jeremy-第37章

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cloth　so　faded　that　it　was　now　green；　reading　The　Times；　and　shaking
his　head　over　it　as　he　stumbled　up　and　down　the　platform。　One　of　the
farmers　had　a　large；　woolly　sheep…dog；　who；　of　course；　excited
Hamlet　to　a　frenzy。　Jeremy；　therefore；　had　his　time　fully　occupied
in　checking　this；　but　he　had；　nevertheless；　the　opportunity　to
observe　how　one　of　the　farmers　puffed　the　smoke　out　of　his　cheeks　as
though　he　were　an　engine；　how　one　of　the　women；　with　a　back　as　broad
as　a　wall；　had　red　stockings；　and　how　the　clergyman　nearly　fell　on
to　the　railway…line　every　time　he　turned　round；　and　only　saved
himself　from　disaster　by　a　miracle。　The　train　arriving　at　last；　they
all　climbed　into　it；　and　then　had　to　wait　for　a　hot；　grilling　half…
hour　whilst　the　engine　made　up　its　mind　that　it　was　worth　its　while
to　take　all　the　trouble　to　start　off　again。

〃An　hour　late；　upon　my　word；〃　said　Mr。　Cole　angrily；　when　at　last；
with　a　snore　and　a　heave；　and　a　grunt　and　a　scream；　they　started。
〃It's　really　too　bad。　I　shall　have　to　complain；〃　which；　as　everyone
present　knew；　he　had　not　the　slightest　intention　of　doing。　In
Jeremy's　carriage　there　were　his　father；　his　mother；　Uncle　Samuel；
himself；　Mary；　and；　of　course；　Hamlet。　Hamlet　had　never　been；　in　a
train　before；　and　his　terror　at　the　way　that　the　ground　quivered
under　him　was　pitiful　to　see。　He　lay　first　under　the　seat；　trying　to
hold　himself　tightly　together；　then；　when　that　failed；　he　made
startled　frenzied　leaps　on　to　laps　（the　lead　had　been　removed　for
the　time）；　finally　he　cowered　up　into　the　corner　behind　Uncle
Samuel；　who　seemed　to　understand　his　case　and　sympathised　with　it。
Whenever　the　train　stopped　（which；　being　a　Glebeshire　train；　it　did
continually）；　he　recovered　at　once　his　savoir…faire；　asserted　his
dignity；　gazed　through　the　windows　at　the　fields　and　cows　as　though
he　owned　them　all；　and　barked　with　the　friendly　greeting　of　comrade
to　comrade　whenever　he　saw　another　dog。

The　next　thing　that　occupied　Jeremy's　attention　was　lunch。　Many
people　despise　sandwiches　and　milk　out　of　beer…bottles　and　bananas
and　seed…cake。　Jeremy；　of　course；　did　not。　He　loved　anything　eaten
out　of　paper；　from　the　ice…cream　sold　by　the　Barney　man　in
Polchester　Square　（only　once　did　he　secure　some）　down　to　the　frills
that　there　are　round　the　tail　of　any　self…respecting　ham。　But　the
paper　on　this　journey　to　Rafield！　There　was　nothing　in　the　world　to
touch　it。　In　the　first　place　you　spread　newspaper　on　your　knees；
then　there　was　paper　under　the　sandwiches　（chicken）；　and　more　paper
under　the　sandwiches　（beef）；　and　still　more　under　the　sandwiches
（egg）；　there　was　paper　round　the　seed…cake；　and；　most　wonderful　of
all；　paper　round　the　jam…puffs。　Jam…puffs　with　strawberry　jam　eaten
in　the　odour　of　ginger…beer　and　eggshells！　Is　it　possible　for　life
at　its　very　best　to　hold　more？　He　kept　his　jam…puff　so　long　as　he
could；　until　at　last　Mr。　Cole　said：　〃Now；　my　boy！　Finish　it　up
finish　it　up。　Paper　out　of　the　window…all　neat　and　tidy；　that's
right！〃　speaking　in　that　voice　which　Jeremy　hated；　because　it　was
used；　so　especially；　when　cod…liver　oil　had　to　be　taken。　He
swallowed　his　puff　in　a　gulp；　and　then　gazed　out　of　the　window
lamenting　its　disappearance。

〃Did　you　like　it？〃　whispered　Mary　hoarsely。

〃You've　got　some　jam　on　the　side　of　your　nose；〃　said　Jeremy。

He　was　sitting　next　to　his　father；　who　had　the　corner　seat；　and　he
now　devoted　all　his　energies　to　prevent　himself　from　falling　asleep
against　his　father's　leg。　But　the　ginger…beer；　the　glazed　and
shining　fields　beyond　the　window；　the　little　blobs　of　sunlight　that
danced　upon　the　floor　of　the　carriage；　the　scents　of　food　and
flowers；　and　the　hot　breeze；　the　hum　of　the　train；　and　the　dancing
of　the　telegraph　wiresall　these　things　were　against　him。　His　head
began　to　nod　and　then　to　jump　back　with　a　sudden　terrible　spring　as
though　an　evil　demon　pulled　it　with　a　rope　from　behind；　the　carriage
swelled　like　a　balloon；　then　dwindled　into　a　thin；　straight　line。
The　strangest　things　happened　to　his　friends　and　relations。　His
mother；　who　was　reading　The　Church　Family　Newspaper；　developed　two
faces　and　a　nose　like　a　post；　and　Uncle　Samuel；　who　had；　in　harsh
reality；　two　chins；　seemed　to　be　all　folds　and　creases　like　a
balloon　when　it　is　shivering　down　into　collapse。　Jeremy　fought　with
these　fantasies；　the　lines　on　the　newspaper　doubled　and　redoubled；
vanished　and　sprang　to　life　again。　He　said：　〃I　will　not；〃　and；
instantly；　his　head　on　the　soft　part　of　his　father's　thigh；　was
asleep。





