[The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit]@TWC D-Link book
The Phoenix and the Carpet

CHAPTER 9
18/30

Nobody ever believes it.

Couldn't we take him somewhere else ?' Jane clapped her hands.
'The sunny southern shore!' she cried, 'where the cook is being queen.
He and she would be company for each other!' And really the idea did not seem bad, if only he would consent to go.
So, all talking at once, the children arranged to wait till evening, and then to seek the dear burglar in his lonely cell.
Meantime Jane and Anthea darned away as hard as they could, to make the carpet as strong as possible.

For all felt how terrible it would be if the precious burglar, while being carried to the sunny southern shore, were to tumble through a hole in the carpet, and be lost for ever in the sunny southern sea.
The servants were tired after Mrs Wigson's party, so every one went to bed early, and when the Phoenix reported that both servants were snoring in a heartfelt and candid manner, the children got up--they had never undressed; just putting their nightgowns on over their things had been enough to deceive Eliza when she came to turn out the gas.

So they were ready for anything, and they stood on the carpet and said-- 'I wish we were in our burglar's lonely cell.' and instantly they were.
I think every one had expected the cell to be the 'deepest dungeon below the castle moat'.

I am sure no one had doubted that the burglar, chained by heavy fetters to a ring in the damp stone wall, would be tossing uneasily on a bed of straw, with a pitcher of water and a mouldering crust, untasted, beside him.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books