jeremy-第18章

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

〃Oh；　but　Miss　Jones〃　began　Jeremy。

〃Not　one　word；〃　said　she；　〃let　us　have　no　more　of　this。　Lead　him
from　the　room；　Jeremy！〃

〃But；　Miss　Jones；　he　must　be　here。　He's　learning　too。　In　a　day　or
two　he'll　be　as　good　as　anything；　really　he　will。　He's　so
intelligent。　He　really　thought　it　was　his　to　play　with；　and　he　did
give　it　up；　didn't　he；　as　soon　as　I　said〃

〃Enough；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃I　will　listen　to　no　more。　I　say　he　is
not　to　remain〃

〃But　if　I　promise〃　said　Jeremy。

Then　Miss　Jones　made　a　bad　mistake。　Wearied　of　the　argument；　wishing
to　continue　the　lesson；　and　hoping　perhaps　to　please　her　tormentors；
she　said　meekly：

〃Well；　if　he　really　is　good；　perhaps〃

From　that　instant　her　doom　was　sealed。　The　children　exchanged　a
glance　of　realisation。　Jeremy　smiled。　The　lesson　was　continued。　What
possessed　Jeremy　now？　What　possesses　any　child；　naturally　perhaps；
of　a　kindly　and　even　sentimental　nature　at　the　sight　of　something
helpless　and　in　its　power？　Is　there　any　cruelty　in　after　life　like
the　cruelty　of　a　small　boy；　and　is　there　anything　more　powerful；
more　unreasoning；　and　more　malicious　than　the　calculating　tortures
that　small　children　devise　for　those　weaker　than　themselves？　Jeremy
was　possessed　with　a　new　power。

It　was　something　almost　abstract　in　its　manifestations；　it　was
something　indecent；　sinister；　secret；　foreign　to　his　whole　nature
felt　by　him　now　for　the　first　time；　unanalysed；　of　course；　but
belonging；　had　he　known　it；　to　that　world　of　which　afterwards　he　was
often　to　catch　glimpses；　that　world　of　shining　white　faces　in　dark
streets；　of　muffled　cries　from　shuttered　windows；　of　muttered
exclamations；　half　caught；　half　understood。　He　was　never　again　to　be
quite　free　from　the　neighbourhood　of　that　half…world；　he　would　never
be　quite　sure　of　his　dominance　of　it　until　he　died。

He　had　never　felt　anything　like　this　power　before。　With　the　Jampot
his　relations　had　been　quite　simple；　he　had　been　rebellious；
naughty；　disobedient；　and　had　been　punished；　and　there　was　an　end。
Now　there　was　a　game　like　tracking　Red　Indians　in　the　prairie　or
tigers　in　the　jungle。

He　watched　Miss　Jones　and　discovered　many　things　about　her。　He
discovered　that　when　she　made　mistakes　in　the　things　that　she　taught
them　she　was　afraid　to　confess　to　her　mistakes；　and　so　made　them
worse　and　worse。　He　discovered　that　she　was　very　nervous；　and　that　a
sudden　noise　made　her　jump　and　turn　white　and　put　her　hand　to　her
heart。　He　discovered　that　she　would　punish　him　and　then　try　to
please　him　by　saying　he　need　not　finish　his　punishment。　He
discovered　that　she　would　lose　things；　like　her　spectacles；　her
handkerchief；　or　her　purse；　and　then　be　afraid　to　confess　that　she
had　lost　them　and　endeavour　to　proceed　without　them。　He　discovered
that　she　hated　to　hit　him　on　the　hand　with　a　ruler　（he　scarcely　felt
the　strokes）。　He　discovered　that　when　his　mother　or　father　was　in
the　room　she　was　terrified　lest　he　should　misbehave。

He　discovered　that　she　was　despised　by　the　servants；　who　quite
openly　insulted　her。

All　these　things　fed　his　sense　of　power。　He　did　not　consider　her　a
human　being　at　all；　she　was　simply　something　upon　which　he　could
exercise　his　ingenuity　and　cleverness。　Mary　followed　him　in　whatever
he　did；　Helen　pretended　to　be　superior；　but　was　not。　Yes；　Miss　Jones
was　in　the　hands　of　her　tormentors；　and　there　was　no　escape　for　her。

Surely　it　must　have　been　some　outside　power　that　drove　Jeremy　on。
The　children　called　it　〃teasing　Miss　Jones；〃　and　the　aboriginal
savagery　in　their　behaviour　was　as　unconscious　as　their　daily　speech
or　fashion　of　eating　their　foodsome　instinct　inherited；　perhaps；
from　the　days　when　the　gentleman　with　the　biggest　muscles　extracted
for　his　daily　amusement　the　teeth　and　nails　of　his　less　happily
muscular　friends。

There　were　many　games　to　be　played　with　Miss　Jones。　She　always　began
her　morning　with　a　fine　show　of　authority；　accumulated；　perhaps；
during　hours　of　Spartan　resolution　whilst　the　rest　of　the　household
slept。　〃To…morrow　I'll　see　that　they　do　what　I　tell　them〃

