jeremy-第39章

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was　the　cloudy　smoke　of　the　apple…scent；　in　front　of　him　the　sun　was
sinking　towards　the　dark　elms。　Soon　the　trees　would　catch　the　sun
and　hide　it；　the　galleon　cloud　that　had　been　over　them　as　they　drove
was　new　banked　in　red　and　gold　across　the　horizon；　birds　slowly；
lazily　fled　to　their　homes。

He　heard　someone　call；　〃Jeremy！　Jeremy！〃　With　a　last　gaze　he　saw　the
blue　cup　turn　to　gold；　the　sun　reached　the　tops　of　the　elms；　the
fields　were　lit　with　the　glitter　of　shining　glass；　then；　even　as　he
watched；　they　were　purple；　then　grey；　then　dim　like　smoke。

Again　the　voice　called　〃Jeremy！〃　He　slipped　from　the　window；　found
the　little　stair；　ran　across　the　dusky　court　and　entered　the　house。




CHAPTER　IX

THE　AWAKENING　OF　CHARLOTTE


I


Towards　the　end　of　the　first　fortnight's　stay　at　Cow　Farm　it　was
announced　that　very　shortly　there　would　be　a　picnic　at　Rafiel　Cove。

Jeremy　had　been　waiting　for　this　proclamation；　once　or　twice　he　had
asked　whether　they　were　going　to　the　Cove　and　had　been　told　〃not　to
bother；〃　〃all　in　good　time；〃　and　other　ridiculous　elderly
finalities；　but　he　knew　that　the　day　must　come；　as　it　had　always
come　every　year。　The　picnic　at　Rafield　was　always　the　central　event
of　the　summer。　And　he　had　this　year　another　reason　for　excited
anticipationthe　wonderful　Charlotte　Le　Page　was　to　be　present。
Until　now　Jeremy　had　never　taken　the　slightest　interest　in　girls。
Mary　and　Helen；　being　his　sisters；　were　necessities　and
inevitabilities；　but　that　did　not　mean　that　he　could　not　get　along
very　easily　without　them；　and　indeed　Mary　with　her　jealousies；　her
strange　sulky　temper　and　sudden　sentimental　repentances　was
certainly　a　burden　and　restraint。　As　to　the　little　girls　in
Polchester；　he　had　frankly　found　them　tiresome　and　stupid；　thinking
of　themselves；　terrified　of　the　most　natural　phenomena　and
untruthful　in　their　statements。　He　had　been　always　independent　and
reserved　with　everyone；　and　bud　never；　in　all　his　life；　had　a　close
friend；　but　there　had　been；　especially　of　late；　boys　with　whom　it
had　been　amusing　to　spend　an　hour　or　two；　and　since　his　fight　with
the　Dean's　Ernest　he　had　thought　that　it　would　be　rather　interesting
to　make　a　further　trial　of　strength　with　whomsoever　。　。　。

Girls　were　stupid；　uninteresting；　conceited　and　slow。　He　never；　in
all　his　life；　wanted　to　have　anything　to　do　with　girls。　But
Charlotte　Le　Page　was　another　matter。　She　had；　in　the　first　place；
become　quite　a　tradition　in　the　Cole　family。　She　was　the　daughter　of
a　wealthy　landowner；　who　always　spent　his　holidays　in　Rafiel。　She
and　her　very　beautiful；　very　superior　mother　had　been　seen　on　many
occasions　by　the　Coles　driving　about　the　Glebeshire　roads　in　a　fine
and　languid　manner；　a　manner　to　which　the　Coles　knew；　very　well；
they　themselves　could　never　attain。　Then　Mrs。　Cole　had　called；　and
Mrs。　Le　Page　and　Charlotte　had　come　to　tea　at　Cow　Farm。　This　had
been　a　year　ago；　when　Jeremy　had　been　only　seven；　nevertheless；　he
had　been　present　during　the　first　part　of　the　ceremony；　and
Charlotte　had　struck　him　as　entirely　amazing。

He　had　simply　gazed　at　her　with　his　mouth　open；　forgetting　all　his
good　manners。　She　was　at　this　time　nine　or　ten　years　of　age　but　very
small　and；　as　they　say　of　the　most　modern　kind　of　doll；　〃perfect　in
every　particular。〃　She　had　wonderful　hair　of　a　bright　rippling　gold；
her　cheeks　were　pink　and　her　eyes　were　blue；　and　she　was　so
beautifully　dressed　that　you　could　not　take　in　details　but　must
simply　surrender　yourself　to　a　cloudy　film　of　white　or　blue；　with
everything　so　perfectly　in　its　place　that　it　seemed　to　the　rough　and
ready　Jeremy　quite　unearthly。　Of　course　she　had　to　be　very　careful
how　she　walked；　when　she　sat　down；　in　what　way　she　moved　her　hands
and　feet；　and　how　she　blew　her　nose。　It　was　wonderful　to　see　her　do
these　things；　she　did　them　so　naturally　and　yet　always　with　a　sense
of　an　effort　overcome　for　the　good　of　humanity。　Her　mother　never
ceased　to　empty　praises　at　her　feet；　appealing　to　visitors　with：
〃Isn't　Charlotte　too　lovely　to…day？〃　or　〃Really；　Mrs。　Cole；　did　you
ever　see　anything　like　Charlotte's　hair？〃　or　〃Just　a　moment；　Mrs。
Cole；　I'm　sure　you've　never　seen　such　hands　and　feet　on　any　human
being　before！〃and　it　was　impossible　to　tell　whether　or　no
Charlotte　was　moved　by　these　praises；　because　she　never　said
anything　at　all。　She　was　almost　completely　silent；　and　once；　at　the
tea…gathering　in　Cow　Farm；　when　she　suddenly　said：　〃I'm　tired；
Mama；〃　Jeremy　nearly　jumped　from　his　chair；　so　astonished　he　was。

