jeremy-第28章

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and　the　first　plunge　into　the　stares　of　the　critical　guests　might　be
over。　But　he　did　not　really　care。　His　hatred　of　Aunt　Amy　braced　him
up；　when　one　was　capable　of　so　fine　and　manly　an　emotion　as　this
hatred；　one　need　not　bother　about　fellow…guests。　Then　the　jingle
stopped　outside　a　house　immediately　opposite　the　great　west…end　door
of　the　Cathedral；　in　the　little　hall　Miss　Maddison　was　standing；　and
from　the　glittering　garden　behind　her　the　sun　struck　through　the
house　into　the　shadowed　street。

Jeremy's　public　manners　were；　when　he　pleased；　quite　beautiful〃the
true；　old…fashioned　courtesy；〃　gushing　friends　of　the　Cole　family
used　to　say。　He　was　preparing　to　be　very　polite　now；　when　suddenly
the　voice　of　the　Dean's　Ernest　ordering　people　about　in　the　garden
struck　upon　his　ear。　He　had　not　seen　the　Dean's　Ernest　for　nearly
three　months；　for　the　very　good　reason　that　that　gentleman　had　been
experiencing　his　first　term　at　his　private　school。　Last　year　young
Ernest　and　Jeremy　had　been；　on　the　whole；　friendly；　although　Ernest；
who　was　nine；　and　strong　for　his　age；　had　always　patronised。　And
now？　Jeremy　longed　to　inform　his　friend　that　he　also　shortly　would
proceed　to　school；　that　in　another　six　months'　time　there　would　be
practically　no　difference　between　them。　Nevertheless；　at　the　present
moment　there　was　a　difference。　。　。　Ernest　had　a　whole　term　to　his
credit。

New　arrivals　gently　insinuated　the　Cole　family　into　the　garden。
Helen；　proud　and　cold；　Mary；　blinking　and　nervous；　stood　pressed
close　together　whilst　other　little　girls　stared　and　giggled；　moved
forward　and　then　backward　again；　until　suddenly　Canon　Lasker's
Emily；　who　was　fifteen　and　had　such　long　legs　that　she　was　known　as
〃the　Giraffe；〃　came　up　and　said：　〃Isn't　it　hot！　Do　you　play　croquet？
Please…do！　I'll　havetheblue　ball。　。　。〃　And　the　Coles　were
initiated。

Meanwhile；　Aunt　Amy　had　said：　〃Now；　Jeremy；　dear；　run　about　and　make
friends。〃　Which　so　deeply　infuriated　him　that　he　choked。　Oh！
supposing　the　Dean's　Ernest　had　heard　her！　。　。　。

And　he　had！　A　mocking　voice　behind　him　said：　〃Now；　Jeremy；　dear〃

Jeremy　turned　round　and　beheld　the　Dean's　Ernest　mockingly　waiting
his　retort。　And　he　could　not　retort。　No　words　would　come；　and　he
could　only　stand　there；　his　cheeks　flushed；　aware　that　Ernest　had
grown　and　grown　during　those　three　months；　that　he　wore　a　straw　hat
with　a　black…and…red　ribbon　upon　it；　that　round　his　long　ugly　neck
was　a　stiff　white　collar；　and　across　his　waistcoat　a　thick　silver
watch…chain。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Jeremy。

〃Hallo！〃　said　the　new　Ernest　scornfully。

A　long　pause。

Then　Ernest；　turning　on　his　heel；　said　to　someone　behind　him：　〃Let's
get　away　from　all　these　girls！〃　The　tears　burnt　in　Jeremy's　eyes；
hot　and　salt。　He　clenched　his　fists　and　gazed　upon　a　garden　that
swam　in　a　mist　of　tears　and　sunlight。　He　felt　a　sudden　strange
impulse　of　family　affection。　He　would　like　to　have　gathered　behind
him　his　father　and　mother；　Mary；　Helen；　Hamlet；　Uncle　Samuelyes；
and　even　Aunt　Amy；　arid　to　have　advanced　not　only　upon　Ernest；　but
upon　the　whole　Dean's　family。　It　would　have　given　him　great　pleasure
to　have　set　his　teeth　into　the　fat　legs　of　the　Dean　himself；　he
would　gladly　have　torn　the　hat　from　the　head　of　Mrs。　Dean。　。　。　Upon
Ernest　there　was　no　torture　he　would　not　employ。

He　would　get　even；　he　resolved　that　before　he　left　that　house　he
would　have　his　revenge。

Kind　Miss　Maddison；　tripping　along　and　seeing　him　as　a　pathetic
little　boy　in　a　sailor　suit　without　guile　or　malice；　swept　him　into
an　〃I　spy〃　party　composed　for　the　most　part　of　small　girls　who　fell
down　and　cried　and　said　they　would　go　home。

Jeremy；　hiding　behind　a　tree；　watched　the　thin　back　of　Ernest　as　it
lifted　itself　autocratically　above　two　small　boys　who　looked　up　to
him　with　saucer…eyes。　Ernest　was　obviously　talking　about　his　school。
Jeremy；　lost　in　the　contemplation　of　his　vengeance；　forgot　his　game；
and　was　taken　prisoner　with　the　greatest　of　ease。　He　did　not　care。
The　afternoon　was　spoilt　for　him。　He　was　not　even　hungry。　Why　could
he　not　go　to　school　to…morrow；　and　then　challenge　Ernest　to　combat？
But　he　might　challenge　Ernest　without　going　to　school。　。　。　He　had
never　fought　a　real　fight；　but　the　sight　of　his　enemy's　thin；　peaky
body　was　encouraging。

