第36部分(第6/7 頁)

imself。　He　must；　he　must　be　himself。

〃Look　at　the　silly　blue…caps；　my　beauty；〃　she　crooned；

holding　up　the　infant　to　the　window；　where　shone　the　white

garden；　and　the　blue…tits　scuffling　in　the　snow：　〃Look　at　the

silly　blue…caps；　my　darling；　having　a　fight　in　the　snow！　Look　at

them；　my　bird……beating　the　snow　about　with　their　wings；　and

shaking　their　heads。　Oh；　aren't　they　wicked　things；　wicked

things！　Look　at　their　yellow　feathers　on　the　snow　there！　They'll

miss　them；　won't　they；　when　they're　cold　later　on。

〃Must　we　tell　them　to　stop；　must　we　say　'stop　it'　to　them；　my

bird？　But　they　are　naughty；　naughty！　Look　at　them！〃　Suddenly　her

voice　broke　loud　and　fierce；　she　rapped　the　pane　sharply。

〃Stop　it；〃　she　cried；　〃stop　it；　you　little　nuisances。　Stop

it！〃　She　called　louder；　and　rapped　the　pane　more　sharply。　Her

voice　was　fierce　and　imperative。

〃Have　more　sense；〃　she　cried。

〃There；　now　they're　gone。　Where　have　they　gone；　the　silly

things？　What　will　they　say　to　each　other？　What　will　they　say；　my

lambkin？　They'll　forget；　won't　they；　they'll　forget　all　about

it；　out　of　their　silly　little　heads；　and　their　blue　caps。〃

After　a　moment；　she　turned　her　bright　face　to　her

husband。

〃They　were　really　fighting；　they　were　really　fierce

with　each　other！〃　she　said；　her　voice　keen　with　excitement　and

wonder；　as　if　she　belonged　to　the　birds'　world；　were　identified

with　the　race　of　birds。

〃Ay；　they'll　fight；　will　blue…caps；〃　he　said；　glad　when　she

turned　to　him　with　her　glow　from　elsewhere。　He　came　and　stood

beside　her　and　looked　out　at　the　marks　on　the　snow　where　the

birds　had　scuffled；　and　at