Jeremy　had；　during　the　year　that　intervened　between　that　visit　and
this；　sometimes　thought　of　Charlotte；　and　he　had　looked　back　upon
her；　not　as　a　little　girl　but　as　something　strange；　fantastic；
wonderfully　coloured；　whom　it　would　be　interesting　to　see　again。　He
wondered　why　Mary　and　Helen　could　not　be　like　that；　instead　of
running　about　and　screaming　and　becoming　red　in　the　face。　He　said
once　to　Mary　that　she　should　imitate　Charlotte；　and　the　scene　that
followed　was　terrible。　Mary；　from　that　moment；　hated　Charlotte　with
an　overpowering　hatred。

Here　this　year　they　were　again。　Mrs。　Le　Page　with　her　long　neck；　her
beautiful　pearl　ear…rings；　her　pale　watery　eyes　and　her　tapering
fingers；　Charlotte　just　as　before；　silent；　beautiful　and　precious。
There　was　again　a　tea…　party　at　Cow　Farm；　and　on　this　occasion
Jeremy　was　asked　to　show　Hamlet。　But　Hamlet　behaved　badly；　trying　to
jump　upon　Charlotte's　white　frock　and　soil　her　blue　ribbons。
Charlotte　screamed　exactly　as　a　doll　screams　when　you　press　it　in
the　stomach；　and　Hamlet　was　so　deeply　astonished　at　the　unexpected
noise　that　he　stopped　his　bad　behaviour；　sat　on　his　hind　legs；　and
gazed　up　at　her　with　an　anxious　wondering　expression。　In　spite　of
this　unfortunate　incident；　the　visit　went　off　well；　and　Mrs。　Cole
said　that　she　had　never　seen　anything　so　lovely　as　Charlotte；　and
Mrs。　Le　Page　said；　〃No；　had　anyone　ever？〃　and　Charlotte　never　turned
a　hair。　The　final　arrangement　was　that　there　should　be　a　picnic　and
soon；　because　〃Mr。　Le　Page　has　to　return　to　Warwickshire　to　look
after　the　Estateso　tiresome；　but　I've　no　doubt　it's　all　going　to
wrack　and　ruin　without　him。〃

After　the　picnic　had　been　arranged　the　Coles　were；　frankly；　a　little
uneasy。　The　family　of　Le　Page　was　not　the　easiest　in　the　world　to
entertain；　and　the　thought　of　a　whole　day　with　Mr。　Le　Page；　who　was
a　very　black；　very　silent　gentleman　and　looked　as　though　he　were
always　counting　sums　over　in　his　head；　was　truly　alarming。　Moreover；
in　the　ordinary　way；　a　picnic；　which　depended　so　entirely　for　its
success　on　the　weather；　was　no　great　risk；　because　the　Coles　were
indifferent　to　rain；　as　all　true　Glebeshire　people　must　be。　But　that
the　Le　Pages　should　be　wet　was　quite　another　affair；　the　thought　of
a　dripping　Mrs。　Le　Page　was　intolerable；　but　of　a　dripping　Charlotte
quite　impossible；　moreover；　the　plain　but　excellent　foodpasties；
saffron　cake；　apples　and　ginger　beerenjoyed　by　the　Coles　seemed
quite　too　terrestrial　for　the　Le　Pages。　Mrs。　Le　Page　and　ginger
beer！　Charlotte　and　pasties！　。　。　。　nevertheless；　the　invitation　had
been　given　and　accepted。　The　Coles　could　but　anxiously　inspect　the
sky。　。　。




II


There　was　another　reason　why　Jeremy　looked　forward　to　the　picnic
with　impatience。　A　funny　old　lady；　named　Miss　Henhouse；　who　lived
near　Cow　Farm　in　a　little　cottage　all　by　herself；　called　sometimes
upon　the　Coles　and　told　them　stories　about　the　people　and　the　place；
which　made　them　〃sit　up　in　their　chairs。〃　She　was　an　old　lady　with
sharp　eyes；　a　black　moustache　and　a　double　chin；　wore　an　old　shabby
bonnet；　grey　mittens　and　large　shoes　which　banged　after　her　as　she
walked。　She　leant　on　a　cane　with　a　silver　knob　to　it；　and　she　wore　a
huge　cameo　brooch　on　her　breast　with　a　miniature　of　herself　inside
it。　She　was　what　is　called　in　novels　〃a　character。〃　There　was　no　one
who　knew　so　much　about　Rafiel　and　its　neighbourhood；　she　had　lived
here　for　ever；　her　father　had　been　a　friend　of　Wellington's　and　had
known　members　of　the　local　Press　Gang　intimately。　It　was　from　her
that　Jeremy　heard；　in　detail；　the　famous　story　of　the　Scarlet
Admiral。　It　was；　of　course