completely +routed was merely to slay the slain, and to waste the strength that +might profitably be employed elsewhere. He conjectured that so soon as +ever the news reached Choo Hoo, the emperor, burning with indignation, +would arouse his camp, call his army together, and without waiting to +rally Tu Kiu's division, fly immediately to retrieve this unexpected +disaster. Thus, the victors must yet face a second enemy, far more +numerous than the first, under better generalship, and prepared for the +conflict. + +Ah Kurroo was, even now, by no means certain of the ultimate result. The +rooks, indeed, were flushed with success, and impelled with all the +vigour of victory; their opponents, however brave, must in some degree +feel the depression attendant upon serious loss. But the veterans with +Choo Hoo not only outnumbered them, and could easily outflank or +entirely surround, but would also be under the influence of his personal +leadership. They looked upon Choo Hoo, not as their king, or their +general only, but as their prophet, and thus the desperate valour of +fanaticism must be reckoned in addition to their natural courage. +Instead, therefore, of relying simply upon force, Ah Kurroo, even in the +excitement of the battle, formed new schemes, and aimed to out-general +the emperor. + +He foresaw that Choo Hoo would at once march to the attack, and would +come straight as a line to the battle-field. His plan was to wheel +round, and, making a detour, escape the shock of Choo Hoo's army for the +moment, and while Choo Hoo was looking for the legions that had +overthrown his son, to fall upon and occupy his undefended camp. He was +in hopes that when the barbarians found their rear threatened, and their +camp in possession of the enemy, a panic would seize upon them. + +Kapchack, when he had a little recovered from the frenzy of the fray, +fully concurred, and without a minute's delay Ah Kurroo proceeded to +carry out this strategical operation. He drew off the legions for some +distance by the same route they had come, and then, considering that he +had gone far enough to avoid Choo Hoo, turned sharp to the left, and +flew straight for the emperor's camp, sheltered from view on the side +towards it by a wood, and in front by an isolated hill, also crowned +with trees. Once over that hill, and Choo Hoo's camp must inevitably +fall into their hands. With swift, steady flight, the dark legions +approached the hill, and were now within half-a-mile of it, when to Ah +Kurroo's surprise and mortification the van-guard of Choo Hoo appeared +above it, advancing directly upon them. + +When the fugitives from the field of battle reached Choo Hoo, he could +at first scarce restrain his indignation, for he had deemed the treaty +in full force; he exclaimed against the perfidy of a Power which called +itself civilised and reproached his host as barbarians, yet thus +violated its solemn compacts. But recognising the gravity of the +situation, and that there was no time to waste in words, he gave orders +for the immediate assembly of his army, and while the officers carried +out his command flew to a lofty fir to consider a few moments alone upon +the course he should take. + +He quickly decided that to attempt to rally Tu Kiu's division would be +in vain; he did not even care to protect its retreat, for as it had been +taken so unawares, it must suffer the penalty of indiscretion. To march +straight to the field of battle, and to encounter a solid phalanx of the +best troops in the world, elated with victory, and led by a general like +Ah Kurroo, and inspired, too, by the presence of their king, while his +own army was dispirited at this unwonted reverse, would be courting +defeat. He resolved to march at once, but to make a wide detour, and so +to fall upon the rooks in their rear while they were pursuing Tu Kiu. +The signal was given, and the vast host set out. + +Thus the two generals, striving to outwit each other, suddenly found +themselves coming into direct collision. While fancying that they had +arranged to avoid each other, they came, as it were, face to face, and +so near, that Choo Hoo, flying at the head of his army, easily +distinguished King Kapchack and the Khan. It seemed now inevitable that +sheer force must decide between them. + +But Choo Hoo, the born soldier, no sooner cast his keen glance over the +fields which still intervened, than he detected a fatal defect in +Kapchack's position. The rooks, not expecting attack, were advancing in +a long dense column, parallel with, and close to, a rising ground, all +along the summit of which stood a row of fine beech-trees. Quick as +thought, Choo Hoo commanded his centre to slacken their speed while +facing across the line the rooks were pursuing. At the same time he sent +for his left to come up at the double in extended order, so as to +outflank Ah Kurroo's column, and then to push it, before it could +deploy, bodily, and by mere force of numbers, against the beeches, where +their wings entangled and their ranks broken by the boughs they must +become confused. Then his right, coming up swiftly, would pass over, and +sweep the Khan's disordered army before it. + +This manoeuvre, so well-conceived, was at once begun. The barbarian +centre slackened over the hill, and their left, rushing forward, +enclosed Ah Kurroo's column, and already bore down towards it, while the +noise of their right could be heard advancing towards the beeches above, +and on the other side of which it would pass. Ah Kurroo saw his +danger--he could discover no possible escape from the trap in which he +was caught, except in the desperate valour of his warriors. He shouted +to them to increase their speed, and slightly swerving to his right, +directed his course straight towards Choo Hoo himself. Seeing his +design--to bear down the rebel emperor, or destroy him before the battle +could well begin--Kapchack shouted with joy, and hurried forward to be +the first to assail his rival. + +Already the advancing hosts seemed to feel the shock of the combat, when +a shadow fell upon them, and they observed the eclipse of the sun. Till +that moment, absorbed in the terrible work they were about, neither the +rank and file nor the leaders had noticed the gradual progress of the +dark semicircle over the sun's disk. The ominous shadow fell upon them, +still more awful from its suddenness. A great horror seized the serried +hosts. The prodigy in the heavens struck the conscience of each +individual; with one consent they hesitated to engage in carnage with so +terrible a sign above them. + +In the silence of the pause they heard the pheasants crow, and the fowls +fly up to roost; the lesser birds hastened to the thickets. A strange +dulness stole over their senses, they drooped, as it were; the +barbarians sank to the lower atmosphere; the rooks, likewise overcome +with this mysterious lassitude, ceased to keep their regular ranks, and +some even settled on the beeches. + +Choo Hoo himself struggled in vain against the omen; his mighty mind +refused to succumb to an accident like this; but his host was not so +bold of thought. With desperate efforts he managed indeed to shake off +the physical torpor which endeavoured to master him; he shouted +"Koos-takke!" but for the first time there was no response. The +barbarians, superstitious as they were ignorant, fell back, and lost +that unity of purpose which is the soul of an army. The very +superstition and fanaticism which had been his strength was now Choo +Hoo's weakness. His host visibly melted before his eyes; the vast mass +dissolved; the ranks became mixed together, without order or cohesion. +Rage overpowered him; he stormed; he raved till his voice from the +strain became inaudible. The barbarians were cowed, and did not heed +him. + +The rooks, less superstitious, because more civilised, could not, +nevertheless, view the appearance of the sun without dismay, but as +their elders were accustomed to watch the sky, and to deduce from its +aspect the proper time for nesting, they were not so over-mastered with +terror as the enemy; but they were equally subjected by the mysterious +desire of rest which seized upon them. They could not advance; they +could scarce float in the air; some, as already observed, sought the +branches of the beeches. Ah Kurroo, however, bearing up as well as he +could against this strange languor, flew to and fro along the disordered +ranks, begging them to stand firm, and at least close up if they could +not advance, assuring them that the shadow would shortly pass, and that +if they could only retain their ranks victory was certain, for the +barbarians were utterly demoralised. + +The drowsy rooks mechanically obeyed his orders, they closed their ranks +as well as they could; they even feebly cheered him. But more than this +they could not do. Above them the sun was blotted out, all but a rim of +effulgent light, from which shone forth terrible and threatening flames. +Some whispered that they saw the stars. Suddenly while they gazed, +oppressed with awe, the woods rang with a loud cry, uttered by Kapchack. + +The king, excited beyond measure, easily withstood the slumberous +heaviness which the rest could scarce sustain. He watched the efforts of +the Khan with increasing impatience and anger. Then seeing that although +the army closed up it did not move, he lost all control of himself. He +shouted his defiance of the rebels before him, and rushed alone--without +one single attendant--across the field towards Choo Hoo. In amazement at +his temerity, the rooks watched him as if paralysed for a moment. Choo +Hoo himself could scarce face such supernatural courage; when suddenly +the rooks, as if moved by one impulse, advanced. The clangour of their +wings resounded, a hoarse shout arose from their throats, they strained +every nerve to overtake and assist their king. + +Kapchack, wild with desperate courage, was within twenty yards of Choo +Hoo, when the dense column of his own army passed him and crushed into +the demoralised multitude of the enemy, as a tree overthrown by the +wind crushes the bushes beneath it. Kapchack himself whirled round and +round, and borne he knew not whither, scarce recognised whom he struck, +but wreaked his vengeance till his sinews failed him, and he was forced +to hold from sheer weariness. It is not possible to describe the scene +that now took place. The whole plain, the woods, the fields, were hidden +with the hurrying mass of the fugitives, above and mixed with whom the +black and terrible legions dealt destruction. + +Widening out as it fled, the host of Choo Hoo was soon scattered over +miles of country. None stayed to aid another; none even asked the other +the best route to a place of safety; all was haste and horror. The +pursuit, indeed, only ended with evening; for seven long hours the +victors sated their thirst for slaughter, and would hardly have stayed +even then had not the disjointed and weary fragments of Choo Hoo's army +found some refuge now in a forest. + +Choo Hoo himself only escaped from the ruck by his extraordinary +personal strength; once free from the confused mass, his speed, in which +he surpassed all the barbarians, enabled him to easily avoid capture. +But as he flew his heart was dead within him, for there was no hope of +retrieving this overwhelming disaster. + +Meantime King Kapchack, when compelled by sheer physical weariness to +fall out from the pursuit, came down and rested upon an oak. While he +sat there alone and felt his strength returning, the sun began to come +forth again from the shadow, and to light up the land with renewed +brilliance. His attendants, who had now discovered his whereabouts, +crowding round him with their congratulations, seized upon this +circumstance as a fortunate omen. The dark shadow, they said, was past; +like the sun, Kapchack had emerged to shine brighter than before. For +once, indeed, the voice of flattery could not over-estimate the +magnitude of this glorious victory. + +It utterly destroyed the invading host, which for years had worked its +way slowly into the land. It destroyed the prestige of Choo Hoo; never +again would his race regard him as their invincible chief. It raised the +reputation of King Kapchack to the skies. It crushed all domestic +treason with one blow. If Kapchack was king before, now he was +absolutely autocratic. + +Where now was Ki Ki, the vainglorious hawk who had deemed that without +his aid nothing could be accomplished? Where the villainous crow, the +sombre and dark designing Kauc, whose murderous poniard would be thrust +into his own breast with envy? Where the cunning weasel, whose intrigues +were swept away like spiders' webs? Where were they all? They were +utterly at Kapchack's mercy. Mercy indeed! at his _mercy_--their instant +execution was already certain. His body-guard, crowding about him, +already began the pæan. + +He set out to return to his palace, flushed with a victory of which +history furnishes no parallel. It would have been well if he had +continued in this intention to at once return, summon his council, and +proclaim the traitors. Had he gone direct thither he must have met Eric, +the missel-thrush, who alone was permitted to frequent the orchard. +Eric, alarmed at seeing a stranger in the orchard, and at the +unprecedented circumstance of his ascending the ladder into the +apple-tree, had started away to find the king, and warn him that +something unusual was happening, and not to return till the coast was +clear. He had not yet heard of the battle, or rather double battle that +morning, nor did he know which way Kapchack had gone, but he considered +that most probably the woodpecker could tell him, and therefore flew +direct towards the copse to inquire. + +If Kapchack had continued his flight straight to his palace he would +have passed over the copse, and the missel-thrush would have seen him +and delivered his message. But as he drew near home Kapchack saw the +clump of trees which belonged to Ki Ki not far distant upon his right. +The fell desire of vengeance seized upon him; he turned aside, intending +to kill Ki Ki with his own beak, but upon approaching nearer he saw that +the trees were vacant. Ki Ki, indeed, had had notice of the victory from +his retainers soaring in the air, and guessing that the king's first +step would be to destroy him, had instantly fled. Kapchack, seeing that +the hawk was not there, again pursued his return journey, but meantime +the missel-thrush had passed him. + +The king was now within a few hundred yards of his fortress, the dome of +his palace was already visible, and the voices of his attendants rose +higher and higher in their strain of victory. The missel-thrush had seen +the woodpecker, who informed him that Kapchack had just passed, and like +the wind he rushed back to the orchard. But all the speed of his wings +was in vain, he could not quite overtake the monarch; he shouted, he +shrieked, but the song of triumph drowned his cries. Kapchack was close +to the wall of the orchard. + +At the same time Bevis, not caring much about the locket or the letter, +or the old gentleman (whose history he had not yet heard), while his +papa spoke to, and aroused the old gentleman from his swoon, had slipped +back towards the orchard-gate where was an irresistible attraction. This +was the sportsman's double-barrelled gun, leant there against a tree. He +could scarce keep his hands off it; he walked round it; touched it; +looked about to see if any one was watching, and was just on the point +of taking hold of it, when the old gentleman rushed past, but seeing the +gun, stopped and seized it. Finding, however, that it was not loaded, he +threw it aside, and went on towards the house. In a minute he returned +with the long single-barrelled gun, with which, so many years before, he +had vowed to shoot his rival. + +He had heard the magpie returning, and mad with anger--since it was the +magpie's theft which had thus destroyed the happiness of his life, for +all might have been well had he had the letter--he hastened for his +gun. As he came to the orchard-gate, Kapchack, with his followers behind +him, neared the wall. The avenger looked along his gun, pulled the +trigger, and the report echoed from the empty, hollow house. His aim was +uncertain in the agony of his mind, and even then Kapchack almost +escaped, but one single pellet, glancing from the bough of an +apple-tree, struck his head, and he fell with darkness in his eyes. + +The old gentleman rushed to the spot, he beat the senseless body with +the butt of his gun till the stock snapped; then he jumped on it, and +stamped the dead bird into a shapeless remnant upon the ground. At this +spectacle Bevis, who, although he was always talking of shooting and +killing, could not bear to see anything really hurt, burst out into a +passion of tears, lamenting the magpie, and gathering up some of the +feathers. Nor could they pacify him till they found him a ripe and +golden King Pippin apple to eat. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +PALACE SECRETS. + + +Next day Sir Bevis, so soon as ever he could get away after dinner, and +without waiting for the noontide heat to diminish, set out in all haste +for the copse, taking with him his cannon-stick. He was full of +curiosity to know what would happen now that Kapchack was dead, who +would now be king, and everything about it, all of which he knew he +should learn from the squirrel. He took his cannon-stick with him +heavily loaded, and the charge rammed home well, meaning to shoot the +weasel; if the wretch would not come out when called upon to receive the +due punishment of his crimes, he would bang it off into his hole in the +tree, and, perhaps, some of the shot would reach the skulking vagabond. + +He went up the field, reached the great oak-tree, and crossed over to +the corner of the wheat-field, but neither the hare nor the dragon-fly +were waiting about to conduct him, as was their duty. He sat down on the +grass to see if they would come to him, but although two dragon-flies +passed over they did not stay to speak, but went on their journey. +Neither of them was his guide, but they both went towards the copse. +Immediately afterwards a humble-bee came along, droning and talking to +himself as he flew. "Where is the hare?" said Bevis; "and where is the +dragon-fly?" "Buzz," said the humble-bee, "the usual course on occasions +like the present--buzz--zz," the sound of his voice died away as he went +past without replying. Three swallows swept by next at a great pace, +chattering as they flew. + +"Where's my dragon-fly?" said Bevis, but they were too busy to heed him. +Presently a dove flew over too high to speak to, and then a +missel-thrush, and soon afterwards ten rooks, after whom came a whole +bevy of starlings, and behind these a train of finches. Next a thrush +came along the low hedge, then two blackbirds, all so quick that Bevis +could not make them understand him. A crow too appeared, but catching +sight of Bevis's cannon-stick, he smelt the powder, wheeled round and +went by far to the left hand out of talking distance. Still more +starlings rushed overhead, and Bevis waved his hand to them, but it was +no use. Just afterwards he saw a thrush coming, so he jumped up, pointed +his cannon-stick, and said he would shoot if the thrush did not stop. +Much frightened, the thrush immediately perched on the hedge, and begged +Bevis not to kill him, for he remembered the fate of his relation who +was shot with the same cannon. + +"Tell me where the hare is, and where is my dragon-fly," said Bevis; +"and why are all the people hurrying away towards the copse, and why +don't they stop and tell me, and what is all this about?" + +"I do not know exactly where the hare is," said the +thrush, "but I suppose she is in the copse too, and I have no doubt at +all the dragon-fly is there, and I am going myself so soon as you will +let me." + +"Why are you all going to the copse?" said Bevis. "Is it because +Kapchack is dead?" + +"Yes," said the thrush, "it is because the king is dead, and there is +going to be an election, that is if there is time, or if it can be +managed; for it is expected that Choo Hoo will return now Kapchack is +overthrown." + +"When did Choo Hoo go, then?" asked Bevis--for he had not yet heard of +the battle. So the thrush told him all about it, and how strange it was +that King Kapchack in the hour of victory should be slain by the very +man who for so many years had protected him. The thrush said that the +news had no doubt reached Choo Hoo very soon afterwards, and everybody +expected that the barbarians would gather together again, and come back +to take vengeance, and so, as they now had no king or leader, they were +all hastening to the copse to take sanctuary from Choo Hoo. The only +doubt was whether the emperor would respect the enclosure hitherto +regarded by all the civilised people as a place where they could meet +without danger. The barbarians knew nothing of these tacit agreements, +which make communication so easy and pleasant among educated people. +Still there was nothing else they could do. + +"And what is going on in the copse?" said Bevis, "and who is to be +king?" + +"I cannot tell you," said the thrush, "I was just going to see, and if +possible to vote against Ki Ki, who treacherously slew my friend and +relation the ambassador, whom the king sent to Choo Hoo." + +"We will go together," said Bevis, "and you can tell me some more about +it as we go along. One thing is quite certain, the weasel will never be +king." + +"Before I go with you," said the thrush, "you must please leave off +pointing that dreadful cannon-stick at me, else I shall not be able to +converse freely." + +So Bevis left off pointing it, and carried his gun over his shoulder, +just as he had seen his papa carry his. The thrush flew slowly along +beside him, but he could not quite manage to keep at exactly the same +pace; his wings would carry him faster than Bevis walked, so he stopped +on the ground every now and then for Bevis to come up. + +"I am sure," he said, "I hope the weasel will not be king, and there is +a rumour going about that he is disabled by some accident he has met +with. But I greatly fear myself that he will be, notwithstanding what +you say, for he is so cunning, and has so terrible a reputation that no +one can prevail against him." + +"Pooh!" said Bevis, "don't tell me such stuff and rubbish; I say the +weasel shall not be king, for I am going to shoot him as dead as any +nail; after which Pan shall tear him into twenty pieces." + +"But you tried to kill him once before, did you not?" said the thrush. + +"You hold your tongue, this minute, you impudent thrush," said Bevis, in +a great rage; and he took his cannon-stick off his shoulder, and looked +so black that the thrush, alarmed for his safety, took advantage of a +hedge being near, and slipped through it in a second. + +"I'm very glad you're gone," said Bevis, calling after him, "but I'll +shoot you next time I see you for leaving me without permission." + +"And that will just serve him right," said a blackbird, as he hastened +by, "for the thrush is the greediest bird in the world, and is always +poaching about the places that belong to me." + +Bevis was now very near the copse, and had not the least difficulty in +finding the little bridge over the ditch, but he stopped before he +crossed it, to listen to the noise there was inside among the trees. +Whenever he had come before in the afternoon it was always so quiet, but +now there was a perfect uproar of talking. Hundreds of starlings were +chattering in the fir-trees, and flying round the branches with +incessant motion. In the thick hedge which enclosed it there were crowds +of greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches, yellow-hammers, and sparrows, +who never ceased talking. Up in the elms there were a number of rooks, +who were deliberating in a solemn manner; it was indeed the rook council +who had met there to consider as the safest place, the very council that +Ah Kurroo so much disliked. Two or three dozen wood-pigeons cowered on +the lower branches of some ashes; they were the aliens who dwelt in +Kapchack's kingdom. Rabbits were rushing about in all directions; +dragon-flies darting up and down with messages; humble-bees droning at +every corner; the woodpecker yelled out his views in the midst of the +wood; everything was in confusion. + +As Bevis walked into the copse along the green track, with the tall +thistles and the fern on each side of him, he caught little bits here +and there of what they were saying; it was always the same, who was +going to be king, and what would Choo Hoo do? How long would it be +before the emperor's army could be got together again to come sweeping +back and exact a dire vengeance for its defeat? Where was the weasel? +What was the last atrocity Ki Ki had committed? Had anybody heard +anything more of Kauc, the crow? Had Prince Tchack-tchack arrived? Had +the rooks made up their mind?--and so on, till Bevis shook his head and +held his hands to his ears, so tremendous was the din. + +Just then he saw his own dragon-fly and beckoned to him; the dragon-fly +came at once. "What is all this?" began Bevis. + +"My dear, how are you?" interrupted the dragon-fly. "I am so busy," and +off he went again. + +"Well I never!" said Bevis, getting excited like the rest, when the hare +came across the path and stopped to speak to him. "What is going on?" +said Bevis. + +"That is just what I want to know," said the hare. "Everybody says that +somebody is going to do something, but what it is they do not themselves +know. There never was such a confusion, and, for aught we know, Choo +Hoo may be here any minute, and there's not a single regiment in +position." + +"Dear me!" said Bevis, "why ever don't they begin?" + +"I cannot tell you," said the hare. "I don't think anybody knows how: +and the fact is, they are all thinking about who shall be king, and +intriguing for the sovereignty, when they should be thinking of their +country, and providing for its defence." + +"And who is to be king?" said Bevis. "The weasel shall not, that is +certain; for I am just this very minute going to shoot into his hole!" + +"It is no use to do that," said the hare; "though I am very glad to hear +you say that he shall not be king. But it is no use shooting into his +hole, for he is not there, nor anywhere in his old haunts, and we are +all very suspicious as to what he is about. I think you had better come +and see the squirrel; he is in the raspberries, and the jay is there +too, and there is an immense deal of talking going on." + +"So I will," said Bevis; and he followed the hare to the raspberries +(all the fruit was now gone), and found the squirrel, who advanced to +welcome him, and the jay up in the oak. Being hot with walking in the +sun, Bevis sat down on the moss at the foot of the oak, and leaned back +against the tree whose beautiful boughs cast so pleasant a shadow. The +hare came close to him on one side, and the squirrel the other, and the +jay perched just overhead, and they all began to tell him the news at +once. Not able to understand what they meant while they were all +speaking together, Bevis held up his hands and begged them to stop a +minute, and then asked the squirrel to explain. + +"So I will," said the squirrel, "though I ought to be hiding my stores +as fast as I can from the voracious host of barbarians, who will be here +in a minute. But what am I to do? for I cannot get anybody to help +me--everybody is thinking about himself." + +"But the story--the story!" said Bevis; "tell me all about it." + +"Well, since I can do nothing," said the squirrel, "I suppose I must, +though there is not a great deal to tell. You must know, then, that the +news of Kapchack's death got here in half-a-minute, for the +missel-thrush came with it, and from here it was all over the country in +less than an hour. Everybody knew it except Ah Kurroo Khan and the +victorious legions, and Choo Hoo and the flying enemy. These were so +busy, the one with slaughter, and the other with trying to escape, that +they could not listen to what the swifts at once flew to tell them, but +continued to fight and fly away till the evening, when the fragments of +Choo Hoo's army took refuge in the forest. Even then they would not +believe so extraordinary a circumstance, but regarded the account that +had reached them as one of the rumours which always fly about at such +times. Choo Hoo continued to go from tree to tree deeper and deeper into +the forest. + +"Ah Kurroo Khan, calling off his legions, since nothing further could be +done, drew his victorious army back to some isolated clumps and +avenues, where they intended to make their camp for the night. But in +the course of an hour the rumours increased so much, and so many +messengers arrived with the same intelligence and additional +particulars, that Ah Kurroo Khan, dreading lest it should be true, sent +out a squadron to ascertain the facts. + +"Long before it could return, an envoy arrived from the council of the +rooks themselves, with an order to Ah Kurroo Khan to retire at once, +notwithstanding the lateness of the evening, and that the sun was +sinking. + +"With much disappointment (for he had hoped to continue the pursuit, and +entirely exterminate the barbarians on the morrow), and not without +forebodings as to his own fate, Ah Kurroo reluctantly communicated the +order to his troops. The wearied legions accordingly started on their +homeward journey, slowly passing over the fields which had witnessed the +conquest of the morning. The sun had already sunk when their van reached +the rooks' city, and Ah Kurroo came to the front to deliver the report +he had prepared upon his way. As he approached the trees where the +council of the rooks was sitting, in dark and ominous silence, an +official stopped him, and informed him that he had been dismissed from +the command, degraded from the rank he held, and the title of Khan taken +from him. He was to retire to a solitary tree at some distance, and +consider himself under arrest. + +"Thus they punished him for daring to move without their orders (even at +the direct