03-02-04-牙齿和爪子 [13]
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'I'd like to borrow her tomorrow evening，'said Clovis lightly．'May I，please？'
'Tomorrow night？'repeated Lord Pabham in surprise．
'Yes．Wolves usually sleep during the day，don't they？So a night-time journey won't hurt her．Could you ask one of your men to bring Louisa here when it is dark？Then he can take her quietly into the conservatory at the same time as MrsHampton leaves the dining－room．'
Lord Pabham looked at Clovis in surprise．Then he smiled．'I understand！'he said．'You're going to try a little Siberian Magic．And has Mrs Hampton agreed to help you？''Mary has promised—if your she－wolf is quiet and gen-tle.'
'Louisa won't give you any trouble，'said Lord Pabham．The next day several more guests arrived．Leonard Bil-siter enjoyed telling them all about Siberian Magic and hidden powers．He talked all through dinner．When the coffee arrivedat the end of the meal，Leonard's aunt spoke．
'Dear Leonard，'she said，'please show us your powers.Change something into another shape．'She turned to the oth－er guests．'He can do it if he wants to，'she told them．'Oh，please show us，'said Mavis Pellington excitedly.'Well…'began Leonard．'If somebody will give me asmall coin…'
'Oh，surely you aren't going to do stupid things withdisappearing coins？'said Clovis．'We want to see somethingreally surprising．'
'That's right，'said Mary Hampton．'Why don't youchange me into a wolf？ You promised！'She got up from thetable and walked into the conservatory with a bowl of fruit forher macaws．
'I have already warned you，'said Leonard seriously.'Itis dangerous to joke about these things.'
'I don't believe you can do it！'laughed Mary from theconservatory.As she spoke，she disappeared behind a largegreen plant．
'Mrs Hampton—'began Leonard seriously．Then anicy wind seemed to fill the dining-room，and at the same timeMrs Hampton's macaws began to scream．
'What's wrong with those stupid birds，Mary？'askedher husband.Just then，a big grey wolf stepped out from be-hind the large green plant．
Leonard's aunt saw it first．'Leonard！'she screamed．'Bring Mrs Hampton back at once！We don't want a danger－ous wild animal in here！'
'I—I don't know how to bring her back，'said Leonardin a small，frightened voice．
'Rubbish！'shouted Mr Hampton．'You changed my dear wife into a wolf. Now you must bring her back again！'
'Please believe me，'said Leonard．'I didn't change your wife into a wolf．'
'Then where is she，and how did that animal get into the conservatory？'asked Mr Hampton angrily．
'Of course，we must believe you when you say that you didn't change Mrs Hampton into a wolf，'said Clovis politely．'But you must agree that it all looks very strange．'
'How can you stand there arguing，'cried Mavis Pelling－ton，'with a wild animal in the house？'
'Lord Pabham，'began Mr Hampton，'you know a lotabout wild animals…'
'I buy all my animals，'said Lord Pabham．'I have nev-er found one in a conservatory before．But this is a wolf，I amsure of that．I think it's probably a North American she－wolf_'
'Oh，who cares where it came from！'screamed Mavis，as the wolf came a few steps further into the room．'Can't you offer it some food，and take it away safely somewhere be－fore it bites somebody？'
'If this animal is really Mrs Hampton，'said Clovis，'she's just had an excellent dinner. She won't be interested infood．'
'Oh，Leonard，'cried his aunt，'can't you use your wonderful powers to change this terrible animal into something small and gentle，like a rabbit？'
'I don't think Mr Hampton would like that，'said Clovis．
'You're right！'shouted Mr Hampton．'I forbid it！'
'All my wolves love sugar，'said Lord Pabham．'If youlike，I'll offer this one a piece．'He took a piece of sugar fromthe table and pushed it along the floor towards Louisa．She ateit quickly and then，clearly hoping for more sugar，she fol－lowed Lord Pabham out of the room．
The guests left the table thankfully and hurried into the conservatory．It was empty．Mrs Hampton had disappeared．
'The door to the garden is locked on the inside！'saidClovis．（He had quickly turned the key while he was pretend
'I'd like to borrow her tomorrow evening，'said Clovis lightly．'May I，please？'
'Tomorrow night？'repeated Lord Pabham in surprise．
'Yes．Wolves usually sleep during the day，don't they？So a night-time journey won't hurt her．Could you ask one of your men to bring Louisa here when it is dark？Then he can take her quietly into the conservatory at the same time as MrsHampton leaves the dining－room．'
Lord Pabham looked at Clovis in surprise．Then he smiled．'I understand！'he said．'You're going to try a little Siberian Magic．And has Mrs Hampton agreed to help you？''Mary has promised—if your she－wolf is quiet and gen-tle.'
