Gabriel Ernest

Cunningham had spent an agreeable² week in the country with his friend Van Cheele． Now Van Cheele was driving his guest back to the station． Cunningham was unusually quiet on the journey， but Van Cheele talked all the time， so he did not notice his friend's silence．

Suddenly Cunningham spoke．'There is a wild animal in your woods，' he said．

'A wild animal？ A few rabbits， perhaps． Nothing very terrible， surely，' said Van Cheele． Cunningham said nothing．

' What did you mean about a wild animal？' asked Van Cheele later， at the station．

'Nothing． It was my imagination． Here is the train，'said Cunningham．

That afternoon Van Cheele went for a walk through his woods． He knew a little about plants and animals， and he enjoyed walking through the woods around his house and looking at the birds and flowers there． He also enjoyed telling everyone about them aftefwards．Of course，he never saw anything very surprising——until that afternoon．

During his walk Van Cheele came to a deep pool under some tall trees． He knew it well： after all， it was his pool．But today， he saw a boy of about sixteen lying on a large rock beside the pool． The boy was drying his wet， naked⁵ brown body in the sun． His hair was wet too， and he had long， golden，wolfish eyes． He turned those eyes towards Van Cheele with a look of lazy watchfulness．

Van Cheele was surprised to see the boy． Where does this wild－looking boy come from？ he thought． Can he be the miller's son？ He disappeared two months ago． People say he fell into the river． It's a fast-running river， and nobody ever found his body． I wonder？ But the miller's boy was only a young child…

'What are you doing here？asked Van Cheele．

'Enjoying the sunshine， of course，' said the boy．

'Where do you live？'

'Here， in these woods．'

'You can't live in these woods．' said Van Cheele．

'They are very nice woods，' said the boy politely．

'But where do you sleep at night？'

'I don't sleep at night． That's my busiest time．'

Van Cheele began to feel cross． What did the boy mean？

'What do you eat？ he asked．

'Meat，' said the boy． He opened his mouth， showing very white teeth．

'Meat？What kind of meat？

'Well， if you must know， I eat rabbits， wild birds，chickens from the farm and young sheep from the hills． I like children when I can find them． But they 're usually too well locked in at night． It's two months since I tasted child meat．'

The boy is joking about the children， thought Van Cheele． But perhaps he really is stealing animals from the woods and farms． I must find out more about this．

Aloud he said，'You catch rabbits？ You must be joking．Our rabbits are much too fast for you．'

'At night I hunt on four feet，' was the boy's surprising replp．

'You mean that you hunt with a dog？' guessed Van Cheele．

The boy sat up suddenly and laughed a strange， low laugh． To Van Cheele that laugh sounded horrlbly like a growl．

'I don't think any dog would like to hunt with me，' the boy said．'Not at night…'

There is something horrible⁸ about this boy， thought Van Cheele． I don't like the way he looks and I don't like the way he talks．

'I can't let you stay in my woods，' he said aloud．

'Very well then— shall I come and live in your house？'replied te boy．

Van Cheele thought about his quiet， tidy house． No， he did not want this strange， wild boy at all． Of course， the boy was joking…but Van Cheele was not amused．

'If you don't go away，' he said， 'I shall have to call the police．'

At once the boy turned and jumped head-first into the pool． A moment later， his shining， wet body landed half－way up the grassy¹⁰ bank where Van Cheele was standing． Van Cheele stepped backwards． His foot slipped¹³ on the wet grass and he fell． He found himself lying on the grass with those wolfish yellow eyes uncomfortably near to his． He felt a moment of horrible fear． The boy laughed again， a laugh that was like the growl⁷ of a wild animal， then disaggeared among the bushes．

'What an extraordinarily¹⁵ wild animal！' said Van Cheele as he picked himself up． And then he remembered Cunning¹ ham's words about a wild animal in his woods．

As he walked slowly home， Van Cheele thought about several things which had happened in and around the village recently． Perhaps this boy knows something about them， he thought…Something has been killing¹⁶ rabbits and birds in the woods lately． Something has been stealing the farmer's chickens and carrying off the young sheep from the hills． Is it possible that this wild boy is hunting at night with a fast， intelligent dog？The boy talked of hunting on four feet at night…But he also said that dogs did not like to hunt with him at night…Very strange indeed．