instance of the king), and thus was he rewarded for winning +the greatest battle known to history. The legions were immediately +disbanded, and each individual ordered to his home. Meantime, the news +had at last reached Choo Hoo, but neither he, nor the fugitive host, +could believe it, till there arrived some of the aliens who had dwelt +with us, and who assured the barbarians that it was correct. Directly +afterwards, the intelligence was confirmed by the retreat of Ah Kurroo +Khan. + +"All that livelong night Choo Hoo, once more beginning to hope, flew to +and fro from tree to tree, endeavouring to animate his host afresh with +spirit for the fight; and as messengers continually came in with fresh +particulars of the confusion in Kapchack's kingdom, he began to succeed. +Early this morning, when the sun rose, the mystic syllables, +'Koos-takke,' resounded once more; the forest was alive, and echoed with +the clattering of their wings, as the army drew together and re-formed +its ranks. The barbarians, easily moved by omens, saw in the +extraordinary death of Kapchack the very hand of fate. Once more they +believed in their emperor; once more Choo Hoo advanced at their head. + +"Not half-an-hour since a starling came in with the intelligence that +Choo Hoo's advanced guard had already reached his old camp. We suppose +the barbarians will halt there a little while for refreshment, and then +move down upon us in a mass. Would you believe it, instead of preparing +for defence, the whole state is rent with faction and intrigue! Yonder +the council of the rooks, wise as they are, are indeed deliberating, +having retired here for greater safety lest their discussion should be +suddenly interrupted by the enemy; but the subject of this discussion is +not how to defend the country, but what punishment they shall inflict +upon Ah Kurroo. There is a difference of opinion. Some hold that the +established penalty for his offence is to break his wings and hurl him +helpless from the top of the tallest elm. Some, more merciful, are for +banishment, that he be outlawed, and compelled to build his nest and +roost on an isolated tree, exposed to all the insults of the crows. The +older members of the council, great sticklers for tradition, maintain +that the ancient and only adequate punishment is the hanging up of the +offender by one leg to a dead and projecting branch, there to dangle and +die of starvation, a terror to all such evil-doers. + +"While they thus talk of torture the enemy is in sight, and their own +army, it is more than whispered, is discontented and angry at the +reception meted out to the victorious Khan. But this, alas! is not all. + +"So soon as ever Ki Ki was certain that Kapchack was really dead, he +returned, and he has gathered to himself a crew of the most terrible +ruffians you ever beheld. He has got about him all the scum of the +earth; all the blackguards, villains, vermin, cut-throat scoundrels have +rallied to his standard; as the old proverb says: 'Birds of a feather +flock together'. He has taken possession of the firs, yonder, on the +slope (which are the property of my friend the jay), and which command +my copse. He has proclaimed himself king, and seeks to obtain +confirmation of his title by terrorism. Already he has twice sent forth +his murderous banditti, who, scouring the fields, have committed fearful +havoc upon defenceless creatures. I am in dread every minute lest he +should descend upon the copse itself, for he respects no law of earth or +heaven. + +"At the same time Kauc, the crow, has come forth in his true colours; he +too has proclaimed himself king. He has taken his stand in the trees by +the Long Pond--you came close by them just now--they are scarce a +quarter of a mile hence. To our astonishment, he has got at least thrice +as many retainers as he is entered to have in the roll which was read +before Kapchack. He had reckoned, it seems, upon the assistance of +Cloctaw, of St. Paul's, who has great influence among the jackdaws. +Cloctaw, however, avoided him and came hither, and Kauc vows he will +destroy him. + +"I know not which is most formidable, the violent Ki Ki or the ruthless +Kauc. The latter, I feel sure, is only waiting till he sees an opening +to rush in and slaughter us. There is not a generous sentiment in his +breast; he would not spare the fledgling in the nest. Between these two, +one on either hand, we are indeed in a fearful predicament; Choo Hoo is +to be preferred to them. + +"Whether Raoul, the rat, intends to strike a blow for the throne, I know +not; he is here; he bears an evil character, but for myself I like him +far better than Kauc or Ki Ki. The fox is, of course, out of the +question. But my great fear is the weasel; should he obtain the throne +which of us will be safe? By night as well as by day we shall be +decimated. His Machiavellian schemes, indeed, have thus far gone astray, +and although he could arrange for everything, he could not foresee his +own illness. Yet, though lying by now with a broken rib and other +injuries, I have not the least doubt he is weaving new webs and +preparing fresh deceptions. Thus, while the invader threatens us hourly, +the kingdom of Kapchack is torn to pieces with the dissensions of those +who should defend it." + +"But why does not Prince Tchack-tchack take the throne and be king?" +said Bevis. "He is the heir; he is Kapchack's son." + +"So he ought," said the squirrel; "but the truth is, people are weary of +the rule of the magpies; nor is this young and flighty prince capable of +taking up the reins of state. He is vain, and dissipated, and +uncertain--no one can depend upon him. And besides, even if they could, +have you not heard the extraordinary secret he has let out, like the +great lout he is, and of which everybody is talking?" + +"No," said Bevis; "I have heard nothing--how should I? I have only just +got here. What is the secret? Tell me the secret this minute." + +"To think," said the jay, "that we should have been so long deceived. +But I had my suspicions." + +"I cannot say I suspected anything," said the hare; "but I remember Kauc +did make a very curious remark on one occasion; he was always looking +askew into things and places that did not concern him, so that I did +not much heed, especially as he had started slanders about me." + +"Well," said the jay, "the truth is, my wife--she is, you know, the most +beautiful creature in the world, and quite turned the head of the late +monarch--told me that she all along had her ideas; and Kapchack himself +indeed told her in confidence that he was not so old as he looked, being +jealous of the youth of Tchack-tchack, who objected to having his eye +pecked out, and his feathers ruffled, as if he had any claims to be +handsome;" and the jay surveyed his own bright feathers with pride. + +"You stupids!" said Bevis, "what is the use of talking in that way? I +want to know the secret." + +"There is no secret," said the jay; "and I am not stupid. How can there +be a secret, when everybody knows it?" + +"Hush! hush!" said the hare, trying to make peace; "do not let us +quarrel, at all events, if all the rest do." + +"No," said the squirrel; "certainly not." + +"Certainly not," repeated the jay. + +"Well, what is it, then?" said Bevis, still frowning. + +"The fact is," said the squirrel, "Tchack-tchack has babbled out the +great state secret. I myself knew a little of it previously, having +overheard the crow muttering to himself--as Ulu said, he peers into +things that do not concern him. And, if you remember, Bevis, I was in a +great fright one day when I nearly let it out myself. Now Prince +Tchack-tchack, finding that he could not get the crown, has babbled +everything in his rage, and the beautiful jay has told us many things +that prove it to be true. It now turns out that Kapchack was not +Kapchack at all." + +"Not Kapchack!" said Bevis. "How could Kapchack not be Kapchack, when he +was Kapchack?" + +"Kapchack could not be Kapchack," said the squirrel, "because he never +was Kapchack." + +"Then who was Kapchack?" said Bevis, in amazement. + +"Well, he was not who he was," said the squirrel; "and I will tell you +why it was that he was not, if you will listen, and not keep +interrupting, and asking questions. The reed once told you how stupid it +is to ask questions; you would understand everything very well, if you +did not trouble to make inquiries. The king who is just dead, and who +was called Kapchack, was not Kapchack, because the real old original +Kapchack died forty years ago." + +"What?" said Bevis. + +"Extraordinary!" said the jay. + +"Extraordinary!" said the hare. + +"But true," said the squirrel. "The real old original Kapchack, the +cleverest, cunningest, most consummate schemer who ever lived, who built +the palace in the orchard, and who played such fantastic freaks before +the loving couple, who won their hearts, and stole their locket and +separated them for ever (thinking that would serve his purpose best, +since if they married they would forget him, and have other things to +think about, while if they were apart he should be regarded as a sacred +souvenir), this marvellous genius, the founder of so illustrious a +family, whose dominion stretched from here to the sea--I tell you that +_this_ Kapchack, the real old original one, died forty years ago. + +"But before he died, being so extremely cunning, he made provision for +the continuation of himself in this way. He reflected that he was very +old, and that a good deal of the dignity he enjoyed was due to that +fact. The owner of the orchard and warden of his fortress regarded him +with so much affection, because in his youth he had capered before the +young lady whom he loved. It was not possible for the old gentleman to +transfer this affection to a young and giddy magpie, who had not seen +any of these former things. Nor, looking outside the orchard wall, was +it probable that the extensive kingdom he himself enjoyed would pass +under the sway of a youthful prince in its entirety. + +"Some of the nobles would be nearly certain to revolt: the empire he had +formed with so much labour, ingenuity, and risk, would fall to pieces, +the life of one ruler not being sufficiently long to consolidate it. The +old king, therefore, as he felt the years pressing heavy upon him, cast +about in his mind for some means of securing his dynasty. + +"After long cogitation one day he called to him his son and heir, a very +handsome young fellow, much like the Tchack-tchack whom we know, and +motioning him to come close, as if about to whisper in his ear, suddenly +pecked out his left eye. The vain young prince suffered not only from +the physical pain, but the intense mortification of knowing that his +beauty was destroyed for ever. If he wanted even to look at himself in +the pond, before he could see his own reflection, he had to turn his +head upon one side. He bitterly upbraided his unnatural father for this +cruel deed: the queen joined in the reproaches, and the palace resounded +with rage and lamentation. + +"Old King Kapchack the First bore all this disturbance with equanimity, +sustained by the conviction that he had acted for the welfare of the +royal house he had founded. After a time, when the young one-eyed prince +ceased to complain, and was only sullen, he seized an opportunity when +they were alone in the apple-tree, and explained to him the reason why +he had done it. + +"'I,' said he, 'I have founded this house, and through me you are +regarded everywhere as of royal dignity; but if I were gone, the wicked +and traitorous world which surrounds the throne would certainly begin to +conspire against you on account of your youth; nor would the warden of +this orchard take any interest or defend you, as you were not the +witness of the caresses bestowed upon him by his young lady. If you look +at me, you will see that a wound, received in the wars which I waged +long since, extinguished my left eye. You will also see that my tail is +not, to say the least, either so glossy or so ample as of yore, and my +neck and temples are somewhat bare, partly because in those wars I +received divers swashing blows upon my head, and partly because of my +increasing age.' + +"The prince looked at him, and remarked that he certainly was a draggled +old scarecrow. Not the least annoyed by this unfilial expression, the +old king proceeded to show his heir how, in order for him, first, to +retain the kingdom, and secondly, to keep the interest of the old +gentleman owner of the orchard, it was necessary for him to present the +same appearance as Kapchack himself did. 'In short,' said he, 'when I +die you must be ready to take my place, and to look exactly like me.' +The prince began to see the point, and even to admire the cunning of his +father, but still he could not forgive the loss of his eye. + +"'Ah!' said Kapchack I., 'you see I was obliged to take you upon the +hop, otherwise it would never have been accomplished; no persuasion +could have induced you to submit to such a deprivation, and, now I am +about it, let me advise you, indeed, strictly enjoin upon you, when it +becomes your turn, and you, too, are old and failing, to do the same as +I did. Do not tell your son and heir what you are going to do, or depend +upon it he will slip aside and avoid you; but do it first. And now, +since you have already so far the same bleared aspect as myself, you +will feel no difficulty in submitting to certain curtailments behind, +and to the depilation of your head and neck.' + +"Well, the result was, that the prince, full of ambition, and +determined to rule at any price, in the end submitted to these +disfigurations; the only thing he groaned over was the fear that none of +the young lady magpies would now have anything to say to him. + +"'My dear and most dutiful son,' said the old king, greatly pleased at +the changed attitude of his heir, 'I assure you that you will not +experience any loss of attention upon that score. It is in early youth +indeed a very prevalent mistake for gaudy young fellows (as you appeared +the other day) to imagine that it is the gloss of their feathers, the +brilliance of their eyes, and the carriage of their manly forms that +obtains for them the smiles and favours of the fair. But, believe me, +this gratifying idea is not founded on fact; it is not the glossy +feather, or the manly form, my son, it is the wealth that you possess, +and even more than that, the social dignity and rank, which is already +yours, that has brought a circle of charming darlings around you. + +"'It is certainly somewhat mortifying to feel that it is not ourselves +they care for, but merely the gratification of their own vanity. Of +course you must bury this profound secret in your own breast. But if you +ponder over what I have said you will soon see how you can use this +knowledge to your own advantage. And it will at least save you from the +folly of really falling in love, than which, my most dutiful son, there +is no disease so terrible, and so lasting in its effects, as witness +that drivelling fool who keeps this orchard for us, and surrounds