III


In　his　dreams　he　was　riding　on　a　cloud　all　pink　and　gold；　and　behind
came　a　row　of　shining；　white　clouds　fluffy　like　bales　of　wool
wrapped　round　lighted　lanterns。　His　cloud　rose　and　fell；　rose　and
fell；　and　a　voice　said　in　his　ear：　〃All　is　well！　All　is　well！　You
can　go　on　like　this　for　ever。　There　will　be　jam…puffs　soon；　and　ice…
cream；　and　fish…cakes；　and　you　can　go　to　China　this　way　whenever　you
like。〃

And　he　said：　　　　〃Can't　I　take　Hamlet　with　me？〃

And　the　voice　answered：　〃Hamlet　is　with　you　already；〃　and　there；
behold；　was　Hamlet　sitting　on　the　pink　cloud　with　a　stiff　gold
collar　round　his　neck；　wagging　his　tail。　And　then　the　voice　shouted
so　loudly　that　Jeremy　jumped　off　the　pink　cloud　in　his　astonishment：
〃Liskane！　Liskane！　Liskane！〃　and　Jeremy　jumped　and　fell　and　fell
right　into　his　father's　lap；　with　someone　crying　in　his　ear：　〃Wake
up；　Jeremy！　We're　there！　We're　there！〃

His　first　thought　was　for　his　green　box；　which　was；　he　found；　safely
and　securely　in　his　hand。　Then　for　Hamlet；　who　was；　he　saw　with
horror；　already　upon　the　platform；　the　lead　trailing　behind　him　like
a　neglected　conscience；　his　burning　eyes　piercing　his　hair　in　search
of　another　dog；　whom　he　smelt　but　could　not　see。

Jeremy；　rushing　out　of　the　train；　seized　the　lead；　scolded　his
recovered　property；　who　wore　an　expression　of　injured　and　abandoned
innocence；　and　looked　about　him。　Yes；　this　was　Liskanewonderful；
marvellous；　magical　Liskane！　To　the　bored　and　cynical　adult　Liskane
may　easily　appear　to　be　one　of　the　ugliest；　most　deserted　stations
in　the　whole　of　Europe；　having　nothing　on　either　side　of　it　save
barren　grey　fields　that　never　grow　grass　but　only　stones　and
bottles；　with　its　single　decorationa　heavy　iron　bridge　that
crosses　the　rails　and　leads　up　to　the　higher　road　and　the　town　of
Liskane。　Ugly　enough；　but　to　Jeremy；　on　this　summer　afternoon；　the
gate　to　a　sure　and　certain　Paradise。

Although　his　family　were　fussing　around　him；　Barbara　crying；　Mr。
Cole　saying：　〃Four；　Five；　Six。　。　。　But　where's　the　black　box？　Your
black　box；　Amy。　。　。　Six；　Seven。　。　。　But　there　should　be　Eight。　。　。
Seven　。　。　。〃　and　Mrs。　Cole　saying：　〃And　there's　my　brown　bag。　The
little　one　with　the　black　handle；〃　and　Helen　saying。　〃OO；　was　it
adidums；　then　Nandy…Pandy；　Nandy…Pandy。　。　。〃　and　Miss　Jones：　〃Now；
Mary！　Now；　Jeremy！　Now；　Helen！〃；　although　this　was　going　on　just　as
it　always　had　gone　on；　his　eyes　were　searching　for　the　wagonette。
Ah；　there　it　was！　He　could　just　see　the　top　of　it　beyond　the　iron
bridge；　and　Jim；　the　man　from　the　Farm；　would　be　coming　down　to　help
with　the　boxes；　yes；　there　he　was　crossing　the　bridge　now；　with　his
red　face　and　broad　shoulders；　and　the　cap　on　the　side　of　his　head；
just　as　he　always　wore　it。　Jeremy　recognised　him　with　a　strange；
little　choking　sensation。　It　was　〃coming　home〃　to　him；　all　this　was…
…the　great　event　of　his　life；　and　as　he　looked　at　the　others　he
realised；　young　as　he　was；　that　none　of　them　felt　it　as　he　did；　and
the　realisation　gave　him　a　strange　feeling；　half　of　gratification；
half　of　loneliness。　He　stood　there；　a　little　apart　from　the　rest　of
them；　clutching　his　box；　and　holding　on　to　Hamlet's　lead；　feeling　so
deeply　excited　that　his　heart　was　like　a　hard；　cold　stone　jumping　up
and　down；　bump；　bump；　behind　his　waistcoat。

〃That's　Jim！　That's　Jim！〃　he　whispered　in　a　hoarse　gasp　to　Miss
Jones。

〃Now　mind；　dear；〃　she　answered　in　her　kindly；　groping　voice。　〃You'll
be　falling　on　to　the　rail　if　you　aren't　careful。〃

It　strangely　annoyed　him　that　his　father　should　greet　Jim　just　as
though　he　were　some　quite　ordinary　man　in　Polchester。　He　himself
w