As Van Cheele walked along， he turned the questions over and over in his head． Suddenly he stopped． The miller's son！ he said to himself． The child disappeared two months ago． Everyone thought that he had fallen into the river and been carried away． But the child's mother did not believe this． She said she had heard a scream—— and the scream came from the hill，a long way away from the water．

It's impossible， of course， said Van Cheele to himself．But the child disappeared two months ago， and the boy talked about child meat． He was joking， of course…but what a horrible joke！

Van Cheele usually talked to his aunt about the birds，plants and animals he saw on his walks． But today he said nothing． He was an important man in his village． If there was a thief living in his woods， he did not want anyone to know．If people hear about the boy， he thought， perhaps they will want me to pay for their lost chickens and their disappearing sheep．

He was unusually quiet at dinner．'What's the matter with you？'joked his aunt．'Did you see a wolf on your walk？'

At breakfast the next morning Van Cheele realized that he still felt uncomfortable about yesterday's adventure． I know what I' 11 do， he said to himself． I' 11 take the train to London and I'11 go and see Cunningham． I'11 ask him If he was joking when he said there was a wild animal in my woods．

After he had decided¹⁷ this，Van Cheele felt better．He sang a happy little song as he walked to the sitting-room¹⁸ for his morning cigarette．His fat old dog walked beside him．

As Van Cheele entered the sitting-room， the song died on his lips¹⁹ and his dog ran away with his tail between his legs．There on the day－bed， with his hands comfortably behind his head， lay the boy from the woods． He was drier than yesterday， but he was still naked．

'What are you doing here？ asked Van Cheele angrily．

'You told me I couldn't stay in the woods，'said the boy calmly．

'But I didn't tell you to come here． What if my aunt sees you？ What will she think？'

Van Cheele hurriedly covered his unwanted guest's nakedness²⁰ with a newspaper． At that moment his aunt entered the room．

'This is a poor boy，' explained Van Cheele quickly．'He has lost his way—and lost his memory too． He doesn't know who he is， or where he comes from．'

Miss Van Cheele was very interested．'Perhaps his name is on his underclothes，' she said．

'He has lost his underclothes too，' said Van Cheele． The newspaper was slipping²¹ off the boy's naked body． Van Cheele hurried to replace it．

Miss Van Cheele was a kind old lady． She felt sorry for this naked， helpless²² child．

'We must help him，' she said． She sent the housekeeper²³ to a neighbour's house to borrow some clothes．

Soon the boy was clean and tidy， and dressed in shirt，trousers and shoes． Van Cheele thought he looked just as strange and wolfish as before． But Miss Van Chee1e thought he was sweet．

'We must give him a name until we know who he really is，' she said．' Gabriel Ernest， I think． Those are nice， suitable²⁴ names．'

Van Cheele agreed． But he was not sure that the boy was a nice， suitable boy． Van Cheele's old dog， when he saw the boy， had run away in fear and would not come back into the house． Van Cheele decided to go and see Cunningham at once．

As he got ready to go to the station， his aunt was busily arranging²⁵ a children's tea party in the church hall．

'Gabriel Ernest will help me with the little ones，' she said happily．

When Van Cheele got to London， Cunningham did not want to talk at first．You'll think I'm crazy，' he said．

'But what did you see？' asked Van Cheele．

'I saw something—something unbelievable． On the last evening of my visit to you I was standing¹¹ half-hidden in the bushes， watching the sun go down． Suddenly I noticed a naked boy． He has been swimming in a pool somewhere， I said to myself． He was standing on the hillside and he too was watching the sun go down． Then the sun disappeared behind the hill and its light was gone． At the same moment a very surprising thing happened—the boy disappeared too．'

'What？He disappeared just like that？' said Van Cheele excitedly．

'No． It was much more horrible than that． On the open hillside where the boy had been，I saw a large，blackish-grey wolf with long white teeth and yellow eyes． You' ll think I'm crazy—'

