jeremy-第17章

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catch　the　village　bus；　she　had　waited　at　wayside　stations；　as　in
Glebeshire　only　one　can　wait；　the　world　had　dripped　upon　her　head
and　spattered　upon　her　legs。　She　had　neuralgia　and　a　pain　in　her
back；　she　had　worn　her　older　dress　because；　upon　such　a　day；　it
would　not　do　to　travel　in　her　best；　and　then；　as　a　climax　to
everything；　she　had　left　her　umbrella　in　the　train。　How　she　could　do
such　a　thing　upon　such　a　day！　Her　memory　was　not　her　strongest
point；　poor　lady；　and　it　was　a　good　umbrella；　and　she　could　not
afford　to　buy　another。　Perhaps　they　would　find　it　for　her；　but　it
was　very　unlikely。

She　had　had　it　for　a　number　of　years。

She　was　a　little　woman；　all　skin　and　bone；　with　dried　withered
cheeks；　a　large　brown　nose　and　protruding　ears。　Her　face　had　formed
severe　lines　in　self…defence　against　her　brother；　but　her　eyes　were
mild；　and　when　she　smiled　her　mouth　was　rather　pleasantly　pathetic。

〃Oh；　she'll　never　do；〃　thought　Mrs。　Cole；　as　she　looked　at　her
dripping　in　the　hall。

〃I　can't　think　how　I　forgot　it；　said　the　poor　lady；　her　mind　fixed
upon　her　umbrella。　〃They　said　that　perhaps　they　would　find　it　for
me；　but　there　was　a　man　in　my　carriage；　I　remember；　who　will　most
certainly　have　taken　itand　it　was　a　nice　one　with　a　silver
handle。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole　cheerfully；　〃I'm　sure　they'll　find　it。
You　must　come　up　to　the　nurseryor　the　schoolroom　I　suppose　we　must
call　it　now；　there's　a　lovely　fire　there；　and　we'll　both　have　tea
with　the　children　to…day；　so　as　to　feel　at　home；　all　of　us；　as
quickly　as　possible。〃

What　Miss　Jones　wanted　was　to　lie　down　on　a　bed　in　a　dark　room　and
try　and　conquer　her　neuralgia。　The　thought　of　a　lighted　nursery
filled　her　with　dismay。　However；　first　impressions　are　so　important。
She　pulled　herself　together。

The　children　had　heard　the　arrival；　they　waited　in　a　bunch　by　the
fire；　their　eyes　partly　fixed　on　the　door；　partly　on　the　strawberry
jam　that　they　were　allowed　to…day　as　a　treat　in　the　new　governess's
honour。　Hamlet；　his　eyes　and　ears　also　upon　the　door；　expecting
perhaps　a　rat；　perhaps　Aunt　Amy；　sat　in　front　of　the　group；　its
bodyguard。

〃She's　in　the　hall；〃　said　Helen；　〃and　now　Mother's　saying：　'Do　take
off　your　things。　You　must　be　wet；'　and　now　she's　saying：　'You'll
like　to　see　the　children；　I　expect；'　and　now〃

There　they　were；　standing　in　the　doorway；　Mrs。　Cole　and　Miss　Jones。
There　followed　a　dismal　pause。　The　children　had　not　expected　anyone
so　old　and　so　ugly　as　Miss　Jones。　Hamlet　did　not　barknothing
occurred。

At　last　Mrs。　Cole　said：　〃Now；　children；　come　and　say；　'How　do　you
do？'　to　Miss　Jones。　This　is　Helen；　our　eldestthis　Maryand　this
Jeremy。〃

Miss　Jones　did　a　dreadful　thing。　In　her　eagerness　to　be　pleasant　and
friendly　she　kissed　the　girls；　and　then；　before　anyone　could　stop
her；　kissed　Jeremy。　He　took　it　like　a　man；　never　turning　his　head
nor　wiping　his　mouth　with　his　hand　afterwards；　but　she　might　have
seen　in　his　eyes；　had　she　looked；　what　he　felt　about　it。