'Louisa won't give you any trouble，'said Lord Pabham．The next day several more guests arrived．Leonard Bil-siter enjoyed telling them all about Siberian Magic and hidden powers．He talked all through dinner．When the coffee arrivedat the end of the meal，Leonard's aunt spoke．
'Dear Leonard，'she said，'please show us your powers.Change something into another shape．'She turned to the oth－er guests．'He can do it if he wants to，'she told them．'Oh，please show us，'said Mavis Pellington excitedly.'Well…'began Leonard．'If somebody will give me asmall coin…'
'Oh，surely you aren't going to do stupid things withdisappearing coins？'said Clovis．'We want to see somethingreally surprising．'
'That's right，'said Mary Hampton．'Why don't youchange me into a wolf？ You promised！'She got up from thetable and walked into the conservatory with a bowl of fruit forher macaws．
'I have already warned you，'said Leonard seriously.'Itis dangerous to joke about these things.'
'I don't believe you can do it！'laughed Mary from theconservatory.As she spoke，she disappeared behind a largegreen plant．
'Mrs Hampton—'began Leonard seriously．Then anicy wind seemed to fill the dining-room，and at the same timeMrs Hampton's macaws began to scream．
'What's wrong with those stupid birds，Mary？'askedher husband.Just then，a big grey wolf stepped out from be-hind the large green plant．
Leonard's aunt saw it first．'Leonard！'she screamed．'Bring Mrs Hampton back at once！We don't want a danger－ous wild animal in here！'
'I—I don't know how to bring her back，'said Leonardin a small，frightened voice．
'Rubbish！'shouted Mr Hampton．'You changed my dear wife into a wolf. Now you must bring her back again！'
'Please believe me，'said Leonard．'I didn't change your wife into a wolf．'
'Then where is she，and how did that animal get into the conservatory？'asked Mr Hampton angrily．
'Of course，we must believe you when you say that you didn't change Mrs Hampton into a wolf，'said Clovis politely．'But you must agree that it all looks very strange．'
'How can you stand there arguing，'cried Mavis Pelling－ton，'with a wild animal in the house？'
'Lord Pabham，'began Mr Hampton，'you know a lotabout wild animals…'
'I buy all my animals，'said Lord Pabham．'I have nev-er found one in a conservatory before．But this is a wolf，I amsure of that．I think it's probably a North American she－wolf_'
'Oh，who cares where it came from！'screamed Mavis，as the wolf came a few steps further into the room．'Can't you offer it some food，and take it away safely somewhere be－fore it bites somebody？'
'If this animal is really Mrs Hampton，'said Clovis，'she's just had an excellent dinner. She won't be interested infood．'
'Oh，Leonard，'cried his aunt，'can't you use your wonderful powers to change this terrible animal into something small and gentle，like a rabbit？'
'I don't think Mr Hampton would like that，'said Clovis．
'You're right！'shouted Mr Hampton．'I forbid it！'
'All my wolves love sugar，'said Lord Pabham．'If youlike，I'll offer this one a piece．'He took a piece of sugar fromthe table and pushed it along the floor towards Louisa．She ateit quickly and then，clearly hoping for more sugar，she fol－lowed Lord Pabham out of the room．
The guests left the table thankfully and hurried into the conservatory．It was empty．Mrs Hampton had disappeared．
'The door to the garden is locked on the inside！'saidClovis．（He had quickly turned the key while he was pretend