But Van Cheele did not wait． He was running towards the station as fast as he could． He did not know what he could do． I can't send my aunt a message， he thought．What can I say？ Gabriel Ernest is a werewolf'？ My aunt will think I'm joking． I MUST get home before sundown．

He caught his train． With painful slowness it carried him to the station a few miles from his home． He took a taxi to his village．

'Take me to the church hall— and hurry！ 'he ordered．The taxi drove²⁶ along the quiet country roads， and the sky turned pink and purple as the sun got lower⁴ and lower in the west．

His aunt was putting away some uneaten cakes and sand wiches when he arrived．

'Where is Gabriel Ernest？' screamed Van Cheele．

'He's taking little Jack²⁷ Toop home，' said his aunt calmly．'It was getting so late． I didn't want to send the dear little boy home alone． Isn't the sky beautiful this evening？'

But Van Cheele had no time to talk about the beautiful sky． He ran like the wind down the narrow road that went to the Toops' house． On one side was the fast-running river， on the other was the dark hillside． In a minute I'll catch up with them，Van Cheele thought．

Then the sun went down behind the hill and the whole world became grey and cold．Van Cheele heard a short scream of fear， and he knew he was too late．

Nobody ever saw litele Jack Toop or Gabrid Ernest again．Gabriel Ernest's clothes were found lying in the road．

'Poor littler Jack fell into the river，' said Miss Van Cheele．'And dear Gabriel Ernest took off his clothes and jumped into the river to try to save him．'

Mrs Toop had eleven other children and did not cry too long for her lost son． But Miss Van Cheele was terribly sad about Gabriel Ernest．

'He must have a memorial²⁸ in the church，' she said． She chose the words herself：

GABRIEL ERNEST，AN UNKNOWN BOY

WHO BRAVELY GAVE HIS LIFE

FOR ANOTHER．

Van Cheele usually did what his aunt wanted． But he refused to give any money at all for Gabriel Ernest's memorial．

加布里埃尔·欧内斯特

坎宁安和朋友范·切尔在乡下过了愉快的一周。现在范·切尔正开车送客人去车站。路上坎宁安与往常不一样，非常安静，但是范·切尔一直说个不停，所以没注意到朋友的沉默。

坎宁安突然说，“你家的小树林里有一只野兽。”

“一只野兽？一些兔子还有可能，肯定没有什么太可怕的，”范·切尔说。坎宁安一句话没说。

“你说一只野兽是什么意思？”范·切尔后来在车站问。

“没什么，是我的幻觉，火车来了，”坎宁安说。

那天下午范·切尔去林子里散步。他对植物和动物略知一二，因此喜欢走路穿过他家房子周围的树林，观赏那儿的花鸟。事后他也喜欢向每个人讲述。当然他从没看见过令人非常惊奇的东西——直到那天下午。

范·切尔走到高树下的一个深水塘旁。他对这个水塘非常熟悉：毕竟这是他的。但是今天，他看见一个大约十六岁的男孩正躺在水塘边的大石头上。他正在太阳下晒自己潮湿、裸露的棕色身体。他的头发也是湿的，他长着一双金黄色、狼一样的长眼睛。他眨着那双眼，用懒洋洋的警惕神情看着范·切尔。

范·切尔见到男孩很吃惊。这个相貌野性的男孩从哪儿来？他想。是磨坊主的儿子吗？他两个月前失踪了。人们说他掉进了河里，是湍急的河，没人找到他的尸体。我想，会不会是他？可是磨坊主的儿子还只是一个小孩……

“你在这儿做什么？”范·切尔问。

“当然是享受阳光，”男孩说。

“你住在哪儿？”

“在这儿，在这些树林里。”

“你不可能住在树林里，”范·切尔说。

“树林里挺不错的，”男孩礼貌地说。

“可是你晚上在哪儿睡觉？”

“我晚上不睡觉，那是我最忙的时候。”

范·切尔有点生气了。这个男孩说的是什么意思？

“你吃什么？”他问。

“吃肉，”男孩说，他张开嘴，露出雪白的牙齿。

“肉？什么肉？”

