jeremy-第49章
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and miles and miles；〃 how at last he had found the farm； had rung
the bell； and inquired； and discovered Hamlet licking up sugary tea
in the farm kitchen； there had then been a rapturous meeting； and he
had boldly declared that he could find his way home again without
aid。 〃They wanted me to be driven home in their trap； but I wasn't
going to have that。 They'd been at the fair all day； and didn't want
to go out again。 I could see that。〃 So he and Hamlet started gaily
on their walk home； and then； in some way or another； he took the
wrong turn； and suddenly they were in Mellot Wood。 〃It was dark as
anything； you know； although there was going to be a moon。 We
couldn't see a thing； and then I got loster and loster。 At last we
just sat under a tree。 There was nothing more to do！〃 Then；
apparently； Jeremy had slept； and had； finally； been found in the
proper romantic manner by Jim and his father。
〃Well； all's well that ends well；〃 said Aunt Amy； with a sniff。 In
spite of that momentary softness over the defeat of the Dean's
Ernest she liked her young nephew no better than of old。 She had
desired that he should be punished for this； but as she looked at
the melting eyes of Mrs。 Cole and Miss Jones she had very little
hope。
Mary was forgotten； no one noticed her。
〃Bed；〃 said Mrs。 Cole。
〃Really； what a terrible affair；〃 said Miss Jones。 〃And I can't help
feeling that it was my fault。〃
〃What Mary〃 began Mrs。 Cole。 And then she stopped。 She had perhaps
some sense that Mary had already received sufficient punishment。
Mary waited； standing against the passage wall。 Jeremy； who had not
seen her； vanished into his room。 She waited； then plucking up all
her courage with the desperate suffocating sense of a prisoner
laying himself beneath the guillotine； she knocked timidly on his
door。
He said： 〃Come in；〃 and entering； she saw him； in his braces；
standing on a chair trying to put the picture entitled 〃Daddy's
Christmas〃 straight upon its nail。 The sight of this familiar task
the picture would never hang straight； although every day Jeremy；
who； strangely enough； had an eye to such matters； tried to correct
itcheered her a little。
〃Won't it go straight？〃 she said feebly。
〃No； it won't；〃 he began； and then； suddenly realising the whole
position； stopped。
〃I'm sorry； Jeremy；〃 she muttered； hanging her head down。
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 he answered； turning away from her and
pulling at the string。 〃It was a beastly thing to do all the same；〃
he added。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； there isn't any forgiveness about it。 Girls are queer； I
suppose。 I don't understand them myself。 There； that's better。 。 。 I
say； it was simply beastly under that tree〃
〃Was it？〃
〃Beastly！ There was something howling somewherea cat or
something。〃
〃You do forgive me； don't you？〃
〃Yes； yes。 。 。 I say； is that right now？ Oh； it won't stay there。
It's the wall or something。〃
He came down from the chair yawning。
〃Jim's nice；〃 he confided to her。 〃He's going to take me ratting one
day！〃
〃I'm going；〃 Mary said again； and waited。
Jeremy coloured； looked as though he would say something； then； in
silence； presented a very grimy cheek。 〃Good…night；〃 he said； with
an air of intense relief。
〃Good…night；〃 she said； kissing him。
She closed the door behind her。 She knew that the worst had
happened。 He had passed away； utterly beyond her company； her world；
her interests。 She crept along to her room； and there； with a
determination and a strength rare in a child so young and so
undisciplined； faced her loneliness。
CHAPTER XI
THE MERRY…GO…ROUND
I
The holidays were over。 The Coles were once more back in Polchester；
and the most exciting period of Jeremy's life had begun。 So at any
rate he felt it。 It might be that in later years there would be new
exciting events； lion…hunting； for instance； or a war； or the
tracking of niggers in the heart of Africahe would be ready for
them when they camebut these last weeks before his first departure
for school offered him the prospect of the first real independence
of his life。 There could never be anything quite like that again。
Nevertheless； school seemed still a long way distant。 It was only
his manliness that he was realising and a certain impatience and
restlessness that underlay everything that he did。
September and October are often very lovely months in Polchester；
autumn seems to come there with a greater warmth and richness than
it does elsewhere。 Along all the reaches of the Pol； right down to
the sea； the leaves of the woods hung with a riotous magnificence
that is glorious in its recklessness。 The waters of that silent
river are so still； so glassy； that the banks of gold and flaming
red are reflected in all their richest colour down into the very
heart of the stream； and it is only when a fish jumps or a twig
falls from the overhanging trees that the mirror is broken and the
colours flash into ripples and shadows of white and grey。 The utter
silence of all this world makes the Cathedral town sleepy； sluggish；
forgotten of all men。 As the autumn comes it seems to drowse away
into winter to the tune of its Cathedral bells； to the scent of its
burning leaves and the soft steps of its Canons and clergy。 There is
every autumn here a clerical conference； and long before the
appointed week begins； and long after it is lawfully concluded；
clergymen； strange clergymen with soft black hats； take the town for
their own； gaze into Martin the pastry…cook's； sit in the dusk of
the Cathedral listening to the organ； walk； their heads in air；
their arms folded behind their backs； straight up Orange Street as
though they were scaling Heaven itself； stop little children； pat
their heads； and give them pennies； stand outside Poole's bookshop
and delve in the 2d。 box for thumb…marked sermons； stand gazing in
learned fashion at the great West Door； investigating the saints and
apostles portrayed thereon； hurry in their best hats and coats along
the Close to some ladies' tea…party； or pass with solemn and anxious
mien into the palace of the Bishop himself。
All these things belong to autumn in Polchester； as Jeremy very well
knew； but the event that marks the true beginning of the season； the
only way by which you may surely know that summer is over and autumn
is come is Pauper's Fair。
This famous fair has been； from time immemorial； a noted event in
Glebeshire life。 Even now； when fairs have yielded to cinematographs
as attractions for the people； Pauper's Fair gives its annual
excitement。 Thirty years ago it was the greatest event of the year
in Polchester。 All our fine people； of course； disliked it
extremely。 It disturbed the town for days； the town rocked in the
arms of crowds of drunken sailors； the town gave shelter to gipsies
and rogues and scoundrels； the town； the decent； amiable； happy town
actually for a week or so seemed to invite the world of the blazing
fire and the dancing clown。 No wonder that our fine people
shuddered。 Only the other dayI speak now of these modern times
the Bishop tried to stop the whole business。 He wrote to the
Glebeshire Morning News； urging that Pauper's Fair； in these days of
enlightenment and culture； cannot but be regretted by all those who
have the healthy progress of our dear country at heart。 Well； you
would be amazed at the storm that his protest raised。 People wrote
from all over the County； and there were ultimately letters from
patriotic Glebeshire citizens in New Zealand and South Africa。 And
in Polchester itself！ Everyoneeven those who had shuddered most at
the fair's iniquitieswas indignant。 Give up the fair！ One of the
few signs left of that jolly Old England whose sentiment is
cherished by us； whose fragments nevertheless we so readily stamp
upon。 No； the fair must remain and will remain； I have no doubt；
until the very end of our national chapter。
Nowadays it has shed； very largely； I am afraid； the character that
it gloriously maintained thirty years ago。 Then it was really an
invasion by the seafaring element of the County。 All the little
country ports and harbours poured out their fishermen a
