jeremy-第47章

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announced　that　she　would　take　Mary　for　a　walk；　then；　just　as　they
passed　through　the　farm　gates；　Hamlet；　rushing　out；　joined　them。　He
did　not　often　honour　them　with　his　company；　despising　women　most
especially　when　they　walked；　but　to…day　his　master　was　busy　digging
for　worms　in　the　vegetable　garden；　and；　after　a　quarter　of　an　hour's
contemplation　of　this　fascinating　occupation；　he　had　wandered　off　in
search　of　a　livelier　game。　He　decided　to　join　Miss　Jones；　he　could
do　what　he　pleased；　he　could　amuse　himself　with　her　ineffectual
attempts　to　keep　him　in　order；　and　he　could　irritate　Mary；　so　he
danced　along；　with　his　tail　in　the　air；　barking　at　imaginary　rats
and　poking　his　nose　into　hedges。

Mary；　with　a　sudden　tightened　clutching　of　the　heart；　realised　that
her　hour　was　upon　her。　She　felt　so　wicked　as　she　realised　this　that
she　wondered　that　the　ground　didn't　open　up　and　swallow　her；　as　it
had　done　with　those　unfortunate　people　in　the　Bible。　But　no；　the
world　was　calm。　Little　white　milky　clouds　raced　in　lines　and　circles
across　the　sky；　and　once　and　again　a　leaf　floated　from　a　tree；　hung
for　a　moment　suspended；　and　then　turned　slowly　to　the　ground。　The
hedges　were　a　dark　black…green；　high　and　thick　above　the　dusty　road；
there　had　been　no　rain　for　weeks。　Truly　a　stable　world。　Mary；
glaring　at　Fate；　wondered　how　it　could　be　so。

Miss　Jones；　who　was　happy　and　optimistic　to…day；　talked　in　a
tenderly　reminiscent　tone　of　her　youth。　This　vein　of　reminiscence
Mary；　on　her　normal　day；　loved。　To…day　she　did　not　hear　a　word　that
Miss　Jones　said。

〃I　remember　my　mother　saying　so　well　to　my　dear　brother：　'Do　what
you　like；　my　boy。　I　trust　you。'　And　indeed　Alfred　was　to　be　trusted
if　ever　a　boy　was。　It　is　a　remarkable　thing；　but　I　cannot　remember　a
single　occasion　of　dishonesty　on　Alfred's　part。　'A　white　lie；'　he
would　often　say；　'is　a　lie；　and　a　lie　is　a　sinwhite　or　black；
always　a　sin'；　and　I　remember　that　he　would　often　put　mother　to　a
serious　inconvenience　by　his　telling　callers　that　she　was　in　when
she　had　wished　it　to　be　said　that　she　was　not　at　home。　He　felt　it
his　serious　duty；　and　so　he　told　Mother。　'Don't　ask　me　to　tell　a
lie；　Mother；'　I　remember　his　saying。　'I　cannot　do　it。'〃

〃Like　George　Washington；〃　said　Mary；　suddenly　catching　the　last
words　of　Miss　Jones's　sentence。

〃He　was　like　many　famous　characters　in　history；　I　used　to　think。
Once　I　remember　reading　about　Oliver　Cromwell。　。　。　〃Where　is　that
dog？　Hamlet！　Hamlet！　Perhaps　he's　gone　after　the　sheep。　Ah！　there　he
is！　Hamlet；　you　naughty　dog！〃

They　were　approaching　one　of　their　favourite　pieces　of　country
Mellot　Wood。　Here；　on　the　wood's　edge；　the　ground　broke　away；
running　down　in　a　field　of　corn　to　a　little　green　valley　with
clustered　trees　that　showed　only　their　heads；　so　thickly　embedded
were　they；　and　beyond　the　valley　the　sea。　The　sea　looked　quite　close
here；　although　it　was　in　reality　four　miles　distant。　Never　was　such
a　place　as　this　view　for　light　and　shadow。　The　clouds　raced　like　the
black　wings　of　enormous　birds　across　the　light　green　valley；　and　the
red…gold　of　the　cornfield　was　tossed　into　the　haze　and　swept　like　a
golden　shadow　across　the　earth；　bending　back　again　when　the　breeze
had　died。　Behind　Mellot　Wood　was　Mellot　Farm；　an　old　eighteenth…
century　house　about　which　there　was　a　fine　tragic　story　with　a
murder　and　a　ghost　in　it；　and　this；　of　course；　gave　Mellot　Wood　an
additional　charm。　When　they　arrived　at　the　outskirts　of　Mellot　Wood
Mary　looked　about　her。　It　was　here；　on　the　edge　of　the　Rafiel　Road
that　skirted　the　wood；　that　she　had　once　seen　the　dog…man　eating　his
luncheon　out　of　a　red　pocket…handkerchief。　There　was　no　sign　of　him
to…day。　All　was　silent　and　still。　Only　the　little　wood　uttered
little　sighs　of　content　beneath　the　flying　clouds。　Hamlet；　tired
with　his　racing　after　imaginary　rabbits；　walked　quietly　along　by
Mary's　side。　What　was　she　to　do？　She　had　once　again　the　desperate
feeling　that　something　stronger　than　she　had　swept　down　upon　her　and
was　forcing　her　to　do　this　thing。　She　seemed　to　have　no　will　of　her
own；　but　to　be　watching　some　other　commit　an　act　whose　dangerous
wickedness　froze　her　heart。　How　could　she？　But　she　must。　Someone　was
doing　it　for　her。