“哎，如果你一定要知道的话，我吃兔子、野鸟、农场的鸡和山上的小羊。如果能找到，我喜欢小孩，可是小孩在晚上总是被锁在家里。我有两个月没有吃小孩肉了。”

范·切尔想这个男孩在开小孩的玩笑。可是他可能真的偷树林和农场的动物，我得把这事搞清楚。

他大声说，“你抓兔子？你一定在开玩笑。我们的兔子跑起来比你快得多。”

“夜里我用四只脚狩猎。”这是男孩令人吃惊的回答。

“你是说你用狗打猎？”范·切尔猜。

男孩突然坐起来，发出了古怪低沉的笑声。对范·切尔来说，这笑声听起来像可怕的嗥叫。

“我想没有哪条狗愿意和我一起打猎，”男孩说，“在晚上没有……”

男孩有些可怕，范·切尔想。我不喜欢他看人的样子和说话的方式。

“我不能让你呆在我的树林里，”他大声说。

“很好，那么——我可以去你家住吗？”男孩回答。

范·切尔想着他平静整洁的家。不，他根本不想接受这个古怪野性的男孩。当然，这个孩子在开玩笑……但是范·切尔不觉得好笑。

“如果你不走，”他说，“我就要叫警察。”

男孩马上头朝下翻身跳进水塘。片刻后，他闪亮、湿淋淋的身体便一半出现在范·切尔站着的长满青草的岸上。范·切尔朝后退，他的脚在湿草上一滑便跌倒了。他发现自己躺在草地上，那双狼似的黄眼睛离他很近，令他不舒服。他感到一阵恐惧。男孩又笑了，笑声像野兽的嗥叫，随即他就消失在树丛里。

“多么离奇的野兽！”范·切尔站起身时说。这时他想起了坎宁安关于他家树林里有野兽的话。

慢慢朝家走时，范·切尔想着最近村子里和周围地方发生的几件事。可能这个孩子知道些什么，他想……最近什么东西一直在杀树林里的兔子和鸟，一直在偷农夫的鸡、吃山上的小羊。有可能是这个野孩子晚上带着一条敏捷聪明的狗在打猎吗？男孩谈到了晚上用四只脚打猎的事……可是他也说了狗不喜欢和他在晚上打猎……真奇怪。

范·切尔走着，脑子里反复想着这些问题。突然他停住脚步。磨坊主的儿子！他自言自语。这孩子两个月前失踪的，每个人都认为他掉进河里被河水卷走了。可是孩子的母亲不相信，她说她听见了一声尖叫——尖叫声从小山传来，那儿离河水很远。那当然不可能，范·切尔对自己说。可这孩子两个月前失踪的，那个男孩说起了小孩肉。他当然是在开玩笑……可这是个多么可怕的玩笑啊！

范·切尔常向姑妈谈论路途上看见的鸟、植物和动物。但是今天他什么都没说。他是村里的一个重要人物，如果他的树林里住着一个贼，他是不想让任何人知道的。如果人们知道了这个男孩，他想，他们可能会让我赔偿他们丢失的鸡和羊。

晚饭时他异乎寻常地安静。“你怎么了？”姑妈逗他说。“你在路上看见狼了吗？”

第二天早餐时范·切尔还在为昨天的奇遇颇为不爽。我知道我要做什么，他自言自语。我要乘火车去伦敦，去看望坎宁安。我要问他当他说我家树林里有一头野兽时是不是在开玩笑。

做出这个决定之后，范·切尔觉得好了一些。朝客厅走去拿早上抽的烟时他唱起了快乐的小曲。他的老肥狗走在他的旁边。

当范·切尔走进客厅，他的歌声在嘴唇上嘎然而止，他的狗夹着尾巴逃跑了。在那张白天休息的床上躺着那个树林里来的男孩他的头舒服地枕在手上。他比昨天干多了，但还是赤身裸体。

“你在这儿做什么？”范·切尔气愤地问。

“你告诉过我我不能呆在树林里，”男孩平静地说。

“但我没告诉你来这儿。我姑妈看见你会怎样？她会怎么想？”

