# ■ 5 The Last Wish

The next day there was a letter to say that the children's mother was coming home that afternoon. So they decided to wish for something for their mother. They were busy trying to think of something when Martha came into the room，very excited.

There were thieves at Lady Chittenden's last night，'she said. ' They took all her jewels！ She's got lots of beautiful dia-monds— they cost thousands of pounds， I've heard. '

When I'm older，I'm going to buy Mother jewels like that,'Robert said.

I'd lide Mother to have all Lady Chittenden's beautiful jewels now，'said jane. ' I wish she could. '

Oh Jane ！'cried the others. ' What have you said？'

Well， she will have them，'said Robert. ' You've wished！Everyont will think she stole them！ We'll have to try to find the Psammead and ask it to take the wish back. '

They hurried down to the gravel-pit，but they could not find the Psammead. So they hurried home again and looked in their mother's room for the jewels， but they were not there yet.

Well， we'll tell Mother about the Psammead， and she'll give back the jewels when they come，'Anthea said.

Cyril shook his head slowly. ' She isn't going to believe us. Can anyone believe about a Psammead if they haven't seen it？And adults never believe things like that. No，she'll think we are the thieves and we'll all go to prison， and everything will be terrible！'

And that afternoon，when Mother came home， the children ran to meet her， and put their arms round her— and tried to stop her from going upstairs to her room.

But I must take my coat off， and wash my hands！'she cried， laughing. And she went up to her room.

The children went after her— and there， on the table， was a green box. Mother opened it.

Oh，how beautiful！' she cried.

It was a ring. A beautiful diamond ring.

Perhaps it's a surprise present from Father，' she said. ' But how did it get here？'

But then she found a diamond necklace— and brooches—and bracelets. There were jewels in every cupboard in her room. The children began to look unhappy， and Jane began to cry.

Mother was no longer smiling. ' Jane， what do you know about this？'she said slowly. ' The true story， please. '

We met a sand-fairy， Mother，'Jane began.

Don't be stupid，Jane，'Mother said angrily.

Some thieves stole all Lady Chittenden's jewels from her house last night，'Cyril said quickly. ' Perhaps these are her jewels！'

Then Mother called for Martha. ' Have any strangers been inthis room， Martha？' she asked.

Yes， but it was just my young man，' Martha answered，afraid. ' He was moving a heavy cupboard for me. '（This， of course，was Mr Beale，the vicar's nice young servant，who was now very friendly with Martha. ）

So，of course，Mother thought that he was one of the thieves. She would not listen to the children and decided to go at once into town to tell the police. The children could not stop her.

This is terrible！' said Anthea. ' Poor Martha！ And poor Mr Beale—he isn't a thief！ What are we going to do？' Then she cried，' Come on！ We must find the Psammead！'

They all hurried down to the gravel-pit， and this time they found the Psammead， sitting on the sand and enjoying the evening sun. When it saw them， it tried to get away， but Anthea put her arms round it. ' Dear，kind Psammead…'she began.

Oh， you want something， don't you？' it said. 'Well，I can't give you any more wishes today. '

Don't you like giving wishes？'Anthea asked.

No， I don't，'he said. ' Go away and leave me alone！'

But Anthea went on. ' Listen，'she said. ' If you do what we want today，we'll never ask you for another wish. '

I'll do anything for that，'it said. ' I really don't enjoy giv-ing wishes. It's very hard work， you know， and I get so tired. '

Well， first I wish that Lady Chittenden will find that she has never lost her jewels. '

The Psammead got bigger， and then went small again. 'Done！'it said.

I wish that Mother won't get to the police. '

Done！'the Psammead said again.

And I wish，' said Jane suddenly，'that Mother and Martha will forget all about the jewels. '

Done！'the Psammead said， but its voice was tired. 'Now，it went on,' will you wish something for me？'

Can't you give yourself wishes？' asked Cyril.

Of course not，'the Psammead said. 'Wish that you will never tell anyone about me. '

Why？' asked Robert.

Well， you children always ask for stupid things. But adults aren't like that. If they get hold of me，they'll want to wish for real， important things—like free houses for poor people，and new schools for children everywhere in the country，and money to give to old people. Boring things like that. And they'll find a way to keep them after the sun goes down. And what will happen to the world if all those changes come at once ？ There'll be terrible trouble. So go on, wish it！ Quick！'

Anthea said the Psammead's wish，and it got very，very big. When it was small again， it said，' Now， I'm very tired. Do you want one last wish？'

Thank you for everything，'said Jane. ' Have a good long sleep— and I wish that we'll see you again someday. '

Then，for the last time， the Psammead went big，then small again. It looked at them all once more with its long eyes，and then dug itself quickly into the sand.

And when they arrived home again，everything was all right. Mother came home and she and Martha remembered nothing， and Lady Chittenden found that her jewels were not lost.

Will we ever see the Psammead again， do you think？'Jane said to the others， later in the garden.

And，of course，they did， but not in this story. It was in a very， very different place. It was in a… But I must say no more.

