jeremy-第22章

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ropes　of　rubies。　Miss　Jones　meanwhile　thought　of　her　young　days；　her
illnesses　and　a　certain　hat　that　she　had　seen　in　Thornley's　windows
in　the　High　Street。　Jeremy；　attended　by　Hamlet；　hunted　amongst　the
trees　for　snowdrops。

Hamlet　had　been　worried　ever　since　he　could　remember　by　a　theory
about　rabbits。　He　had　been　told；　of　course；　about　rabbits　by　his
parents；　and　it　had　even　been　suggested　to　him　that　he　would　be　a
mighty　hunter　of　the　same　when　he　grew　to　a　certain　age。　He　had　now
reached　that　age；　but　never　a　rabbit　as　yet　had　he　encountered。　He
might　even　have　concluded　that　the　whole　Rabbit　story　was　a　myth　and
a　legend　were　it　not　that　certain　scents　and　odours　were　for　ever
tantalising　his　nose　that　could；　his　instinct　told　him；　mean　Rabbit
and　only　Rabbit。　These　scents　met　him　at　the　most　tantalising　times；
pulling　him　this　way　and　that；　exciting　the　wildest　hopes　in　him；
afterwards　condemned　to　sterility；　as　ghosts　haunt　the　convinced　and
trusting　spiritualist；　so　did　rabbits　haunt　Hamlet。　He　dreamt　of
Rabbits　at　night；　he　tasted　Rabbits　in　his　food；　he　saw　them　scale
the　air　and　swim　the　streamnow；　he　was　close　on　their　trail；　now
he　had　them　round　that　tree；　up　that　hill；　down　that　hole　。　。　。
sitting　tranquilly　in　front　of　the　schoolroom　fire　he　would　scent
them；　always　they　eluded　him；　laughed　at　him；　mocked　him　with　their
stumpy　tails。　They　were　rapidly　becoming　the　obsession　of　his　nights
and　days。

Upon　this　afternoon　the　air　was　full　of　Rabbit。　The　Meads　seemed　to
breathe　Rabbit。　He　left　his　master；　rushed　hither　and　thither；
barked　and　whined；　scratched　the　soil；　ran　round　the　trees；　lay
cautiously　motionless　waiting　for　his　foes；　and　now　and　then　sat　and
laughed　at　himself　for　a　ludicrous　rabbit…bemused　idiot。　He　had　a
delightful　afternoon。　。　。

Jeremy　then　was　left　entirely　to　himself　and　wandered　about；　looking
for　snowdrops　under　the　trees；　talking　to　himself；　lost　in　a　chain
of　ideas　that　included　food　and　the　sea　and　catapults　and　a　sore
finger　and　what　school　would　be　like　and　whether　he　could　knock　down
the　Dean's　youngest；　Ernest；　whom　he　hated　without　knowing　why。

He　was　lost　in　these　thoughts；　and　had　indeed　wandered　almost　into
the　little　wood　that　lies　at　the　foot　of　the　Orchards；　when　he　heard
a　deep　rich　voice　say：

〃I　suppose　you　'aven't　such　a　thing　as　a　match　upon　you　anywhere；
young　gentleman？〃

He　liked　to　be　asked　for　a　match；　a　manly　thing　to　be　supposed　to
possess；　but；　of　course；　he　hadn't　one；　owing　to　the　stupidity　of
elderly　relations；　so　he　looked　up　and　said　politely：　〃No；　I'm
afraid　I　haven't。〃　Then　how　his　heart　whacked　beneath　his　waistcoat！
There；　standing　in　front　of　him；　was　the　very　figure　of　his　dreams！
Looking　down　upon　Jeremy　was　a　gentleman　of　middle…age　whom
experienced　men　of　the　world　would　have　most　certainly　described　as
〃seedy。〃

Jeremy　did　not　see　his　〃seediness。〃　He　saw　first　his　face；　which　was
of　a　deep　brown　copper　colour；　turning　here　and　there　to　a　handsome
purple；　ill…shaved；　perhaps；　but　with　a　fine　round　nose　and　a　large
smiling　mouth。　He　saw　black　curling　hair　and　a　yachting　cap；　faded
this　last　and　the　white　of　it　a　dirty　grey　but　set　on　jauntily　at　a
magnificent　angle。　He　saw　a　suit　of　dark　navy　blue；　this　again
faded；　spotted　too　with　many　stains；　ragged　at　the　trouser…ends　and
even　torn　in　one　place　above　the　elbow；　fitting　also　so　closely　to
the　figure　that　it　must　have　been　at　bursting　point。　He　saw　round
the　neck　a　dark　navy　handkerchief；　and　down　the　front　of　the　coat
brass　buttons　that　shook　and　trembled　as　their　owner's　chest　heaved。

And　what　a　chest！　Jeremy　had　never　conceived　that　any　human　being
could　be　so　thick　and　so　broad。　The　back；　spreading　to　the　farthest
limits　of　the　shiny　seams　of　the　coat；　was　like　a　wall。　The　thighs
were　pillows；　the　arms　bolsters　and　yet　not　fat；　mind　you；　simply
muscle；　all　of　it。　One　could　see　in　a　minute　that　it　was　all　muscle；
the　chest　thrust　forward；　the　legs　spread　wide；　the　bull…neck
bursting　the　handkerchief；　everything　that　Jeremy　himself　most
wished　to　be。　A　sailor；　a　monument　of　strength；　with　the　scent　of
his　〃shag〃　strong　enough　to　smell　a　mile　away；　andyes；　most
marvellous　of　all；　gold　rings　in　his　ears！　His　chest　would　be
tatooed　probably；　and　perhaps　his　legs　also！

