jeremy-第24章

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on。　Jeremy；　pleased　at　this　interest　in　his　daily　life；　told　him　as
many　things　as　he　could；　hoping　to　pass　on　afterwards　to　more
exciting　topics；　how；　for　instance；　the　kitchen　windows　were
fastened　always　last　thing　at　night；　but　you　could　undo　them　from
the　garden　if　you　liked　with　your　knife；　and　Jeremy　knew　this
because　Uncle　Samuel　had　done　it　once　on　a　Sunday　afternoon　when　the
maids　were　all　out　and　he'd　forgotten　his　door　key。　He　would　have
told　the　Captain　all　about　the　schoolroom　and　the　toy　village　and
the　Jampot　and　the　fun　they　had　had　teasing　Miss　Jones　had　not；　the
Captain　fiercely　told　him　that　these　things　did　not　interest　him；
and　that　he　had　better　just　answer　the　questions　that　were　put　to
him。　It　was　indeed　strange　to　see　how；　with　every　interview；　the
Captain　grew　fiercer　and　fiercer　and　sharper　and　sharper。　He　made　no
allusions　now　to　〃'is　little　nipper；〃　said　nothing　about　that　holy
soul　his　mother；　and　never　mentioned　his　liking　for　Jeremy。　There
was　evidently　something　on　his　mind；　and　if　he　had　seemed　mysterious
at　their　first　meeting　it　was　nothing　to　the　secrecy　that　he
practised　now。

And　yet；　in　spite　of　all　this；　his　hold　over　Jeremy　grew　and　grew。
That　dream　of　the　bending　white　road　was　always　with　Jeremy。　He
could　think　of　nothing　but　the　Captain；　and　while　he　was　certainly
afraid　and　would　jump　at　the　slightest　sound；　he　was　also　certainly
excited　beyond　all　earlier　experience。　He　longed；　as　he　lay　awake　at
night；　to　see　the　Captain。　He　seemed　to　have　always　in　front　of　his
eyes　the　great　wall　of　a　chest　with　the　blue　ship　on　it；　and　the
bolster　legs；　and　the　gigantic　hands。　Strangest　of　all　was　the　sense
of　evil　that　came　with　the　attraction。

He　longed　to　be　in　the　man's　company　as　he　longed　to　do　something
that　he　had　been　always　told　not　to　do；　and　when　he　caught　sight　of
him　a　sudden；　hot；　choking　hand　was　pressed　upon　his　heart；　and　he
was　terrified；　delighted；　frightened；　ashamed；　all　in　one。　The
Captain　always　alluded　to　the　things　that　he　would　tell　him；　would
show　him　one　day〃When　you　come　to　my　little　place　I'll　teach　yer　a
thing　or　two〃and　Jeremy　would　wonder　for　hours　what　this　little
place　would　be　like　and　what　the　Captain　would　teach　him。　Meanwhile；
he　saw　him　everywhere；　even　when　he　was　not　therebehind　lamp…
posts；　at　street　corners；　behind　the　old　woman's　umbrella　in　the
market…place；　peering　round　the　statues　in　the　Cathedral；　jerking　up
his　head　from　behind　chimney　pots；　looking　through　the　nursery
windows　just　when　dusk　was　coming　on；　in　the　passages；　under　stairs；
out　in　the　dark　gardenand　always　behind　him　that　horrid　dream　of
the　dead…　white　road　and　the　shingly　Cove。　。　。　Yes；　poor　Jeremy　was
truly　haunted。




IV


That　Miss　Jones　suspected　nothing　of　these　meetings　must　be
attributed　partly　to　that　lady's　habit　of　wrapping　herself　in　her
own　thoughts　on　her　walks　abroad；　and　partly　to　her　natural　short…
sightedness。　Once　Mary　said　that　she　had　noticed　〃a　horrid　man　with
a　red　face〃　staring　at　them；　but　Miss　Jones；　although　she　was　not　a
vain　woman；　thought　it　nevertheless　quite　natural　that　men　should
stare；　and　fancied　more　frequently　that　they　did　so　than　was
strictly　the　truth。

Jeremy；　meanwhile；　was　occupied　now　with　the　thought　as　to　what　he
would　do　did　the　Captain　really　want　him　to　go　away　with　him。　He
discussed　it　with　himself；　but　he　did　not　doubt　what　he　would　do；　he
would　go。　And　he　would　go；　he　knew；　with　fear　and　dread；　and　with　a
longing　to　stay；　and　be　warm　in　the　schoolroom；　and　have　jam　for
tea；　and　half　an　hour　before　bedtime　downstairs；　and　Yorkshire
pudding　on　Sundays。　But　the　Captain　could　make　him　do　anything。　。　。
Yes；　the　Captain　could　make　him　do　anything。　。　。

His　afternoon　walks　now　were　prolonged　agonies。　He　would　turn　his
head　at　every　moment；　would　stare　into　dark　corners；　would　start　at
the　sound　of　steps。　His　sleep　now　was　broken　with　horrid　dreams；　and
he　would　jump　up　and　cry　out；　and　one　night　he　actually　dreamt　of
his　dead…white　road　and　the　sounds　that　came　up　from　below　the　hill；
the　bell　and　the　sea；　and　the　distant　rattle　of　the　little　carts。