our +palace as with an impregnable fortification. Believe me, +notwithstanding your now antique appearance--except at very close +quarters, and without close examination (I don't think you have quite as +many crow's-feet round your cyclopean eye as myself), it is not possible +to distinguish you from me--believe me, in spite of this, the circle of +charming darlings, reflecting that you are the heir to the greatest +crown in the universe, will discover that you are even more attractive +than before.' + +"The prince in a day or two found that the old king was right, and +recovered much of his former spirit. As for the old king, having +provided for his dynasty, and feeling certain that his royal house would +now endure, he feasted and laughed, and cracked the oddest jokes you +ever heard. One afternoon, after spending the whole time in this way, he +recollected that he had not yet informed his heir of one important +secret, namely, the entrance to his treasure house. + +"This was a chink, covered over with an excrescence of the bark, in the +aged apple-tree, at the juncture of a large bough (the very bough that +was lately cracked by the hurricane), and it was here that he had +accumulated the spoils of the many expeditions he had undertaken, the +loot of provinces and the valuable property he had appropriated nearer +home, including the diamond locket. So cunningly had he chosen his +treasure vault that not one of all his courtiers, not even his queens, +could ever discover it, though they were all filled with the most +intense desire and burning cupidity. The monarch thoroughly enjoyed the +jest, for all the time they were sitting right over it, and that was, +no doubt, why they could not see it, being under their feet. Well, the +old king recollected that afternoon that he had not communicated the +secret to his heir, and decided that the time had come when it was +necessary to do so. He therefore gave out that he felt sleepy after so +much feasting, and desired his friends to leave him alone for a while, +all except the missel-thrush (not the present, of course, but his +ancestor). + +"Accordingly they all flew away to flirt in the copse, and so soon as +the court was clear the king told the missel-thrush to go and send his +son to him, as he had something of importance to communicate in private. +The missel-thrush did as he was bid, and in about half-an-hour the young +prince approached the palace. But when he came near he saw that the +king, overcome perhaps by too much feasting, had dozed off into slumber. +As it was a rule in the palace that the monarch must never be awakened, +the prince perched silently close by. + +"Now, while he was thus sitting waiting for the king to wake up, as he +watched him it occurred to him that if any one came by--as the warden of +the orchard and--saw the two magpies up in the tree, he would wonder +which was which. Instead of one old Kapchack, lo! there would be two +antique Kapchacks. + +"Thought the prince: 'The king is very clever, exceedingly clever, but +it seems to me that he has overreached himself. For certainly, if it is +discovered that there are two old ones about, inquiries will be made, +and a difficulty will arise, and it is not at all unlikely that one of +us will be shot. It seems to me that the old fellow has lived a little +too long, and that his wits are departing (here he gave a quiet hop +closer), and gone with his feathers, and it is about time I succeeded to +the throne. (Another hop closer.) In an empire like this, so recently +founded, the sceptre must be held in vigorous claws, and upon the whole, +as there is no one about----' He gave a most tremendous peck upon the +poor old king's head, and Kapchack fell to the ground, out of the tree, +stone dead upon the grass. + +"The prince turned his head upon one side, and looked down upon him; +then he quietly hopped into his place, shut his eye, and dozed off to +sleep. By-and-by the courtiers ventured back by twos and threes, and +gathered on the tree, respectfully waiting till he should awake, and +nodding, and winking, and whispering to each other about the body in the +grass. Presently his royal highness woke up, yawned, complained that the +gout grew worse as he got older, and asked for the prince, who had been +sitting by him just now. Then looking round and seeing that all were a +little constrained in their manner, he glanced in the same direction +they did, and exclaimed that there was his poor son and heir lying in +the grass! + +"With great lamentation he had the body laid out in state, and called in +the court physicians to examine how the prince (for so he persisted in +calling the dead monarch) came by his fate. Now, there was no +disguising the fact that the deceased had been most foully murdered, +for his skull was driven in by the force of the blow; but you see those +were dangerous times, and with a despotic king eyeing them all the +while, what could the physicians do? They discovered that there was a +small projecting branch which had been broken off half-way down the tree +and which had a sharp edge, or splinter, and that this splinter +precisely fitted the wound in the head. Without doubt the prince had +been seized with sudden illness, had fallen and struck his head against +the splinter. It was ordered that this bough should be at once removed. +Kapchack raised a great lamentation, as he had lost his son and heir, +and in that character the dead monarch was ceremoniously interred in the +royal vaults, which are in the drain the hunted hare took refuge in +under the orchard. + +"And so complete was the resemblance the prince bore to his dead parent, +owing to the loss of his eye and the plucking of his feathers, that for +the most part the courtiers actually believed that it really was the +prince they had buried, and all the common people accepted it without +doubt. One or two who hinted at a suspicion when they were alone with +Kapchack the Second received promises of vast rewards to hold their +tongues; and no sooner had they left his presence than he had them +assassinated. Thus the dynasty was firmly consolidated, just as the dead +founder had desired, though in rather a different manner to what he +expected. + +"But the new (or as he appeared the old) king had not been many days on +the throne when he remembered the immense treasure of which his parent +had been possessed. Sending every one away on one pretext and another, +he searched the palace from attic to basement, peeped into all the +drawers his father had used, turned over every document, sounded every +wall, bored holes in the wainscot, ripped up the bark, and covered +himself with dust in his furious endeavours to find it. But though he +did this twenty times, though he examined every hollow tree within ten +miles, and peered into everything, forcing even the owl's ancestor to +expose certain skeletons that were in his cupboard, yet could he never +find it. + +"And all the while the greatest difficulty he encountered was to hold +his tongue; he did not dare let out that he was looking for the +treasure, because, of course, everybody thought that he was Kapchack, +the same who had put it away. He had to nip his tongue with his beak +till it bled to compel himself by sheer pain to abstain from reviling +his predecessor. But it was no good, the treasure could not be found. He +gave out that all this searching was to discover an ancient deed or +treaty by which he was entitled to a distant province. As the deed could +not be found (having never existed), he marched his army and took the +province by force. And, will you believe it, my friends, the fact is +that from that time to this (till the hurricane broke the bough the +other day) none of the King Kapchacks have had the least idea where +their treasure was. They have lived upon credit. + +"Everybody knew there was a treasure, and as time went on and new +generations arose, it became magnified as the tale was handed down, till +only lately, as you know, the whole world considered that Kapchack +possessed wealth the like of which had never been seen. Thus it happened +that as each succeeding Kapchack got farther and farther away from the +reality and lost all trace of the secret, the fame of these riches +increased. But to return. In course of years this Kapchack also found +himself growing old, and it became his turn to prepare a son and heir +for the throne by pecking out his left eye, and denuding him of his tail +feathers. I need not go into further details; suffice it to say the +thing was managed, and although the old fellows well knew their danger +and took all sorts of precautions, the princes thus mutilated always +contrived to assassinate their parents, and thus that apple-tree has +been the theatre of the most awful series of tragedies the earth has +ever known. + +"Down to the last King Kapchack, the thing was always managed +successfully, and he was the sixth who had kept up the deception. But +the number six seems in some way fatal to kings, the sixth always gets +into trouble, and Kapchack VI. proved very unfortunate. For in his time, +as you know, Choo Hoo arose, the kingdom was invaded, and quite half of +it taken from him. Whether he shrank from the risk attending the +initiation of Prince Tchack-tchack (his heir) I do not know, but for +some reason or other he put it off from time to time, till the prince in +fact grew rather too old himself, and too cunning, and getting about +with disreputable companions--that gross old villain Kauc, the crow, +for one--it is just possible that some inkling of the hereditary +mutilation in store for him was insinuated (for his own purposes) by +that vile wretch. + +"Still, most likely, even if he had known of it he would have come in +time to submit (so powerful a motive is ambition) rather than lose the +crown, had not it happened that both he and Kapchack fell violently in +love with the beautiful young jay, La Schach. Very naturally and very +excusably, being so young and so beautiful, she was perhaps just a +little capricious. Jealous to the last degree, old King Kapchack told +her the secret, and that he really was not nearly so old as the world +believed him to be--he was the sixth of the race, and not the original +antiquity. No doubt the beauty laughed in her sleeve at him, and just +for fun told Tchack-tchack all about it, and that she would never marry +a one-eyed bird. Kapchack, full of jealousy, bethought him that it was +high time to destroy his heir's good looks, so he attempted to peck out +his left eye in accordance with the usage of the house. + +"But Tchack-tchack, having now learnt the secret, vain of his beauty, +and determined to have the lovely jay at any cost, was alive to the +trick, and eluded his parent. This was the reason why Tchack-tchack +towards the last would never go near the palace. Thus it happened that +the hereditary practice was not resorted to, for poor old Kapchack VI. +fell, as you know, in the very hour of victory. Tchack-tchack, who has +both eyes, and the most glossy tail, and a form of the manliest beauty, +is now at this minute chattering all round the copse in a terrible rage, +and quite beside himself, because nobody will vote for him to be king, +especially since through the breaking of the bough the vaunted treasure +is at last revealed and found to consist of a diamond locket and one +silver spoon--a hollow business you see--so that he has no money, while +the beautiful jay has just been united to our friend here--and, goodness +me, here she comes in a flutter!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE NEW KING. + + +Up came the lovely young bride, full of news, and told them that the +most extraordinary thing had just happened. + +"Whatever is it, my love?" said her husband. + +"Quick, whatever is it?" said the squirrel. + +"I can't wait," said Bevis. + +"Nor I," said the hare. + +"Well," said the lovely creature--for whom an empire had been thrown +away--"while the rook council was deliberating about the punishment to +be awarded to Ah Kurroo, the legions, disgusted with the treatment they +had received after so wonderful a victory, have risen in revolt, +overthrown the government, driven the council away, taken the Khan from +the tree where he was a prisoner and proclaimed him dictator!" + +"Extraordinary!" said the hare; "the rooks always would have it that +theirs was the most perfect form of government ever known." + +"No such rebellion was ever heard of before," said the squirrel, "there +is nothing like it in history; I know, for I've often slipped into the +owl's muniment room (between you and me) on the sly, and taken a peep +at his ancient documents. It is most extraordinary!" + +"I can't see it," said the jay; "I don't agree with you; I am not in the +least surprised. I always said they would never get on with so much +caw-cawing and talking every evening; I always said----" + +"Gentlemen," shouted the woodpecker, rushing up breathless with haste, +"I am sent round to tell you from the dictator that you can now proceed +to the election of a king without fear of any kind, for he will keep the +enemy employed should they appear, and he will over-awe the two +pretenders, Ki Ki and Kauc. Let every one say what he thinks without +dread, and let there be no bribery and no intimidation. In the name of +Ah Kurroo Khan!" and away he flew through the copse to make the +proclamation. + +Immediately afterwards the owl, blundering in the daylight, came past +and said that they had better come on to his house, for he had just had +a private interview with the Khan, and had orders to preside over this +business. So Bevis and the squirrel, the hare and the two jays proceeded +to the pollard-tree; there was no need for Bevis to hide now, because he +was recognised as a great friend of the squirrel's and the enemy of the +weasel. A noisy crowd had already collected, which was augmented every +minute, and there was a good deal of rough pushing and loud talking, not +unmingled with blows. They were all there (except the weasel), the +goldfinch, the tomtit, the chaffinch, the thrush, the blackbird, the +missel-thrush, all of them, jays, the alien pigeons, doves, +woodpeckers, the rat, the mouse, the stoat, and the fox. + +As the crowd increased, so did the uproar, till the owl appeared at the +balcony of his mansion, and the woodpecker called for silence. The owl, +when he could get a hearing, said they were all to give their opinions +and say who they would have for their king. And that there might be less +confusion he would call upon the least of them in size and the youngest +in age to speak first, and so on upwards to the oldest and biggest. + +"I'm the least," cried the wren, coming forward without a moment's +delay, "and I think that, after all I have seen of the ins and outs of +the world, I myself should make a very good king." + +"Indeed you're not the smallest," said Te-te, the tomtit; "I am the +smallest, besides which you are a smuggler. Now I, on the contrary, have +already rendered great services to my country, and I am used to official +life." + +"Yes, you spy," cried Tchink, the chaffinch; and all