jeremy-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


peril。　Jeremy　lay　and　listened；　but　he　resolved　that　to…night　he
would　not　be　frightened；　would　not　think　of　the　Captain。

He　said　the　Lord's　Prayer　five　times；　then　counted　sheep　jumping
over　the　gate；　a　safe　solution　for　sleepless　hours。　He　saw　the
sheepfirst　one　a　very　fat　one；　then　one　a　very　thin　one；　but　the
gate　stood　at　the　bottom　of　a　little　hill；　so　that　it　was　very
difficult　for　the　poor　creatures；　who　jumped　and　slipped　back　on　the
incline。　Then　a　lot　of　sheep　insisted　on　jumping　together；　and　he
could　hardly　count　themforty…five；　forty…six；　forty…seven；　forty…
eight。　。　。　。　He　was　asleep。

After　a　long；　long　time　of　soundlessness；　of　lying　upon　a　sea　that
was　like　a　bed　of　down；　and　looking　up；　happily　into　clear　blue
light；　he　was　once　more　conscious　of　the　rain。　Yes；　there　it　was
with　its　sweeping　rush；　its　smash　upon　the　pane；　its　withdrawal；　its
trickling　patter　and　heavy　drops　as　though　it　were　striking　time。
Yes；　that　was　the　rain　and　thatWhat　was　that？

He　was　wide　awake；　lying　back　against　his　pillow；　but　his　eyes
staring　in　front　of　them　till　they　burnt。　The　house　was　absolutely
dark；　absolutely　silent；　but　between　the　attacks　of　the　rain　there
was　a　wound；　something　that　had　not　to　do　with　the　house　nor　with
the　weather。　He　strained　with　his　ears；　sitting　up　in　bed；　his　hands
clutching　the　bed　clothes。　He　heard　it　quite　clearly　now。　Someone
was　moving　in　the　nursery。

With　that　the　whole　of　his　brain　was　awake　and　he　knew　quite
clearly；　beyond　a　shadow　of　any　doubt；　what　had　happened；　the
Captain　had　come　to　fetch　him。　With　that　knowledge　an　icy　despair
gripped　him。　He　did　not　want　to　go。　Oh；　he　did　not　want　to　go！　He
was　trembling　from　head　to　foot　so　that　the　bed　shook　beneath　him；
his　breath　came　in　little　hot　gasping　pants；　and　his　eyes　were　wide
with　terror。　He　was　helpless。　The　Captain　would　only　say　〃Come；〃　and
go　he　must；　leave　his　warm　house　and　his　parents　whom　he　loved　and
Mary　and　Helen　and　Hamlet；　yes；　and　even　Miss　Jones。　He　would　be
dragged　down　the　long　white　road；　through　the　lighted　village；　out
on　to　the　shiny　beach；　in　a　boat　out　to　the　dark　shipand　then　he
would　be　alone　with　the　Captain；　alone　in　the　dark　ship；　with　the
Captain's　heavy　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　his　mouth　smiling；　his　great
legs　drawing　him　in　as　a　spider　draws　a　fly　into　its　web；　and
everyone　asleep；　only　the　stars　and　the　dark　water。　He　tried　to　say
the　Lord's　Prayer　again；　but　the　words　would　not　come。　The　sweat
began　to　trickle　down　his　nose。　。　。

Then　he　heard　in　the　next　room　some　movement　against　a　piece　of
furniture　and　a　voice　muttering。　That　decided　him：　better　to　go　and
face　it　than　to　wait　there；　so　as　though　he　were　moving　in　his
sleep；　he　got　out　of　bed；　crossed　the　floor　and　entered　the
schoolroom。

The　first　sound　that　he　heard　was　the　ticking　of　the　old　nursery
clock；　a　strange　familiar　voice　in　this　awful　world；　then　suddenly；
although　the　room　was　in　black　darkness；　he　himself　was　staring　into
blazing　light。

He　started　back　and　uttered　a　little　cry；　but　even　as　he　did　so　that
well…remembered　hand　was　upon　his　shoulder　and　the　well…known　voice
in　his　ear：

〃Move　an　inch；　utter　a　sound；　and　I　blow　yer　brains　out；　yer〃　the
voice；　very　low；　faded　into；　the　dark。　He　was　staring　into　a
lantern；　and　above　the　lantern　was　the　dark　body　of　the　Captain。
Then　as　he　looked　up　he　was　indeed　near　his　last　moment；　for　had　he
not　been　a　brave　boy；　old　for　his　years；　and　determined；　he　would
have　cried　out　with　a　scream　that　would　have　raised　the　house。

The　Captain　had　no　face。　。　。　The　Captain　had　no　face。　。　。　Only　out
of　a　deep　darkness　those　little　eyes　glittered　like　candle…points。
Jeremy　uttered　no　sound。　Then　catching　the　Captain's　coat　because　he
trembled　so；　he　said：　〃I'm　coming　at　oncebut　don't　wake　Mary　and
Helen。　They'd　be　frightened。　May　I　get　a　coat；　because　it　raining？〃

〃Coming！〃　whispered　the　Captain；　his　voice　coming　from　that　space　in
the　air　where　were　his　eyes。　〃You　move　one　inch　from　'ere　or　utter
one　sound　and　I　do　yer　in；　yerI'm　watchin'　yer；　mind！〃

