第58章

"Is the Warden supposed to be dead?"

"Well, it's supposed so: but, mind you, I don't believe it!

The evidence is very weak--mere hear-say.A wandering Jester, with a Dancing-Bear (they found their way into the Palace, one day) has been telling people he comes from Fairyland, and that the Warden died there.

I wanted the Vice-Warden to question him, but, most unluckily, he and my Lady were always out walking when the Jester came round.Yes, the Warden's supposed to be dead!" And more tears trickled down the old man's cheeks.

"But what is the new Money-Act?"

The Professor brightened up again."The Emperor started the thing,"he said."He wanted to make everybody in Outland twice as rich as he was before just to make the new Government popular.Only there wasn't nearly enough money in the Treasury to do it.So I suggested that he might do it by doubling the value of every coin and bank-note in Outland.It's the simplest thing possible.I wonder nobody ever thought of it before! And you never saw such universal joy.

The shops are full from morning to night.Everybody's buying everything!""And how was the glorifying done?"

A sudden gloom overcast the Professor's jolly face."They did it as Iwent home after the Election," he mournfully replied."It was kindly meant but I didn't like it! They waved flags all round me till I was nearly blind: and they rang bells till I was nearly deaf: and they strewed the road so thick with flowers that I lost my way!" And the poor old man sighed deeply.

"How far is it to Outland?" I asked, to change the subject.

"About five days' march.But one must go back--occasionally.You see, as Court-Professor, I have to be always in attendance on Prince Uggug.

The Empress would be very angry if I left him, even for an hour.""But surely, every time you come here, you are absent ten days, at least?""Oh, more than that!" the Professor exclaimed."A fortnight, sometimes.

But of course I keep a memorandum of the exact time when I started, so that I can put the Court-time back to the very moment!""Excuse me," I said."I don't understand."

Silently the Professor drew front his pocket a square gold watch, with six or eight hands, and held it out for my inspection.

"This," he began, "is an Outlandish Watch--"

"So I should have thought."

"--which has the peculiar property that, instead of its going with the time, the time goes with it.I trust you understand me now?""Hardly," I said.

"Permit me to explain.So long as it is let alone, it takes its own course.Time has no effect upon it.""I have known such watches," I remarked.

"It goes, of course, at the usual rate.Only the time has to go with it.

Hence, if I move the hands, I change the time.To move them forwards, in advance of the true time, is impossible: but I can move them as much as a month backwards---that is the limit.And then you have the events all over again--with any alterations experience may suggest.""What a blessing such a watch would be," I thought, "in real life!

To be able to unsay some heedless word--to undo some reckless deed!

Might I see the thing done?"

"With pleasure!" said the good natured Professor."When I move this hand back to here," pointing out the place, "History goes back fifteen minutes!"Trembling with excitement, I watched him push the hand round as he described.

"Hurted mine self welly much!"

Shrilly and suddenly the words rang in my ears, and, more startled than I cared to show, I turned to look for the speaker.

Yes! There was Bruno, standing with the tears running down his cheeks, just as I had seen him a quarter of an hour ago; and there was Sylvie with her arms round his neck!

I had not the heart to make the dear little fellow go through his troubles a second time, so hastily begged the Professor to push the hands round into their former position.In a moment Sylvie and Bruno were gone again, and I could just see them in the far distance, picking 'dindledums.'

"Wonderful, indeed!" I exclaimed.

"It has another property, yet more wonderful," said the Professor.

"You see this little peg? That is called the 'Reversal Peg.' If you push it in, the events of the next hour happen in the reverse order.

Do not try it now.I will lend you the Watch for a few days, and you can amuse yourself with experiments.""Thank you very much!" I said as he gave me the Watch."I'll take the greatest care of it--why, here are the children again!""We could only but find six dindledums," said Bruno, putting them into my hands, "'cause Sylvie said it were time to go back.And here's a big blackberry for ooself! We couldn't only find but two!""Thank you: it's very nice," I said.And I suppose you ate the other, Bruno?""No, I didn't," Bruno said, carelessly."Aren't they pretty dindledums, Mister Sir?""Yes, very: but what makes you limp so, my child?""Mine foot's come hurted again!" Bruno mournfully replied.And he sat down on the ground, and began nursing it.

The Professor held his head between his hands--an attitude that I knew indicated distraction of mind."Better rest a minute," he said.

"It may be better then--or it may be worse.If only I had some of my medicines here! I'm Court-Physician, you know," he added, aside to me.

"Shall I go and get you some blackberries, darling?" Sylvie whispered, with her arms round his neck; and she kissed away a tear that was trickling down his cheek.

Bruno brightened up in a moment."That are a good plan!" he exclaimed.

"I thinks my foot would come quite unhurted, if I eated a blackberry--two or three blackberries--six or seven blackberries--"Sylvie got up hastily."I'd better go she said, aside to me, before he gets into the double figures!

Let me come and help you, I said.I can reach higher up than you can.

Yes, please, said Sylvie, putting her hand into mine: and we walked off together.

Bruno loves blackberries, she said, as we paced slowly along by a tall hedge, that looked a promising place for them, and it was so sweet of him to make me eat the only one!

Oh, it was you that ate it, then? Bruno didn't seem to like to tell me about it.