jeremy-第53章

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the　world　seemed　to　have　gone　mad。　A　moment　ago　there　had　been
darkness　and　dim　shadow。　Now；　suddenly；　there　was　a　huge　whistling；
tossing　circle　of　light　and　flame；　and　from　the　centre　of　this　a
banging；　brazen；　cymbal…clashing　scream　issued…a　scream　that；
through　its　strident　shrillness；　he　recognised　as　a　tune　that　he
knewa　tune　often　whistled　by　Jim　at　Cow　Farm。　〃And　her　golden　hair
was　hanging　down　her　back。〃　Whence　the　tune　came　he　could　not　tell；
from　the　very　belly　of　the　flaming　monster；　it　seemed；　but；　as　he
watched；　he　saw　that　the　huge　circle　whirled　ever　faster　and　faster；
and　that　up　and　down　on　the　flame　of　it　coloured　horses　rose　and
fell；　vanishing　from　light　to　darkness；　from　darkness　to　light；　and
seeming　of　their　own　free　will　and　motion　to　dance　to　the　thundering
music。

It　was　the　most　terrific　thing　that　he　had　ever　seen。　The　most
terrific　thing。　。　。　he　stood　there；　his　cap　on　the　back　of　his　head；
his　legs　apart；　his　mouth　open；　forgetting　utterly　the　crowd；
thinking　nothing　of　time　or　danger　or　punishmenthe　gazed　with　his
whole　body。

As　his　eyes　grew　more　accustomed　to　the　glare　of　the　hissing　gas；　he
saw　that　in　the　centre　figures　were　painted　standing　on　the　edge　of
a　pillar　that　revolved　without　pause。　There　was　a　woman　with　flaming
red　cheeks；　a　gold　dress　and　dead　white　dusty　arms；　a　man　with　a
golden　crown　and　a　purple　robe；　but　a　broken　nose；　and　a　minstrel
with　a　harp。　The　woman　and　the　king　moved　stiffly　their　arms　up　and
down；　that　they　might　strike　instruments；　one　a　cymbal　and　the　other
a　drum。　But　it　was　finally　the　horses　that　caught　Jeremy's　heart。
Half　of　them　at　least　were　without　riders；　and　the　empty　ones　went
round　pathetically；　envying　the　more　successful　ones　and　dancing　to
the　music　as　though　with　an　effort。　One　especially　moved　Jeremy's
sympathy。　He　was　a　fine　horse；　rather　fresher　than　the　others；　with
a　coal…black　mane　and　great　black　bulging　eyes；　his　saddle　was　of
gold　and　his　trappings　of　red。　As　he　went　round　he　seemed　to　catch
Jeremy's　eye　and　to　beg　him　to　come　to　him。　He　rode　more　securely
than　the　rest；　rising　nobly　like　a　horse　of　fine　breeding；　falling
again　with　an　implication　of　restrained　force　as　though　he　would
say：　〃I　have　only　to　let　myself　go　and　there；　my　word；　you　would　see
where　I'd　get　to。〃　His　bold　black　eyes　turned　beseechingly　to
Jeremysurely　it　was　not　only　a　trick　of　the　waving　gas；　the　boy
drew　closer　and　closer；　never　moving　his　gaze　from　the　horses　who
had　hitherto　been　whirling　at　a　bacchanalian　pace；　but　now；　as　at
some　sudden　secret　command；　suddenly　slackened；　hesitated；　fell　into
a　gentle　jog…trot；　then　scarcely　rose；　scarcely　fell；　were　suddenly
still。　Jeremy　saw　what　it　was　that　you　did　if　you　wanted　to　ride。　A
stout　dirty　man　came　out　amongst　the　horses　and；　resting　his　hands
on　their　backs　as　though　they　were　less　than　nothing　to　him；
shouted：　〃Now's　your　chance；　lidies　and　gents！　Now；　lidies　and
gents！　Come　along　hup！　Come　along　hup！　The　ride　of　your　life　now！　A
'alfpenny　a　time！　A　'alfpenny　a　time；　and　the　finest　ride　of　your
life！〃

People　began　to　mount　the　steps　that　led　on　to　the　platform　where
the　horses　stood。　A　woman；　then　a　man　and　a　boy；　then　two　men；　then
two　girls　giggling　together；　then　a　man　and　a　girl。

And　the　stout　fellow　shouted：　〃Come　along　hup！　Come　along　hup！　Now；
lidies　and　gents！　A　'alfpenny　a　ride！　Come　along　hup！〃

Jeremy　noticed　then　that　the　fine　horse　with　the　black　mane　had
stopped　close　beside　him。　Impossible　to　say　whether　the　horse　had
intended　it　or　no！　He　was　staring　now　in　front　of　him　with　the
innocent　stupid　gaze　that　animals　can　assume　when　they　do　not　wish
to　give　themselves　away。　But　Jeremy　could　see　that　he　was　taking　it
for　granted　that　Jeremy　understood　the　affair。　〃If　you're　such　a
fool　as　not　to　understand；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　〃well；　then；　I　don't
want　you。〃　Jeremy　gazed；　and　the　reproach　in　those　eyes　was　more
than　he　could　endure。　And　at　any　moment　someone　else　might　settle
himself　on　that　beautiful　back！　There；　that　stupid　fat　giggling
girl！　Noshe　had　moved　elsewhere。　。　。　He　could　endure　it　no　longer
and；　with　a　thumping　heart；　clutching　a　scalding　penny　in　a　red…hot
hand；　he　mounted　the　steps。　〃One　ridelittle　gen'elman。　'Ere　you
are！　'Old　on　now！　Oh；　you　wants　that　one；　do　yer？　Eight　yer　areyer
pays　yer　money　and　yer　takes　yer　choice。〃　He　lifted　Jeremy　up。　〃Put
yer　arms　round　'is　neck　now'e　won't　bite　yer！〃