〃Now；　children；〃　she　would　say；　〃I'm　determined　to　stand　no　nonsense
this　morning。　Get　out　your　copy　books。〃　Five　minutes　later　would
begin：　〃Oh；　Miss　Jones；　I　can't　write　with　this　pencil。　May　I　find　a
better　one？〃　Granted　permission；　Mary's　head　and　large　spectacles
would　disappear　inside　the　schoolroom　cupboard。　Soon　Jeremy　would
say　very　politely：　〃Miss　Jones；　I　think　I　know　where　it　is。　May　I
help　her　to　find　it？〃　Then　Jeremy's　head　would　disappear。　There
would　follow　giggles；　whispers；　again　giggles；　then　from　the
cupboard　a　book　tumbles；　then　another；　then　another。　Then　Miss　Jones
would　say：　〃Now；　Jeremy；　come　back　to　the　table。　You've　had　quite
enough　time〃　interrupted　by　a　perfect　avalanche　of　books。　Mary
crying：

〃Oh；　Jeremy！〃　Jeremy　crying：　〃I　didn't；　it　was　you！〃　Miss　Jones：
〃Now；　children〃

Then　Jeremy；　very　politely：

〃Please；　Miss　Jones；　may　I　help　Mary　to　pick　the　books　up？　There　are
rather　a　lot。〃　Then；　both　on　their　knees；　more　whispers　and　giggles。
Miss　Jones；　her　voice　trembling：　〃Children；　I　really　insist〃　And
more　books　dropped；　and　more　whispers　and　more　protests；　and　so　on
ad　infinitum。　A　beautiful　game　to　be　played　all　the　morning。

Or　there　was　the　game　of　Not　Hearing。　Miss　Jones　would　say：　〃And
twice　two　are　four。〃　Mary　would　repeat　loudly：　〃And　twice　two　is
five〃

〃Four；　Mary。〃

〃Oh；　I　thought　you　said　five。〃

And　then　a　second　later　Jeremy　would　ask：

〃Did　you　say　four　or　five；　Miss　Jones？〃

〃I　told　Mary　I　said　four〃

〃Oh；　I've　written　fiveand　now　it's　all　wrong。　Didn't　you　write
five；　Mary？〃

〃Yes；　I've　written　five。　You　did　say　four；　didn't　you；　Miss　Jones？〃

〃Yesyes。　And　three　makes〃

〃What　did　you　say　made　five？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃I　didn't　say　five。　I　said　four。　Twice　two。〃

〃Is　that　as　well　as　'add　three；'　Miss　Jones？　I've　got　twice　two；　and
then　add　three；　and　then　twice　two〃

〃No；　no。　I　was　only　telling　Jeremy〃

〃Please；　Miss　Jones；　would　you　mind　beginning　again〃

This　is　a　very　unpleasant　game　for　a　lady　with　neuralgia。

Or　there　is　the　game　of　Making　a　Noise。　At　this　game；　without　any
earlier　training　or　practice；　Jeremy　was　a　perfect　master。　The　three
children　would　be　sitting　there　very；　very　quiet；　learning　the　first
verse　of　〃Tiger；　Tiger；　burning　bright〃　A　very　gentle　creaking
sound　would　break　the　stillnessa　creaking　sound　that　can　be　made；
if　you　are　clever；　by　rubbing　a　boot　against　a　boot。　It　would　not
come　regularly；　but　once；　twice；　thrice；　a　pause；　and　then　once；
twice　and　another　pause。

〃Who's　making　a　noise？〃

Dead　silence。　A　very　long　pause；　and　then　it　would　begin　again。

〃That　noise　must　cease；　I　say。　Jeremy；　what　are　you　doing？〃

He　would　lift　to　her　then　eyes　full　of　meekness　and　love。

〃Nothing；　Miss　Jones。〃

Soon　it　would　begin　again。　Miss　Jones　would　be　silent　this　time；　and
then　Mary　would　speak。

〃Please；　would　you　ask　Jeremy　not　to　rub　his　boots　together？　I　can't
learn　my　verse〃

〃I　didn't　know　I　was；〃　says　Jeremy。

Then　it　would　begin　again。　Jeremy　would　say：

〃Please；　may　I　take　my　boots　off？〃

〃Take　your　boots　off？　Why？〃

〃They　will　rub　together；　and　I　can't　stop　them；　because　I　don't　know
when　I　do　it；　and　it　is　hard　for　Mary〃

〃Of　course　not！　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！　Next　time　you　do　it
you　must　stand　on　your　chair。〃

Soon　Jeremy　is　standing　on　his　chair。　Soon　his　poetry　book　drops
with　a　terrible　crash　to　the　ground；　and　five　million　pins　stab　Miss
Jones's　heart。　With　white　face　and　trembling　hands；　she　says：

〃Go　and　stand　in　the　corner；　Jeremy！　I　shall　have　to　speak　to　your
mother！〃

He　goes；　grinning　at　Mary；　and　stands　there　knowing　that　his　victim
is　watching　the　door　in　an　agony　lest　Mrs。　Cole　should　suddenly　come
in　and　inquire　what　Jeremy　had　done；　and　that　so　the　whole　story　of
his　insubordination　be　revealed　and　Miss　Jones　lose　her　situation
for　incapacity。

How　did　he　discover　this　final　weakness　of　Miss　Jones？　No　one　told
him；　but　he　knew；　and；　as　the　days　passed；　rejoiced　in　his　power　and
h