She　said：　〃I　hope　we　shall　be　happy　together；　dears。〃

The　children　said　nothing；　and　presently　they　all　sat　down　to　tea。




II


It　was　unfortunate　that　there　was　so　little　precedent　on　both　sides。
Miss　Jones　had　never　been　a　governess　before　and　the　children　had
never　had　one。　Of　course；　many　mistakes　were　made。　Miss　Jones　had
had　a　true　admiration　for　what　she　used　to　call　〃her　brother's
indomitable　spirit；〃　her　name　for　his　selfishness　and　bad　temper。
She　was　herself　neither　selfish　nor　bad…tempered；　but　she　was
ignorant；　nervous；　over…anxious；　and　desperately　afraid　of　losing
her　situation。　She　had　during　so　many　years　lived　without　affection
that　the　wells　of　it　had　dried　up　within　her；　and　now；　without　being
at　all　a　bad　old　lady；　she　was　simply　preoccupied　with　the　business
of　managing　her　neuralgia；　living　on　nothing　a　week；　and　building　to
her　deceased　brother's　memory　a　monument；　of　heroic　character　and
self…sacrifice。　She　was　short…sighted　and　had　a　perpetual　cold；　she
was　forgetful　and　careless。　She　had；　nevertheless；　a　real　knowledge
of　many　things；　a　warm　heart　somewhere　could　she　be　encouraged　to
look　for　it　again；　and　a　sense　of　humour　buried　deep　beneath　her
cares　and　preoccupations。　There　were　many　worse　persons　in　the　world
than　Miss　Jones。　But；　most　unfortunately；　her　love　for　her　brother's
memory　led　her　to　resolve　on　what　she　called　〃firmness。〃　Mrs。　Cole
had　told　her　that　Jeremy　was　〃getting　too　much〃　for　his　nurse；　she
approached　Jeremy　with　exactly　the　tremors　and　quaking　boldness　that
she　would　have　summoned　to　her　aid　before　a　bull　loose　in　a　field。
She　really　did　look　frightening　with　her　large　spectacles　on　the　end
of　her　large　nose；　her　mouth　firmly　set；　and　a　ruler　in　her　hand。　〃I
insist　on　absolute　obedience；〃　was　her　motto。　Jeremy　looked　at　her
but　said　no　word。　It　was　made　clear　to　them　all　that　the　new　regime
was　to　be　far　other　than　the　earlier　nursery　one。　There　were　to　be
regular　lesson　hoursnine　to　twelve　and　four　to　five。　A　neat　piece
of　white　paper　was　fastened　to　the　wall　with　〃Monday：　Geography　9…
10；　Arithmetic　10…11；〃　and　so　on。　A　careful　graduation　of
punishments　was　instituted；　copies　to　he　written　so　many　times；
standing　on　a　chair；　three　strokes　on　the　hand　with　a　ruler；　and；
worst　of　all；　standing　in　the　corner　wearing　a　paper　Dunce's　cap。
（This　last　she　had　read　of　in　books。）　At　first　Jeremy　had　every
intention　of　behaving　well；　in　spite　of　that　unfortunate　embrace。　He
was　proud　of　his　advance　in　life；　he　was　no　longer　a　baby；　the
nursery　was　now　a　schoolroom；　he　stayed　up　an　hour　later　at　night；
he　was　to　be　allowed　twopence　a　week　pocket…money；　his　whole　social
status　had　risen。　He　began　to　read　for　pleasure；　and　discovered　that
it　was　easier　than　he　had　expected；　so　that　he　passed　quite　quickly
through　〃Lottie's　Visit　to　Grandmama〃　into　〃Stumps〃　and　out　again　in
〃Jackanapes。〃　He　heard　some　elder　say　that　the　road　to　a　large
fortune　lay　through　〃Sums；〃　and；　although　this　seemed　to　him　an
extremely　mysterious　statement；　he　determined　to　give　the　theory　a
chance。　In　fact；　he　sat　down　the　first　day　at　the　schoolroom　table；
Mary　and　Helen　on　each　side　of　him；　and　Miss　Jones　facing　them；　with
fine　resolves　and　high　ambitions。　Before　him　lay　a　pure　white　page；
and　at　the　head　of　this　the　noble　words　in　a　running　hand：　〃Slow　and
steady　wins　the　race。〃　He　grasped　his　pencil；　and　Miss　Jones；　eager
to　lose　no　time　in　asserting　her　authority；　cried：　〃But　that's　not
the　way　to　hold　your　pencil；　Jeremy；　your　thumb　so；　your　finger　so。〃
He　scowled　and　found　that　lifting　his　thumb　over　the　pencil　was　as
difficult　as　lifting　Hamlet　over　a　gate。　He　made　a　bold　attempt；　but
the　pencil　refused　to　move。

〃Can't　hold　it　that　way；〃　he　said。

〃You　must　never　say　'can't；'　Jeremy；〃　remarked　Miss　Jones。　〃There
isn't　such　a　word。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Mary　eagerly；　〃there　is；　I've　seen　it　in　books。〃

〃You　musn't　contradict；　Mary；〃　said　Miss　Jones。　〃I　only　meant　that
you　must　behave　as　though　there　isn't；　because　nothing　is　impossible
to　one　who　truly　tries。〃

〃My　pencil　waggles　this　way；〃　said　Jeremy　politely。　〃I　think　I'll
hold　it　the　old　way；　please。〃

〃There's　only　one　way　of　doing　anything；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃and
that's　the　right　way。〃

〃This　is　the　right　way　for　me；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃If　I　say　it's　not　the　right　way〃

〃But　it　waggles；〃　cried　Jeremy。

The　discussion　was　interrupted　by　a　cry　from　Helen。

〃Oh；　do　look；　Miss　Jones；　Hamlet's　got　your　spectacle…　case。　He
thinks　it's　a　mouse。〃

There　followed　general　confusion。　Miss　Jones　jumped　up；　and；　with
little　cries　of　distress；　pursued　Hamlet；　who　hastened　into　his
favourite　corner　and　began　to　worry　the　spectacle…case；　with　one　eye
on　Miss　Jones　and　one　on　his　spoils。

Jeremy　hurried　up　crying：　〃Put　it　down；　Hamlet；　naughty　dog；　naughty
dog；〃　and　Mary　and　Helen　laughed　with　frantic　delight。

At　last　Miss　Jones；　her　face　red　and　her　hair　in　disorder；　rescued
her　property　and　returned　to　the　table；　Hamlet　meanwhile　wagging　his
tail；　panting　and　watching　for　a　further　game。

〃I　can't　possibly；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃allow　that　dog　in　here　during
lesson　hours。　It's　impossible。〃

〃Oh