The Wind Boy - Chapter 14 Nan and the Policeman

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen of The Wind Boy by Ethel Cook Eliot.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter fourteen
Nan and the Policeman. And as he ran he noticed
the down trodden flower beds, the broken ferns, the footmarks

(00:20):
in newly planted earth. He had done that chasing rose Marie.
She had done it too, of course, But then if
he hadn't chased her, she would never have gone that way.
What would the artists say when he saw the ruin?
What wo'd dator say when she knew Kay looked very rueful? Indeed,

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but he had been chasing the masker. They couldn't blame
him too much. The masker, though, had been Rosemarie, they
could blame her. He was not running now, but walking
very slow. Thinking. I'll not tell who the masker was,

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he said to himself. The He ought just to be
glad enough that I've got the mask and it can't
frighten them anymore. Poor Rosemares not to be scolded, not
because of me. Then he started to run again, for
now he could hardly wait to wave the mask in
the faces of Gentian and the wind Boy. But I

(01:28):
must tell you about the wind Boy and Gentian the
wind boy had found her quickly enough and got her
goal too, for her feet, even in their sandals, were
no match for his strong wings. Together, then they hunted
for k. Of course, they could not find him, for

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it never entered their heads that he might have disobeyed
dettra and gone into the artist's grounds For a while.
The policeman, who had been there for some time, standing
near the little swinging gate, kept his silence and watched
Gentian searching. Of course, he did not see her, comrade

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the wind boy. The policeman was smiling behind his mustache,
for he thought that at last he was on the
trace of the masker. After a time he called, what
are you looking for, little girl? Why we're playing hide
and seek and Kay has hidden himself so well we

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can't find him. Gentian stopped her search to answer, very politely,
for children were always a little in awe of this
policeman in his important looking uniform with all its brass buttons.
But if you saw him, she added quickly, you mustn't tell,
for that wouldn't be fair. That's so, little girl. Well,

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I surely did see him, but I am standing here
watching for him to come back. I am. If he
doesn't appear soon, I'll join in your game myself and go.
Look he's up to something. Take my word. The policeman,
you must know, had watched Kay steal on his tiptoes

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to the hedge, crawl in and disappear. The hedge was
so high that he had not seen the masker slipping
from tree to tree on the artist's lawn, nor Kay
finally chasing it. But while he had waited for Kay
to reappear, he had been thinking, and out of his

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thinking had come the conviction that Kay had gone to
some hiding place for the mask and a twilight would
sneak back through the hole in the hedge wearing it.
For in spite of Nan he could not give up
the feeling he had had for days that this little
foreign boy was all the time the masker. Oh, dear Gentians,

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said so softly to the wind Boy that the policeman
could not possibly hear. If he's going to stand there
like that, there's no fun in playing any longer. Well, anyway,
the wind boy said, looking about, it's twilight now and
time for the masker. It was true, twilight had come

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so stealthily they had not noticed let's hit here by
the hole, not saying anything to watch, Gentian nodded, so
they sat down on the grass, close up against the hedge,
their arms wrapped them out their knees to wait and
watch in the twilights. Gentian's eyes were dark with excitement.

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She felt sure that they would catch the masker this time.
When it should come creeping through the hole, Gentian would
hold it while the wind boy tore off its mask.
Oh if kay were only there to help and to
have the fun too, why didn't he come out from
his hiding place now, since he must see that it

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was twilight? But the policeman had swung open the gate
and was coming in. Oh dear, what did he want now?
Why couldn't he keep away till this was over? They
wanted to do it all themselves. Gentian was not really
afraid of him to night, for since mother and Nan

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were just there in the house, he could do her
no harm, of course, but he did spoil the fun.
He came right across the grass to Gentian and the
wind boy. You've chosen a good place to watch, he said,
in a whispering secret, Yes, I'll join you. Gentian did

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not answer. She forgot politeness and stared straight ahead. Well,
of course, if the policeman stayed there and the masker
did come through the hedge, he would be the one
to catch it. He was so big and strong, and
his arms were so long. Perhaps he'd put the mask

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away in his pocket when he got it, and then
the wind boy couldn't tear it up after all, and
would be as badly off as ever. The wind boy
had the same thoughts. He looked at Gentian with troubled,
clouded eyes. Oh bother, he said, Why couldn't he leave
it to us? Gentean looked up at the policeman. Maybe

