The Phoenix And The Carpet, Chapter 5

Hello it's mandy here welcome back to the wonderful world of the phoenix and the carpet as created by the children's writer edith nesbitt we're going to be listening to chapter five tonight the temple but before we begin please feel free to make yourself really comfortable okay then i'll begin i wish we could find the phoenix said jane it's much better company than the carpet beastly ungrateful little kids are said cyril no i'm not only the carpet never says anything and it's so helpless it doesn't seem able to take care of itself it gets sold and taken into the sea and things like that you wouldn't catch the phoenix getting sold it was two days after the bazaar everyone was a little cross some days are like that usually mondays by the way and it was a monday i shouldn't wonder if your precious phoenix had gone off for good said cyril and i don't know that i blame it look at the weather it's not worth looking at said robert and indeed it wasn't the phoenix hasn't gone i'm sure it hasn't said anthia i'll have another look for it and anthia looked under tables and chairs and in boxes and baskets in mother's work bag and father's portmanteau but still the phoenix showed not so much as the tip of one shining feather then suddenly robert remembered how the whole of the greek invocation song of 7 000 lines had been condensed by him into one english hexameter so he stood on the carpet and chanted oh come along come along you good old beautiful phoenix and almost at once there was a rustle of wings down the kitchen stairs and the phoenix sailed in on wide gold wings where on earth have you been asked anthia i've looked everywhere for you not everywhere replied the bird because you did not look in the place where i was confess that that hallowed spot was overlooked by you what hallowed spot are cyril a little impatiently for time was hastening on and the wishing carpet still idle the spot said the phoenix which i hallowed by my golden presence was the lutron the what the bath the place of washing i'm sure you weren't said jane i looked there three times and moved all the towels i was concealed said the phoenix on the summit of a metal column enchanted i should judge for it felt warm to my golden toes as though the glorious sun of the desert shone ever upon it oh you mean the cylinder said cyril it has rather a comforting feel this weather and now where should we go and then of course the usual discussion broke out as to where they should go and what they should do and naturally everyone wanted to do something that the others didn't care about i am the eldest cyril remarked let's go to the north pole this weather likely robert rejoined let's go to the equator i think the diamond mines of golconda would be nice said anthia don't you agree jane no i don't retorted jane i don't agree with you i don't agree with anybody the phoenix raised a warning claw if you cannot agree i fear i shall have to leave you it said well where shall we go you decide said all if i were you said the bird thoughtfully i should give the carpet a rest besides you'll lose the use of your legs if you go everywhere by carpet can't you take me out and explain your ugly city to me we will if it clears up said robert without enthusiasm just look at the rain and why should we give the carpet a rest are you greedy and grasping and heartless and selfish asked the bird sharply no said robert with indignation well then said the phoenix and as to the rain well i am not fond of rain myself if the sun knew i was here he's very fond of shining on me because i look so bright and golden he always says i repay a little attention haven't you some form of words suitable for use in wet weather there's rain rain go away said anthia but it never does go perhaps you don't say the invocation properly said the bird rain rain go away come again another day little baby wants to play said anthia that's quite wrong and if you say it in that sort of a dull way i can quite understand the rain not taking any notice you should open the window and shout rain rain go away come again another day now we want the sun and so pretty rain be kind and go you should always speak politely to people when you want them to do things and especially when it's going away that you want them to do and today you might add shine great sun the lovely phoenix is here and wants to be shone on splendid sun by thee that's poetry said cyril decidedly it's like it said the more cautious robert i was obliged to put in lovely said the phoenix modestly to make the line long enough there are plenty of nasty words the same length said jane but everyone else said hush and then they opened the window and shouted the seven lines as loud as they could and the phoenix said all the words with them except lovely and when they came to that it looked down and coughed bashfully the rain hesitated a moment and then went away there's true politeness said the phoenix and the next moment it was perched on the window ledge opening and shutting its radiant wings and flapping out its golden feathers in such a flood of glorious sunshine as you sometimes have at sunset in autumn time people said afterwards that there hadn't been such sunshine in december for years and years and years and now said the bird we will go out into the city and you shall take me to see one of my temples your temples i gather from the carpet that i have many temples in this land i don't see how you can find anything out from the carpet said jane it never speaks all the same you can pick things up from a carpet said the bird i've seen you do it and i have