jeremy-第14章
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found his boots and cap and coat and then； deliberately keeping from
him the thought of the Pantomime lest he should suddenly wake up； he
said：
〃I'm ready； Uncle。〃
Samuel Trefusia looked at him。
〃You're a strange kid；〃 he said； 〃you take everything so quietly
but； thank God； I don't understand children。〃
〃There's Hamlet；〃 said Jeremy； wondering whether perhaps the
dream would extend to his friend。 〃I suppose he can't come too。〃
〃No； he certainly can't；〃 said Uncle Samuel grimly。
〃And there's Rose。 She'll wonder where I've gone。〃
〃I've told her。 Don't you worry。 What a conscientious infant you
are。 Just like your father。 Anything else？〃
〃No；〃 said Jeremy breathlessly； and nearly murdered himself going
downstairs because he shut his eyes in order to continue the dream
so long as it was possible。 Then in the cold night air； grasping his
uncle's hand with a feverish hold； he stammered：
〃Is it really true？ Are we goingreally？〃
〃Of course we're going。 Come onstep out or you'll miss the Giant。〃
〃Butbutoh！〃 he drew a deep breath。 〃Then they don't think me a
liar any more？？
〃Theywho？〃
〃Father and Mother and everyone。〃
〃Don't you think about them。 You'd better enjoy yourself。〃
〃But you said you wouldn't go to the Pantomimenot for anything？〃
〃Well； I've changed my mind。 Don't talk so much。 You know I hate you
children chattering。 Always got something to say。〃
So Jeremy was silent。 They raced down Orange Street； Jeremy being
almost carried off his feet。 This was exactly like a dream。 This
rushing movement and the way that the lamp…posts ran up to you as
though they were going to knock you down； and the way that the stars
crackled and sputtered and trembled overhead。 But Uncle Samuel's
hand was flesh and blood； and the heel of Jeremy's right shoe hurt
him and he felt the tickle of his sailor…collar at the back of his
neck； just as he did when he was awake。
Then there they were at the Assembly Rooms door； Jeremy having
become so breathless that Uncle Samuel had to hold him up for a
moment or he'd have fallen。
〃Bit too fast for you； was it？ Well； you shouldn't be so fat。 You
eat too much。 Now we're not going to sit with your father and
motherthere isn't room for you there。 So don't you go calling out
to them or anything。 We're sitting in the back and you'd better be
quiet or they'll turn you out。〃
〃I'll be quiet；〃 gasped Jeremy。
Uncle Samuel paused at a lighted hole in the wall and spoke to a
large lady in black silk who was drinking a cup of tea。 Jeremy
caught the jingle of money。 Then they moved forward； stumbling in
the dark up a number of stone steps； pushing at a heavy black
curtain； then suddenly bathed in a bewildering glow of light and
scent and colour。
Jeremy's first impression； as he fell into this new world； was of an
ugly； harsh； but funny voice crying out very loudly indeed： 〃Oh； my
great aunt！ Oh； my great aunt！ Oh； my great aunt！〃 A roar of
laughter rose about him； almost lifting him off his feet； and close
to his car a Glebeshire voice sobbed： 〃Eh； my dear。 Poor worm！ Poor
worm！〃
He was aware then of a strong smell of oranges； of Uncle Samuel
pushing him forward； of stumbling over boots； knees； and large hands
that were clapping in his very nose； of falling into a seat and then
clinging to it as though it was his only hope in this strange
puzzling world。 The high funny voice rose again： 〃Oh； my great aunt！
Oh； my great aunt！〃 And again it was followed by the rough roar of
delighted laughter。
He was aware then that about him on every side gas was sizzling； and
then； as he recovered slowly his breath； his gaze was drawn to the
great blaze of light in the distance； against which figures were
dimly moving； and from the heart of which the strange voice came。 He
heard a woman's voice； then several voices together； then suddenly
the whole scene shifted into focus； his eyes were tied to the light；
the oranges and the gas and the smell of clothes and heated bodies
slipped back into distancehe was caught into the world where he
had longed to be。
He saw that it was a shopand he loved shops。 His heart beat
thickly as his eyes travelled up and up and up over the rows and
rows of shelves； here were bales of cloth； red and green and blue；
carpets from the East； table…covers； sheets and blankets。 Behind the
long yellow counters young men in strange clothes were standing。 In
the middle of the scene was a funny old woman； her hat tumbling off
her head； her shabby skirt dragging； large boots； and a red nose。 It
was from this strange creature that the deep ugly voice proceeded。
She had； this old woman； a number of bales of cloth under her arms；
and she tried to carry them all； but one slipped； and then another；
and then another； she bent to pick them up and her hat fell off； she
turned for her hat and all the bales tumbled together。 Jeremy began
to laugheveryone laughed； the strange voice came again and again；
lamenting； bewailing； she had secured one bale； a smile of cautious
triumph began to spread over her ugly face； then the bales all fell
again； and once more she was on her knees。 It was then that her
voice or some movement brought to Jeremy's eyes so vividly the
figure of their old gardener； Jordan； that he turned round to Uncle
Samuel； and suddenly grasping that gentleman's fat thigh； exclaimed
convulsively： 〃Why； she's a man！〃
What a strange topsy…turvy world this was in which women were men；
and shops turned （as with a sudden creaking and darkness and
clattering did this one） into gardens by the sea。 Jeremy drew his
breath deeply and held on。 His mouth was open and his hair on end。 。
。
It is impossible to define exactly Jeremy's ultimate impression as
the entertainment proceeded。 Perhaps he had no ultimate impression。
It cannot in reality have been a very wonderful Pantomime。 Even at
Drury Lane thirty years back there were many things that they did
not know； and it is not likely that a touring company fitted into so
inadequate an old building as our Assembly Rooms would have provided
anything very fine。 But Jeremy will never again discover so complete
a realisation for his illusions。 Whatever failures in the
presentation there were； he himself made good。
As a finale to the first half of the entertainment there was given
Dick's dream at the Cross…Roads。 He lay on the hard ground； his head
upon his bundle； the cat as large as he watching sympathetically
beside him。 In the distance were the lights of London； and then； out
of the half dusk； fairies glittering with stars and silver danced up
and down the dusky road whilst all the London bells rang out 〃Turn
again； 〃Whittington； Lord Mayor of London。〃
Had Jeremy been of the age and wisdom of Uncle Samuel he would have
discovered that Dick was a stout lady and probably the mother of a
growing family； that the fairies knew as much about dancing as the
Glebeshire wives sitting on the bench behind； that the London bells
were two hand instruments worked by a youth in shirt sleeves behind
the scenes so energetically that the High Road and the painted
London blew backwards and forwards in sympathy with his movements。
Jeremy； happily； was not so worldly wise as his uncle。 This scene
created for him then a tradition of imperishable beauty that would
never fade again。 The world after that night would be a more magical
place than it had ever been before。 〃Turn again； Whittington〃
continued the education that the Toy Village and Hamlet had already
advanced。
When the gas rose once again； sizzling like crackling bacon； he was
white with excitement。 The only remark that he made was： 〃It's much
better than the pictures outside Martin's； isn't it； Uncle Samuel？〃
to which Uncle Samuel； who had been railing for weeks at the
deflowering of Polchester by those abominable posters； could
truthfully reply； 〃Much better。〃 Little by little he withdrew
himself from the other world and realised his own。 He could see that
he and his uncle were certainly not amongst the Quality。 Large
ladies； their dresses tucked up over their knees； sucked oranges。
Country farmers with huge knobbly looking sticks were there； and
even some sailors； o