the assembly hissed +Te-te, till he was obliged to give way, as he could not make himself +heard. + +"Why not have a queen?" said the goldfinch. "I should think you have had +enough of kings; now, why not have me for queen? I have the richest +dress of all." + +"Nothing of the kind," said the yellow-hammer, "I wear cloth of gold +myself." + +"As for that," said the woodpecker, "I myself have no little claim on +the score of colour." + +"But you have no such azure as me," said the kingfisher. + +"Such gaudy hues are in the worst possible taste," said the blackbird, +"and very vulgar. Now, if I were chosen----" + +"Well," said the thrush, "well, I never heard anything equal to the +blackbird's assurance; he who has never held the slightest appointment. +Now, my relation was ambassador----" + +"I think," said the dove, "I should be able, if I held the position, to +conciliate most parties, and make everything smooth." + +"You're much too smooth for me," said Tchink. "It's my belief you're +hand-in-glove with Choo Hoo, for all your tender ways--dear me!" + +"If experience," said Cloctaw, "if experience is of any value on a +throne, I think I myself----" + +"Experience!" cried the jay, in high disdain, "what is he talking of? +Poor Cloctaw has gone past his prime; however, we must make allowance +for his infirmities. You want some one with a decided opinion like +myself, ladies and gentlemen!" + +"If I might speak," began one of the alien wood-pigeons, but they +shouted him down. + +"I don't mean to be left out of this business, I can tell you," said the +mole, suddenly thrusting his snout up through the ground; "I consider I +have been too much overlooked. But no election will be valid without my +vote. Now, I can tell you that there's not a fellow living who knows +more than I do." + +"Since the throne is vacant," said the mouse, "why should not I be +nominated?" + +"I do not like the way things have been managed," said the rat; "there +were too many fine feathers at the court of the late king. Fur must have +a turn now--if I am elected I shall make somebody who wears fur my prime +minister." This was a bold bid for the support of all the four-footed +creatures, and was not without its effect. + +"I call that downright bribery," said the jay. + +"Listen to me a minute," said Sec, the stoat; but as they were now all +talking together no one could address the assembly. + +After a long time Bevis lost all patience, and held up his cannon-stick, +and threatened to shoot the next one who spoke, which caused a hush. + +"There's one thing _I_ want to say," said Bevis, frowning, and looking +very severe, as he stamped his foot. "I have made up my mind on one +point. Whoever you have for king you shall not have the weasel, for I +will shoot him as dead as a nail the first time I see him." + +"Hurrah!" cried everybody at once. "Hurrah for little Sir Bevis!" + +"Now," said Bevis, "I see the owl wants to speak, and as he's the only +sensible one among you, just be quiet and hear what he's got to say." + +At this the owl, immensely delighted, made Sir Bevis a profound bow, and +begged to observe that one thing seemed to have escaped the notice of +the ladies and gentlemen whom he saw around him. It was true they were +all of noble blood, and many of them could claim a descent through +countless generations. But they had overlooked the fact that, noble as +they were, there was among them one with still higher claims; one who +had royal blood in his veins, whose ancestors had been kings, and kings +of high renown. He alluded to the fox. + +At this the fox, who had not hitherto spoken, and kept rather in the +background, modestly bent his head, and looked the other way. + +"The fox," cried Tchink, "impossible--he's nobody." + +"Certainly not," said Te-te, "a mere nonentity." + +"Quite out of the question," said the goldfinch. + +"Out of the running," said the hare. + +"Absurd," said the jay; and they all raised a clamour, protesting that +even to mention the fox was to waste the public time. + +"I am not so sure of that," muttered Cloctaw. "We might do worse; I +should not object." But his remark was unheeded by all save the fox, +whose quick ear caught it. + +Again there was a great clamour and uproar, and not a word could be +heard, and again Bevis had to lift up his cannon-stick. Just then Ah +Kurroo Khan sent a starling to know if they had finished, because Choo +Hoo had quitted his camp, and his outposts were not a mile off. + +"In that case," said the owl, "our best course will be to stop further +discussion, and to put the matter to the test of the vote at once. +('Hear, hear.') Do you then all stand off a good way, so that no one +shall be afraid to do as he chooses, and then come to me one at a time, +beginning with the wren (as she spoke first), and let each tell me who +he or she votes for, and the reason why, and then I will announce the +result." + +So they all stood off a good way, except Sir Bevis, who came closer to +the pollard to hear what the voters said, and to see that all was done +fairly. When all was ready the owl beckoned to the wren, and the wren +flew up and whispered: "I vote for the fox because Te-te shall not have +the crown". + +Next came Te-te, and he said: "I vote for the fox because the wren shall +not have it". + +Then Tchink, who said he voted for the fox so that the goldfinch should +not have the throne. + +The goldfinch voted for the fox that the yellow-hammer should not have +it, and the yellow-hammer because the goldfinch should not succeed. The +jay did the same because Tchack-tchack should not have it; the dove +because the pigeon should not have it; the blackbird to oust the thrush, +and the thrush to stop the blackbird; the sparrow to stop the starling, +and the starling to stop the sparrow; the woodpecker to stop the +kingfisher, and the kingfisher to stop the woodpecker; and so on all +through the list, all voting for the fox in succession, to checkmate +their friends' ambition, down to Cloctaw, who said he voted for the fox +because he knew he could not get the throne himself, and considered the +fox better than the others. Lastly, the owl, seeing that Reynard had got +the election (which indeed he had anticipated when he called attention +to the modest fox), also voted for him. + +Then he called the fox forward, and was about to tell him that he was +duly elected, and would sit on a throne firmly fixed upon the wide base +of a universal plebiscite, when Eric, the missel-thrush (who had taken +no part in the proceedings, for he alone regretted Kapchack), cried out +that the fox ought to be asked to show some proof of ability before he +received the crown. This was so reasonable that every one endorsed it; +and the missel-thrush, seeing that he had made an impression, determined +to set the fox the hardest task he could think of, and said that as it +was the peculiar privilege of a monarch to protect his people, so the +fox, before he mounted the throne, ought to be called upon to devise +some effectual means of repelling the onslaught of Choo Hoo. + +"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly, and cried with one voice upon the +fox to get them out of the difficulty, and save them from the barbarian +horde. + +The fox was in the deepest bewilderment, but he carefully concealed his +perplexity, and looked down upon the ground as if pondering profoundly, +whereas he really had not got the least idea what to do. There was +silence. Every one waited for the fox. + +"Ahem!" said Cloctaw, as if clearing his throat. + +The fox detected his meaning, and slyly glanced towards him, when +Cloctaw looked at Bevis and winked. Instantly the fox took the hint +(afterwards claiming the idea as entirely his own), and lifting his +head, said:-- + +"Ladies and gentlemen, you have indeed set me a most difficult task--so +difficult, that should I succeed in solving this problem, I hope shall +obtain your complete confidence. Gentlemen, we have amongst us at this +moment a visitor, and one whom we all delight to honour, the more +especially as we know him to be the determined foe of that mercenary +scoundrel the weasel, who, should I be so fortunate as to obtain the +crown, shall, I promise you, never set foot in my palace--I allude to +the friend of the squirrel and the hare--I allude to Sir Bevis. ('Hear, +hear! Hurrah for little Sir Bevis! Three cheers more!') I see that you +respond with enthusiasm to the sentiment I have expressed. Well, our +friend Sir Bevis can, I think, if we call upon him in a respectful and +proper manner, help us out of this difficulty. + +"He carries in his hand an instrument in which the ignition of certain +chemical substances causes an alarming report, and projects a shower of +formidable missiles to a distance. This instrument, which I hear he +constructed himself, thereby displaying unparalleled ingenuity, he calls +his cannon-stick. Now if we could persuade him to become our ally, and +to bang off his cannon-stick when Choo Hoo comes, I think we should soon +see the enemy in full retreat, when the noble dictator, Ah Kurroo Khan, +could pursue, and add another to his already lengthy list of brilliant +achievements. I would therefore propose, with the utmost humility, that +Sir Bevis be asked to receive a deputation; and I would, with your +permission, nominate the hare, the squirrel, and Cloctaw as the three +persons best able to convey your wishes." + +At this address there was a general buzz of admiration; people whispered +to each other that really the fox was extraordinarily clever, and well +worthy to ascend the throne--who would have thought that any one so +retiring could have suggested so original, and yet at the same time so +practical a course? The fox's idea was at once adopted. Bevis went back +with the jay to his seat on the moss under the oak, and there sat down +to receive the deputation. + +Just as it was about to set out, the fox begged permission to say one +word more, which being readily granted, he asked if he might send a +message by the starling to Ah Kurroo Khan. The present, he said, seemed +a most favourable moment for destroying those dangerous pretenders, Ki +Ki and Kauc. Usually their brigand retainers were scattered all over the +country, miles and miles apart, and while thus separated it would +require an immense army--larger than the state in the present exhausted +condition of the treasury could afford to pay without fresh taxes--to +hunt the robbers down in their woods and fastnesses. But they were now +concentrated, and preparing no doubt for a raid upon the copse. + +Now if Ah Kurroo Khan were asked to fall upon them immediately, he +could destroy them in the mass, and overthrow them without difficulty. +Might he send such a message to the Khan? The assembly applauded the +fox's foresight, and away flew the starling with the message. Ah Kurroo, +only too delighted to have the opportunity of overthrowing his old enemy +Kauc, and his hated rival Ki Ki, immediately gave the order to advance +to his legions. + +Meantime the deputation, consisting of the hare, the squirrel, and +Cloctaw, waited upon Sir Bevis, who received them very courteously upon +his seat of moss under the oak. He replied that he would shoot off his +cannon-stick with the greatest pleasure, if they would show him in which +direction they expected Choo Hoo to come. So the hare, the squirrel, and +Cloctaw, with all the crowd following behind, took him to a gap in the +hedge round the copse on the western side, and pointed out to him the +way the enemy would come. + +Indeed, Sir Bevis had hardly taken his stand and seen to the priming +than the van-guard of the barbarians appeared over the tops of the +trees. They were pushing on with all speed, for it seems that the +outposts had reported to the emperor that there was a division in the +copse, and that civil war had broken out, being deceived by the attack +delivered by Ah Kurroo upon the black pretender Kauc. Up then came the +mighty host in such vast and threatening numbers that the sun was +darkened as it had been on the day of the eclipse, and the crowd behind +Sir Bevis, overwhelmed with fear, could scarce stand their ground. But +Sir Bevis, not one whit daunted, dropped upon one knee, and levelling +his cannon-stick upon the other, applied his match. The fire and smoke +and sound of the report shook the confidence of the front ranks of the +enemy; they paused and wheeled to the right and left instead of +advancing. + +In a minute Bevis had his cannon-stick charged again, and bang it went. +The second rank now turned and fell back and threw the host into +confusion; still the vast numbers behind pushed blindly on. Bevis, in a +state of excitement, now prepared for a grand effort. He filled his +cannon with powder nearly to the muzzle, he rammed it down tight, and +fearing lest it might kick and hurt him, he fixed his weapon on the +stump of an elm which had been thrown some winters since, and whose fall +had made the gap in the hedge. Then he cut a long, slender willow stick, +slit it at one end, and inserted his match in the cleft. He could thus +stand a long way back out of harm's way and ignite the priming. The +report that followed was so loud the very woods rang again, the birds +fluttered with fear, and even the fox, bold as he was, shrank back from +such a tremendous explosion. + +Quite beside themselves with panic fear, the barbarian host turned and +fled in utter confusion, nor could Choo Hoo, with all his efforts, rally +them again, for having once suffered defeat in the battle of the +eclipse, they had lost confidence. Ah Kurroo Khan, just as he had driven +in the defenders and taken Kauc's camp (though Kauc himself, like the +coward he was, escaped before the conflict began), saw the confusion and +retreat of Choo Hoo's host, and without a moment's delay hurled his +legions once more on the retiring barbarians. The greater number fled in +every direction, each only trying to save himself; but the best of Choo +Hoo's troops took refuge in their old camp. + +Ah Kurroo Khan surrounded and invested the camp, but he hesitated to +storm it, for he knew that it would entail heavy losses. He prepared to +blockade Choo Hoo with such strictness that he must eventually surrender +from sheer hunger. He despatched a starling with a message, describing +the course he had taken at once to the copse, and the starling, flying +with great speed, arrived there in a few minutes. Meanwhile the +assembly, delighted with the success which had attended Bevis's +cannonading, crowded round and overwhelmed him with their thanks. Then +when their excitement had somewhat abated, they remembered that the idea +had emanated from the fox, and it was resolved to proceed with his +coronation at once. Just then the starling arrived from the Khan. + +"Ah! yes," said Eric, the missel-thrush, who wanted Tchack-tchack to +ascend the throne of his fathers, "it is true Choo Hoo is driven back +and his camp surrounded. But do you bear in mind that Tu Kiu is not in +it. He, they say, has gone into the west and has already collected a +larger host than even Choo Hoo commanded, who are coming