picked up several pieces of information in this way that papyrus on which you showed me my picture i understand that it bears on it the name of the street of your city in which my finest temple stands with my image graved in stone and in metal do you mean the fire insurance office said robert it's not really a temple and they don't excuse me said the phoenix coldly you are wholly misinformed it is a temple and they do don't let's waste the sunshine said amphia we might argue as we go along to save time so the phoenix consented to make itself a nest in the breast of robert's norfolk jacket and they all went out into the splendid sunshine the best way to the temple of the phoenix seemed to be to take the tram and on the top of it the children talked while the phoenix now and then put out a wary beak cocked a cautious eye and contradicted what the children were saying it was a delicious ride and the children felt how lucky they were to have had the money to pay for it they went with the tram as far as it went and when it didn't go any further they stopped too and got off the tram stops at the end of the grazing road and it was cyril who thought that one might well find a shortcut to the phoenix office through the little streets and courts that lie tightly packed between fetter lane and ludgate circus of course he was quite mistaken as robert told him at the time and afterwards robert did not forbear to remind his brother how he had said so the streets there were small and stuffy and ugly and crowded with printers boys and binders girls coming out from work and these stared so hard at the pretty red coats and caps of the sisters that they wished they'd gone some other way and the printers and binders made very personal remarks advising jane to get her hair cut and inquiring where anthia had brought that hat jane and anthia scorned to reply and cyril and robert found that they were hardly a match for the rough crowd they could think of nothing nasty enough to say they turned a corner sharply and then anthia pulled jane into an archway and then inside a door cyril and robert quickly followed and the jeering crowd passed by without seeing them anthia drew a long breath how awful she said it was a bit thick but it's partly you girls fault coming out in those flashy coats we thought we ought to when we were going out with the phoenix said jane and the bird said quite right too and incautiously put out his head to give her a wink of encouragement and at the same instant a hand reached through the grim balustrade of the staircase beside them and clutched the phoenix and a voice said i say herb blowed if this ain't our pull parrot what we lost thank you very much lady for bringing him home to roost the four turned swiftly two large ragged boys were crouched amid the dark shadows of the stairs they were much larger than robert and cyril and one of them had snatched the phoenix away and was holding it high above their heads give me that bird said cyril sternly it's ours good afternoon and thanking you the boy went on with maddening mockery sorry i can't give you a tuppence for your trouble but i've had to spend my fortune advertising from a valuable bird in all the newspapers you can call for the reward next year look out ike said his friend a little anxiously it have a beak on it it's other parties as love the beak onto him presently said ike darkly if they come are trying to lay claims on my poor parrot you just shut up herb now then you four little girls get out of this little girls cried robert oh little girl you he sprang up three stairs and hit out there was a squawk the most bird-like noise anyone had ever heard from the phoenix and a fluttering and a laugh in the darkness and ike said there now you've been and gone and struck my pole parrot right in the feathers struck him something cruel you have robert stamped with fury cyril felt himself growing pale with rage and with the effort of screwing up his brain to make it clever enough to think of some way of being even with these boys anthia and jane were as angry as the boys but it made them want to cry yet it was anthia who said do please let us have the bird back do please get along and leave us and our bird alone if you don't said anthia i shall fetch the police you better said he who was named herb say ike you twist the blooming pigeon's neck he ain't worth suppants oh no cried jane don't hurt it oh don't it is such a pet i won't hurt it said ike i'm shamed of you herb for to think such a thing half a china miss and the bird is yours for life half a what asked anthia half a china quid thicken alpha solve then i haven't got it and besides it's our bird said anthia oh don't talk to him said cyril and then jane said suddenly phoenix dear phoenix we can't do anything you must manage it with pleasure said the phoenix and ike nearly dropped it in his amazement i say it do talk something like said he youths said the phoenix sons of misfortune hear my words my eyes said ike look out ike said herb you'll throttle the joker and i see at once he was worth his weight in flimsy's hearken oh iconoclasties despiser of sacred images and thou urbanus dweller in the sordid city forbear this adventure less a worse thing before love us said ike ain't it been taught at school in just restore me to my young acolytes and escape unscathed retain me and they must have got this all up case the poly got pinched said ike you're lummy the artfulness of them youngens i say slosh them in the geseech and let's clear off with the swags what i say urged herbert righto said isaac forbear repeated the phoenix sternly who pinched the