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it won't come this twilight, she suggested, Perhaps it will,
though the policeman answered, looking down at her suspiciously. Anyhow,
here I sit for a while to see and down
he did, sit between Gentian and the wind boy. If

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the wind boy had not moved quickly, the policeman would
have sat on him, For to the policeman the wind
boy was nothing at all. At that minute, they heard
running feet coming toward the hedge from the other side.
The three watchers straightened up, and hearkened tense, and then

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kay came bounding through the hole. Swinging the mask high
above his head, his face shining. The policeman sprang and
grabbed him by the shoulder. There now, I've felt it
all along, you sly scamp. Kay was taken by surprise,
of course, but he was not frightened, only startled. When

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he saw Gentian and the wind boy, he smiled as
though a policeman having him by the shoulder and frowning
like a thundercloud was nothing. He was so full of
his great news. Oh I caught the masker, he cried
to them, And here's the mask for you, wind boy.
He raised his arm, the arm that was free of

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the policeman's clutch, to toss the mask to the wind boy.
But the policeman seized it. No you don't, he said
that their mask goes with me. It's my proof that
I caught the masker. He held it fast in his
big red hand. You caught the masker, k cried, in consternation.

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Why I caught it myself? How can you say that
you did well? I can say it well enough. I
always guessed that it were you. Now I know I've
caught you red handed with the mask itself. No, no, Kay, cried,

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I chased the masker and caught her. I mean it.
I took the mask and came running with it to
the wind boy. It's really his, you know, since he
made it. The policeman paid no attention to the mention
of the wind boy well Son. He asked, who was
the masker then, if twasn't yourself out with it. But

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Kay's sure smile had frozen and died, he answered only
with silence. At his silence, Gentian and the wind boy
were amazed, but the policeman grinned, Oh do tell quickly, Kay,
Gentean pleaded, he mustn't think you're the masker, but Kay

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stared straight before him. I'm not going to tell, he
said quietly. It ought to be enough that I've got
the mask and it won't frighten children ever again. So
it was you then, sure enough, the policeman said, delighted
with his own cleverness. And you had everyone but me

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well fooled. You did even that Nan there, who's clever
enough in other ways. I'll wager you were the masker
all along, and I'll say you were smart about it too.
It took brains to catch you at it, it did, okay,
Gentien cried, how can you let him go on? Saying that?

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But Nan, from a window in the little brown house,
had seen the policeman out there in the twilight, the
mask swinging in one hand, the other holding faster Kay's shoulder.
She came running. What is it, she asked the policeman.
You've got the mask, but why are you holding k So?

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I'm holding him because he's a mischievous scamp And it
was him? Was the masker all this time? Now I'm
going to march him into his mother while we inform her.
Then too, the artist, who has promised a reward for
the catching of him, he's just come home. Between the two,

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what's to be done with the boy will be decided.
But Nan laughed, and all the children looked at her
in grieved surprise. How could she laugh and they in
such trouble? She said, I know very well, mister policeman,
that the masker was never Kay. Why just last evening,

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when Kay and Gentin were sitting still at the supper table,
the masker looked in at the window. Now he couldn't
be in two places at once, could he at the
table and at the window? And Nan Kay cried glad
of the sensible It was I myself who chased the
masker to night and got the mask away from her it.

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I was just bringing it to the wind boy when
the policeman grabbed me. That's all very fine sounding, said
the policeman, but he can't tell us who the masker
was or what it's not that I can't. I won't
let me see the horrid thing, Nan commanded, but gently

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holding her hand out for it. Be er careful. Then
the policeman cautioned her. Nothing must happen to it until
the artist has had a look. He would never believe
it was as horrible as I said. He always laughed
at me. Nan held the mask up and looked at

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it square in the green eyes. You are rather horrid,
but you are funny too. She spoke to it as
though it were alive, and did hear It was only
mischief that made you first, But then you grew into
something worse. You frightened little children. You made one little

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boy sick. That was wicked of you. So now you
must be torn to bits and thrown away on the wind,
and never, never, never frightened children again. But the policeman
was startled by NaN's last words. He stepped quickly toward
her to take back the mask, but Nan was too

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quick for him. She whirled him out and tossed it
to the wind boy. He caught it with great eagerness
and rushed away, tearing it to little bits as he went.
The brown and green leaves and twigs that made it
were scattered all about on the grass. Gentian and Kay

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saw the wind boy lift his wings then and fly away,
way up into the twilight air. For a minute there
was the other village hanging above their own, other houses,
other gardens, and away off the other woods and other mountains,

