jeremy-第43章

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their　swords　into　ploughshares〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　shrill　cry　from　Mrs。　Le　Page：

〃Charlotte；　darling；　do　hold　your　sunshade　up。　All　the　left　side　of
your　face　is　exposed。　That's　better；　dear。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。
Cole。〃

But　Mr。　Cole　was　offended。

〃I　hope　no　son　of　mine　will　ever　show　himself　a　faint　heart；〃　he
concluded　severely。

The　luncheon；　in　fact；　had　been　a　most　dismal　failure。　The　Coles
could　fling　their　minds　back　to　luncheons　on　this　same　beach　that
had　been　simply　riotous　successes。　What　fun　they　had　had！　What
games！　What　bathes？　Now　the　very　sight　of　Mr。　Le　Page's　black　beard
was　enough。　Even　Jeremy　felt　that　things　were　wrong。　Then　he　looked
at　Charlotte　and　was　satisfied。　There　she　sat；　straight　and　stiff；
her　hands　on　her　lap；　her　hair　falling　in　lovely　golden　ripples　down
her　back；　her　gaze　fixed　on　distance。　Oh！　she　was　beautiful！　He
would　do　whatever　she　told　him；　he　would　give　her　Miss　Noah　and　the
apple　tree；　he　wouldA　sound　disturbed　his　devotions。　He　turned。
Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Le　Page　were　fast　asleep。




IV


〃Children；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Cole；　〃very　quietly　now；　so　that　you
don't　disturb　anyone；　run　off　to　the　farther　beach　and　play。　Helen；
you'll　see　that　everything　is　all　right；　won't　you？〃

It　was　only　just　in　time　that　Jeremy　succeeded　in　strangling
Hamlet's　bark　into　a　snort；　and　even　then　they　all　looked　round　for
a　moment　at　the　sleepers　in　the　greatest　anxiety。　But　no；　they　had
not　been　disturbed。　If　only　Mr。　Le　Page　could　have　known　what　he
resembled　lying　there　with　his　mouth　open！　But　he　did　not　know。　He
was　doubtless　dreaming　of　his　property。

The　children　crept　away。　Charlotte　and　Jeremy　together。　Jeremy's
heart　beat　thickly。　At　last　he　had　the　lovely　creature　in　his
charge。　It　was　true　that　he　did　not　quite　know　what　he　was　going　to
do　with　her；　and　that　even　now；　in　the　height　of　his　admiration；　he
did　wish　that　she　would　not　walk　as　though　she　were　treading　on　red…
hot　ploughshares；　and　that　she　could　talk　a　little　instead　of　giving
little　shivers　of　apprehension　at　every　step。

〃I　must　say；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃she's　rather　silly　in　some
ways。　Perhaps　it　wouldn't　be　fun　to　see　her　always。〃

They　turned　the　corner　round　a　projecting　finger　of　rock；　and　a　new
little　beach；　white　and　gleaming；　lay　in　front　of　them。

〃Well；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃here　we　are。　What　shall　we　play？〃

There　was　dead　silence。

〃We　might　play　pirates；〃　he　continued。　〃I'll　be　the　pirate；　and　Mary
can　sit　on　that　rock　until　the　water　comes　round　her；　and　Charlotte
shall　hide　in　that　cave〃

There　was　still　silence。　Looking　about　him；　he　discovered　from　his
sisters'　countenances　that　they　were　resolved　to　lend　no　kind　of
assistance；　and　he　then　from　that　deduced　the　simple　fact　that　his
sisters　hated　Charlotte　and　were　not　going　to　make　it　pleasant　for
her　in　any　way　if　they　could　help　it。　Oh！　it　was　a　miserable　picnic！
The　worst　that　he'd　ever　had。

〃It's　too　hot　to　play；〃　said　Helen　loftily。　〃I'm　going　to　sit　down
over　there。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　Mary。

They　moved　away；　their　heads　in　the　air　and　their　legs　ridiculously
stiff。

Jeremy　gazed　at　Charlotte　in　distress。　It　was　very　wicked　of　his
sisters　to　go　off　like　that；　but　it　was　also　very　silly　of　Charlotte
to　stand　there　so　helplessly。　He　was　beginning　to　think　that　perhaps
he　would　give　the　thimble　to　Miss　Jones　after　all。

〃Would　you　like　to　go　and　see　the　pool　where　the　little　crabs　are？〃
he　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　her　upper　lip　trembling　as　though　she
were　going　to　cry。　〃I　want　to　go　home　with　Mother。〃

〃You　can't　go　home；〃　he　said　firmly；　〃and　you　can't　see　your　mother；
because　she's　asleep。〃

〃I've　made　my　shoes　dirty；〃　she　said；　looking　down　at　her　feet；　〃and
I'm　so　tired　of　holding　my　sunshade。〃

〃I　should　shut　it　up；〃　Jeremy　said　without　any　hesitation。　〃I　think
it's　a　silly　thing。　I'm　glad　I'm　not　a　girl。　Do　you　have　to　take　it
with　you　everywhere？〃

〃Not　if　it's　raining。　Then　I　have　an　umbrella。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　come　and　see　the　crabs；〃　he　settled。　〃They're
only　just　over　there。〃

