dream days(做梦的日子)-第31章
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A DEPARTURE
It is a very fine thing to be a real Prince。 There are points about a
Pirate Chief； and to succeed to the Captaincy of a Robber Band is a truly
magnificent thing。 But to be an Heir has also about it something
extremely captivating。 Not only a long…lost heiran heir of the
melodrama； strutting into your hitherto unsuspected kingdom at just the
right moment； loaded up with the consciousness of unguessed merit and of
rights so long feloniously withheldbut even to be a common humdrum
domestic heir is a profession to which few would refuse to be apprenticed。
To step from leading…strings and restrictions and one glass of port after
dinner； into property and liberty and due appreciation； saved up； polished
and varnished； dusted and laid in lavender； all expressly for youwhy；
even the Princedom and the Robber Captaincy； when their anxieties and
responsibilities are considered； have hardly more to offer。 And so it will
continue to be a problem； to the youth in whom ambition struggles with a
certain sensuous appreciation of life's side…dishes； whether the career he is
called upon to select out of the glittering knick…knacks that strew the
counter had better be that of an heir or an engine…driver。
In the case of eldest sons； this problem has a way of solving itself。 In
childhood； however； the actual heirship is apt to work on the principle of
the 〃Borough…English〃 of our happier ancestors； and in most cases of
inheritance it is the youngest that succeeds。 Where the 〃res〃 is 〃angusta；〃
and the weekly books are simply a series of stiff hurdles at each of which
in succession the paternal legs falter with growing suspicion of their
powers to clear the flight； it is in the affair of CLOTHES that the right of
succession tells； and 〃the hard heir strides about the land〃 in trousers long
ago framed for fraternal limbsfrondes novas et non sua poma。 A bitter
thing indeed！ Of those pretty silken threads that knit humanity together；
high and low； past and present； none is tougher； more pervading； or more
iridescent； than the honest； simple pleasure of new clothes。
It tugs at the man as it tugs at the woman； the smirk of the well…fitted
prince is no different from the smirk of the Sunday… clad peasant； and the
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veins of the elders tingle with the same thrill that sets their fresh…frocked
grandchildren skipping。 Never trust people who pretend that they have
no joy in their new clothes。
Let not our souls be wrung； however； at contemplation of the luckless
urchin cut off by parental penury from the rapture of new clothes。 Just as
the heroes of his dreams are his immediate seniors； so his heroes' clothes
share the glamour； and the reversion of them carries a high privilegea
special thing not sold by Swears and Wells。 The sword of Galahadand
of many another heroarrived on the scene already hoary with history； and
the boy rather prefers his trousers to be legendary； famous； haloed by his
hero's renowneven though the nap may have altogether vanished in the
process。
But； putting clothes aside； there are other matters in which this
reversed heirship comes into play。 Take the case of Toys。 It is hardly
right or fittingand in this the child quite acquiesces that as he
approaches the reverend period of nine or say ten years； he should still be
the unabashed and proclaimed possessor of a hoop and a Noah's Ark。
The child will quite see the reasonableness of this； and； the goal of his
ambition being now a catapult； a pistol； or even a sword…stick； will be
satisfied that the titular ownership should lapse to his juniors； so far below
him in their kilted or petticoated incompetence。 After all； the things are
still there； and if relapses of spirit occur； on wet afternoons； one can still
（nominally） borrow them and be happy on the floor as of old； without the
reproach of being a habitual baby toy…caresser。 Also one can pretend it's
being done to amuse the younger ones。
None of us； therefore； grumbled when in the natural course of things
the nominal ownership of the toys slipped down to Harold； and from him
in turn devolved upon Charlotte。 The toys were still there； they always
had been there and always would be there； and when the nursery door was
fast shut there were no Kings or Queens or First Estates in that small
Republic on the floor。 Charlotte； to be sure； chin…tilted； at last an owner
of real estate； might patronize a little at times； but it was tacitly understood
that her 〃title 〃 was only a drawing…room one。
Why does a coming bereavement project no thin faint voice； no
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shadow of its woe； to warn its happy； heedless victims？ Why cannot
Olympians ever think it worth while to give some hint of the thunderbolts
they are silently forging？ And why； oh； why did it never enter any of our
thick heads that the day would come when even Charlotte would be
considered too matronly for toys？ One's so…called education is
hammered into one with rulers and with canes。 Each fresh grammar or
musical instrument； each new historical period or quaint arithmetical rule；
is impressed on one by some painful physical prelude。 Why does Time；
the biggest Schoolmaster； alone neglect premonitory raps； at each stage of
his curriculum； on our knuckles or our heads？
Uncle Thomas was at the bottom of it。 This was not the first mine he
had exploded under our bows。 In his favourite pursuit of fads he had
passed in turn from Psychical Research to the White Rose and thence to a
Children's Hospital； and we were being daily inundated with leaflets
headed by a woodcut depicting Little Annie （of Poplar） sitting up in her
little white cot； surrounded by the toys of the nice； kind； rich children。
The idea caught on with the Olympians； always open to sentiment of a
treacly； woodcut order； and accordingly Charlotte； on entering one day
dishevelled and panting； having been pursued by yelling Redskins up to
the very threshold of our peaceful home； was curtly informed that her
French lessons would begin on Monday； that she was henceforth to cease
all pretence of being a trapper or a Redskin on utterly inadequate grounds；
and moreover that the whole of her toys were at that moment being finally
packed up in a box； for despatch to London； to gladden the lives and bring
light into the eyes of London waifs and Poplar Annies。
Naturally enough； perhaps； we others received no official intimation of
this grave cession of territory。 We were not supposed to be interested。
Harold had long ago been promoted to a knifea recognized； birthday
knife。 As for me； it was known that I was already given over； heart and
soul； to lawless abandoned catapultscatapults which were confiscated
weekly for reasons of international co
