‘Then I don’t believe you really came at all! ‘ Sambo blurted out — to which his sister made no reply of any kind, because clearly she had no idea what he was talking about. Then he added under his breath, saying it to himself: ‘ It doesn’t matter a bit. I went anyhow! And that’s certain!’
‘I went, too,’ squeaked a tiny voice close to his ear.
It was Snitch’s voice. It startled him. ‘ I’ve been on your coat collar ever since you left the house,’ the voice went on. It ran up and tickled his neck to prove it, then ran back again into hiding. ‘ Drop behind,’ added the lizard, ‘ so that we can talk without being heard.’
Sambo instantly stooped down to tie his boot-lace, while Nannie and Topsy walked on ahead.
‘Dear Snitch,’ he began at once,’ I want to ask you something very important, please.’
‘Unimportant things, anyhow, aren’t worth asking,’ mentioned the lizard. ‘ Quick, now, for I want my dinner.’
‘Did Topsy come with us last night? ‘ asked the boy.
Snitch laughed. ‘ If she did,’ came the answer,’ she’d never stop talking about it. She’d tell everybody in the house. Females always divulge, as I’ve already warned you.’
‘Oh! ‘ cried Sambo,’ then you’ve made her forget it on purpose!’
Snitch made no comment.
‘But I went, didn’t I? ‘ he went on excitedly. ‘ I didn’t just dream it all, I mean?’
For a moment there was no reply. He felt Snitch run up over his neck and wriggle into the hollow of his ear. The tiny feet and forked tongue tickled him.
‘You enjoyed yourself, didn’t you? ‘ the little creature whispered.
‘Rather! ‘ shouted the boy — so loud that Nannie turned and came towards him.
‘Then just remember it and be glad,’ Snitch told him. ‘ That’s quite enough. Never bother happiness with questions. Now, good-bye, I’m off to catch my dinner.’
And a second later, when Nannie came up, the lizard had vanished into thin air.
CHAPTER XII
ONE result of Sambo’s strange friendship with his little saurian was that he showed signs of changing. He began to notice things for himself. Topsy was still too young to alter. Balls may look rounder some days than others, but they’re really always the same until someone pricks them, when they become just pieces of flattened india-rubber. No one pricked Topsy, however, so she remained the tight round little ball she always had been. With Sambo it was different.
His parents sat in the garden one day and talked about him. They little guessed that all they said was overheard.
‘The boy’s developing fast,’ remarked Father in a pleased voice, as though the improvement were due to himself. ‘ He’s beginning to notice things out of doors—’
‘What sort of things? ‘ interrupted Mother, a little alarmed.
‘Oh, insects and things — bees, spiders, flies and all that. He’s always asking me questions I can’t answer, especially about lizards. He knows a lot about lizards already. I can’t think where he picks it up.’
‘Probably he just makes it up,’ suggested Mother. But Father disagreed. ‘ No,’ he said emphatically, ‘ because it’s accurate. Besides, he never wants to kill a thing now the moment he sees it. He’d rather watch it.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Mother,’ that is queer. So unlike a boy. I hope Nannie isn’t filling his head with nonsense!’
‘No fear,’ laughed Father. ‘ Why, Nannie doesn’t know the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. She certainly knows nothing about lizards.’
‘She understands children,’ Mother defended her.
‘Children, my dear, are not insects or reptiles — at least, our children aren’t.’ And then he added: ‘ I’m glad to see this in the boy. It may mean he’s going to be a naturalist. And that’s a healthy out-of-door life, I always think.’
This conversation took place on the seat in the rose-garden, and Snitch, who was always where you least expected her, was lying comfortably along the leg of Father’s chair. She knew quite well that the improvement in Sambo was due largely to herself, so she felt flattered and thought it might be nice to show herself. Dropping down, she shot across the ground in front of the speakers, as much as to say,’ Here I am! Now look at me! ‘ And very nice indeed she certainly looked, so neatly dressed, her new tail nearly grown, her bright eyes shining.
But instead of the cry of admiration she expected, there came a shrill squeal of fear.
‘Oh! Oh! ‘ screamed Mother. ‘ There’s a snake! Or a mouse! Or something horrid! It’ll run up my skirts and bite me!’ And, quick as a flash, she climbed upon the garden seat, jiggling her feet about as if she were trying to dance.