up as fast as +they can to avenge the Battle of the Eclipse. You must also remember +that Sir Bevis cannot be always here with his cannon-stick; he is not +often here in the morning, and who can tell that some day while he is +away Tu Kiu may not appear and, while Choo Hoo makes a sortie and +engages Ah Kurroo's attention, come on here and ravage the whole place, +destroy all our stores, and leave us without a berry or an acorn! It +seems to me that the fox has only got us into a deeper trouble than +ever, for if Choo Hoo or Tu Kiu ever does come down upon us, they will +exact a still worse vengeance for the disgrace they have suffered. The +fox has only half succeeded; he must devise something more before he can +claim our perfect confidence." + +"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly, "the missel-thrush is right. The fox +must do something more!" + +Now the fox hated the missel-thrush beyond all expression, for just as +he was, as it seemed, about to grasp the object of his ambition, the +missel-thrush always suggested some new difficulty and delayed his +triumph, but he suppressed his temper and said: "The missel-thrush is a +true patriot, and speaks with a view not to his own interest but to the +good of his country. I myself fully admit the truth of his observations; +Choo Hoo is indeed checked for a time, but there is no knowing how soon +we may hear the shout of 'Koos-takke' again. Therefore, gentlemen, I +would, with all humility, submit the following suggestion. + +"There can be no doubt but that this invasion has gone on year after +year, because the kingdom of Kapchack had become somewhat unwieldy with +numerous annexations, and could not be adequately defended. This policy +of annexation which the late government carried on for so long, bore, +indeed, upon the surface the false glitter of glory. We heard of +provinces and principalities added to the realm, and we forgot the cost. +That policy has no doubt weakened the cohesive power of the kingdom: I +need not pause here to explain to an audience of the calibre I see +before me the difference between progress and expansion, between +colonisation and violent, uncalled-for, and unjust annexation. + +"What I am now about to suggest will at once reduce taxation, fill our +impoverished treasury, secure peace, and I believe impart a lasting +stability to the state. It will enable us one and all to enjoy the +fruits of the earth. I humbly propose that a treaty be made with Choo +Hoo ('Oh! Oh!' from the missel-thrush and Tchack-tchack), that upon the +payment of an ample war indemnity--say a million nuts, two million +acorns, and five million berries, or some trifling figure like that, not +to be too exorbitant--he be permitted to withdraw ('Shame!' from +Tchack-tchack), and that the provinces torn by force and fraud by the +late government from their lawful owners be restored to them ('Which +means,' said the missel-thrush, 'that as the lawful owners are not +strong enough to protect themselves, Choo Hoo may plunder half the world +as he likes'), and that peace be proclaimed. I, for my part, would far +rather--if I be so fortunate as to be your king--I say I would far +rather rule over a contented and prosperous people than over an empire +in which the sword is never in the scabbard!" + +"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly. "We have certainly selected the +right person: this is truly wisdom. Let the treaty be concluded; and +what a feast we will have upon the war indemnity," they said to one +another. + +"It is selling our honour--making a bargain and a market of our +ancestors' courage," said the missel-thrush. + +"It is a vile infringement of my right," said Tchack-tchack; "I am +robbed of my inheritance, and the people of theirs, under a false +pretext and sham. The country will be ruined." + +"Begone," shouted the crowd, "begone, you despicable wretches," and away +flew the missel-thrush and Tchack-tchack in utter disgust and despair. + +So soon as they had gone the assembly proceeded to appoint a Commission +to negotiate the treaty of peace. It consisted of the woodpecker, the +thrush, and Cloctaw: the stoat muttered a good deal, for having been +almost the only adherent of the fox in his former lowly condition, he +expected profitable employment now his friend had obtained such dignity. +The fox, however, called him aside and whispered something which +satisfied him, and the Commission having received instructions proceeded +at once to Ah Kurroo, who was to furnish them with a flag of truce. A +company of starlings went with them to act as couriers and carry +intelligence. When the Commission reached Ah Kurroo, he declined to +open a truce with Choo Hoo, even for a moment, and presently, as the +Commission solemnly demanded obedience in the name of the fox, he +decided to go himself to the king-elect and explain the reasons--of a +purely military character--which led him to place this obstruction in +their way. + +The fox received Ah Kurroo with demonstrations of the deepest respect, +congratulated him upon his achievements, and admired the disposition he +had made of his forces so as to completely blockade the enemy. Ah +Kurroo, much pleased with this reception, and the appreciation of his +services, pointed out that Choo Hoo was now so entirely in his power, +that in a few days he would have to surrender, as provisions were +failing him. Long ere Tu Kiu could return with the relieving column the +emperor would be a captive. Ah Kurroo begged the fox not to throw away +this glorious opportunity. + +The king-elect, who had his own reasons for not desiring the Khan to +appear too victorious, listened attentively, but pointed out that it was +not so much himself, but the nation which demanded instant peace. + +"Moreover," said he in a whisper to the Khan, "don't you see, my dear +general, that if you totally destroy Choo Hoo your occupation will be +gone; we shall not require an army or a general. Now as it is my +intention to appoint you commander-in-chief for life----" + +"Say no more," said Ah Kurroo, "say no more;" then aloud: "Your royal +highness' commands shall be immediately obeyed;" and away he flew, and +gave the Commission the flag of truce. + +Choo Hoo, confined in his camp with a murmuring and mutinous soldiery, +short of provisions, and expecting every moment to see the enemy pouring +into his midst, was beyond measure delighted when he heard that peace +was proposed, indeed he could scarcely believe that any one in his +senses could offer such a thing to an army which must inevitably +surrender in a few hours. But when he heard that the fox was the +king-elect, he began to comprehend, for there were not wanting +suspicions that it was the fox who, when Choo Hoo was only a nameless +adventurer, assisted him with advice. + +The Commission, therefore, found their task easy enough so far as the +main point was concerned, that there should be peace, but when they came +to discuss the conditions it became a different matter. The fox, a born +diplomat, had instructed them to put forward the hardest conditions +first, and if they could not force these upon Choo Hoo to gradually +slacken them, little by little, till they overcame his reluctance. At +every step they sent couriers to the king-elect with precise information +of their progress. + +The negotiations lasted a very long time, quite an hour, during which +the couriers flew incessantly to and fro, and Bevis, lying on his back +on the moss under the oak, tried which could screech the loudest, +himself or the jay. Bevis would easily have won had he been able to +resist the inclination to pull the jay's tail, which made the latter +set up such a yell that everybody started, Bevis shouted with laughter, +and even the fox lost his gravity. + +Choo Hoo agreed to everything without much difficulty, except the +indemnity; he drew back at that, declaring it was too many millions, and +there was even some danger of the negotiations being broken off. But the +fox was equally firm, he insisted on it, and even added 10,000 bushels +of grain to the original demand, at which Choo Hoo nearly choked with +indignation. The object of the fox in requiring the grain was to secure +the faithful allegiance of all his lesser subjects, as the sparrows, and +indeed he regarded the indemnity as the most certain means of beginning +his reign at the height of popularity, since it would be distributed +among the nation. People could not, moreover, fail to remark the extreme +disinterestedness of the king, since of all these millions of berries, +acorns, nuts, grain, and so forth, there was not one single mouthful for +himself. Choo Hoo, as said before, full of indignation, abruptly turned +away from the Commission, and, at a loss what to do, they communicated +with the fox. + +He ordered them to inform Choo Hoo that under certain restrictions +travellers would in future be permitted access to the spring in the +copse which did not freeze in winter. The besieged emperor somewhat +relaxed the austerity of his demeanour at this; another pourparler took +place, in the midst of which the fox told the Commission to mention (as +if casually) that among others there would be a clause restoring +independence to all those princes and archdukes whose domains the late +Kapchack had annexed. Choo Hoo could scarce maintain decorum when he +heard this; he could have shouted with delight, for he saw in a moment +that it was equivalent to ceding half Kapchack's kingdom, since these +small Powers would never be able to defend themselves against his hosts. + +At the same moment, too, he was called aside, and informed that a +private messenger had arrived from the fox: it was the humble-bee, who +had slipped easily through the lines and conveyed a strong hint from the +king-elect. The fox said he had done the best he could for his brother, +the emperor, remembering their former acquaintance; now let the emperor +do his part, and between them they could rule the earth with ease. Choo +Hoo, having told the humble-bee that he quite understood, and that he +agreed to the fox's offer, dismissed him, and returned to the +Commission, whose labours were now coming to a close. + +All the clauses having been agreed to, Ess, the owl, as the most +practised in such matters, was appointed by the fox to draw up the +document in proper form for signature. While this was being done, the +king-elect proceeded to appoint his Cabinet: Sec, the stoat, was +nominated treasurer; Ah Kurroo Khan, commander-in-chief for life; Ess, +the owl, continued chief secretary of state; Cloctaw was to be grand +chamberlain; Raoul, the rat, lieutenant-governor of the coast (along the +brook and Long Pond), and so on. + +Next the weasel, having failed to present himself when summoned by the +woodpecker, was attainted as contumacious, and sentenced, with the +entire approval of the assembly, to lose all his dignities and estates; +his woods, parks, forests, and all his property were escheated to the +Crown, and were by the king handed over to his faithful follower Sec. +The weasel (whose whereabouts could not be discovered) was also +proclaimed an outlaw, whom any one might slay without fear of trial. It +was then announced that all others who absented themselves from the +court, and were not present when the treaty was signed, would be treated +as traitors, and receive the same punishment as the weasel. + +Immediately he heard this, Yiwy, son and heir of Ki Ki, the hawk, who +had fled, came and paid homage to the fox, first to save the estates +from confiscation, and secondly that he might enjoy them in his father's +place. Ki Ki was accordingly declared an outlaw. Directly afterwards, +Kauc, the crow, crept in, much crestfallen, and craved pardon, hoping to +save his property. The assembly received him with hisses and hoots: +still the fox kept his word, and permitted him to retain his estates +upon payment of an indemnity for the cost of the troops employed against +him under Ah Kurroo, of 100,000 acorns. Kauc protested that he should be +ruined: but the crowd would not hear him, and he was obliged to submit. + +Then Eric, the missel-thrush, and Prince Tchack-tchack flew up: the +prince had yielded to good advice, and resolved to smother his +resentment in order to enjoy the immense private domains of his late +parent. The protocols were now ready, and the fox had already taken the +document to sign, when there was a rush of wings, and in came six or +seven of those princes and archdukes--among them the archduke of the +peewits--to whom independence was to be restored. They loudly proclaimed +their loyalty, and begged not to be cast off: declaring that they were +quite unable to defend themselves, and should be mercilessly plundered +by the barbarian horde. The fox lifted his paw in amazement that there +should exist on the face of the earth any such poltroons as this, who +preferred to pay tribute and enjoy peace rather than endure the labour +of defending their own independence. The whole assembly cried shame upon +them, but the princes persisted, and filled the court with their +lamentations, till at a sign from the king they were hustled out of the +copse. + +The treaty itself filled so many pages of parchment that no one +attempted to read it, the owl certifying that it was all correct: an +extract, however, divested of technical expressions, was handed about +the court, and was to the following effect:-- + + +The Treaty of Windflower Copse. + +1. The high contracting parties to this treaty are and shall be, on the +one side, King Reynard CI., and on the other side, Choo Hoo the emperor. + +2. It is declared that Kapchack being dead honour is satisfied, and +further fighting superfluous. + +3. Choo Hoo agrees to pay a war indemnity of one million nuts, two +million acorns, five million berries, and ten thousand bushels of grain, +in ten equal instalments, the first instalment the day of the full moon +next before Christmas, and the remainder at intervals of a fortnight. + +4. The spring in the copse, which does not freeze in winter, is declared +free and open to all travellers, not exceeding fifty in number. + +5. The copse itself is hereby declared a neutral zone, wherein all +councils, pourparlers, parliaments, commissions, markets, fairs, +meetings, courts of justice, and one and all and every such assembly for +public or private purposes, may be and shall be held, without let or +hindrance, saving only:--(_a_) Plots against His Majesty King Reynard +CI.; (_b_) plots against His Imperial Majesty Choo Hoo. + +6. The unjust annexations of the late King Kapchack are hereby +repudiated, and all the provinces declared independent. + +7. Lastly, peace is proclaimed for ever and a day, beginning to-morrow. + +(Signed) +His Majesty King Reynard CI. +His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Choo Hoo. +B. (for Sir Bevis). +Sec, the stoat (Treasurer). +Ah Kurroo Khan (Commander-in-Chief). +Ess, the owl (Chief Secretary of State). +Cloctaw, the jackdaw (Grand Chamberlain). +Raoul, the rat (Lieutenant-Governor of the Coasts). +Phu, the starling. +Tchink, the chaffinch. +Te-te, the tomtit. +Ulu, the hare. +Eric, the missel-thrush. +Tchack-tchack, the magpie, etc., etc., etc. + + +Every one in fact signed it but the weasel, who was still lying sullenly +_perdu_. The B. was for Bevis; the fox, who excelled in the art of +paying delicate compliments, insisted upon Bevis signing next to the +high contracting parties. So taking the quill, Bevis printed a good big +B, a little staggering, but plain and legible. Directly this business +was concluded, Ah Kurroo withdrew his legions; Choo Hoo sallied forth +from the camp, and returning the way he had come, in about an hour was +met by his son Tu Kiu at the head of enormous reinforcements. Delighted +at the treaty, and the impunity they now enjoyed, the vast barbarian +horde, divided into foraging parties of from one hundred to a thousand, +spread over a tract of country thirty miles wide, rolled like a +devastating tidal wave in resistless course southwards, driving the +independent princes before them, plundering, ravaging, and destroying, +and leaving famine behind. Part of the plunder indeed, of the provinces +recently attached to Kapchack's kingdom, and now declared independent, +furnished the first instalment of the war indemnity the barbarians had +engaged to pay. + +Meantime, in the copse, preparations were made for the coronation of +the king, who had assumed, in accordance with well-known precedents, +that all his ancestors, whether acknowledged or not, had reigned, and +called himself King Reynard the Hundred and First. The procession having +been formed, and all the ceremonies completed, Bevis banged off his +cannon-stick as a salute, and the fox, taking the crown, proceeded to +put it on his head, remarking as he did so that thus they might see how +when rogues fall out honest folk come by their own. