jeremy-第6章

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and　dismay；　of　excitement　and　loneliness；　of　the　sudden　falling　from
him　of　all　old　standards；　old　horizons；　of　pride　and　humility。　。　。
How　little　now　was　the　Village　to　him。　He　looked　at　them　to　see
whether　they　could　understand。　They　could　not。

Very　quietly　he　followed　them　home。　His　birthday　had　achieved　its
climax。　。　。




CHAPTER　II

THE　FAMILY　DOG


I


That　winter　of　Jeremy's　eighth　birthday　was　famous　for　its　snow。
Glebeshire　has　never　yielded　to　the　wishes　of　its　children　in　the
matter　of　snowy　Christmases；　and　Polchester　has　the　reputation　of
muggy　warmth　and　foggy　mists；　but　here　was　a　year　when　traditions
were　fulfilled　in　the　most　reckless　manner；　and　all　the　1892　babies
were　treated　to　a　present　of　snow　on　so　fine　a　scale　that　certainly
for　the　rest　of　their　days　they　will　go　about　saying：　〃Ah；　you
should　see　the　winters　we　used　to　have　when　we　were　children。　。　。〃

The　snow　began　on　the　very　day　after　Jeremy's　birthday；　coming　down
doubtfully；　slowly；　little　grey　flakes　against　a　grey　sky；　then
sparkling　white；　then　vanishing　flashes　of　moisture　on　a　wet；
unsympathetic　soil。　That　day　the　snow　did　not　lie；　and　for　a　week　it
did　not　come　again；　then　with　a　whirl　it　seized　the　land；　and　for
two　days　and　nights　did　not　loosen　its　grip。　From　the　nursery
windows　the　children　watched　it；　their　noses　making　little　rings　on
the　window…pane；　their　delighted　eyes　snatching　fascinating　glimpses
of　figures　tossed　through　the　storm；　cabs　beating　their　way；　the
rabbit…skin　man；　the　milkman；　the　postman；　brave　adventurers　all；
fighting；　as　it　seemed；　for　their　very　lives。

For　two　days　the　children　did　not　leave　the　house；　and　the　natural
result　of　that　was　that　on　the　second　afternoon　tempers　were；　like
so　many　dogs；　straining；　tugging；　pulling　at　their　chains。

It　could　not　be　denied　that　Jeremy　had　been　tiresome　to　everyone
since　the　afternoon　when　he　had　heard　the　news　of　his　going　to
school　next　September。　It　had　seemed　to　him　a　tremendous　event；　the
Beginning　of　the　End。　To　the　others；　who　lived　in　the　immediate
present；　it　was　a　crisis　so　remote　as　scarcely　to　count　at　all。　Mary
would　have　liked　to　be　sentimental　about　it；　but　from　this　she　was
sternly　prevented。　There　was　then　nothing　more　to　be　said。　。　。

Jeremy　was　suddenly　isolated　from　them　all。　His　destiny　was
peculiar。　They　were　girls；　he　was　a　boy。　They　understood　neither　his
fears　nor　his　ambitions；　he　needed　terribly　a　companion。　The　snow；
shutting　them　in；　laughed　at　their　struggles　against　monotony。　The
nursery　clock　struck　three　and　they　realised　that　two　whole　hours
must　pass　before　the　next　meal。　Mary；　her　nose　red　from　pressing　on
the　window…pane；　her　eyes　gazing　through　her　huge　spectacles
wistfully　at　Jeremy；　longed　to　suggest　that　she　should　read　aloud　to
him。　She　knew　that　he　hated　it；　she　pretended　to　herself　that　she
did　not　know。

Jeremy　stared　desperately　at　Helen　who　was　sitting；　dignified　and
collected；　in　the　wicker　chair　hemming　a　minute　handkerchief。

〃We　might　play　Pirates；〃　Jeremy　said　with　a　little　cough；　the　better
to　secure　her　attention。　There　was　no　answer。

〃Or　there's　the　hut　in　the　woodif　anyone　likes　it　better；〃　he
added　politely。　He　did　not　know　what　was　the　matter。　Had　the　Jampot
not　told　him　about　school　he　would　at　this　very　moment　be　playing
most　happily　with　his　village。　It　spread　out　there　before　him　on　the
nursery　floor；　the　Noah　family　engaged　upon　tea　in　the　orchard；　the
butcher　staring　with　fixed　gaze　from　the　door　of　his　shop；　three
cows　and　a　sheep　absorbed　in　the　architecture　of　the　church。

He　sighed；　then　said　again：　〃Perhaps　Pirates　would　be　better。〃

Still　Helen　did　not　reply。　He　abandoned　the　attempted　control　of　his
passions。

〃It's　very　rude；〃　he　said；　〃not　to　answer　when　gentlemen　speak　to
you。〃

〃I　don't　see　any　gentlemen；〃　answered　Helen　quietly；　without　raising
her　eyes；　which　was；　as　she　knew；　a　provoking　habit。

〃Yes；　you　do；〃　almost　screamed　Jeremy。　〃I'm　one。〃

〃You're　not；〃　continued　Helen；　〃you're　only　eight。　Gentlemen　must　be
over　twenty　like　Father　or　Mr。　Jellybrand。〃