Then　the　Captain　drew　near　to　the　very　house　itself。　He　haunted
Orange　Street；　could　be　seen　lounging　against　a　lamp…post　opposite
the　High　School；　looked　once　into　the　very　garden　of　the　Coles；
Jeremy　watching　him　with　beating　heart　from　the　schoolroom　window。
It　was　incredible　to　Jeremy　that　no　one　else　of　the　house　perceived
him；　but　no　one　ever　mentioned　him；　and　this　made　it　appear　all　the
more　a　dream；　as　though　the　Captain　were　invisible　to　everyone　save
himself。　He　began　to　hate　him　even　more　than　he　feared　him；　and　yet
with　that　hatred　the　pleasure　and　excitement　remained。　I　remember
how；　years　ago　in　Polchester；　when　I　could　not　have　been　more　than
six　years　old；　I　myself　was　haunted　with　exactly　that　same　mixture
of　pleasure　and　horror　by　the　figure　of　a　hunch…backed　pedlar　who
used　to　come　to　our　town。　Many　years　after　I　heard　that　he　had　been
hung　for　the　murder　of　some　wretched　woman　who　had　accompanied　him
on　some　of　his　journeys。　I　was　not　surprised；　but　when　I　heard　the
story　I　felt　then　again　the　old　thrill　of　mingled　pleasure　and　fear。

One　windy　afternoon；　near　dusk；　when　they　were　returning　from　their
walk；　Jeremy　suddenly　heard　the　voice　in　his　ear：

〃I　may　be　coming　to　visit　yer　one　o'　these　nights。　Keep　yer　eyes
open　and　yer　tongue　quiet　if　I　do。〃

Jeremy　saw　the　figures　of　Miss　Jones　and　his　sisters　pass　round　the
corner　of　the　road。

〃What　for？〃　he　gasped。

The　Captain's　figure　seemed　to　swell　gigantic　against　the　white
light　of　the　fading　sky。　The　wind　whistled　about　their　ears。

〃Just　to　visit　yer；　that's　all。　'Cause　I've　taken　a　fancy　to　yer。〃
The　Captain　chuckled　and　had　vanished。　。　。

Jeremy　flung　one　glance　at　the　grey　desolate　road　behind　him；　then
ran　for　his　life　to　join　the　others。

What；　after　that；　did　he　expect？　He　did　not　know。　Only　the　Captain
was　drawing　closer；　and　closer；　and　closer。

He　could　feel　now　always　his　hot　breath　upon　his　ear。　Two　days　after
the　whispered　dialogue　in　the　road；　that　first　promise　of　spring
broke　down　into　a　tempest　of　wind　and　rain。　The　Coles'　house　in
Orange　Street；　although　it　looked；　with　its　stout；　white　stone；
strong　enough；　was　old　and　shaky。　Now；　in　the　storm；　it　shook　and
wheezed　and　rattled　in　every　one　of　its　joints。　Jeremy；　at　ordinary
times；　loved　the　sound　of　the　wind　about　the　house；　when　he　himself
was　safe　and　warm　and　cosy；　but　this　was　now　another　affair。　Lying
in　his　bed　he　could　hear　the　screams　down　the　chimney；　then　the　tug
at　his　window…pane；　the　rattling　clutch　upon　the　wood；　then　the
sweep　under　the　bed　and　the　rush　up　the　wallpaper；　until　at　last；
from　behind　some　badly　defended　spot　where　the　paper　was　thin；　there
would　come　a　wailing；　whistling　screech　as　though　someone　were　being
murdered　in　the　next　room。　On　other　days　Jeremy；　when　he　heard　this
screech；　shivered　with　a　cosy；　creeping　thrill；　but　now　he　put　his
head　under　the　bedclothes；　shut　his　eyes　very　tight；　and　tried　not
to　see　the　Captain　with　his　ugly　nose　and　tiny　gimlet　eyes。

He　would　be　half　asleep。

〃Come；〃　said　the　Captain　from　the　window；　〃the　boat　is　waiting！　You
promised；　you　know。　Come　just　as　you　areno　time　to　dress；〃　and
poor　Jeremy　would　feel　the　great；　heavy　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and
wake　shivering　and　shaking　from　head　to　foot。

On　the　third　day　following　his　last　interview　with　the　Captain　he
went　to　bed　a　little　reassured　and　comforted。　Perhaps　the　Captain
had　gone　away。　For　three　days　he　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　of　him
at　all。

That　was　a　night　of　rainrain　that　slashed　and　whipped　the　house　as
though　it　would　batter　it　to　the　ground。　The　rain　would　come　with　a
wild　fury　upon　the　panes；　trembling　with　its　excited　anger；　would
crash　against　the　glass；　then　fall　back　and　hang　waiting　for　a
further　attack；　next　the　results　of　the　first　attack　would　slip　and
slide　like　the　crawling　of　a　thousand　snakes；　then　fall　and　drop
slowly　and　heavily　as　though　every　drop　were　foretelling　some　awful
peril。　Jeremy　lay　and　listened；　but　he　resolved　that　to…night　he
would　not　be　fr