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all clear in crystal twilight. But then the policeman's voice
called them back, and they forgot the clear land. Now
you've done it, he cried to Nan. You might have
seen how easily broke it was. What did you mean
by tossing it up like that? For all that the

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policeman had seen alas for him, was Nan throwing the
mask into the air, and then it being whirled about
in a sudden burst of spring wind and scattered in
tiny pieces over the grass. But Nan did not look
a bit sorry, and neither did she say I'm afraid

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of the policeman. No, she went directly to him, and
lightly lifted his hands from Kay's shoulder. He'll not run
away from you, she said. Don't you see, mister policeman,
that he's only a little boy and has no place
to run to except his mother back there in the house. Well,

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I suppose you're right. He couldn't escape us. Now he's
found out, we'd best march him into his mother. Come along,
young man. But Nan stood in front of him. Please
don't tell his mother to night, she said. She has
only just this minute started to work on the little
statue she is making. Evening is our only time for

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this work she loves best. For all days she has
to be at the factory. If you go in and
disturb her now, she might not be able to get
back to work to night at all. Artists are like that,
the baseman stared. So, but she's got to know something's
got to be done with him. When may I tell

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her to morrow evening, when she comes from the factory,
And then you may tell her Until then, I promise
you Kay will not run away, all right. I hadn't
the mind to disturb her the other night either. Remember
when you live in a town with a great artist,

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He nodded his head toward the artist's mansion over the hedge.
You got to know something about artists and the way
they work. But I'll go along to him now he
does his work. Morning's yes, do go to the artist.
I'm sure he want mine. You're not having the mask

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to show? You can say, what's my fault? It's getting broken.
But the policeman did not move to go. For a minute.
He was looking into NaN's eyes again, or rather he
was looking through them to the purple mountains with calm
stars just risen in the sky above. His face grew

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kind in the twilight. No, I'd not tell on you,
not for worlds, he said. You can rest easy about that.
Then he went. Nan turned to Kay. Oh I didn't
I didn't, He assured her. I never was the masker.

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Don't I know it, Nan hushed him, putting an arm
across his shoulder. But you told him to tell mother
to morrow? Why, Kay genty and said mother will believe
you too. She won't mind if you say it was
never you. Kay straightened. Of course she won't punish me

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when I say it wasn't. I. It isn't that the
bother me, even if she might it's how sad she
will feel. She wants people to like us so and
now they'll all think us queerer than ever, not only
queer naughty. Perhaps I'll be expelled from school and mother

(18:19):
will be miserable, and it will be all my fault. Well, anyway,
let's be glad that she's not to be troubled tonight.
Nane said. For now that the wind boy's happy again
and back with his comrades, this is her chance to
get the statuette. Right, he will look glad of his

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wings tomorrow and have clear eyes. Oh do you think
that the wind boy will come back to night so
that she can see how happy he is? Hardly so
soon when he has just got his comrades back. But
your mother may follow him to the clear That is
where she does her true work, you know, even if

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she does forget about it when you ask her. With
an arm across each child's shoulder, Nan turned to the house.
Let's steal in very softly and up to my room,
she whispered, when they had come to the door. Your
mother must not be called back from the clear land
until she has got the wind boy, just as he

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is now into her Plastelina that would spoil everything. But
just as they slipped past the sitting room's open door,
they looked in at Dettra. The statuette was before her
on the table, and her fingers were working quickly and
surely on the brow. Her eyes looked straight at Kay,

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but without seeing, she was off in the clear land,
watching the wind boy at play with his comrades. This
that the children saw was only her mechanical self, you know,
the self that walks and runs and leads you about.
If you have a chance to walk in your sleep,

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that self, that part of you, can never go up
into the clear land. The children's feet made no noise
on the stairs so quietly they crept up. But when
NaN's door was closed behind them, then they could speak,
but they did so so softly that no sound of

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it might drift down from the window and into the
room where Detra was working on the wind boy. Nan
told them stories. Gentian sat at her feet, leaning against
her knee, but Kay sprawled on the floor, his chain

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in his hands, his eyes looking out into the darkening night.
And though NaN's stories were wonderful and magical, still Kay
heard little of them that night, for he was promising
himself over and over. I won't tell un Rosemarie, no

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matter what they do. I'll not tell even mother a
good thing. The policemen didn't guess. I'm glad, glad he
didn't guess. But even so he dreaded to morrow and
of Chapter fourteen