And　in　very　truth　it　seemed　so。　Miss　Jones　said　that　now　they　were
here　she　might　as　well　call　upon　Miss　Andrews；　the　sister　of　the
Mellot　farmer。　Miss　Andrews　had　promised　her　some　ducks'　eggs。　They
pushed　open　the　farm　gate；　passed　across　the　yard　and　knocked　on　the
house　door。　Near　Mary　was　a　large　barn　with　a　heavy　door；　now　ajar。
Hamlet　sat　gazing　pensively　at　a　flock　of　geese；　his　tongue　out；
panting　contentedly。

〃Wait　here　one　minute；　Mary；〃　said　Miss　Jones。　〃I　won't　stay。〃

Miss　Jones　disappeared。　Mary；　still　under　the　strange　sense　that　it
was　not　she；　but　another；　who　did　these　things；　moved　back　to　the
barn；　calling　softly　to　Hamlet。　He　followed　her；　sniffing　a　rat
somewhere。　Very　quickly　she　pulled　back　the　door；　he；　still
investigating　his　rat；　followed　into　the　dark　excitements　of　the
barn。　With　a　quick　movement　she　bent　down；　slipped　off　his　collar；
which　she　hid　in　her　dress；　then　shut　him　in。　She　knew　that　for　a
moment　or　two　he　would　still　be　pursuing　his　rat；　and　she　saw；　with
guilty　relief；　Miss　Jones　come　out　to　her　just　as　she　had　finished
her　evil　deed。

〃Miss　Andrews　is　out；〃　said　Miss　Jones。　〃They　are　all　away　at
Liskane　Fair。〃

They　left　the　farm　and　walked　down　the　road。　Hamlet　had　not　begun
his　cry。




IV


Miss　Jones　was　pleased。　〃Such　a　nice　servant；〃　she　said。　〃One　of　the
old　kind。　She　had　been　with　the　family　fifty　years；　she　told　me；　and
had　nursed　Mr。　Andrews　on　her　knee。　Fancy！　Such　a　large　fat　man　as
he　is　now。　Too　much　beer；　I　suppose。　I　suppose　they　get　so　thirsty
with　all　the　straw　and　hay　about。　Yes；　a　really　nice　woman。　She　told
me　that　there　was　no　place　in　Glebeshire　to　touch　them　for　cream。　I
dare　say　they're　right。　After　all；　you　never　can　tell。　I　remember　at
home　。　。　。〃

She　broke　off　then　and　cried：　〃Where's　Hamlet？〃

Mary；　wickeder　than　ever；　stared　through　her　spectacles　down　the
road。　〃I　don't　know；　Miss　Jones；〃　she　said。　They　had　left　the　wood
and　the　farm；　and　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　the　long　white
ribbon　of　road　hemmed　in　by　the　high　hedges。

〃Perhaps　he　stayed　behind　at　the　farm；〃　said　Miss　Jones。

Then　Mary　told　her　worst　lie。

〃Oh；　no；　Miss　Jones。　He　ran　past　us　just　now。　Didn't　you　see　him？〃

〃No；　I　didn't。　He's　gone　on　ahead；　I　suppose。　He　runs　home
sometimes。　Naughty　dog！　We　shall　catch　him　up。〃

But　of　course　they　did　not。　They　passed　through　the　gates　of　Cow
Farm　and　still　nothing　of　Hamlet　was　to　be　seen。

〃Oh　dear！　Oh　dear！〃　said　Miss　Jones。　〃I　do　hope　that　he's　arrived。
Whatever　will　Jeremy　say　if　anything　has　gone　wrong？〃

Mary　was　breathing　hard　now；　as　though　she　had　been　running　a
desperate　race。　She　would　at　this　moment　have　given　all　that　she
possessed；　or　all　that　she　was　ever　likely　to　possess；　to　recall　her
deed。　If　she　could　have　seen　Hamlet　rushing　down　the　road　towards
her　she　would　have　cried　with　relief；　there　seemed　now　to　be
suddenly　removed　from　her　that　outside　agency　that　had　forced　her　to
do　this　thing；　now；　having　compelled　her；　it　had　withdrawn　and　left
her　to　carry　the　consequences。　Strangely　confused　in　her　sentimental
soul　was　her　terror　of　Jeremy's　wrath　and　her　own　picture　of　the
wretched　Hamlet　barking　his　heart　out；　frightened；　thirsty；　and
lonely。　Her　teeth　began　to　chatter；　she　clenched　her　hands　together。

Miss　Jones　went　across　the　courtyard；　calling：

〃Hamlet！　Hamlet！〃

The　family　was　collected；　having　just　sat　down　to　tea；　so　that　the
announcement　received　its　full　measure　of　excitement。

〃Has　Hamlet　come　back？　We　thought　he　was　ahead　of　us。〃

A　chair　had　tumbled　over。　Jeremy　had　run　round　the　table　to　Miss
Jones。

〃What's　that？　Hamlet？　Where　is　he？〃

〃We　thought　he　must　be　ahead　of　us。　He　ran　past　us　down　the　road；
and　we　thought〃

They　thought！　Silly　women！　Jeremy；　as　though　he　were　challenging　a
god；　stood　up　against　Miss　Jones；　hurling　questions　at　her。　Where
had　they　been？　What　road　had　they　taken？　Had　they　gone　into