〃I　hate　Mr。　Jellybrand　and　I　hate　you；〃　replied　Jeremy。

〃I　don't　care；〃　said　Helen。

〃Yes；　you　do；〃　said　Jeremy；　then　suddenly；　as　though　even　a　good
quarrel　were　not　worth　while　on　this　heavily　burdened　afternoon；　he
said　gently：　〃You　might　play　Pirates；　Helen。　You　can　be　Sir　Roger。〃

〃I've　got　this　to　finish。〃

〃It's　a　dirty　old　thing；〃　continued　Jeremy；　pursuing　an　argument；
〃and　it'll　be　dirtier　soon；　and　the　Jampot　says　you　do　all　the
stitches　wrong。　I　wish　I　was　at　school。〃

〃I　wish　you　were；〃　said　Helen。

There　was　a　pause　after　this。　Jeremy　went　sadly　back　to　his　window…
seat。　Mary　felt　that　her　moment　had　arrived。　Sniffing；　as　was　her
habit　when　she　wanted　something　very　badly；　she　said　in　a　voice　that
was　little　more　than　a　whisper：

〃It　would　be　fun；　wouldn't　it；　perhaps　if　I　read　something；　Jeremy？〃

Jeremy　was　a　gentleman；　although　he　was　only　eight。　He　looked　at　her
and　saw　behind　the　spectacles　eyes　beseeching　his　permission。

〃Well；　it　wouldn't　be　much　fun；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　all　beastly　this
afternoon；　anyway。〃

〃Can　I　sit　on　the　window　too？〃　asked　Mary。

〃Not　too　close；　because　it　tickles　my　ear；　but　you　can　if　you　like。〃

She　hurried　across　to　the　bookshelf。　〃There's　'Stumps'　and　'Rags　and
Tatters；'　and　'Engel　the　Fearless；'　and　'Herr　Baby'　and　'Alice'　and…
…〃

〃'Alice'　is　best；〃　said　Jeremy；　sighing。　〃You　know　it　better　than
the　others。〃　He　curled　himself　into　a　corner　of　the　window…seat。
From　his　position　there　he　had　a　fine　view。　Immediately　below　him
was　the　garden；　white　and　grey　under　the　grey　sky；　the　broken
fountain　standing　up　like　a　snow　man　in　the　middle　of　it。　The　snow
had　ceased　to　fall　and　a　great　stillness　held　the　world。

Beyond　the　little　iron　gate　of　the　garden　that　always　sneezed
〃Tishoo〃　when　you　closed　it；　was　the　top　of　Orange　Street；　then　down
the　hill　on　the　right　was　the　tower　of　his　father's　church；　exactly
opposite　the　gate　was　the　road　that　led　to　the　Orchards；　and　on　the
right　of　that　was　the　Polchester　High　School　for　Young　Ladies；　held
in　great　contempt　by　Jeremy；　the　more　that　Helen　would　shortly　be　a
day…boarder　there；　would　scream　with　the　other　girls；　and；　worst　of
all；　would　soon　be　seen　walking　with　her　arm　round　another　girl's
neck；　chattering　and　eating　sweets。　。　。

The　whole　world　seemed　deserted。　No　colour；　no　movement；　no　sound。
He　sighed　once　more〃I'd　like　to　eat　jam　and　jamlots　of　it；〃　he
thought。　〃It　would　be　fun　to　be　sick。〃

Mary　arrived　and　swung　herself　up　on　to　the　window…seat。

〃It's　the　'Looking　Glass'　one。　I　hope　you　don't　mind；〃　she　said
apprehensively。

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；〃　he　allowed。　He　flung　a　glance　back　to　the
lighted　nursery。　It　seemed　by　contrast　with　that　grey　world　outside
to　blaze　with　colour；　the　red…　painted　ships　on　the　wallpaper；　the
bright　lights　and　shadows　of　〃The　Charge　of　the　Light　Brigade；〃　the
salmon　fronts　of　the　doll's　house；　the　green　and　red　of　the　village
on　the　floor　with　the　flowery　trees；　the　blue　tablecloth；　the
shining　brass　coal…scuttle　all　alive　and　sparkling　in　the　flames　and
shadows　of　the　fire；　caught　and　held　by　the　fine　gold　of　the　higher
fender。　Beyond　that　dead　whitesoon　it　would　be　dark；　the　curtains
would　be　drawn；　and　still　there　would　be　nothing　to　do。　He　sighed
again。

〃It's　a　nice　bit　about　the　shop；〃　said　Mary。　Jeremy　said　nothing；　so
she　began。　She　started　at　a　run：

〃She　looked　at　the　Queen；　who　seemed　to　have'〃sniff；　sniff…〃　'sud…
den…ly　suddenly　wra…wra…w…r…a…p…p…e…d　wrapped'〃

〃Wrapped？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mary；　rubbing　her　nose；　〃what　it　means；　but
perhaps　we'll　see　presently；　herself　up　in　w…o…o…l　wool。　'Alice
rubbed　her　eyes　and　looked　again　she　couldn't'〃

〃'Looked　again　she　couldn't'？〃　asked　Jeremy。　〃It　should　be；　'she
couldn't　look　again。'〃

〃Oh；　there's　a　stop；〃　said　Mary。　〃I　didn't　see。　After　'again'
there's　a　stop。　'She　couldn't　make　out　what　had　happened　at　all'〃

〃I　can't　either；〃　said　Jeremy　crossly。　〃It　would　be　better　perhaps
if　I　read　it　myself。〃

〃It　will　be　all　right　in　a　minute；〃　said　Mary　confide