jeremy-第15章
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ladies； their dresses tucked up over their knees； sucked oranges。
Country farmers with huge knobbly looking sticks were there； and
even some sailors； on their way probably to Drymouth。 He recognised
the lady who kept charge of the small Orange Street post…office； and
waved to her with delighted excitement。 The atmosphere was thick
with gas and oranges； and I'm afraid that Uncle Samuel must have
suffered a great deal。 I can only put it on record that he； the most
selfish of human beings； never breathed a word of complaint。
They were all packed very closely together up there in the gallery；
where seventy years before an orchestra straight from Jane Austen's
novels had played to the dancing of the contemporaries of Elizabeth
Bennett； Emma Woodhouse； and the dear lady of 〃Persuasion。〃 Another
thirty…two years and that same gallery would be listening to
recruiting appeals and echoing the drums and fifes of a martial
band。 The best times are always the old times。 The huge lady in the
seat next to Jeremy almost swallowed him up； so that he peered out
from under her thick arm； and heard every crunch and crackle of the
peppermints that she was enjoying。 He grew hotter and hotter； so
that at last he seemed； as once he had read in some warning tract
about a greedy boy that Aunt Amy had given him； 〃to swim in his own
fat。〃 But he did not mind。 Discomfort only emphasised his happiness。
Then； peering forward beneath that stout black arm； he suddenly
perceived； far below in the swimming distance； the back of his
mother； the tops of the heads of Mary and Helen； the stiff white
collar of his father； and the well… known coral necklace of Aunt
Amy。 For a moment dismay seized him； the morning's lie which he had
entirely forgotten suddenly jumping up and facing him。 But they had
forgiven him。
〃Shall I wave to them？〃 he asked excitedly of Uncle Samuel。
〃No； no；〃 said his uncle very hurriedly。 〃Nonsense。 They wouldn't
see you if you did。 Leave them alone。〃
He felt immensely superior to them up where he was； and he wouldn't
have changed places with them for anything。 He gave a little sigh of
satisfaction。 〃I could drop an orange on to Aunt Amy's head；〃 he
said。 〃Wouldn't she jump！〃
〃You must keep quiet；〃 said Uncle Samuel。 〃You're good enough as you
are。〃
〃I'd rather be here；〃 said Jeremy。 〃It's beautifully hot here and
there's a lovely smell。〃
〃There is；〃 said Uncle Samuel。
Then the gas went down； and the curtain went up； and Dick； now in a
suit of red silk with golden buttons； continued his adventures。 I
have not space here to describe in detail the further events of his
lifehow； receiving a telegram from the King of the Zanzibars about
the plague of rats； he took ship with his cat and Alderman
Fitzwarren and his wife； how they were all swallowed by a whale；
cast up by a most lucky chance on the Zanzibars； nearly cooked by
the natives； and rescued by the King of the Zanzibars' beautiful
daughter； killed all the rats； were given a huge feast； with dance
and song； and finally Dick； although tempted by the dusky Princess；
refused a large fortune and returned to Alice of Eastcheap； the true
lady of his heart。 There were； of course； many other things； such as
the aspirations and misadventures of Mrs。 Fitzwarren； the deep…
voiced lady who had already so greatly amused Jeremy。 And then there
was a Transformation Scene； in which roses turned into tulips and
tulips into the Hall of Gold； down whose blazing steps marched stout
representatives of all the nations。
It was in the middle of this last thrilling spectacle； when Jeremy's
heart was in his mouth and he was so deeply excited that he did not
know whether it were he or the lady next to him who was eating
peppermints； that his uncle plucked him by the sleeve and said in
his ear： 〃Come on。 It's close on the end。 We must go。〃
Jeremy very reluctantly got up； and stumbled out over knees and legs
and exclamations like：
〃There's Japan！〃 〃No； it ain't； it's Chiney！〃 〃You's a fine； hearty
young woman！〃 and so on。 He was dragged through the black curtain；