‘It’s only a lizard,’ Father calmed her. ‘ It won’t hurt you. Nice, friendly little things, lizards. Look, it’s got a forked tongue, and it’s moving its eyelids,’ he went on. ‘ Snakes haven’t got movable eyelids, you know, like lizards.’ But Mother, having climbed still higher, had all she could do to balance and wasn’t listening. ‘ And, by Jove, it’s growing a new tip to its tail. It’s a little beauty,’ he cried. ‘ I’ll pick it up and show it to you.’
‘Will you, indeed! ‘ squeaked Snitch, though the big man couldn’t hear the voice as Sambo could have heard it had he been there.
Father stepped forward very cautiously; he stooped; he slowly advanced his hand; then suddenly darted out a finger and thumb and grabbed — nothing!
‘Why, I do declare — it’s gone!’ he cried in amazement.’ And yet I never saw it move! It’s disappeared completely.’ And he stood up straight again and helped Mother down from her dangerous perch. ‘ Gone into its hole, I suppose. I never knew anything so fast in my life!’
Snitch had certainly disappeared, but as a matter of fact she had hardly moved at all. She had merely shifted her body at incredible speed an inch or two, so that she now lay against a dry twig. She lay absolutely still, looking like a bit of wood herself. The big man’s eye could not distinguish her from the ground. He no longer saw her.
‘I do believe it’s the very lizard Sambo’s been watching,’ Father remarked. ‘ The boy told me it moved like lightning. Come along, dear,’ he added, taking Mother’s arm and walking away. ‘ You’ve nothing to fear. It’s gone.’
‘I only hope he doesn’t touch it,’ replied Mother nervously, giving a little shiver. ‘ I’m sure it bites. And I hope it doesn’t mean we’re going to have thousands of them about. They have enormous families, I believe, like rabbits... ‘ and their voices died away as they went into the house, so that Father’s comment was not heard.
Snitch, smiling to herself, also went into the house just behind them. She flashed up the banisters and along the corridor into the schoolroom, where Sambo sat alone poring over a book about Insects and Animals that Live in your Garden — a present from his father. She ran on to the open page, cocked an eye, and told him what had happened. ‘ I could play with your Father,’ she observed, when the tale was ended, ‘ because he’s friendly and likes me. But your Mother’s afraid of me and thinks I bite.’ She flicked her tail and laughed. ‘ I could never do anything with her. Besides,’ she added in a hurt tone, ‘ I eat the flies that tickle her face, so she ought to feel grateful. And we don’t have enormous families either. Twelve eggs is the most I’ve ever had, and usually it’s only six or seven..’
Sambo, however, was not listening very attentively. He was more interested in the way Snitch had made herself invisible to his father. ‘ I wish you’d teach me how to do that,’ he begged, adding quickly ‘ Thank you very much indeed.’ It was a good plan to give thanks beforehand, he had discovered.
Snitch cocked both eyes this time. There was a pause. The lizard was thinking it over.’ It’s not easy,’ she announced at last. ‘ You humans are so big and lumpy. I’m only seven inches long. You’re over sixty. Besides, we lizards have been practising it for millions of years. Have to, you see. Otherwise we should be seen and eaten.’
; ‘I see,’ remarked Sambo sympathetically.
‘Do you?’ piped the little voice with a chuckle. But its owner had vanished. The slim body which a moment before had sprawled over the page of the open book was no longer there. ‘ You hear me, but you can’t see me,’ the voice continued. ‘ Now, if you were a hawk or a hedgehog or a snake, I’d be safe here where I am; but as you’re only a little boy, and rather a slow one too, I’ll show you my hiding-place. Look closely now! ‘ And Sambo saw a pointed muzzle pushed suddenly into view over the edge of the white page. Two bright eyes winked at him. Snitch lay along the binding of the book, her colour merging with the colour of the binding so that she was practically invisible. Unless she moved, it was impossible to see her. Her outline was lost against the dark background.
‘Another thing you can’t do as we do it,’ she went on to explain, darting back upon the white page again, ‘ is — keep absolutely still. Boys — grown-ups too for that matter — make unnecessary movements all the time. No human can keep quite still for more than a few seconds: you flick your eyelids, bite your lips, twitch your fingers, wiggle your toes, wrinkle your nose, twist your neck, and breathe so heavily that your ribs heave up and down like a storm at sea. Your eyes, too, are never still. All those silly movements betray you.’
