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rushed upon her from the forest。 No doubt she had courted her fate； but
Abbleway had no wish to see a human being torn to pieces and devoured
before his eyes。
When he looked at last a new sensation of scandalised astonishment
took possession of him。 He had been straitly brought up in a small
English town； and he was not prepared to be the witness of a miracle。
The wolves were not doing anything worse to the woman than drench
her with snow as they gambolled round her。
A short； joyous bark revealed the clue to the situation。
〃Are those … dogs？〃 he called weakly。
〃My cousin Karl's dogs； yes；〃 she answered； that is his inn； over
beyond the trees。 I knew it was there； but I did not want to take you
there； he is always grasping with strangers。 However； it grows too cold
to remain in the train。 Ah； ah； see what comes！〃
A whistle sounded； and a relief engine made its appearance； snorting
its way sulkily through the snow。 Abbleway did not have the
opportunity for finding out whether Karl was really avaricious。
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THE LUMBER ROOM
THE children were to be driven； as a special treat； to the sands at
Jagborough。 Nicholas was not to be of the party； he was in disgrace。
Only that morning he had refused to eat his wholesome bread…and…milk
on the seemingly frivolous ground that there was a frog in it。 Older
and wiser and better people had told him that there could not possibly be
a frog in his bread…and…milk and that he was not to talk nonsense； he
continued； nevertheless； to talk what seemed the veriest nonsense； and
described with much detail the colouration and markings of the alleged
frog。 The dramatic part of the incident was that there really was a frog
in Nicholas' basin of bread…and…milk； he had put it there himself； so he
felt entitled to know something about it。 The sin of taking a frog from
the garden and putting it into a bowl of wholesome bread…and…milk was
enlarged on at great length； but the fact that stood out clearest in the
whole affair； as it presented itself to the mind of Nicholas； was that the
older； wiser； and better people had been proved to be profoundly in error
in matters about which they had expressed the utmost assurance。
〃You said there couldn't possibly be a frog in my bread…and…milk；
there WAS a frog in my bread…and…milk；〃 he repeated； with the
insistence of a skilled tactician who does not intend to shift from
favourable ground。
So his boy…cousin and girl…cousin and his quite uninteresting
younger brother were to be taken to Jagborough sands that afternoon and
he was to stay at home。 His cousins' aunt； who insisted； by an
unwarranted stretch of imagination； in styling herself his aunt also； had
hastily invented the Jagborough expedition in order to impress on
Nicholas the delights that he had justly forfeited by his disgraceful
conduct at the breakfast… table。 It was her habit； whenever one of the
children fell from grace； to improvise something of a festival nature
from which the offender would be rigorously debarred； if all the children
sinned collectively they were suddenly informed of a circus in a
neighbouring town； a circus of unrivalled merit and uncounted
elephants； to which； but for their depravity； they would have been taken
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that very day。
A few decent tears were looked for on the part of Nicholas when the
moment for the departure of the expedition arrived。 As a matter of fact；
however； all the crying was done by his girl…cousin； who scraped her
knee rather painfully against the step of the carriage as she was
scrambling in。
〃How she did howl；〃 said Nicholas cheerfully； as the party drove off
without any of the elation of high spirits that should have characterised
it。
〃She'll soon get over that；〃 said the SOI…DISANT aunt； 〃it will be a
glorious afternoon for racing about over those beautiful sands。 How
they will enjoy themselves！〃
〃Bobby won't enjoy himself much； and he won't race much either；〃
said Nicholas with a grim chuckle； his boots are hurting him。 They're
too tight。〃
〃Why didn't he tell me they were hurting？〃 asked the aunt with some
asperity。
〃He told you twice； but you weren't listening。 You often don't listen
when we tell you important things。〃
〃You are not to go into the gooseberry garden；〃 said the aunt；
changing the subject。
〃Why not？〃 demanded Nicholas。
〃Because you are in disgrace；〃 said the aunt loftily。
Nicholas did not admit the flawlessness of the reasoning； he felt
perfectly capable of being in disgrace and in a gooseberry garden at the
same moment。 His face took on an expression of considerable
obstinacy。 It was clear to his aunt that he was determined to get into
the gooseberry garden； 〃only；〃 as she remarked to herself； 〃because I
have told him he is not to。〃
Now the gooseberry garden had two doors by which it might be
entered； and once a small person like Nicholas could slip in there he
could effectually disappear from view amid the masking growth of
artichokes； raspberry canes； and fruit bushes。 The aunt had many other
things to do that afternoon； but she spent an hour or two in trivial
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gardening operations among flower beds and shrubberies； whence she
could keep a watchful eye on the two doors that led to the forbidden
paradise。 She was a woman of few ideas； with immense powers of
concentration。
Nicholas made one or two sorties into the front garden； wriggling his
way with obvious stealth of purpose towards one or other of the doors；
but never able for a moment to evade the aunt's watchful eye。 As a
matter of fact； he had no intention of trying to get into the gooseberry
garden； but it was extremely convenient for him that his aunt should
believe that he had； it was a belief that would keep her on self…imposed
sentry…duty for the greater part of the afternoon。 Having thoroughly
confirmed and fortified her suspicions Nicholas slipped back into the
house and rapidly put into execution a plan of action that had long
germinated in his brain。 By standing on a chair in the library one could
reach a shelf on which reposed a fat； important…looking key。 The key
was as important as it looked； it was the instrument which kept the
mysteries of the lumber…room secure from unauthorised intrusion； which
opened a way only for aunts and such…like privileged persons。
Nicholas had not had much experience of the art of fitting keys into
keyholes and turning locks； but for some days past he had practised
with the key of the schoolroom door； he did not believe in trusting too
much to luck and accident。 The key turned stiffly in the lock； but it
turned。 The door opened； and Nicholas was in an unknown land；
compared