jeremy-第9章
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right； he wouldn't touch anything； he's only friendly。〃 Mary and
Helen together moved forward as though to protect Jeremy； and the
Jampot could be heard in a confused wail： 〃Not me； Mum 。 。 。
Wickedest boy 。 。 。 better give notice 。 。 。 as never listens 。 。 。
dog 。 。 。 dog 。 。 。〃
The animal； however； showed himself now； as at that first earlier
view of him； indifferent to his surroundings。 He continued his
advance and then； being only a fraction of an inch from Mr。
Jellybrand's tempting gleaming black trousers； he stopped； crouched
like a tiger； and with teeth still bared continued his kettle…like
reverberations。 Aunt Amy； who hated dogs； loved Mr。 Jellybrand； and
was not in the least sentimental when her personal safety was in
danger； cried in a shrill voice： 〃But take it away。 Take it away。
Alice； tell him。 It's going to bite Mr。 Jellybrand。〃
The dog raised one eye from his dreamy contemplation of the trousers
and glanced at Aunt Amy； from that moment may be dated a feud which
death only concluded。 This dog was not a forgetful dog。
Jeremy advanced。 〃It's all right；〃 he cried scornfully。 〃He wouldn't
bite anything。〃 He bent down； took the animal by the scruff of the
neck； and proceeded to lead it back to the fire。 The animal went
without a moment's hesitation； it would be too much to say that it
exchanged a wink with Jeremy； but something certainly passed between
them。 Back again on the Turkey rug he became master of the
situation。 He did the only thing possible： he disregarded entirely
the general company and addressed himself to the only person of
ultimate importancenamely； Mrs。 Cole。 He lay down on all fours；
looked up directly into her face； bared his teeth this time in a
smile and not in a growl； and wagged his farcical tail。
Mrs。 Cole's psychology was of the simplest： if you were nice to her
she would do anything for you； but in spite of all her placidity she
was sometimes hurt in her most sensitive places。 These wounds she
never displayed； and no one ever knew of them； and indeed they
passed very quicklybut there they occasionally were。 Now on what
slender circumstances do the fates of dogs and mortals hang。 Only
that afternoon Mr。 Jellybrand； in the innocent self…confidence of
his heart； had agreed with Miss Maple； an elderly and bitter
spinster； that the next sewing meeting of the Dorcas Sisterhood
should be held in her house and not at the Rectory。 He had told Mrs。
Cole of this on his way upstairs to the nursery。 Now Mrs。 Cole liked
the Dorcas meetings at the Rectory； she liked the cheerful chatter；
the hospitality； the gentle scandal and her own position as hostess。
She did not likeshe never likedMiss Maple； who was always
pushing herself forward； criticising and back… biting。 Mr。
Jellybrand should not have settled this without consulting her。 He
had taken it for granted that she would agree。 He had said： 〃I
agreed with Miss Maple that it would be better to have it at her
house。 I'm sure you will think as I do。〃 Why should he be sure？ Was
he not forgetting his position a little？ 。 。 。
Kindest woman in the world； she had seen with a strange un…Christian
pleasure the dog's advance upon the black trousers。 Then Mr。
Jellybrand had been obviously afraid。 He fancied； perhaps； that she
too had been afraid。 He fancied； perhaps； that she was not mistress
in her house； that she could be browbeaten by her sister and her
nurse。
She smiled at him。 〃There's no reason to be afraid； Mr。 Jellybrand。
。 。 。 He's such a little dog。〃
Then the dog smiled at her。
〃Poor little thing；〃 she said。 〃He must have nearly died in the
snow。〃
Thus Miss Maple； bitterest of spinsters； influenced； all unwitting；
the lives not only of a dog and a curate； but of the entire Cole
family； and through them； of endless generations both of dogs and
men as yet unborn。 Miss Maple； sitting in her little yellow…
curtained parlour drinking； in jaundiced contentment； her
afternoon's cup of tea； was； of course； unaware of this。 A good
thing that she was unaware … she was quite conceited enough already。