‘Yes,’ replied the boy, ‘ that’s true, I expect. But the people looking for me wouldn’t notice most of those movements, would they? A hawk or a snake might, but a person —— —— —’
‘Sambo!’ cried the lizard, with a shrill squeak of pleasure, ‘ you’re worth teaching. People only see big movements. I’m delighted with you! You might almost be one of us. So I’ll show you how to do it. Quick, now! Your father’s coming. Get ready!’
Sambo just stared. ‘ How do you know?’ he asked in amazement.
‘I hear his step on the stairs,’ explained Snitch. ‘ He’s coming up from the hall and I know his tread. Besides, the boards of the floor are shaking. I can feel the table trembling. You forget he’s seventy-two inches long and weighs nearly 200 pounds.’
‘But I hear nothing,’ objected Sambo. ‘ I can’t feel anything shaking.” Do what I tell you,’ squeaked the lizard sharply, ‘if you want to learn. Quick, or you’ll be too late, and he’ll catch you.’ And hardly had she spoken when Father’s voice, calling ‘ Sambo! Sambo!’ was heard booming in the passage. The thump of his feet was heard too, striding down towards the room.
‘Take that brown and red tablecloth,’ ordered Snitch, ‘ and wrap it round your shoulders. That’s right,’ she added, as the boy obeyed. ‘ Now sit down on the floor against the bookshelves, bend your head forwards as if you were looking at the books. Hide your white hands and tuck your feet under you. Quick! Now, don’t move. Don’t stir a muscle. The tablecloth and the browny-green covers of the books melt into the colours of the cloth. You are difficult to see. There’s no outline visible. Keep quite still and you’re safe!’
‘Sambo! Sambo, boy! Where are you?’ called his Father’s voice just outside the door. The next minute he was in the room. ‘Sambo!’ he shouted ‘ are you here? Topsy told me you were reading in the schoolroom. I don’t see you anywhere! ‘ And he began to search with his eyes. Then he moved forward and picked up the book. Next he looked under the table, behind the folded curtains, at the back of the sofa, and even in the cupboard.
‘Bother the boy! ‘ he exclaimed to himself. ‘ Why, he’s disappeared just as that little lizard did! My wig! What a streak of lightning he is! ‘ And he passed so close to the bookshelves that his leg brushed Sambo’s shoulder. But the big man never saw him, though more than once he must have looked straight at him. The colours were too perfectly matched. No outline of his crouching body was visible to an unpractised human eye. He marched heavily over to the open window and looked out into the garden. ‘ Sambo! ‘ he bawled at the top of his voice,’ are you out there?’
‘Now show yourself,’ whispered the lizard, perched on a brown bookbinding beneath his nose. ‘ You kept still grandly — for a first time. Now, get up and show yourself.’
Sambo obeyed. ‘ Here I am, Father,’ he announced himself, standing just behind his parent’s back and pulling his coat-sleeve.
The big man turned. ‘ Bless the boy, I never heard you come in! ‘ he exclaimed, picking him up in his arms.’ Wherever were you all the time?’
‘Here,’ answered Sambo. ‘ Why, you touched me once. I was down there,’ he explained, pointing to the floor beside the bookshelves. ‘ I had the tablecloth over me, you see.’
His father stared, tremendously surprised. ‘ Show me how you did it,’ he exclaimed. And Sambo repeated his performance. He crouched down, covered with the cloth, so that it was very difficult indeed to see him. Knowing exactly where to look this time, however, his father of course could distinguish the outline of his body.
‘Well, I never! ‘ he cried.’ That’s what they call camouflage! And who taught you that, I should like to know!’
‘Promise you won’t tell anyone? ‘ the boy made his condition.
‘Yes, I promise,’ agreed the man, picking him up bodily.
‘ — A lizard,’ Sambo whispered into his ear.
CHAPTER XIII
SAMBO had now learned a lesson the lizard perhaps had intended him to learn. He realised that Topsy didn’t need Adventures as he needed them. That was why she had forgotten all about the Night Out, even if she had ever taken part in it at all. Their natures were different. He also realised, after the talk with his father, that if he talked too much, he would have to grow up into a Naturalist, whereas what he meant to grow up into was an engineer — a man who drove tremendous engines, built bridges, and dammed up great torrents.
Henceforth, therefore, he kept his Adventures to himself. He enjoyed them in his own way.