click off the old bloke in aldermanbury it added in a changed tone who sneaked the nose rag out of the young gals and in belcourt who stow it said ike you leave go of me bash him off herbie love me blooming eyes out of me ed there were howls a scuffle a flutter ike and herb fled up the stairs and the phoenix swept out through the doorway the children followed and the phoenix settled on robert like a butterfly on a rose as anthia said afterwards and wriggled into the breast of his norfolk jacket like an eel into mud as cyril later said why ever you didn't burn him you could have couldn't you asked robert when the horrid flight through the narrow courts had ended in the safe wideness of farringdon street i could have of course said the bird but i didn't think it would be dignified to allow myself to get warm about a little thing like that the fates after all have not been illiberal to me i have a good many friends among the london sparrows and i have a beak and claws these happenings had somewhat shaken up the adventurous spirit of the children and the phoenix had to exert its golden self to hearten them up presently they all came to a great house in lombard street and there on each side of the door was the image of the phoenix carved in stone and set forth on shining brass with the words phoenix office one moment said the bird fire for altars i suppose i don't know said robert he was beginning to feel shy and that always made him rather cross oh yes you do when people's houses are burnt down the phoenix gives them new houses father told me i asked him the house then like the phoenix rises from its ashes well have my priests dealt with the sons of men the sons of men pay you know said anthia but it's only a little every year that is to maintain my priests said the bird who in the hour of affliction heal sorrows and rebuild houses lead on inquire for the high priest i will not break upon them too suddenly in all my glory noble and honor deserving are they who make as naught the evil deeds of the lame-footed and unpleasing have faced us i don't know what you're talking about and i wish you wouldn't muddle us with new names fire just happens nobody does it not as a deed you know cyril explained if they did the phoenix wouldn't help them because it's a crime to set fire to things arsenic or something they call it because it's as bad as poisoning people the phoenix wouldn't help them father told me it wouldn't my priests do well said the phoenix lead on i don't know what to say said cyril and the others said the same ask for the high priest said the phoenix say that you have a secret to unfold that concerns my worship and he will lead you to the innermost sanctuary so the children went in all four of them although they didn't like it and stood in a large and beautiful hall adorned with dalton tiles like a large and beautiful bath with no water in it and stately pillars supporting the roof an unpleasing representation of the phoenix in brown pottery disfigured one wall there were counters and desks of mahogany and brass and clerks bent over the desks and walked behind the counters there was a great clock over an inner doorway inquire for the high priest whispered the phoenix an attentive clerk in decent black who controlled his mouth but not his eyebrows now came towards them he leaned forward on the counter and the children thought he was going to say what can i have the pleasure of showing you like in a draper's instead of which the young man said and what do you want we want to see the high priest get along with you said the young man an elder man also decent in black coat advanced perhaps it's mr blank not for worlds would i give the name he's a masonic high priest you know a porter was sent away to look for mr asterisk i cannot give his name and the children were left there to look on and be looked on by all the gentlemen at the mahogany desks anthia and jane thought that they looked kind the boys thought they stared and that it was like their cheek the porter returned with the news that mr dot dash dot i dare not reveal his name was out but that mr here a really delightful gentleman appeared he had a beard and a kind and merry eye and each one of the four knew at once that this was a man who had kids of his own and could understand what you were talking about because it was a difficult thing to explain what is it he asked mr he named the name which i will never reveal is out can i do anything in a sanctuary murmured the phoenix i beg your pardon said the nice gentleman who thought it was robert who had spoken we have something to tell you said cyril but he glanced at the porter who was lingering much nearer than he need have done this is a very public place the nice gentleman laughed come upstairs then he said and led the way up a wide and beautiful staircase anthia says the stairs are of white marble but i'm not sure on the corner post of the stairs at the top was a beautiful image of the phoenix in dark metal and on the wall at each side was a flat sort of image of it the nice gentleman led them into a room where the chairs and even the tables were covered with reddish leather he looked at the children inquiringly don't be frightened he said tell me exactly what you want may i shut the door asked cyril the gentleman looked surprised but he shut the door now said cyril firmly i know you'll be awfully surprised and you'll think it's not true and that we're lunatics but we aren't and it is robert's got something inside his norfolk that's robert he's that's robert he's my young brother now don't be upset and have a fit or anything sir of course i know