down the stone steps； and into the street。
〃But it wasn't the end；〃 he said。
〃It will be in one minute；〃 said his uncle。 〃And I want us to get
home first。〃
〃Why？〃 said Jeremy。
〃Never you mind。 Come on； we'll race it。〃
They arrived home breathless； and then； once again in the old
familiar hall； Uncle Samuel said：
〃Now you nip up to the nursery； and then they'll never know you've
been out at all。〃
〃Never know？〃 said Jeremy。 〃But you said they'd sent for me。〃
〃Well；〃 said Uncle Samuel； 〃that wasn't exactly true。 As a matter of
fact； they don't know you were there。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Jeremy； the corner of his mouth turning down。 〃Then I've
told a lie again！〃
〃Nonsense！〃 said Uncle Samuel impatiently。 〃It wasn't you； it was
I。〃
〃And doesn't it matter your telling lies？〃 asked Jeremy。
The answer to this difficult question was； happily for Uncle Samuel；
interrupted by the arrival of the household； who had careened up
Orange Street in a cab。
When Mr。 and Mrs。 Cole saw Jeremy standing in the hall； his great
coat still on and his muffler round his neck； there was a fine scene
of wonder and amazement。
Uncle Samuel explained。 〃It was my fault。 I told him you'd forgiven
him and sent for him to come； after all。 He's in an awful state now
that you shouldn't forgive him。〃
Whatever they thought of Uncle Samuel； this was obviously neither
the time nor the place to speak out。 Mrs。 Cole looked at her son。
His body defiant； sleepy； excited。 His mouth was obstinate； but his
eyes appealed to her on the scene of the common marvellous
experience that they had just enjoyed。
She hugged him。
〃And you won't tell a lie again； will you； Jeremy； dear？〃
〃Oh； no！〃 And then； hurrying on： 〃And when the old woman tumbled
down the steps； Mother； wasn't it lovely？ And the fairies in Dick
Whittington's sleep； and when the furniture all fell all over the
place〃
He went slowly upstairs to the nursery； the happiest boy in the
kingdom。 But through all his happiness there was this puzzle： Uncle
Samuel had told a lie； and no one had thought that it mattered。
There were good lies and bad ones then。 Or was it that grown…up
people could tell lies and children mustn't？ 。 。 。
He tumbled into the warm； lighted nursery half asleep。 There was
Hamlet watching in front of the Jampot's sewing machine。
He would have things to think about for years and years and
years。 。 。
There was the Jampot。
〃I'm sorry I called you a beastly woman；〃 he said。
She sniffed。
〃Well； I hope you'll be a good boy now；〃 she said。
〃Oh； I'll be good；〃 he smiled。 〃But； Nurse； are there some people
can tell lies and others mustn't？〃
〃All them that tell lies goes to Hell；〃 said the Jampot。 〃And now；
Master Jeremy； come along and take your things off。 It's past
eleven； and what you'll be like to…morrow〃
CHAPTER IV
MISS JONES
I
The coming of the new year meant the going of the Jampot； and the
going of the Jampot meant the breaking of a life…time's traditions。
The departure was depressing and unsettling； the weather wasas it
always is during January in Glebeshireat its worst； and the
Jampot； feeling it all very deeply； maintained a terrible Spartan
composure； which was meant to show indifference and a sense of
injustice。 She had to the very last believed it incredible that she
should really go。 She had been in the old Orange Street house for
eight years； and had intended to be there until she died。 She was
forced to admit that Master Jeremy was going beyond her； but in
September he would go to school； and then she could help with the
sewing and other things about the house。 The real truth of the
matter was that she had never been a very good servant； having too
much of the Glebeshire pride and independence and too little of the
Glebeshire fidelity。
Mrs。 Cole had been glad of the opportunity that Hamlet's arrival in
the family had given her。 The Jampot； only a week before the date of
her departure； came to her mistress and begged； with floods of
tears； to be allowed to continue in her service。 But Mrs。 Cole； with
all her placidity；