For Sambo was a merry lad,
His heart was light as air,
About the things he didn’t know
He really didn’t care!
‘That’s very pretty, but rather silly, I think,’ squeaked the familiar voice. ‘ It isn’t a good tune, either.’
Sambo turned his head and saw his tiny friend sprawling on a stone in front of him. He was alone in the garden. ‘ You’re always listening,’ he objected. ‘ You turn up everywhere. I thought I was alone. Topsy’s gone out with Nannie. I’m supposed to have a headache. Too much cake or something, they said.’
‘Because I like you,’ replied Snitch. ‘ That’s why I’m here now.’ And she wriggled closer. ‘ I’ve got something to propose to you.’ Her bright eyes sparkled.
‘What is it? ‘ asked the boy, all eagerness at once.
‘Oh, just the garden,’ said Snitch vaguely, ‘ and how we lizards read it.’
‘Oh, the garden,’ repeated Sambo, disappointed a little. ‘ How do you mean— “read it “?’
‘You read books,’ replied the lizard. ‘ But books only give what other people have seen. We,’ she added proudly, ‘ don’t want second-hand stuff. We read it first.’
‘Oh! ‘ remarked the boy, feeling rather stupid. He didn’t understand.
‘Your letters and printing,’ explained Snitch, ‘ are only signs on paper. You know what they mean because you’ve learned them with a lot of trouble. Well, the whole world is covered with signs that you can read direct, if you know how. I’ll teach you a little, if you like.’
‘Thanks awfully,’ replied the boy in his politest voice, and he turned his head and stared all over the garden, hoping to see signs he had never noticed before. But he saw nothing new.
‘You must learn the alphabet first,’ mentioned the lizard, watching him. ‘ How do you think we should know all we do if we couldn’t read the writing all over the fields and sky and trees? D’you think we just guess it? ‘ Her voice turned very scornful. ‘ Bah! ‘ she added,’ your book-writing is nothing compared to ours! ‘ And she drew her tail up.
Sambo felt ashamed. ‘ I’m sorry,’ he murmured. ‘ I see now what you mean. And you certainly do kno
w an awful lot, I must say.’
‘Thank you,’ Snitch said, in a forgiving voice. ‘ Now, we’ll begin with the Night Garden.’
‘The Night Garden! ‘ exclaimed Sambo. ‘ Do you mean the Garden at Night?’
‘It’s easier to read,’ explained the lizard. ‘ There’s more going on. You’re all out of the way, for one thing!’
‘Oh! ‘ gasped Sambo, beginning to understand.
‘You,’ went on the lizard rather contemptuously, ‘ think everything goes to sleep when you do and because you do. You think only owls and bats are awake at night.’ She twitched her head and gave a little laugh. ‘ Now, be ready to-night when Topsy’s asleep. I’ll come for you.’
‘I’ll be ready,’ the boy agreed eagerly. ‘ Shall I be made small again? ‘ he asked.
‘Bah I ‘ snapped Snitch contemptuously. ‘We never repeat things. We think of something new. Now, remember, don’t ask questions afterwards, don’t talk to people who can’t understand, and — be ready when I come.’ And she disappeared so fast that Sambo never saw her go.
That night Topsy fell asleep, luckily, the moment her head touched the pillow, and Sambo lay staring at the night-light and waiting for the sign. The door, as usual, stood ajar, and Nannie poked her head in once or twice. But no signal came. The minutes passed. The house grew very still. The boy’s eyes grew rather heavy. Then suddenly the familiar little voice sounded behind him: ‘ Dress,’ it said. And he was out of bed and dressed faster than ever in his life before. As he buttoned his coat the light was put out. ‘ Take thith,’ he heard,’ and follow me,’ and he felt something put into his fingers in the dark.’ I’ve got the other end in my mouth. Itth a pieth of thtring.’ Already he felt it tighten. A moment later he was out in the passage, down the deserted stairs, through the empty hall, along the corridor to the pantry — and the side-door clicked behind him. Snitch, by means of the piece of string had led him straight into the garden. He felt the cool night air. He saw the stars. Still feeling the pull of the string, he followed his invisible guide down the long gravel drive, along the path that crossed the Farm Meadow, and so to the edge of the belt of trees that lay between this meadow and the big hay-field. Here, half a mile from the house, they stopped. The lizard spoke for the first time since leaving the room.
Collected Works of Algernon Blackwood Page 296