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +SIR BEVIS AND THE WIND. + + +Some two or three days after peace was concluded, it happened that one +morning the waggon was going up on the hills to bring down a load of +straw, purchased from the very old gentleman who in his anger shot King +Kapchack. When Bevis saw the horses brought out of the stable, and +learnt that they were to travel along the road that led towards the +ships (though but three miles out of the sixty), nothing would do but he +must go with them. As his papa and the bailiff were on this particular +occasion to accompany the waggon, Bevis had his own way as usual. + +The road passed not far from the copse, and Bevis heard the woodpecker +say something, but he was too busy touching up the horses with the +carter's long whip to pay any heed. If he had been permitted he would +have lashed them into a sharp trot. Every now and then Bevis turned +round to give the bailiff a sly flick with the whip; the bailiff sat at +the tail and dangled his legs over behind, so that his broad back was a +capital thing to hit. By-and-by, the carter left the highway and took +the waggon along a lane where the ruts were white with chalk, and which +wound round at the foot of the downs. Then after surmounting a steep +hill, where the lane had worn a deep hollow, they found a plain with +hills all round it, and here, close to the sward, was the straw-rick +from which they were to load. + +Bevis insisted upon building the load, that is putting the straw in its +place when it was thrown up; but in three minutes he said he hated it, +it was so hot and scratchy, so out he jumped. Then he ran a little way +up the green sward of the hill, and lying down rolled over and over to +the bottom. Next he wandered along the low hedge dividing the stubble +from the sward, so low that he could jump over it, but as he could not +find anything he came back, and at last so teased and worried his papa +to let him go up to the top of the hill, that he consented, on Bevis +promising in the most solemn manner that he would not go one single inch +beyond the summit, where there was an ancient earthwork. Bevis promised, +and his eyes looked so clear and truthful, and his cheek so rosy and +innocent, and his lips so red and pouting, that no one could choose but +believe him. + +Away he ran thirty yards up the hill at a burst, but it soon became so +steep he had to stay and climb slowly. Five minutes afterwards he began +to find it very hard work indeed, though it looked so easy from below, +and stopped to rest. He turned round and looked down; he could see over +the waggon and the straw-rick, over the ash-trees in the hedges, over +the plain (all yellow with stubble) across to the hills on the other +side, and there, through a gap in them, it seemed as if the land +suddenly ceased, or dropped down, and beyond was a dark blue expanse +which ended in the sky where the sky came down to touch it. + +By his feet was a rounded boulder-stone, brown and smooth, a hard +sarsen; this he tried to move, but it was so heavy that he could but +just stir it. But the more difficult a thing was, or the more he was +resisted, the more determined Bevis always became. He would stamp and +shout with rage, rather than let a thing alone quietly. When he did this +sometimes Pan, the spaniel, would look at him in amazement, and wonder +why he did not leave it and go on and do something else, as the world +was so big, and there were very many easy things that could be done +without any trouble. That was not Bevis's idea, however, at all; he +never quitted a thing till he had done it. And so he tugged and strained +and struggled with the stone till he got it out of its bed and on the +sloping sward. + +Then he pushed and heaved at it, till it began to roll, and giving it a +final thrust with his foot, away it went, at first rumbling and rolling +slowly, and then faster and with a thumping, till presently it bounded +and leaped ten yards at a time, and at the bottom of the hill sprang +over the hedge like a hunter, and did not stop till it had gone twenty +yards out into the stubble towards the straw-rick. Bevis laughed and +shouted, though a little disappointed that it had not smashed the +waggon, or at least jumped over it. Then, waving his hat, away he went +again, now picking up a flint to fling as far down as he could, now +kicking over a white round puff ball--always up, up, till he grew hot, +and his breath came in quick deep pants. + +But still as determined as ever, he pushed on, and presently stood on +the summit, on the edge of the fosse. He looked down; the waggon seemed +under his feet; the plain, the hills beyond, the blue distant valley on +one side, on the other the ridge he had mounted stretched away, and +beyond it still more ridges, till he could see no further. He went into +the fosse, and there it seemed so pleasant that he sat down, and in a +minute lay extended at full length in his favourite position, looking up +at the sky. It was much more blue than he had ever seen it before, and +it seemed only just over his head; the grasshoppers called in the grass +at his side, and he could hear a lark sing, singing far away, but on a +level with him. First he thought he would talk to the grasshopper, or +call to one of the swallows, but he had now got over the effort of +climbing, and he could not sit still. + +Up he jumped, ran up the rampart, and then down again into the fosse. He +liked the trench best, and ran along it in the hollow, picking up stray +flints and throwing them as far as he could. The trench wound round the +hill, and presently when he saw a low hawthorn-bush just outside the +broad green ditch, and scrambled up to it, the waggon was gone and the +plain, for he had reached the other side of the camp. There the top of +the hill was level and broad: a beautiful place for a walk. + +Bevis went a little way out upon it, and the turf was so soft, and +seemed to push up his foot so, that he must go on, and when he had got a +little farther, he heard another grasshopper, and thought he would run +and catch him; but the grasshopper, who had heard of his tricks, stopped +singing, and hid in a bunch, so that Bevis could not see him. + +Next he saw a little round hill--a curious little hill--not very much +higher than his own head, green with grass and smooth. This curious +little hill greatly pleased him; he would have liked to have had it +carried down into his garden at home; he ran up on the top of it, and +shouted at the sun, and danced round on the tumulus. A third grasshopper +called in the grass, and Bevis ran down after him, but he, too, was too +cunning; then a glossy ball of thistledown came up so silently, Bevis +did not see it till it touched him, and lingered a moment lovingly +against his shoulder. Before he could grasp it, it was gone. + +A few steps farther and he found a track crossing the hill, waggon-ruts +in the turf, and ran along it a little way--only a little way, for he +did not care for anything straight. Next he saw a mushroom, and gathered +it, and while hunting about hither and thither for another, came upon +some boulder-stones, like the one he had hurled down the slope, but very +much larger, big enough to play hide-and-seek behind. He danced round +these--Bevis could not walk--and after he had danced round every one, +and peered under and climbed over one or two, he discovered that they +were put in a circle. + +"Somebody's been at play here," thought Bevis, and looking round to see +who had been placing the stones in a ring, he saw a flock of rooks far +off in the air, even higher up than he was on the hill, wheeling about, +soaring round with outspread wings and cawing. They slipped past each +other in and out, tracing a maze, and rose up, drifting away slowly as +they rose; they were so happy, they danced in the sky. Bevis ran along +the hill in the same direction they were going, shouting and waving his +hand to them, and they cawed to him in return. + +When he looked to see where he was he was now in the midst of long +mounds or heaps of flints that had been dug and stacked; he jumped on +them, and off again, picked up the best for throwing, and flung them as +far as he could. There was a fir-copse but a little distance farther, he +went to it, but the trees grew so close together he could not go +through, so he walked round it, and then the ground declined so gently +he did not notice he was going downhill. At the bottom there was a wood +of the strangest old twisted oaks he had ever seen; not the least like +the oak-trees by his house at home that he knew so well. + +These were short, and so very knotty that even the trunks, thick as they +were, seemed all knots, and the limbs were gnarled, and shaggy with grey +lichen. He threw pieces of dead stick, which he found on the ground, up +at the acorns, but they were not yet ripe, so he wandered on among the +oaks, tapping every one he passed to see which was hollow, till +presently he had gone so far he could not see the hills for the boughs. + +But just as he was thinking he would ask a bee to show him the way out +(for there was not a single bird in the wood), he came to a place where +the oaks were thinner, and the space between them was covered with +bramble-bushes. Some of the blackberries were ripe, and his lips were +soon stained with their juice. Passing on from bramble-thicket to +bramble-thicket, by-and-by he shouted, and danced, and clapped his hands +with joy, for there were some nuts on a hazel bough, and they were ripe +he was sure, for the side towards the sun was rosy. He knew that nuts do +not get brown first, but often turn red towards the south. Out came his +pocket-knife, and with seven tremendous slashes, for Bevis could not do +anything steadily, off came a branch with a crook. He crooked down the +bough and gathered the nuts, there were eight on that bough, and on the +next four, and on the next only two. But there was another stole beyond, +from which, in a minute, he had twenty more, and then as he could not +stay to crack them, he crammed them into his pocket and ceased to +reckon. + +"I will take fifty up to the squirrel," he said to himself, "and the +nut-crackers, and show him how to do it properly with some salt." So he +tugged at the boughs, and dragged them down, and went on from stole to +stole till he had roamed into the depths of the nut-tree wood. + +Then, as he stopped a second to step over a little streamlet that oozed +along at his feet, all at once he became aware how still it was. No +birds sang, and no jay called; no woodpecker chuckled; there was not +even a robin; nor had he seen a rabbit, or a squirrel, or a dragon-fly, +or any of his friends. Already the outer rim of some of the hazel leaves +was brown, while the centre of the leaf remained green, but there was +not even the rustle of a leaf as it fell. The larks were not here, nor +the swallows, nor the rooks; the streamlet at his feet went on without a +murmur; and the breeze did not come down into the hollow. Except for a +bee, whose buzz seemed quite loud as he flew by, there was not a moving +thing. Bevis was alone; he had never before been so utterly alone, and +he stopped humming the old tune the brook had taught him, to listen. + +He lifted his crook and struck the water; it splashed, but in a second +it was still again. He flung a dead branch into a tree; it cracked as it +hit a bough, on which the leaves rustled; then it fell thump, and lay +still and quiet. He stamped on the ground, the grass gave no sound. He +shouted "Holloa!" but there was no echo. His voice seemed to slip away +from him, he could not shout so loud as he had been accustomed to. For a +minute he liked it; then he began to think it was not so pleasant; then +he wanted to get out, but he could not see the hill, so he did not know +which way to go. + +So he stroked a knotted oak with his hand, smoothing it down, and said: +"Oak, oak, tell me which way to go!" and the oak tried to speak, but +there was no wind, and he could not, but he dropped just one leaf on +the right side, and Bevis picked it up, and as he did so, a nut-tree +bough brushed his cheek. + +He kissed the bough, and said: "Nut-tree bough, nut-tree bough, tell me +the way to go!" The bough could not speak for the same reason that the +oak could not; but it bent down towards the streamlet. Bevis dropped on +one knee and lifted up a little water in the hollow of his hand, and +drank it, and asked which way to go. + +The stream could not speak because there was no stone to splash against, +but it sparkled in the sunshine (as Bevis had pushed the bough aside), +and looked so pleasant that he followed it a little way, and then he +came to an open place with twisted old oaks, gnarled and knotted, where +a blue butterfly was playing. + +"Show me the way out, you beautiful creature," said Bevis. + +"So I will, Bevis dear," said the butterfly. "I have just come from your +waggon, and your papa and the bailiff have been calling to you, and I +think they will soon be coming back to look for you. Follow me, my +darling." + +So Bevis followed the little blue butterfly, who danced along as +straight as it was possible for him to go, for he, like Bevis, did not +like too much straightness. Now the oak knew the butterfly was there, +and that was why he dropped his leaf; and so