when you called your shop the phoenix you never thought there was one but there is and robert's got it buttoned up against his chest if it's an old curio in the form of a phoenix i dare say the board said the nice gentleman as robert began to fumble with his buttons it's old enough said anthia going by what it says but my goodness gracious said the gentleman as the phoenix with one last wriggle that melted into a flutter got out of its nest in the breast of robert and stood up on the leather covered table what an extraordinary fine bird he went on i don't think i ever saw one just like it i should think not said the phoenix with pardonable pride and the gentleman jumped oh it's been taught to speak some sort of parrot perhaps i am said the bird simply the head of your house and i have come to my temple to receive your homage i am no parrot it's beak curved scornfully i am the one and only phoenix and i demand the homage of my high priest in the absence of our manager the gentleman began exactly as though he were addressing a valued customer in the absence of our manager i might perhaps be able what am i saying he turned pale and passed his hand across his brow my dears he said the weather is unusually warm for the time of year and i don't feel quite myself do you know for a moment i really thought that that remarkable bird of yours had spoken and said it was the phoenix and what's more that i'd believed it so it did sir said cyril and so did you it really allow me a bell was rung the porter appeared mackenzie said the gentleman you see that golden bird yes sir the other breathed a sigh of relief it is real then yes sir of course sir you take it in your hand sir said the porter sympathetically and reached out his hand to the phoenix who shrank back on toes curved with agitated indignation forbear it cried how dare you seek to lay hands on me the porter saluted beg pardon sir he said i thought you was a bird i am a bird the bird the phoenix of course you are sir said the porter i see that the first minute directly i got my breath sir that will do said the gentleman ask mr wilson and mr sterry to step up here for a moment please mr sterry and mr wilson were in their turn overcome by amazement quickly followed by conviction to the surprise of the children everyone in the office took the phoenix at its word and after the first shock of surprise it seemed to be perfectly natural to everyone that the phoenix should be alive and that passing through london it should call at its temple we ought to have some sort of ceremony said the nicest gentleman anxiously there isn't time to summon the directors and shareholders we might do that tomorrow perhaps yes the boardroom would be best i shouldn't like it to feel we haven't done everything in our power to show our appreciation of its condescension in looking in on us in this friendly way the children could hardly believe their ears but they had never thought that anyone but themselves would believe in the phoenix and yet everyone did all the men in the office were brought in by twos and threes and the moment the phoenix opened its beak it convinced the cleverest of them as well as those who are not so clever cyril wondered how the story would look in the papers next day he seemed to see the posters in the streets phoenix fire office the phoenix at its temple meeting to welcome it delight of the manager and everybody excuse our leaving you a moment said the nice gentleman and he went away with the others and through the half-closed door the children could hear the sound of many boots on stairs the hum of excited voices explaining suggesting arguing the thumpy drag of heavy furniture being moved about the phoenix strutted up and down the leather covered table looking over its shoulder at its pretty back you see what a convincing manner i have it said proudly and now a new gentleman came in and said bowing low everything is prepared we have done our best at so short a notice the meeting the ceremony will be in the boardroom will the honorable phoenix walk it is only a few steps or would it like to be would it like some sort of conveyance my robert will bear me to the boardroom if that be the unlovely name of my temples in most court replied the bird so they all followed the gentleman there was a big table in the boardroom but it had been pushed right up onto the long windows at one side and chairs were arranged in rows across the room the doors were of carved wood very beautiful with the carved phoenix above anthia noticed that the chairs in the front rows were of the kind that her mother so loved to ask the price of in old furniture shops and never could buy because the price was always nearly 20 pounds each on the mantelpiece was some heavy bronze candlesticks and a clock and on the top of the clock was another image of the phoenix remove that effigy said the phoenix to the gentlemen who were there and it was hastily taken down then the phoenix fluttered to the middle of the mantelpiece and stood there looking more golden than ever then everyone in the house and the office came in from the cashier to the women who cooked the clerks dinners in the beautiful kitchen at the top of the house and everyone bowed to the phoenix and then sat down in a chair gentlemen said the nicest gentleman we have met here today the phoenix was turning its golden beak from side to side i don't notice any incense it said with an injured sniff a hurried consultation ended in plates being fetched from the kitchen brown sugar sealing wax and were placed on these and something from a square bottle was poured over it all then a match was