jeremy-第8章
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of the golden cockatoos on the Turkey rug； he began to lick himself。
He did this by sitting very square on three legs and spreading out
the fourth stiff and erect； as though it had been not a leg at all
but something of wood or iron。 The melted snow poured off him；
making a fine little pool about the golden cockatoos。 He must have
been a strange…looking animal at any time； being built quite square
like a toy dog； with a great deal of hair； very short legs； and a
thick stubborn neck； his eyes were brown； and now could be seen very
clearly because the hair that usually covered them was plastered
about his face by the snow。 In his normal day his eyes gleamed
behind his hair like sunlight in a thick wood。 He wore a little
pointed beard that could only be considered an affectation； in one
word； if you imagine a ridiculously small sheep…dog with no legs； a
French beard and a stump of a tail； you have him。 And if you want to
know more than that I can only refer you to the description of his
great…great…great…grandson 〃Jacob；〃 described in the Chronicles of
the Beaminster Family。
The children meanwhile gazed； and for a long time no one said a
word。 Then Helen said： 〃Father WILL be angry。〃
But she did not mean it。 The three were； by the entrance of the dog；
instantly united into an offensive and defensive alliance。 They knew
well that shortly an attack from the Outside World must be
delivered； and without a word spoken or a look exchanged they were
agreed to defend both themselves and the dog with all the strength
in their power。 They had always wanted a dog； they had been
prevented by the stupid and selfish arguments of uncomprehending
elders。
Now this dog was here； they would keep him。
〃Oh； he's perfectly sweet；〃 suddenly said Helen。
The dog paused for a moment from his ablutions； raised his eyes； and
regarded her with a look of cold contempt； then returned to his
task。
〃Don't be so silly；〃 said Jeremy。 〃You know you always hate it when
Aunt Amy says things like that about you。〃
〃Did Nurse see？〃 asked Mary。
〃No； she didn't；〃 said Jeremy； 〃but she'll be up in a minute。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 asked Mary her mouth wide open。
〃Do？ Keep him； of course；〃 said Jeremy stoutly； at the same time his
heart a little failed him as he saw the pool of the water slowly
spreading and embracing one cockatoo after another in its ruinous
flood。
〃We ought to wipe him with a towel；〃 said Jeremy； 〃if we could get
him dry before Nurse comes up she mightn't say so much。〃
But alas； it was too late for any towel； the door opened； and the
Jampot entered； humming a hymn； very cheerful and rosy from the
kitchen fire and an abundant series of chronicles of human failings
and misfortunes。 The hymn ceased abruptly。 She stayed there where
she was； 〃frozen into an image；〃 as she afterwards described it。 She
also said： 〃You could 'ave knocked me down with a feather。〃
The dog did not look at her； but crocked under him the leg that had
been stiff like a ramrod and spread out another。 The children did
not speak。
〃Well！〃 For a moment words failed her； then she began； her hands
spread out as though she was addressing a Suffragette meeting in
Trafalgar Square。 （She knew； happy woman； nothing of Suffragettes。）
〃Of all the things； and it's you； Master Jeremy； that 'as done it；
as anyone might have guessed by the way you've been be'aving this
last fortnight； and what's come over you is more nor I nor anyone
else can tell； which I was saying only yesterday to your mother that
it's more than one body and pair of hands is up to the managing of
now you've got so wild and wicked； and wherever from did you get the
dirty animal dropping water all over the nursery carpet and smelling
awful； I'll be bound； which anyone can see that's got eyes； and
you'd know what your father will do to you when he knows of it； and
so he shall； as sure as my name is Lizzie Preston。 。 。。 Go on out；
you ugly； dirty animal…ough； you 'orrible creature you。 I'll〃
But her advance was stopped。 Jeremy stopped it。 Standing in front of
the dog； his short thick legs spread defiantly apart； his fists
clenched； he almost shouted：
〃You shan't touch him。 。 。。 No； you shan't。 I don't care。 He shan't
go out again and die。 You're a cruel； wicked woman。〃
The Jampot gasped。 Never； no； never in all her long nursing
experience had she been so defied； so insulted。
Her teeth clicked as always when her temper was roused； the reason
being that thirty years ago the arts and accomplishments of
dentistry had not reached so fine a perfection as to…day can show。
She had； moreover； bought a cheap set。 Her teeth clicked。 She began：
〃The moment your mother comes I give her notice。 To think that all
these years I've slaved and slaved only to be told such things by a
boy as〃
Then a very dramatic thing occurred。 The door opened； just as it
might in the third act of a play by M。 Sardou； and revealed the
smiling faces of Mrs。 Cole； Miss Amy Trefusis and the Rev。 William
Jellybrand； Senior Curate of St。 James's； Orange Street。
Mr。 Jellybrand had arrived； as he very often did； to tea。 He had
expressed a desire； as he very often did； to see the 〃dear
children。〃 Mrs。 Cole； liking to show her children to visitors； even
to such regular and ordinary ones as Mr。 Jellybrand； at once was
eager to gratify his desire。
〃We'll catch them just before their tea；〃 she said happily。
There is an unfortunate tendency on the part of our Press and stage
to caricature our curates； this tendency I would willingly avoid。 It
should be easy enough to do； as I am writing about Polchester； a
town that simply aboundsand also abounded thirty years agoin
curates of the most splendid and manly type。 But； unfortunately； Mr。
Jellybrand was not one of these。 I； myself； remember him very well；
and can see him now flinging his thin； black； andas it seemed to
me thengigantic figure up Orange Street； his coat flapping behind
him； his enormous boots flapping in front of him； and his huge hands
flapping on each side of him like a huge gesticulating crow。
He had； the Polchester people who liked him said； 〃a rich voice。〃
The others who did not like him called him 〃an affected ass。〃 He ran
up and down the scale like this：
______________________________________________________________
Mrs。
______________________________________________________________
dear
_____________________________________________________________
My
______________________________________________________________
Cole。
______________________________________________________________
and his blue cheeks looked colder than any iceberg。 But then I must
confess that I am prejudiced。 I did not like him； no children did。
The Cole children hated him。 Jeremy because he had damp hands； Helen
because he never looked at her； Mary because he once said to her；
〃Little girls must play as well as work； you know。〃 He always talked
down to us as though we were beings of another and inferior planet。
He called it； 〃Getting on with the little ones。〃 No； he was not
popular with us。
He stood on this particular and dramatic occasion in front of the
group in the doorway and staredas well he might。 Unfortunately the
situation； already bad enough； was aggravated by this dark
prominence of Mr。 Jellybrand。 It cannot be found in any chronicles
that Mr。 Jellybrand and the dog had met before； it is simply a fact
that the dog； raising his eyes at the opening of the door and
catching sight of the black…coated figure； forgot instantly his
toilet； rose dripping from his rug； and advanced growling； his lips
back； his ears out； his tail erect； towards the door。 Then
everything happened together。 Mr。 Jellybrand； who had been afraid of
dogs ever since； as an infant； he had been mistaken for a bone by a
large retriever； stepped back upon Aunt Amy； who uttered a shrill
cry。 Mrs。 Cole； although she did not forsake her accustomed
placidity； said： 〃Nurse 。 。 。 Nurse 。 。 。〃 Jeremy cried： 〃It's all
right； he wouldn't touch anything； he's only friendly。〃 Mary and
Helen together moved fo