She　moved　along　with　him　reluctantly；　looking　back　continually　to
where　her　mother　ought　to　be。

〃Are　you　enjoying　yourself？〃　Jeremy　asked　politely。

〃No；〃　she　said；　without　any　hesitation；　〃I　want　to　go　home。〃

〃She's　as　selfish　as　anything；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　〃We're　giving
the　party；　and　she　ought　to　have　said　'Yes'　even　if　she　wasn't。〃

〃Do　you　like　my　dog？〃　he　asked；　with　another　effort　at　light
conversation。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　with　a　little　shiver。　〃He's　ugly。〃

〃He　isn't　ugly；〃　Jeremy　returned　indignantly。　〃He　isn't　perhaps　the
very　best　breed；　but　Uncle　Samuel　says　that　that　doesn't　matter　if
he's　clever。　He's　better　than　any　other　dog。　I　love　him　more　than
anybody。　He　isn't　ugly！〃

〃He　is；〃　cried　Charlotte　with　a　kind　of　wail。　〃Oh！　I　want　to　go
home。〃

〃Well；　you　can't　go　home；〃　he　answered　her　fiercely。　〃So　you　needn't
think　about　it。〃

They　came　to　the　little　pools；　three　of　them；　now　clear　as　crystal；
blue　on　their　surface；　with　green　depths　and　red　shelving　rock。

〃Now　you　sit　there；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃No　one　will　touch　you。　The
crabs　won't　get　at　you。〃

He　looked　about　him　and　noticed　with　surprise　where　he　was。　He　was
sitting　on　the　farther　corner　of　the　very　beach　where　the　Scarlet
Admiral　had　landed　with　his　men。　It　was　out　there　beyond　that　bend
of　rock　that　the　wonderful　ship　had　rode；　with　its　gold　and　silk；
its　jewelled　masts　and　its　glittering　board。　Directly　opposite　to
him　was　the　little　green　path　that　led　up　the　hill；　and　above　it　the
very　fieldFarmer　Ede's　field！

For　a　long；　long　time　they　sat　there　in　silence。　He　forgot　Charlotte
in　his　interest　over　his　discovery；　staring　about　him　and　watching
how　quickly　the　August　afternoon　was　losing　its　heat　and　colour；　so
that　already　a　little　cold　autumnal　wind　was　playing　about　the　sand；
the　colours　were　being　drawn　from　the　sky；　and　a　grey　web　was　slowly
pulled　across　the　sea。

〃Now；〃　he　said　cheerfully　at　last；　to　Charlotte；　〃I'll　look　for　the
crabs。〃

〃I　hate　crabs；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　go　home。〃

〃You　can't　go　home；〃　he　answered　furiously。　〃What's　the　good　of
saying　that　over　and　over　again？　You　aren't　going　yet；　so　it's　no
use　saying　you　are。〃

〃You're　a　horrid　little　boy；〃　she　brought　out　with　a　kind　of
inanimate　sob。

He　did　not　reply　to　that；　he　was　still　trying　to　behave　like　a
gentleman。　How　could　he　ever　have　liked　her？　Why；　her　hair　was　not
so　much　after　all。　What　was　hair　when　you　come　to　think　of　it？　Mary
got　on　quite　well　with　hers；　ugly　though　it　was。　She　was　stupid；
stupid；　stupid！　She　was　like　someone　dead。　As　he　searched　for　the
crabs　that　weren't　there　he　felt　his　temper　growing。　Soon　he　would
lead　her　back　to　her　mother　and　leave　her　there　and　never　see　her
again。

But　this　was　not　the　climax　of　the　afternoon。

When　he　looked　up　from　gazing　into　the　pool　the　whole　world　seemed
to　have　changed。　He　was　still　dazzled　perhaps　by　the　reflection　of
the　water　in　his　eyes；　and　yet　it　was　not　altogether　that。　It　was
not　altogether　because　the　day　was　slipping　from　afternoon　into
evening。

The　lazy　ripple　of　the　water　as　it　slutched　up　the　sand　and　then
broke；　the　shadows　that　were　creeping　farther　and　farther　from　rock
to　rock；　the　green　light　that　pushed　up　from　the　horizon　into　the
faint　blue；　the　grey　web　of　the　sea；　the　thick　gathering　of　the
hills　as　they　crept　more　closely　about　the　little　darkening　beach　。
。　。　it　was　none　of　these　things。

He　began　hurriedly　to　tell　Charlotte　about　the　Scarlet　Admiral。　Even
as　he　told　her　he　was　himself　caught　into　the　excitement　of　the
narration。　He　forgot　her；　he　did　not　see　her　white　cheeks；　her　mouth
open　with　terror；　an　expression　new　to　her；　that　her　face　had　never
known　before；　stealing　into　her　eyes。　He　told　her　how　the　Fool　had
seen　the　ship；　how　the　Admiral　had　landed；　then　left　his　men　on　the
beach；　how　he　had　climbed　the　little　green　path；　how　the　young　man
had　followed　him；　how　they　had　fought；　how　the　young　man　had　fallen。
What　was　that？　Jeremy　jumped　from　his　rock。　〃I　say；　did　you　hear
anything？〃

And　that　was　enough　f