applied it was the only incense handy in the phoenix office and it certainly burned very briskly and smoked a great deal we have met here today said the gentleman again on an occasion unparalleled in the annals of this office our respected phoenix head of the house said the phoenix in a hollow voice i was coming to that our respected phoenix the head of this ancient house has at length done us the honor to come among us i think i may say gentlemen that we are not insensible to this honor and that we welcome with no uncertain voice one whom we have so long desired to see in our midst several of the younger clerks thought of saying here here but they feared it might seem disrespectful to the bird i will not take up your time the speaker went on by recapitulating the advantages to be derived from a proper use of our system of fire insurance i know and you know gentlemen that our aim has ever been to be worthy of that eminent bird whose name we bear and who now adorns our mantelpiece with his presence three cheers gentlemen for the winged head of the house the cheers rose deafening when they had died away the phoenix was asked to say a few words it expressed in graceful phrases the pleasure it felt in finding itself at last in its own temple and you must not think me wanting an appreciation of your very hearty and cordial reception when i ask that an ode may be recited or a choric song sung it is what i have always been accustomed to the four children dumb witnesses of this wonderful scene glanced a little nervously across the foam of white faces above the sea of black coats it seemed to them that the phoenix was really asking a little too much time presses said the phoenix and the original ode of invocation is long as well as being greek and besides it's no use invoking me when here i am but is there not a song in your own tongue for a great day such as this absently the manager began to sing and one by one the rest joined in absolute security no liability all kinds of property insured against fire terms most favourable expenses reasonable moderate rates for annual insurance that one is not my favourite interrupted the phoenix and i think you've forgotten part of it the manager hastily began another oh golden phoenix fairest bird the whole great world has often heard of all the splendid things we do great phoenix just to honour you that's better said the bird and everyone sang class one for private dwelling house for household goods and shops allows provided these are built of brick and tiled and slated thick try another verse said the phoenix further on and again arose the voices of all the clerks and employees and managers and secretaries and cooks in scotland our insurance yields the price of burnt up stacks in fields skip that verse said the phoenix thatch dwellings and their whole contents we deal with also with their rents oh glorious phoenix look and see that these are dealt with in class three the glories of your temple throng too thick to go in any song and we attend oh good and wise to days of grace and merchandise when people's homes are burned away they never have a cent to pay if they have done all as should do oh phoenix and have honoured you so let us raise our voice and sing the praises of our phoenix king in classes one and two and three oh trust to him for kind is he i'm sure you're very kind said the phoenix and now we must be going and thank you very much for a very pleasant time may you all prosper as you deserve to do for i am sure a nicer pleasanter spoken lot of temple attendance i have never met and never wish to meet i wish you all good day it fluttered to the wrist of robert and drew the four children from the room the whole of the office staff followed down the wide stairs and filed into their accustomed places and the two most important officials stood on the steps bowing till robert had buttoned the golden bird in his norfolk bosom and it and he and the three other children were lost in the crowd the two most important gentlemen looked at each other earnestly and strangely for a moment and then retreated to those sacred inner rooms where they toil without ceasing for the good of the house and the moment they were all in their place managers secretaries clerks and porters they all started and each looked cautiously round to see if anyone was looking at him for each thought that he had fallen asleep for a few minutes and had dreamed a very odd dream about the phoenix and the boardroom and of course no one mentioned it to anyone else because going to sleep at your office is a thing you simply must not do the extraordinary confusion of the boardroom with the remains of the incense in the plates would have shown them at once that the visit of the phoenix had been no dream but a radiant reality but no one went into the boardroom again that day and next day before the office was opened it was all cleaned and put nice and tidy by a lady whose business asking questions was not part of that is why cyril read the papers in vain on the next day and the day after that because no sensible person thinks his dreams worth putting in the paper and no one will ever own that he has been asleep in the daytime the phoenix was very pleased but it decided to write an ode for itself it thought the ones that had heard at the temple had been too hastily composed its own ode began for beauty and for modest worth the phoenix has not its equal on earth and when the children went to bed that night it was still trying to cut down the last line to the proper length without taking out any of what it wanted to say and that is what makes poetry so difficult