There；　on　the　back　of　his　hand；　was　a　blue　anchor。　。　。　。　Jeremy
looked　up　and　trembled　lest　the　vision　should　fade；　then　flung　a
hurried　look　around　him　to　see　whether　Miss　Jones　were　near。　No　one
was　about。　He　was　alone　with　the　desire　of　his　life。

〃I'm　so　so　sorry　I　haven't　a　match；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　not　allowed　to
have　them；　you　know。〃

〃No；　I　suppose　not；〃　said　the　vision。　〃Just　my　blamed　luck。　There　I
am　with　'undreds　of　pounds　lying　around　my　room　at　'ome　careless　as
you　please；　and　then　held　up　for　a　bloomin'　match。　What's　gold　to　a
man　like　me？　But　a　match　。　。　。　there　you　are　。　。　。　that's　life。〃

He　looked　at　Jeremy　with　great　interest；　he　took　in；　as　Jeremy
realised；　every　detail　of　his　personal　appearance。

〃I　like　boys；〃　he　said。　〃'Ad　two　myself'ealthy　little　nippers　they
was。　Both　dead…'ere　to…day　and　gone　to…morrer；　as　you　might　say。　Got
your　nurse　'anging　around　anywhere？〃

〃Nurse？〃　said　Jeremy　indignantly。　〃I　don't　have　a　nurse。　I'm　much
too　old！　There　is　a　governess；　but　she's　over　there　talking　to　Mary。
She's　my　sisterbut　they　won't　bother　yetnot　till　the　Cathedral
bell　begins。〃

〃No　intention　of　'urting　your　feelings；　young　fellow　my　lad。　Didn't
think　you'd　want　a　nurse　of　coursebig　chap　like　you。　Thought　you
might　'ave　a　baby　brother　or　such。　No　offenceI　suppose　you　'aven't
begun　to　smoke　yet。　Can't　offer　you　some　tobacco。〃

Jeremy　coloured。　The　man　was　laughing　at　him。

〃I'm　eight　if　you　want　to　know；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'm　going　to　school
in　September。〃

〃School！〃　said　the　mariner；　sniffing　contemptuously。　〃I　don't　think
much　of　school　if　you　ask　me。　Now　I　never　went　to　school；　and　I
can't　see　that　I'm　much　the　worse　for　not　'aving　been　there。
ContrariwiseI've　seen　many　a　fine　promising　lad　spoiled　by　too
much　schoolin'。　Be　a　man　of　the　world；　I　say；　that's　the　direction
you　want　to　sail　in。〃

〃Did　you　really　never　go　to　school？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃Not　I！〃　relied　the　sailor。　〃Flung　out　at　the　age　of　six；　I　was；
turned　into　a　boat　sailing　to　the　West　Indies　and　left　to　shift　for
myselfand　'ere　I　am　to…day　a　Captain　of　as　fine　a　craft　as　you're
ever　likely　to　see；　with　gold　in　'er　lockers　and　peacocks　in　the
'oldall　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　you　know。〃

Jeremy's　eyes　glittered；　his　face　was　flushed　a　brilliant　red。
Hamlet　had　returned　from　his　rabbit　hunting　and　sat　with　his　tongue
out　and　a　wild　adventurous　eye　glittering　up　at　his　master　from
behind　his　hair；　yet　he　was　not　noticed。

〃You　were　very　lucky；〃　he　said　devoutly；　then　he　went　on　hurriedly：
〃Would　you　mindyou　see；　Miss　Jones　may　come　at　any　momentwould
you　mind〃　he　choked。

〃Would　I　mind　what？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃Would　you　mind　telling　me？　Are　you　tatooed　on　your　body；　snakes　and
ships　and　things；　like　a　gardener　once　we　had？　He　had　a　sea…serpent
all　down　his　back。　He　showed　me　one　day。〃

The　Captain　smiled　proudly。

〃Tatooed！　Talk　of　tatooing！　I'll　show　yerand　it　isn't　everybody
I'd　do　it　for　neither。　But　I've　taken　a　fancy　to　you；　like　my　own
young　nipper　what　died。〃

With　an　air　of　vast　ceremony；　as　though　he　were　throwing　open　the
door　to　all　the　universe；　he　slowly　unwound　from　about　his　neck　the
dark　blue　handkerchief；　unbuttoned　his　coat；　then　a　grimy　shirt　and
displayed　a　wall　of　deep　brown　chest。　This　fine　expanse　had　no　hair
upon　it；　but　was　illuminated　with　a　superb　picture　of　a　ship　in　full
sail　against　a　setting　sun；　all　worked　in　the　most　handsome　of　blue
tatoo。　Jeremy　gasped。　He　had　never　dreamed　that　such　things　could
be。　He　ventured　to　touch　the　ship　with　his　finger；　and　he　could　feel
the　Captain's　manly　heart　thumping　like　a　muffled　hammer　beneath　the
skin。

〃There's　Queen　Victoria　on　my　right　thigh　and　Nelson　on　my　left；　and
the　battle　of　Trafalgar　on　the　middle　of　my　back。　P'raps　I'll　show
'em　you　one　day。　It　wouldn't　be　decent　exactly　'eretoo　public。　But
one　day　you　come　to　my　little