dream days-第12章

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last　my　head　touched　the　pillow；　in　a　trice　I　was　with　Zephyrine；

riding　the　boundless　Sahara；　cheek　to　cheek；　the　world　well　lost；

while　at　times；　through　the　sand…clouds　that　encircled　us；

glimmered　the　eyes　of　Coralie；　touched；　one　fancied；　with

something　of　a　tender　reproach。









ITS　WALLS　WERE　AS　OF　JASPER



In　the　long　winter　evenings；　when　we　had　the　picture…books　out　on

the　floor；　and　sprawled　together　over　them　with　elbows　deep　in

the　hearth…rug；　the　first　business　to　be　gone　through　was　the

process　of　allotment。　　All　the　characters　in　the　pictures　had　to

be　assigned　and　dealt　out　among　us；　according　to　seniority；　as

far　as　they　would　go。　　When　once　that　had　been　satisfactorily

completed；　the　story　was　allowed　to　proceed；　and　thereafter；　in

addition　to　the　excitement　of　the　plot；　one　always　possessed　a

personal　interest　in　some　particular　member　of　the　cast；　whose

successes　or　rebuffs　one　took　as　so　much　private　gain　or　loss。



For　Edward　this　was　satisfactory　enough。　　Claiming　his　right　of

the　eldest；　he　would　annex　the　hero　in　the　very

frontispiece；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　story　his　career；　if