IV
After that smiling judgment of Mrs。 Cole's； affairs were quickly
settled。
〃Of course it can only be for the night； children。 Father will
arrange something in the morning。 Poor little thing。 Where did you
find him？〃
〃We saw him from the window；〃 said Jeremy quickly； 〃and he was
shivering like anything； so we called him in to warm him。〃
〃My dear Alice； you surely don't mean〃 began Aunt Amy； and the
Jampot said： 〃I really think； Mum…；〃 and Mr。 Jellybrand； in his rich
voice； murmured： 〃Is it quite wise； dear Mrs。 Cole； do you think？〃
With thoughts of Miss Maple she smiled upon them all。
〃Oh； for one night； I think we can manage。 He seems a clean little
dog； and really we can't turn him out into the snow at once。 It
would be too cruel。 But mind； children； it's only for one night。 He
looks a good little dog。〃
When the 〃quality〃 had departed； Jeremy's mind was in a confused
condition of horror and delight。 Such a victory as he had won over
the Jampot； a victory that was a further stage in the fight for
independence begun on his birthday； might have very awful qualities。
There would begin now one of the Jampot's sulksmoods well known to
the Cole family； and lasting from a day to a week； according to the
gravity of the offence。 Yes； they had already begun。 There she sat
in her chair by the fire； sewing； sewing； her fat； roly…poly face
carved into a parody of deep displeasure。 Life would be very
unpleasant now。 No tops of eggs； no marmalade on toast； no skins of
milk； no stories of 〃when I was a young girl；〃 no sitting up five
minutes 〃later；〃 no stopping in the market…place for a talk with the
banana womanonly stern insistence on every detail of daily life；
swift judgment were anything left undone or done wrong。
Jeremy sighed； yes； it would be horrid and； for the sake of the
world in general； which meant Mary and Helen； he must see what a
little diplomacy would do。 Kneeling down by the dog； he looked up
into her face with the gaze of ingenuous innocence。
〃You wouldn't have wanted the poor little dog to have died in the
snow； would you； Nurse ？ 。 。 。 It might； you know。 It won't be any
trouble； I expect〃
There was no reply。 He could hear Mary and Helen drawing in their
breaths with excited attention。
〃Father always said we might have a dog one day when we were older
and we are older now。〃
Still no word。
〃We'll be extra good； Nurse； if you don't mind。 Don't you remember
once you said you had a dog when you were a little girl； and how you
cried when it had its ear bitten off by a nasty big dog； and how
your mother said she wouldn't have it fighting round the house； and
sent it away； and you cried； and cried； and cried； and how you said
that p'r'aps we'll have one one day？and now we've got one。〃
He ended triumphantly。 She raised her eyes for one moment； stared at
them all； bit off a piece of thread； and said in deep； sepulchral
tones：
〃Either it goes； or I go。〃
The three stared at one another。 The Jampot go？ Really go？ 。 。 。
They could hear their hearts thumping one after another。 The Jampot
go？
〃Oh； Nurse； would you really？〃 whispered Mary。 This innocent remark
of Mary's conveyed in the tone of it more pleased anticipation than
was； perhaps； polite。 Certainly the Jampot felt this； a flood of
colour rose into her face。 Her mouth opened。 But what she would have
said is uncertain； for at that very moment the drama was further
developed by the slow movement of the door； and the revelation of
half of Uncle Samuel's body； clothed in its stained blue painting
smock； and his ugly fat face clothed in its usual sarcastic smile。
〃Excuse me one moment；〃 he said； 〃I hear you have a dog。〃
The Jampot rose； as good manners demanded； but said nothing。
〃Where is the creature？〃 he asked。
The new addition to the Cole family had finished his washing； the
blazing fire had almost dried him； and his hair stuck out now from
his body in little stiff prickles； hedgehog fashion； giving him a
truly original appearance。 His beard afforded him the air of an
ambassador； and his grave； melancholy eyes the absorb
