jeremy-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the witch〃
This was always Mary's way。 She loved to tell Jeremy interesting
stories； and he did not mind because he did not listen and could
meanwhile think his own thoughts。
His chief decision arrived at as he marched along was that he would
keep the village to himself； no one else should put their fingers
into it； arrange the orchard with the coloured trees； decide upon
the names of the Noah family； settle the village street in its final
order； ring the bell of the church； or milk the cows。 He alone would
do all these things。 And； so considering； he seemed to himself very
like God。 God； he supposed； could pull Polchester about； root out a
house here； another there； knock the Assembly Rooms down and send a
thunderbolt on to the apple woman's umbrella。 Well； thenso could
he with his village。 He walked swollen with pride。 He arrived at the
first Island of Circe； namely； the window of Mr。 Thompson； the
jeweller in Market Street； pressed his nose to the pane； and refused
to listen when the Jampot suggested that he should move forward。
He could see the diamonds like drops of water in the sun； and the
pearls like drops of milk； and the rubies like drops of blood； but
it was not of diamonds； pearls or rubies that he was thinkinghe
thought only of his village。 He would ring the church bell； and then
all the Noah family should start out of the door； down the garden；
up the village street。 。 。 It did not matter if one of the younger
Noahs should be lazy and wish to stay at home beneath the flowering
trees of the orchard。 She would not be allowed。 。 。 He was as God。 。
。 He was as God。 。 。 The butcher should go （if he was not stuck to
his shop）； and even some of his cows might go。 。 。 。 He was as
God。 。 。
He heard Mary's voice in his ear。
〃And after that they all ate chocolates with white cream and red
cream； and they sucked it off pins； and there were hard bits and
soft bits； and the Princess （she was a frog now。 You remember； don't
you； Jeremy？ The witch turned her） hotted the oven like cook has；
with black doors； and hotted it and hotted it； but suddenly there
was a noise〃
And； on the other side； the Jampot's voice： 〃You naughty boy；
stoppin' 'ere for everyone to see； just because it's your birthday；
which I wish there wasn't no birthdays； nor there wouldn't be if I
had my way。〃
Jeremy turned from Mr。 Thompson's window； a scornful smile on his
face：
〃I'm bigger'n you； Nurse；〃 he said。 〃If I said out loud； 'I won't
go；' I wouldn't go； and no one could make me。〃
〃Well； come along； then；〃 said Nurse。
〃Don't be so stupid； Jerry；〃 said Helen calmly。 〃If a policeman came
and said you had to go home you'd have to go。〃
〃No I wouldn't；〃 said Jeremy。
〃Then they'd put you in prison。〃
〃They could。〃
〃They'd hang you； perhaps。〃
〃They could；〃 replied Jeremy。
Farther than this argument cannot go； so Helen shrugged her
shoulders and said： 〃You are silly。〃
And they all moved forward。
He found then that this new sense or God…like power detracted a
little from the excitements of the Market Place； although the
flower…stall was dazzling with flowers； there was a new kind of pig
that lifted its tail and lowered it again on the toy stall； and the
apple…woman was as fat as ever and had thick clumps of yellow
bananas hanging most richly around her head。 They ascended the High
Street and reached the Close。 It was half…past three； and the
Cathedral bells had begun to ring for evensong。 All the houses in
the Close were painted with a pale yellow light； across the long
green Cathedral lawn thin black shadows like the fingers of giants
pointed to the Cathedral door。 All was so silent here that the bells
danced against the houses and back again； the echoes lingering in
the high elms and mingling with the placid cooing of the rooks。
〃There's Mrs。 Sampson；〃 said Jeremy。 〃Aunt Amy says she's a wicked
woman。 Do you think she's a wicked woman； Nurse？〃 He gazed at the
stout figure with interest。 If he were truly God he would turn her
into a rabbit。 This thought amused him； and he began to laugh。
〃You naughty boy； now come along； do；〃 said the Jampot； who
distrusted laughter in Jerry。
〃I'll ring the bells when I grow up；〃 he said； 〃and I'll ring them
in the middle of the night； so that everyone will have to go to
church when they don't want to。 I'll be able to do what I like when
I grow up。〃
〃No； you won't；〃 said Helen。 〃Father and Mother can't do what they
like。〃
〃Yes they can；〃 said Jeremy。
〃No they can't；〃 answered Helen； 〃or they would。〃
〃So they do；〃 said Jeremy〃silly。〃
〃Silly yourself；〃 said Helen very calmly； because she knew very well
that she was not silly。
〃Now； children； stop it； do；〃 said the Jampot。
Jeremy's sense of newly received power reached its climax when they
walked round the Close and reached the back of the Cathedral。 I know
that now； both for Jeremy and me； that prospect has dwindled into
its proper grown… up proportions； but how can a man； be he come to
threescore and ten and more； ever forget the size； the splendour；
the stupendous extravagance of that early vision？
Jeremy saw that day the old fragment of castle wall； the green
expanse falling like a sheeted waterfall from the Cathedral heights；
the blue line of river flashing in the evening sun between the bare…
boughed trees； the long spaces of black shadow spreading slowly over
the colour； as though it were all being rolled up and laid away for
another day； the brown frosty path of the Rope Walk； the farther
bank climbing into fields and hedges； ending in the ridge of wood；
black against the golden sky。 And all so still！ As the children
stood there they could catch nestlings' faint cries； stirrings of
dead leaves and twigs； as birds and beasts moved to their homes； the
cooing of the rooks about the black branches seemed to promise that
this world should be for ever tranquil； for ever cloistered and
removed； the sun； red and flaming above the dark wood； flung white
mists hither and thither to veil its departure。 The silence
deepened； the last light flamed on the river and died upon the hill。
〃Now； children； come along do；〃 said the Jampot who had been held in
spite of herself； and would pay for it； she knew； in rheumatism to…
morrow。 It was then that Jeremy's God…flung sense of power； born
from that moment early in the day when he had sat in the wicker
chair； reached its climax。 He stood there； his legs apart； looking
upon the darkening world and felt that he could do anything
anything。 。 。
At any rate； there was one thing that he could do； disobey the
Jampot。
〃I'm not coming；〃 he said； 〃till I choose。〃
〃You wicked boy！〃 she cried； her temper rising with the evening
chills； her desire for a cup of hot tea； and an aching longing for a
comfortable chair。 〃When everyone's been so good to you to…day and
the things you've been given and allwhy； it's a wicked shame。〃
The Jampot； who was a woman happily without imagination； saw a
naughty small boy spoiled and needing the slipper。
A rook； taking a last look at the world before retiring to rest；
watching from his leafless bough； saw a mortal spirit defying the
universe； and sympathised with it。
〃I shall tell your mother；〃 said the Jampot。 〃Now come； Master
Jeremy； be a good boy。〃
〃Oh； don't bother； Nurse；〃 he answered impatiently。 〃You're such a
fuss。〃
She realised in that moment that he was suddenly beyond her power；
that he would never be within it again。 She had nursed him for eight
years； she had loved him in her own way； she； dull perhaps in the
ways of the world； but wise in the ways of nurses； ways that are
built up of surrender and surrender； gave him； then and there； to
the larger life。 。 。
〃You may behave as you like； Master Jeremy；〃 she said。 〃It won't be
for long that I'll have the dealing with you； praise be。 You'll be
going to school next September； and then we'll see what'll happen to
your wicked pride。〃
〃School！〃 he turned upon her； his eyes wide and staring。
〃School！〃 he stared at them all。
The world tumbled from him。 In his soul was a confusion of triumph
and dismay； of excitement and loneliness； of the sudden falling from