chequered　at　intervals；　was　sure　of　heroic　episodes　and　a

glorious　close。　　But　his　juniors；　who　had　to　put　up　with

characters　of　a　clay　more　mixednay；　sometimes　with　undiluted

villainywere　hard　put　to　it　on　occasion　to　defend　their　other

selves　（as　it　was　strict　etiquette　to　do）　from　ignominy　perhaps

only　too　justly　merited。　　Edward　was　indeed　a　hopeless　grabber。　

In　the　〃Buffalo…book；〃　for　instance　（so　named　from　the　subject　of

its　principal　picture；　though　indeed　it　dealt　with　varied

slaughter　in　every　zone）；　Edward　was　the　stalwart；　bearded

figure；　with　yellow　leggings　and　a　powder…horn；　who　undauntedly

discharged　the　fatal　bullet　into　the　shoulder　of　the　great　bull

bison；　charging　home　to　within　a　yard　of　his　muzzle。　　To　me　was

allotted　the　subsidiary　character　of　the　friend　who　had　succeeded

in　bringing　down　a　cow；　while　Harold　had　to　be　content　to

hold　Edward's　spare　rifle　in　the　background；　with　evident　signs

of　uneasiness。　　Farther　on；　again；　where　the　magnificent　chamois

sprang　rigid　into　mid…air；　Edward；　crouched　dizzily　against　the

precipice…face；　was　the　sportsman　from　whose　weapon　a　puff　of

white　smoke　was　floating　away。　　A　bare…kneed　guide　was　all　that

fell　to　my　share；　while　poor　Harold　had　to　take　the　boy　with　the

haversack；　or　abandon；　for　this　occasion　at　least；　all　Alpine

ambitions。



Of　course　the　girls　fared　badly　in　this　book；　and　it　was　not

surprising　that　they　preferred　the　〃Pilgrim's　Progress〃　（for

instance）；　where　women　had　a　fair　show；　and　there　was　generally

enough　of　'em　to　go　round；　or　a　good　fairy　story；　wherein

princesses　met　with　a　healthy　appreciation。　　But　indeed　we　were

all　best　pleased　with　a　picture　wherein　the　characters　just

fitted　us；　in　number；　sex；　and　qualifications；　and　this；　to　us；

stood　for　artistic　merit。



All　the　Christmas　numbers；　in　their　gilt　frames　on　the　nursery…

wall；　had　been　gone　through　and　allotted　long　ago；　and　in　these；

sooner　or　later；　each　one　of　us　got　a　chance　to　figure　in　some

satisfactory　and　brightly　coloured　situation。　　Few　of　the　other

pictures　about　the　house　afforded　equal　facilities。　　They　were

generally　wanting　in　figures；　and　even　when　these　were　present

they　lacked　dramatic　interest。　　In　this　picture　that　I　have　to

speak　about；　although　the　characters　had　a　stupid　way　of　not

doing　anything；　and　apparently　not　wanting　to　do　anything；　there

was　at　least　a　sufficiency　of　them；　so　in　due　course　they　were

allotted；　too。



In　itself　the　picture；　whichin　its　ebony　and　tortoise…shell

framehung　in　a　corner　of　the　dining…room；　had　hitherto

possessed　no　special　interest　for　us；　and　would　probably

never　have　been　dealt　with　at　all　but　for　a　revolt　of　the　girls

against　a　succession　of　books　on　sport；　in　which　the　illustrator

seemed　to　have　forgotten　that　there　were　such　things　as　women　in

the　world。　　Selina　accordingly　made　for　it　one　rainy　morning；　and

announced　that　she　was　the　lady　seated　in　the　centre；　whose　gown

of　rich；　flowered　brocade　fell　in　such　straight；　severe　lines　to

her　feet；　whose　cloak　of　dark　blue　was　held　by　a　jewelled　clasp；

and　whose　long；　fair　hair　was　crowned　with　a　diadem　of　gold　and

pearl。　　Well；　we　had　no　objection　to　that；　it　seemed　fair　enough；

especially　to　Edward；　who　promptly　proceeded　to　〃grab〃　the

armour…man　who　stood　leaning　on　his　shield　at　the　lady's　right

hand。　　A　dainty　and　delicate　armour…man　this！　　And　I　confess；

though　I　knew　it　was　all　right　and　fair　and　orderly；　I　felt　a

slight　pang　when　he　passed　out　of　my　reach　into　Edward's

possession。　　His　armour　was　just　the　sort　I　wanted　myself

scalloped　and　fluted　and　shimmering　and　spotless；　and；　though　he

was　but　a　boy　by　his　beardless　face　and　golden　hair；　the

shattered　spear…shaft　in　his　grasp　proclaimed　him　a　genuine

fighter　and　fresh　from　some　such　agreeable　work。　　Yes；　I　grudged

Edward　the　armour…man；　and　when　he　said　I　could　have　the　fellow

on　the　other　side；　I　hung　back　and　said　I'd　think　about　it。



This　fellow　had　no　armour　nor　weapons；　but　wore　a　plain　jerkin

with　a　leather　poucha　mere　civilianand　with　one　hand　he

pointed　to　a　wound　in　his　thigh。　　I　didn't　care　about　him；　and

when　Harold　eagerly　put　in　his　claim　I　gave　way　and　let　him　have

the　man。　　The　cause　of　Harold's　anxiety　only　came　out　later。　　It

was　the　wound　he　coveted；　it　seemed。　　He　wanted　to　have　a

big；　sore　wound　of　his　very　own；　and　go　about　and　show　it　to

people；　and　excite　their　envy　or　win　their　respect。　　Charlotte

was　only　too　pleased　to　take　the　child…angel　seated　at　the　lady's

feet；　grappling　with　a　musical　instrument　much　too　big　for　her。　

Charlotte　wanted　wings　badly；　and；　next　to　those；　a　guitar　or　a

banjo。　　The　angel；　besides；　wore　an　amber　necklace；　which　took

her　fancy　immensely。



This　left　the　picture　allotted；　with　the　exception　of　two　or

three　more　angels；　who　peeped　or　perched　behind　the　main　figures

with　a　certain　subdued　drollery　in　their　faces；　as　if　the　thing

had　gone　on　long　enough；　and　it　was　now　time　to　upset　something

or　kick　up　a　row　of　some　sort。　　We　knew　these　good　folk　to　be

saints　and　angels；　because　we　had　been　told　they　were；　otherwise

we　should　never　have　guessed　it。　　Angels；　as　we　knew　them　in

our　Sunday　books；　were　vapid；　colourless；　uninteresting

characters；　with　straight　up…and…down　sort　of　figures；　white

nightgowns；　white　wings；　and　the　same　straight　yellow　hair　parted

in　the　middle。　　They　were　serious；　even　melancholy；　and　we　had　no

desire　to　have　any　traffic　with　them。　　These　bright　bejewelled

little　persons；　however；　piquant　of　face　and　radiant　of　feather；

were　evidently　hatched　from　quite　a　different　egg；　and　we　felt　we

might　have　interests　in　common　with　them。　　Short…nosed；　shock

headed；　with　mouths　that　went　up　at　the　corners　and　with　an

evident　disregard　for　all　their　fine　clothes；　they　would　be　the

best　of　good　company；　we　felt　sure；　if　only　we　could　manage　to

get　at　them。　　One　doubt　alone　disturbed　my　mind。　　In　games

requiring　agility；　those　wings　of　theirs　would　give　them　a

tremendous　pull。　　Could　they　be　trusted　to　play　fair？　　I

asked　Selina；　who　replied　scornfully　that　angels　ALWAYS　played

fair。　　But　I　went　back　and　had　another　look　at　the　brown…faced

one　peeping　over　the　back　of　the　lady's　chair；　and　still　I　had　my

doubts。



When　Edward　went　off　to　school　a　great　deal　of　adjustment　and　re…

allotment　took　place；　and　all　the　heroes　of　illustrated

literature　were　at　my　call；　did　I　choose　to　possess　them。　　In

this　particular　case；　however；　I　made　no　haste　to　seize　upon　the

armour…man。　　Perhaps　it　was　because　I　wanted　a　FRESH　saint　of

my　own；　not　a　stale　saint　that　Edward　had　been　for　so　long　a

time。　　Perhaps　it　was　rather　that；　ever　since　I　had　elected　to　be

saintless；　I　had　got　into　the　habit　of　strolling　off　into　the

background；　and　amusing　myself　with　w