〃Now；　Jeremy；　dear；〃　said　Miss　Maddison；　〃it's　your　turn　to
hide。　。　。〃

Soon　they　all　went　in　to　tea。　Everyone　was　thoroughly　at　home　by
this　time；　and　screamed　and　shouted　quite　in　the　most　natural　manner
in　the　world。　The　long　table　stretched　down　the　whole　room；　almost
from　wall　to　wall；　the　sunlight　played　in　pools　and　splashes　upon
the　carpet　and　the　flowers　and　the　pictures。　There　was　every　sort　of
thing　to　eatthin　bread…and…butter　rolled　up　into　little　curly
sandwiches；　little　cakes　and　big　cakes；　seed　cakes　and　sugar　cakes；
and；　of　course；　saffron　buns；　jam　in　little　shining　dishes；　and　hot
buttered　toast　so　buttery　that；　it　dripped　on　to　your　fingers。

Jeremy　sat　next　to　Mary；　and　behind　him　hovered　Aunt　Amy。　Only　half
an　hour　ago　how　this　would　have　angered　him！　To　have　her　interfering
with　him；　saying：　〃Not　two　at　a　time；　Jeremy；〃　or　〃Pass　the　little
girl　the　sugar；　Jeremyremember　your　manners。〃　or　〃Not　so　big　a
piece；　Jeremy。〃　But　nowhe　did　not　know。　。　。　She　was　one　of　the
family；　and　he　felt　as　though　the　Dean's　Ernest　had　scorned　her　as
well　as　himself。　Also　Mary。　He　felt　kind　to　Mary；　and　when　she
whispered　〃Are　you　enjoying　it；　Jeremy？〃　he　answered　〃Yes；　are　you？〃
Not　because　he　was　really　enjoying　it；　but　because　he　knew　that　she
wanted　him　to　say　that。

He　could　see　Ernest　from　where　he　sat；　and　he　knew　that　Ernest　was
laughing　at　him。　He　remembered　that　he　had　given　Ernest　three
splendid　marbles；　just　before　his　departure　to　school；　as　a
keepsake。　How　he　wished　that　he　had　kept　them！　He　would　never　give
Ernest　anything　again　except　blows。　Mary　might　be　tiresome
sometimes；　but　she　was　his　sister；　and　he　greatly　preferred　her　as　a
girl　to　Ernest's　sisters。　He　could　see　them　now；　greedy；　ugly
things。　。　。

〃Now；　Jeremy；　wipe　your　mouth；〃　said　Aunt　Amy。

He　obeyed　at　once。




III


Tea　over；　they　all　trooped　out　into　the　garden　again。　The　evening
light　now　painted　upon　the　little　green　lawn　strange　trembling
shadows　of　purple　and　grey；　the　old　red　garden　wall　seemed　to　have
crept　forwards；　as　though　it　would　protect　the　house　and　the　garden
from　the　night；　and　a　sky　of　the　faintest　blue　seemed；　with　gentle
approval；　to　bless　the　quiet　town　fading　into　dusk　beneath　it。　Over
the　centre　of　the　lawn　the　sun　was　still　shining；　and　there　it　was
warm　and　light。　But　from　every　side　the　shadows　stealthily　crept
forward。　A　group　of　children　played　against　the　golden　colour；　their
white　dresses　patterns　that　formed　figures　and　broke　and　formed
again。　The　Cathedral　bell　was　ringing　for　evensong；　and　its　notes
stole　about　the　garden；　and　in　and　out　amongst　the　children；　as
though　some　guardian　spirit　watching　over　their　safety　counted　their
numbers。

Jeremy；　feeling　rather　neglected　and　miserable；　stood　in　the　shadow
near　the　oak　on　the　farther　side　of　the　lawn。　He　did　not　want　to
play　with　those　little　girls；　and　yet　he　was　hurt　because　he　had　not
been　asked。　The　party　had　been　a　most　miserable　failure；　and　a　year
ago　it　would　have　been　such　a　success。　He　did　not　know　that　he　was
standing　now；　in　the　middle　of　his　eighth　year；　at　the　parting　of
the　ways；　that　only　yesterday　he　had　been　a　baby；　and　that　he　would
never　be　a　baby　again。　He　did　not　feel　his　independencehe　felt
only　inclined　to　tears　and　a　longing；　that　he　would　never；　never
confess；　even　to　himself；　that　someone　should　come　and　comfort　him！
Nevertheless；　even　at　this　very　moment；　although　he　did　not　know　it；
he；　a　free；　independent　man；　was　facing　the　world　for　the　first　time
on　his　own　legs。　His　mother　might　have　realised　it　had　she　been
therebut　she　was　not。　Mary；　however；　was　there；　and　in　the　very
middle　of　her　game；　searching　for　him；　as　she　was　always　doing；　she
found　him　desolate　under　the　shadow　of　the　oak。　She　slipped　away；
and；　coming　up　to　him　with　the　shyness　and　fear　that　she　always　had
when　she　approached　him；　bec