The　lantern　light　suddenly　vanished。　The　room　was　black。　There　was
no　sound　but　the　ticking　of　the　clock；　and　now　the　rain；　which　had
seemed　to　stop　during　this　terrible　dialogue；　beat　with　friendly
comfort　once　more　upon　the　pane。　Jeremy　stood　there；　his　body　held
together　as　though　in　an　iron　case；　scarcely　breathing。　There　was　no
more　sound　at　all。　Quite　clearly　now　Mary's　snores　could　be　heard
coming　from　her　room。

Jeremy　had　only　one　thoughtonly　one　thought　in　all　the　world。　The
Captain　did　not　want　him。　The　Captain　had　gone　and　not　taken　him
with　him。　He　was　safe；　he　was　freed；　the　terror　was　over　and　he　was
at　liberty。

At　last　he　moved　back　to　his　room。　He　got　into　bed　again。　He　was
terribly　cold；　and　little　spasms　of　shivers　seized　him；　but　he　did
not　care。　The　Captain　was　gone；　and　he　had　not　taken　him　with
him。　。　。




V


He　was　not　aware　whether　he　slept　or　no；　but　suddenly　sunlight　was
in　the　room；　the　bath…water　was　running；　the　canary　was　singing　and
Hamlet　was　scratching　upon　his　door。　He　jumped　out　of　bed　and　let
the　dog　in。　Then　he　heard　Rose's　voice　from　the　next　room：

〃。　。　。　and　'e's　taken　everything；　'e　'as。　All　the　silver
candlesticks　and　the　plate　what　was　give　to　master　by　the　Temp'rance
Society；　and　Master　Jeremy's　mug　what　he　'ad　at　'is　christening　and
all　the　knives　and　forks'e　'asand　the　gold　clock　out　o'　the
drorin'…room；　and　the　mess！　Why；　I　says　to　Cook　'e　couldn't　'ave
made　more　mess；　I　say；　not　if　'e'd　come　to　do　nothin'　else。　Grease
everywhere；　you　never　see　nothin'　like　it；　and　all　the　drawers　open
and　the　papers　scattered　about。　Thank　'Eaven　'e　never　found　Cook's
earrings。　Real　gold　they　was；　ever　so　many　carat　and　give　to　Cook
ever　so　many　years　ago　by　'er　John。　Poor　woman！　She'd　'ave　been　in　a
terrible　takin'　if　she'd　lost　'em。　。　。　And　so　quiet　toonot　a　sound
and　everyone　sleepin'　all　round　'im。　Wonderful　'ow　they　does　it！　I
thank　the　Lord　I　didn't　'ear　'im；　I'd　'ave　died　of　fright…shouldn't
like！　Why；　Cook　says　she　knew　a　'ouse　once　。　。　。〃

But　Jeremy　did　not　listen；　he　did　not　care。　As　Hamlet　sprang　about
him　and　licked　his　hand　he　thought　of　one　thing　alone。

The　Captain　was　gone！　The　Captain　was　gone！　He　was　free！　The　Captain
had　not　taken　him；　and　he　was　free　at　last！




CHAPTER　VI

FAMILY　PRIDE


I


I　am　afraid　that　too　great　a　part　of　this　book　is　about　old　maids；
but　it　is　hard　for　anyone　who　knows　only　the　thriving　bustling　world
of　today　to　realise　how　largely　we　children　were　hemmed　in　and
surrounded　by　a　proper　phalanx　of　elderly　single　ladies　and
clergymen。　I　don't　believe　that　we　were　any　the　worse　for　that；　and
to　such　heroines　as　Miss　Jane　Maple；　Miss　Mary　Trefusis　and　old　Miss
Jessamin　Trenchard；　I　here　publicly　acknowledge　deep　and　lasting
debt…but　it　did　make　our　life　a　little　monotonous；　a　little
unadventurous；　a　little　circumscribed　…and　because　T　am　determined
to　give　the　whole　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth　about　the　year　of
Jeremy's　life　that　I　am　describing；　this　book　will　also；　I　am
afraid；　be　a　little　circumscribed；　a　little　unadventurous。

The　elderly　lady　who　most　thoroughly　circumscribed　Jeremy　was；　of
courseputting　Miss　Jones；　who　was　a　governess　and　therefore　did
not　count；　asideAunt　Amy。

Now　Aunt　Amy　was　probably　the　most　conceited　woman　in　Polchester。
There　is　of　course　ordinary　human　conceit；　of　which　every　living
being　has　his　or　her　share。　I　am　not　speaking　of　that；　Miss　Amy
Trefusis　might　be　said　to　be　fanatically　conceited。

Although　she　was　now　a　really　plain　elderly　woman　it　is　possible
that　when　she　was　a　little　girl　she　was　pretty。　In　any　case；　it　is
certain　that　she　was　spoiled　when　she　was　a　little　girl；　and　because
she　was　delicate　and　selfish　she　received　a　good　deal　more　attention
and　obedience　from　weak　and　vacillating　elders　than　she　deserved。

After　her　growing　up　she　had　a　year　or　two　of　moderate　looks　and　she
received；　during　this　period；　several　proposals；　these　she　refused
because　they　were　not　good　enough　and　something　better　must　be
coming　very　shortly；　but　what　really　came　very　shortly　was