jeremy-第7章
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〃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 confidently。 〃'Was she
in a shop？ And was that reallywas it really a ship that was
sitting on the counter？'〃 she finished with a run。
〃A what？〃 asked Jeremy。
〃A ship〃
〃A ship！ How could it sit on a counter？〃 he asked。
〃Oh no； it's a sheep。 How silly I am！〃 Mary exclaimed。
〃You do read badly；〃 he agreed frankly。 〃I never can understand
nothing。〃 And it was at that very moment that he saw the Dog。
II
He had been staring down into the garden with a gaze half
abstracted； half speculative； listening with one ear to Mary； with
the other to the stir of the fire； the heavy beat of the clock and
the rustlings of Martha the canary。
He watched the snowy expanse of garden； the black gate； the road
beyond。 A vast wave of pale grey light； the herald of approaching
dusk； swept the horizon； the snowy roofs； the streets； and Jeremy
felt some contact with the strange air； the mysterious omens that
the first snows of the winter spread about the land。 He watched as
though he were waiting for something to happen。
The creature came up very slowly over the crest of Orange Street。 No
one else was in sight； no cart； no horse； no weather…beaten
wayfarer。 At first the dog was only a little black smudge against
the snow； then； as he arrived at the Coles' garden…gate； Jeremy
could see him very distinctly。 He was； it appeared； quite alone； he
had been； it was evident； badly beaten by the storm。 Intended by
nature to be a rough and hairy dog； he now appeared before God and
men a shivering battered creature； dripping and wind…tossed；
bedraggled and bewildered。 And yet； even in that first distant
glimpse； Jeremy discerned a fine independence。 He was a short stumpy
dog； in no way designed for dignified attitudes and patronising
superiority； nevertheless； as he now wandered slowly up the street；
his nose was in the air and he said to the whole world： 〃The storm
may have done its best to defeat meit has failed。 I am as I was。 I
ask charity of no man。 I know what is due to me。〃
It was this that attracted Jeremy； he had himself felt thus after a
slippering from his father； or idiotic punishments from the Jampot；
and the uninvited consolations of Mary or Helen upon such occasions
had been resented with so fierce a bitterness that his reputation
for sulkiness had been soundly established with all his circle。
Mary was reading。 。 。！ 〃'an old Sheep； sitting in an arm…chair；
knitting； and every now and then leaving off to look at her through
a great pair of spec…t…a…c…les spectacles！'〃
He touched her arm and whispered：
〃I say； Mary； stop a minutelook at that dog down there。〃
They both stared down into the garden。 The dog had stopped at the
gate； it sniffed at the bars； sniffed at the wall beyond； then very
slowly but with real dignity continued its way up the road。
〃Poor thing；〃 said Jeremy。 〃It IS in a mess。〃 Then to their
astonishment the dog turned back and； sauntering down the road again
as though it had nothing all day to do but to wander about； and as
though it were not wet； shivering and hungry； it once more smelt the
gate。
〃Oh；〃 said Mary and Jeremy together。
〃It's like Mother；〃 said Jeremy； 〃when she's going to see someone
and isn't sure whether it's the right house。〃
Then； most marvellous of unexpected climaxes； the dog suddenly began
to squeeze itself between the bottom bar of the gate and the ground。
The interval was fortunately a large one； a moment later the animal
was in the Coles' garden。
The motives that led Jeremy to behave as he did are uncertain。 It
may have been something to do with the general boredom of the
afternoon； it may have been that he felt pity for the bedraggled
aspect of the animalmost probable reason of all； was that devil…
may…care independence flung up from the road； as it were； expressly
at himself。
The dog obviously did not feel any great respect for the Cole
household。 He wandered about the garden； sniffing and smelling
exactly as though the whole place belonged to him； and a ridiculous
stump of tail； unsubdued by the weather； gave him the ludicrous
dignity of a Malvolio。
〃I'm going down；〃 whispered Jeremy； flinging a cautious glance at
Helen who was absorbed in her sewing。
Mary's eyes grew wide with horror and admiration。 〃You're not going
out；〃 she whispered。 〃In the snow。 Oh； Jeremy。 They WILL be angry。〃
〃I don't care；〃 whispered Jeremy back again。 〃They can be。〃
Indeed； before Mary's frightened whisper he had not intended to do
more than creep down into the pantry and watch the dog at close
range； now it was as though Mary had challenged him。 He knew that it
was the most wicked thing that he could doto go out into the snow
without a coat and in his slippers。 He might even； according to Aunt
Amy； die of it； but as death at present meant no more to him than a
position of importance and a quantity of red… currant jelly and
chicken； THAT prospect did not deter him。 He left the room so
quietly that Helen did not even lift her eyes。
Then upon the landing he waited and listened。 The house had all the
lighted trembling dusk of the snowy afternoon； there was no sound
save the ticking of the clocks。 He might come upon the Jampot at any
moment； but this was just the hour when she liked to drink her cup
of tea in the kitchen； he knew from deep and constant study every
movement of her day。 Fortune favoured him。 He reached without
trouble the little dark corkscrew servants' staircase。 Down this he
crept； and found himself beside the little gardener's door。 Although
here there was only snow…lit dusk； he felt for the handle of the
lock； found it； turned it； and was； at once； over the steps； into
the garden。
Here； with a vengeance； he felt the full romance and danger of his
enterprise。 It was horribly cold； he had been in the nursery for two
whole days； wrapped up and warm； and now the snowy world seemed to
leap up at him and drag him down as though into an icy well。
Mysterious shadows hovered over the garden； the fountain pointed
darkly against the sky； and he could feel from the feathery touches
upon his face that the snow had begun to fall again。
He moved forward a few steps； the house was so dark behind him； the
world so dim and uncertain in front of him； that for a moment his
heart failed him。 He might have to search the whole garden for the
dog。
Then he heard a sniff； felt something wet against his leghe had
almost stepped upon the animal。 He bent down and stroked its wet
coat。 The dog stood quite still； then moved forward towards the
house； sniffed at the steps； at last walked calmly through the open
door as though the house belonged to him。 Jeremy followed； closed
the door behind him； then there they were in the little dark passage
with the boy's heart beating like a drum； his teeth chattering； and
a terrible temptation to sneeze hovering around him。 Let him reach
the nursery and establish the animal there and all might be well；
but let them be discovered； cold and shivering； in the passage； and
out the dog would be flung。 He knew so exactly what would happen。 He
could hear the voices in the kitchen。 He knew that they were sitting
warm there by the fire； but that at any moment Jampot might think
good to climb the stairs and see 〃what mischief they children were
up to。〃 Everything depended upon the dog。 Did he bark or whine； out
into the night he must go again； probably to die in the cold。 But
Jeremy； the least sentimental of that most sentimental race the
English； was too intent upon his threatened sneeze to pay much
attention to these awful possibilities。
He took off his slippers and began to climb the stairs； the dog
close behind him； very grave and dignified； in spite of the little
trail of snow and water that he left in his track。 The nursery door
was reached； pushed softly open； and the startled gaze of Mary and
Helen fell wide…eyed upon the adventurer and his prize。
III
The dog went directly to the fire； there； sitting in the very middle
of the golden cockatoos on the Turkey rug； he began to l