■ 5 最後一個願望

第二天來了一封信說孩子們的母親當天下午要回來了。所以他們決定為媽媽想要點什麼東西。他們正忙著想要想出些什麼的時候，馬莎走進房間，很激動的樣子。

“昨天夜裡奇膝登夫人家裡來了賊。”她說，“他們把她的珠寶首飾都拿走了！她有好多美麗的鑽石——我聽說它們值幾千鎊呢。”

“我長大了，我要給媽媽買那樣的首飾。”羅伯特說。

“我想讓媽媽現在就有奇膝登夫人的美麗的珠寶。”簡說，“我希望她能有。”

“噢，簡！”其他的孩子叫起來，“你說了些什麼呀？”

“哦，她將會有的。”羅伯特說，“你已經許願了！大家會認為是她偷的！我們得試著找到賽米德，讓它把願望收回去。”

他們急忙跑到礫石坑，可是找不到賽米德。所以他們又急忙回家，在母親房裡找珠寶，可珠寶還不在那裡。

“嗯，我們告訴媽媽賽米德的事，他們來時她會把珠寶還給他們的。”安西婭說。

西里爾慢慢地搖頭。“她不會相信我們的。沒見過賽米德時人怎會相信呢？何況大人們從來不相信那類事情。不，她會認為我們是賊，我們都會進監獄，一切會糟得很！”

那天下午，母親回家來了，孩子們跑著去迎接她，擁抱她——並且不想讓她上樓回自己房間去。

“可我得脫掉外衣、洗洗手啊！”她笑著大聲說。於是她上樓回自己的房間去了。

孩子們跟著她——在那裡，桌子上有個綠盒子。母親打開了它。

“喲，真漂亮！”她喊道。

那是隻戒指。一隻美麗的鑽石戒指。

“可能是你父親給我的出乎意料的禮物，”她說，“可是它是怎麼送到這兒來的？”

可後來她找到一條鑽石項鍊——還有許多胸針——還有許多手鐲。她房間的每個櫃子裡都有珠寶。孩子們開始愁眉苦臉的，簡哭起來了。

母親不再微笑了。“簡，關於這些你知道什麼？”她慢慢地講道，“請講真話。”

“我們遇到了一個沙精，媽媽。”簡開始說。

“別說傻話，簡。”母親生氣地說。

“昨天夜裡一些賊從奇滕登夫人家裡偷走了她所有的珠寶。”西望爾很快地說，“這些可能是她的珠寶！”

於是母親叫來馬莎。“有陌生人到這房間來過嗎，馬莎？”她問道。

“有，可只有我的男友。”馬莎回答，她害怕了。“他為我搬一個很重的櫃子。”（當然這是比伊爾先生了，那個牧師的年輕漂亮的僕人，他現在對馬莎很好。）

所以，母親當然認為他是小偷之一了。她不聽孩子們的話，決定馬上進城去報告警察。孩子們阻止不了她。

“這太糟了！”安西婭說，“可憐的馬莎！還有可憐的比伊爾先生——他不是小偷！我們怎麼辦？”然後她喊道：“快！我們必須找到那個賽米德！”

他們都急忙朝礫石坑跑去，這次他們找到了賽米德，它正坐在那兒看夕陽。看見他們時它想走開，但安西婭摟住它。“親愛的、好心的賽米德……”她開腔道。

“哦，你想要東西，是不是？”它說，“可我今天再不能實現你的願望了。”

“你不喜歡幫人實現願望嗎？”安西婭問。

“對，不喜歡。”它說，“走開，別打擾我！”

可安西婭接著說了下去。“聽著，”她說，“如果你實現了我們今天的願望，我們就再也不要別的了。”

“那樣的話我可以做任何事情。”它說，“我實在是不喜歡實現人們的願望。這是件難事，你知道，我變得這麼累了。”

“唔，首先我希望奇滕登夫人發現她的珠寶從沒丟。”

賽米德變大，又變小。“辦好了！”它說。

“希望媽媽別到警察局去。”

“辦好了！”賽米德又說。

“我還希望，”簡突然說，“媽媽和馬莎把珠寶的事全忘了。”

“辦好了！”賽米德說，可它的聲音顯得很累。“現在你們能為我許願嗎？”

“你不能為自己實現願望嗎？”西里爾問。

“當然不能。”賽米德說，“希望你們別把我的事告訴任何人。”

“為什麼？”羅伯特問。

“唉，你們孩子們老要愚蠢的東西。大人們可不那樣。要是他們抓住我，他們就希望要真正的、重要的東西——比方給窮人免費住房啦，給全國各地的孩子建新學校啦，給老人們錢啦。就那種使人厭煩的事。而且他們會想辦法在日落後留住它們。如果所有的那些變化立刻發生，世界會怎麼樣？那可就會有麻煩了。所以接著許願！快點！”

安西婭說出了賽米德的願望，它變得非常非常大。當它又變小了時，它說：“現在我很累了。你們想要最後一個願望嗎？”

“感謝你做的一切。”簡說，“美美地睡一覺——我還希望有一天能再見到你。”

然後賽米德最後一次變大又變小。它用柄眼把他們全又看了一遍，然後很快地鑽進沙子裡去了。

當他們又到家裡時，一切都是好好的。母親回到家，她和馬莎什麼都忘了，而且奇滕登夫人發現她的珠寶沒丟。

“你們認為我們究竟還能再見到賽米德嗎？”晚些時候簡在花園裡對其他孩子們說。

當然嘍，他們又見到它了，可不是在這個故事裡見到的。是在與這裡很不一樣的一個地方。那是在一個……可我不該再多說了。

第三級