范·切尔赶紧用报纸盖住这位不速之客的光身子。正在这时姑妈进了房间。

“这是个可怜的孩子，”范·切尔马上解释。“他迷了路——也失去了记忆。他不知道他是谁，从哪儿来。”

范·切尔小姐很感兴趣。“他的名字可能在内衣上，”她说。

“他连内衣也丢了，”范·切尔说。报纸从男孩的光身子上滑了下来，范·切尔赶忙又把报纸盖在男孩的身上。

范·切尔小姐是一个和善的老妇人，她为这个裸露无助的孩子感到难过。

“我们得帮助他，”她说。她让管家去邻居家借些衣服。

一会儿男孩变得干净整洁，穿上了衬衣、裤子和鞋。范·切尔认为他和以前一样古怪，就像一只狼，但是范·切尔小姐认为他很可爱。

“在我们知道他到底是谁以前得给他起个名字，”她说。“我想该叫加布里埃尔·欧内斯特。这是合适的好名字。”

范·切尔同意。但是他不敢说这个男孩是个适宜的好孩子。范·切尔的老狗一看见男孩就吓得跑掉了，不愿意回屋里。范·切尔决定马上去见坎宁安。

正当他准备好去车站时，姑妈正忙于筹办在教堂举行的儿童茶会。

“加布里埃尔·欧内斯特将帮我照看小家伙们。”她高兴地说。

范·切尔到了伦敦，坎宁安开始不想谈此事。“你会认为我疯了，”他说。

“可是你看见了什么？”范·切尔问。

“我看见了一件事情——一件让人难以相信的事情。在我拜访你的最后一个晚上我一半隐在树丛里看日落。突然我看见了一个裸着身体的男孩。我对自己说，可能他刚在某个地方的池塘里游过泳。他站在山坡上，也在看日落。过后太阳落山了，光线渐去了。就在同一时刻发生了一件非常惊奇的事——男孩也消失了。”

“什么？他就那样消失了？”范·切尔激动地说。

“不，比那可怕得多。在男孩呆过的山坡空地上，我看见了一只灰黑色的大狼，长着白色的长牙和黄色的眼睛。你会认为我疯了——”

但是范，切尔没再等，他拚命往车站跑。他不知道能做什么。我不能给姑妈捎口信，他想。我能说什么？“加布里埃尔·欧内斯特是个狼人”？姑妈会认为我在开玩笑。我必须在太阳下山前到家。

他上了火车。在令人难受的缓慢中火车把他带到了离家几里的车站。他乘出租车向村子驶去。

“带我去教堂——要快！”他命令说。出租车在安静的乡村路上行驶，在西边太阳越落越低，天空也随着变粉变紫。

他赶到教堂时姑妈正在端走没吃的蛋糕和三明治。

“加布里埃尔·欧内斯特在哪儿？”范·切尔尖叫。

“他正送小杰克·图布回家，”姑妈平静地说。“天太晚，我不想单独让可爱的小家伙回家。今晚天空很美吧？”

可是范·切尔没时间谈论美丽的天空，他像一阵风在通向图布家的窄路上奔跑。路的一旁是快速流动的河水，另一旁是黑漆漆的山坡。再过一分钟我就能赶上他们，范·切尔想。

太阳下山了，整个世界变得灰暗、寒冷。范·切尔听见一声恐怖、短促的尖叫，于是他知道他来得太晚了。

没人再看见小杰克·图布或加布里埃尔·欧内斯特。在路上人们找到了加布里埃尔·欧内斯特的衣服。

“可怜的小杰克掉到河里了，”范·切尔小姐说。“亲爱的加布里埃尔·欧内斯特脱掉衣服跳进河里，想去救他。”

图布夫人还有11个孩子，她没有为丢失的儿子哭得太久。可是范·切尔小姐却为加布里埃尔·欧内斯特难过。

“他在教堂里该有个纪念碑，”她说。她亲自选择词句：

加布里埃尔·欧内斯特，

一个不相识的男孩

勇敢地把自己的生命

献给了别人。

范·切尔通常照姑妈的意愿做事，但是他拒绝为加布里埃尔·欧内斯特的纪念碑捐一分钱。