A Prisoner in Fairyland (The Book That 'Uncle Paul' Wrote)Blackwood, Algernon
Science
A Prisoner in Fairyland (The Book That 'Uncle Paul' Wrote)
Blackwood, Algernon
Magic -- Fiction; Voyages and travels -- Fiction
The figure of Jimbo shot round the corner, dancing into view. He waved
a bit of yellow paper in his hand. A curious pang tore its way into
the big man's heart as he saw him--a curious, deep, searching pain
that yet left joy all along its trail. Positively moisture dimmed his
eyes a second.
But Jimbo belonged to some one else.
Daddy's wumbled head projected instantly again from the window
beneath.
'A box?' he asked, equally excited. 'A box from Scotland? Why, we had
one only last month. Bless their hearts! How little they know what
help and happiness. ... 'The rest of the sentence disappeared with the
head; and a moment later Jimbo was heard scampering up the stairs.
Both men went out to meet him.
The little boy was breathless with excitement, yet the spirit of the
man of affairs worked strongly in him. He deliberately suppressed
hysterics. He spoke calmly as might be, both hands in his trouser-
pockets beneath the blouse of blue cotton that stuck out like a ballet
skirt all round. The belt had slipped down. His eyes were never still.
He pulled one hand out, holding the crumpled paper up for inspection.
'It's a _paquet_,' he said, '_comme ca._' He used French and English
mixed, putting the latter in for his cousin's benefit. He had little
considerate ways like that. It's coming from Scotland, _et puis ca
pese soixante-quinze kilos_. Oh, it's big. It's enormous. The last one
weighed,' he hesitated, forgetful, 'much, much less,' he finished. He
paused, looking like a man who has solved a problem by stating it.
'One hundred and fifty pounds,' exclaimed his father, just as eager as
the boy. 'Let me look,' and he held his hand out for the advice from
the railway. 'What _can_ be in it?'
'Something for everybody,' said Jimbo decidedly. 'All the village
knows it. It will come by the two o'clock train from Bale, you know.'
He gave up the paper unwillingly. It was his badge of office. 'That's
the paper about it,' he added again.
Daddy read out slowly the advice of consignment, with dates and
weights and address of sender and recipient, while Jimbo corrected the
least mistake. He knew it absolutely by heart.
'There'll be dresses and boots for the girls this time,' he announced,
'and something big enough for Mother to wear, too. You can tell---'
'How can you tell?' asked Daddy, laughing slyly, immensely pleased
about it all.
'Oh, by the weight of the _paquet, comme ca_,' was the reply. 'It
weighs 75 kilos. That means there must be something for Mummy in it.'
The author turned towards his cousin, hiding his smile. 'It's a box of
clothes,' he explained, 'from my cousins in Scotland, Lady X you know,
and her family. Things they give away--usually to their maids and
what-not. Awfully good of them, isn't it? They pay the carriage too,'
he added. It was an immense relief to him.
'Things they can't wear,' put in Jimbo, 'but _very_ good things--
suits, blouses, shirts, collars, boots, gloves, and--oh, _toute sorte
de choses comme ca_.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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