Bite　him　indeed！　Jeremy　felt；　as　he　clutched　the　cool　head　and　let
his　hand　slide　over　the　stiff　black　mane；　that　he　knew　more　about
that　horse　than　his　owner　did。　He　seemed　to　feel　beneath　him　the
horse's　response　to　his　clutching　knees；　the　head　seemed　to　rise　for
a　moment　and　nod　to　him　and　the　eyes　to　say：　〃It's　all　right。　I'll
look　after　you。　I'll　give　you　the　best　ride　of　your　life！〃　He　felt；
indeed；　that　the　gaze　of　the　whole　world　was　upon　him；　but　he
responded　to　it　proudly；　staring　boldly　around　him　as　though　he　had
been　seated　on　merry…go…　rounds　all　his　days。　Perhaps　some　in　the
gaping　crowd　knew　him　and　were　saying：　〃Why；　there's　the　Rev。　Cole's
kid〃　Never　mind；　he　was　above　scandal。　From　where　he　was　he　could
see　the　Fair　lifted　up　and　translated　into　a　fantastic　splendour。
Nothing　was　certain；　nothing　definedabove　him　a　canopy　of　evening
sky；　with　circles　and　chains　of　stars　mixed　with　the　rosy　haze　of
the　flame　of　the　Fair；　opposite　him　was　the　Palace　of　〃The　Two…
Headed　Giant　from　the　Caucasus；〃　a　huge　man　as　portrayed　in　the
picture　hanging　on　his　outer　walls；　a　giant　naked；　save　for　a
bearskin；　with　one　head　black　and　one　yellow；　and　white　protruding
teeth　in　both　mouths。　Next　to　him　was　the　Fortune　Teller's；　and
outside　this　a　little　man　with　a　hump　beat　a　drum。　Then　there　was
〃The　Theatre　of　Tragedy　and　Mirth；〃　with　a　poster　on　one　side　of　the
door　portraying　a　lady　drowning　in　the　swiftest　of　rivers；　but　with
the　prospect　of　being　saved　by　a　stout　gentleman　who　leaned　over
from　the　bank　and　grasped　her　hair。　Then　there　was　the　〃Chamber　of
the　Fat　Lady　and　the　Six　Little　Dwarfs；〃　and　the　entry　to　this　was
guarded　by　a　dirty　sour…looking　female　who　gnashed　her　teeth　at　a
hesitating　public；　before　whom；　with　a　splendid　indifference　to
appearance；　she　consumed；　out　of　a　piece　of　newspaper；　her　evening
meal。

All　these　things　were　in　Jeremy's　immediate　vision；　and　beyond　them
was　a　haze　that　his　eyes　could　not　penetrate。　It　held；　he　knew；　wild
beasts；　because　he　could　hear　quite　clearly　from　time　to　time　the
lion　and　the　elephant　and　the　tiger；　it　held　music；　because　from
somewhere　through　all　the　noise　and　confusion　the　tune　of　a　band
penetrated；　it　held　buyers　and　sellers　and　treasures　and　riches；　and
all　the　inhabitants　of　the　worldsurely　all　the　world　must　be　here
to…night。　And　then；　beyond　the　haze；　there　were　the　silent　and
mysterious　gipsy　caravans。　Dark　with　their　little　square　windows；
and　their　coloured　walls；　and　their　round　wheels；　and　the　smell　of
wood　fires；　and　the　noise　of　hissing　kettles　and　horses　cropping　the
grass；　and　around　them　the　still　night　world　with　the　thick　woods
and　the　dark　river。

He　did　not　see　it　all　as　he　sat　on　his　horsehe　was；　as　yet；　too
young；　but　he　did　feel　the　contrast　between　the　din　and　glare　around
him　and　the　silence　and　dark　beyond；　and；　afterwards；　looking　back；
he　knew　that　he　had　found　in　that　same　contrast　the　very　heart　of
romance。　As　it　was；　he　simply　clutched　his　horse's　beautiful　head
and　waited　for　the　ride　to　begin。　。　。

They　were　off！　He　felt　his　horse　quiver　under　him；　he　saw　the
mansions　of　the　Two…Headed　Giant　and　the　Fat　Lady　slip　to　the　right；
the　light　seemed　to　swing　like　the　skirt　of　someone's　dress；　upwards
across　the　floor；　and　from　the　heart　of　the　golden　woman　and　the
king　and　the　minstrel　a　scream　burst　forth　as　though　they　were
announcing　the　end　of　the　world。　After　that　he　had　no　clear　idea　as
to　what　occurred。　He　was　swung　into　space；　and　all　the　life　that　had
been　so　stationary；　the　booths；　the　lights；　the　men　and　women；　the
very　stars　went　swinging　with　him　as　though　to　cheer　him　on；　the
horse　under　him　galloped　before；　and　the　faster　he　galloped　the
wilder　was　the　m