did the nut-tree bough, and +that was why he drooped and let the sun sparkle on the water, and the +stream smiled to make Bevis follow him to where the butterfly was +playing. Without pausing anywhere, but just zig-zagging on, the blue +butterfly floated before Bevis, who danced after him, the nuts falling +from his crammed pockets; knocking every oak as he went with his stick, +asking them if they knew anything, or had anything to tell the people in +the copse near his house. The oaks were bursting with things to tell +him, and messages to send, but they could not speak, as there was no +breeze in the hollow. He whipped the bramble bushes with his crook, but +they did not mind in the least, they were so glad to see him. + +He whistled to the butterfly to stop a moment while he picked a +blackberry; the butterfly settled on a leaf. Then away they went again +together till they left the wood behind and began to go up the hill. +There the butterfly grew restless, and could scarce restrain his pace +for Bevis to keep up, as they were now in the sunshine. Bevis raced +after as fast as he could go uphill, but at the top the butterfly +thought he saw a friend of his, and telling Bevis that somebody would +come to him in a minute, away he flew. Bevis looked round, but it was +all strange and new to him; there were hills all round, but there was no +waggon, and no old trench or rampart; nothing but the blue sky and the +great sun, which did not seem far off. + +While he wondered which way to go, the wind came along the ridge, and +taking him softly by the ear pushed him gently forward and said: "Bevis, +my love, I have been waiting for you ever so long; why did you not come +before?" + +"Because you never asked me," said Bevis. + +"Oh yes, I did; I asked you twenty times in the copse. I beckoned to you +out of the great oak, under which you went to sleep; and I whispered to +you from the fir-trees where the squirrel played, but you were so busy, +dear, so busy with Kapchack, and the war, and Choo Hoo, and the court, +and all the turmoil, that you did not hear me." + +"You should have called louder," said Bevis. + +"So I did," said the wind. "Don't you remember I whirled the little +bough against your window, and rattled the casement that night you saw +the owl go by?" + +"I was so sleepy," said Bevis, "I did not know what you meant; you +should have kissed me." + +"So I did," said the wind. "I kissed you a hundred times out in the +field, and stroked your hair, but you would not take any notice." + +"I had so much to do," said Bevis; "there was the weasel and my +cannon-stick." + +"But I wanted you very much," said the wind, "because I love you, and +longed for you to come and visit me." + +"Well, now I am come," said Bevis. "But where do you live?" + +"This is where I live, dear," said the wind. "I live upon the hill; +sometimes I go to the sea, and sometimes to the woods, and sometimes I +run through the valley, but I always come back here, and you may always +be sure of finding me here; and I want you to come and romp with me." + +"I will come," said Bevis; "I like a romp, but are you very rough?" + +"Oh no, dear; not with you." + +"I am a great big boy," said Bevis; "I am eating my peck of salt very +fast: I shall soon get too big to romp with you. How old are you, you +jolly Wind?" + +The wind laughed and said: "I am older than all the very old things. I +am as old as the brook." + +"But the brook is very old," said Bevis. "He told me he was older than +the hills, so I do not think you are as old as he is." + +"Yes I am," said the wind; "he was always my playfellow; we were +children together." + +"If you are so very, very old," said Bevis, "it is no use your trying to +romp with me, because I am very strong; I can carry my papa's gun on my +shoulder, and I can run very fast; do you know the stupid old bailiff +can't catch me? I can go round the ricks ever so much quicker than he +can." + +"I can run quick," said the wind. + +"But not so quick as me," said Bevis; "now see if you can catch me." + +Away he ran, and for a moment he left the wind behind; but the wind blew +a little faster, and overtook him, and they raced along together, like +two wild things, till Bevis began to pant. Then down he sat on the turf +and kicked up his heels and shouted, and the wind fanned his cheek and +cooled him, and kissed his lips and stroked his hair, and caressed him +and played with him, till up he jumped again and danced along, the wind +always pushing him gently. + +"You are a jolly old Wind," said Bevis, "I like you very much; but you +must tell me a story, else we shall quarrel. I'm sure we shall." + +"I will try," said the wind; "but I have forgotten all my stories, +because the people never come to listen to me now." + +"Why don't they come?" said Bevis. + +"They are too busy," said the wind, sighing; "they are so very, very +busy, just like you were with Kapchack and his treasure and the war, and +all the rest of the business; they have so much to do, they have quite +forsaken me." + +"I will come to you," said Bevis; "do not be sorry. I will come and play +with you." + +"Yes, do," said the wind; "and drink me, dear, as much as ever you can. +I shall make you strong. Now drink me." + +Bevis stood still and drew in a long, long breath, drinking the wind +till his chest was full and his heart beat quicker. Then he jumped and +danced and shouted. + +"There," said the wind, "see, how jolly I have made you. It was I who +made you dance and sing, and run along the hill just now. Come up here, +my darling Sir Bevis, and drink me as often as ever you can, and the +more you drink of me the happier you will be, and the longer you will +live. And people will look at you and say: 'How jolly he looks! Is he +not nice? I wish I was like him.' And presently they will say: 'Where +does he learn all these things?' + +"For you must know, Bevis, my dear, that although I have forgotten my +stories, yet they are all still there in my mind, and by-and-by, if you +keep on drinking me I shall tell you all of them, and nobody will know +how you learn it all. For I know more than the brook, because, you see, +I travel about everywhere: and I know more than the trees; indeed, all +they know I taught them myself. The sun is always telling me everything, +and the stars whisper to me at night: the ocean roars at me: the earth +whispers to me: just you lie down, Bevis love, upon the ground and +listen." + +So Bevis lay down on the grass, and heard the wind whispering in the +tufts and bunches, and the earth under him answered, and asked the wind +to stay and talk. But the wind said: "I have got Bevis to-day: come on, +Bevis," and Bevis stood up and walked along. + +"Besides all these things," said the wind, "I can remember everything +that ever was. There never was anything that I cannot remember, and my +mind is so clear that if you will but come up here and drink me, you +will understand everything." + +"Well then," said Bevis, "I will drink you--there, I have just had such +a lot of you: now tell me this instant why the sun is up there, and is +he very hot if you touch him, and which way does he go when he sinks +beyond the wood, and who lives up there, and are they nice people, and +who painted the sky?" + +The wind laughed aloud, and said: "Bevis, my darling, you have not drunk +half enough of me yet, else you would never ask such silly questions as +that. Why, those are like the silly questions the people ask who live in +the houses of the cities, and never feel me or taste me, or speak to me. +And I have seen them looking through long tubes----" + +"I know," said Bevis; "they are telescopes, and you look at the sun and +the stars, and they tell you all about them." + +"Pooh!" said the wind, "don't you believe such stuff and rubbish, my +pet. How can they know anything about the sun who are never out in the +sunshine, and never come up on the hills, or go into the wood? How can +they know anything about the stars who never stopped on the hills, or on +the sea all night? How can they know anything of such things who are +shut up in houses, dear, where I cannot come in? + +"Bevis, my love, if you want to know all about the sun, and the stars, +and everything, make haste and come to me, and I will tell you, dear. In +the morning, dear, get up as quick as you can, and drink me as I come +down from the hill. In the day go up on the hill, dear, and drink me +again, and stay there if you can till the stars shine out, and drink +still more of me. + +"And by-and-by you will understand all about the sun, and the moon, and +the stars, and the earth which is so beautiful, Bevis. It is so +beautiful, you can hardly believe how beautiful it is. Do not listen, +dear, not for one moment, to the stuff and rubbish they tell you down +there in the houses where they will not let me come. If they say the +earth is not beautiful, tell them they do not speak the truth. But it is +not their fault, for they have never seen it, and as they have never +drank me their eyes are closed, and their ears shut up tight. But every +evening, dear, before you get into bed, do you go to your window--the +same as you did the evening the owl went by--and lift the curtain and +look up at the sky, and I shall be somewhere about, or else I shall be +quiet in order that there may be no clouds, so that you may see the +stars. In the morning, as I said before, rush out and drink me up. + +"The more you drink of me, the more you will want, and the more I shall +love you. Come up to me upon the hills, and your heart will never be +heavy, but your eyes will be bright, and your step quick, and you will +sing and shout----" + +"So I will," said Bevis, "I will shout. Holloa!" and he ran up on to the +top of the little round hill, to which they had now returned, and danced +about on it as wild as could be. + +"Dance away, dear," said the wind, much delighted. "Everybody dances who +drinks me. The man in the hill there----" + +"What man?" said Bevis, "and how did he get in the hill? just tell him I +want to speak to him." + +"Darling," said the wind, very quiet and softly, "he is dead, and he is +in the little hill you are standing on, under your feet. At least, he +was there once, but there is nothing of him there now. Still it is his +place, and as he loved me, and I loved him, I come very often and sing +here." + +"When did he die?" said Bevis. "Did I ever see him?" + +"He died about a minute ago, dear; just before you came up the hill. If +you were to ask the people who live in the houses, where they will not +let me in (they carefully shut out the sun too), they would tell you he +died thousands of years ago; but they are foolish, very foolish. It was +hardly so long ago as yesterday. Did not the brook tell you all about +that? + +"Now this man, and all his people, used to love me and drink me, as much +as ever they could all day long and a great part of the night, and when +they died they still wanted to be with me, and so they were all buried +on the tops of the hills, and you will find these curious little mounds +everywhere on the ridges, dear, where I blow along. There I come to them +still, and sing through the long dry grass, and rush over the turf, and +I bring the scent of the clover from the plain, and the bees come +humming along upon me. The sun comes too, and the rain. But I am here +most; the sun only shines by day, and the rain only comes now and then. + +"But I am always here, day and night, winter and summer. Drink me as +much as you will, you cannot drink me away; there is always just as much +of me left. As I told you, the people who were buried in these little +mounds used to drink me, and oh! how they raced along the turf, dear; +there is nobody can run so fast now; and they leaped and danced, and +sang and shouted. I loved them as I love you, my darling; there, sit +down and rest on the thyme, dear, and I will stroke your hair and sing +to you." + +So Bevis sat down on the thyme, and the wind began to sing, so low and +sweet and so strange an old song, that he closed his eyes and leaned on +his arm on the turf. There were no words to the song, but Bevis +understood it all, and it made him feel so happy. The great sun smiled +upon him, the great earth bore him in her arms gently, the wind caressed +him, singing all the while. Now Bevis knew what the wind meant; he felt +with his soul out to the far-distant sun just as easily as he could feel +with his hand to the bunch of grass beside him; he felt with his soul +down through into the earth just as easily as he could touch the sward +with his fingers. Something seemed to come to him out of the sunshine +and the grass. + +"There never was a yesterday," whispered the wind presently, "and there +never will be to-morrow. It is all one long to-day. When the man in the +hill was you were too, and he still is now you are here; but of these +things you will know when you are older, that is if you will only +continue to drink me. Come, dear, let us race on again." So the two went +on and came to a hawthorn-bush, and Bevis, full of mischief always, +tried to slip away from the wind round the bush, but the wind laughed +and caught him. + +A little farther and they came to the fosse of the old camp. Bevis went +down into the trench, and he and the wind raced round along it as fast +as ever they could go, till presently he ran up out of it on the hill, +and there was the waggon underneath him, with the load well piled up +now. There was the plain, yellow with stubble; the hills beyond it and +the blue valley, just the same as he had left it. + +As Bevis stood and looked down, the wind caressed him, and said: +"Good-bye, darling, I am going yonder, straight across to the blue +valley and the blue sky, where they meet; but I shall be back again when +you come next time. Now remember, my dear, to drink me--come up here and +drink me." + +"Shall you be here?" said Bevis, "are you quite sure you will be here?" + +"Yes," said the wind, "I shall be quite certain to be here; I promise +you, love, I will never go quite away. Promise me faithfully, too, that +you will come up and drink me, and shout and race and be happy." + +"I promise," said Bevis, beginning to go down the hill; "good-bye, jolly +old Wind." + +"Good-bye, dearest," whispered the wind, as he went across out towards +the valley. As Bevis went down the hill, a blue harebell, who had been +singing farewell to summer all the morning, called to him and asked him +to gather her and carry her home as she would rather go with him than +stay now autumn was near. + +Bevis gathered the harebell, and ran with the flower in his hand down +the hill, and as he ran the wild thyme kissed his feet and said: "Come +again, Bevis, come again". At the bottom of the hill the waggon was +loaded now; so they lifted him up, and he rode home on the broad back of +the leader. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD MAGIC*** + + +******* This file should be named 25299-8.txt or 25299-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/2/9/25299 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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