dream days-第13章

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

background；　and　amusing　myself　with　what　I　found　there。



A　very　fascinating　background　it　was；　and　held　a　great　deal；

though　so　tiny。　　Meadow…land　came　first；　set　with　flowers；

blue　and　red；　like　gems。　　Then　a　white　road　ran；　with　wilful；

uncalled…for　loops；　up　a　steep；　conical　hill；　crowned　with

towers；　bastioned　walls；　and　belfries；　and　down　the　road　the

little　knights　came　riding；　two　and　two。　　The　hill　on　one　side

descended　to　water；　tranquil；　far…reaching；　and　blue；　and　a　very

curly　ship　lay　at　anchor；　with　one　mast　having　an　odd　sort　of

crow's…nest　at　the　top　of　it。



There　was　plenty　to　do　in　this　pleasant　land。　　The　annoying　thing

about　it　was；　one　could　never　penetrate　beyond　a　certain　point。　

I　might　wander　up　that　road　as　often　as　I　liked；　I　was　bound　to

be　brought　up　at　the　gateway；　the　funny　galleried；　top…heavy

gateway；　of　the　little　walled　town。　　Inside；　doubtless；　there

were　high　jinks　going　on；　but　the　password　was　denied　to　me。　　I

could　get　on　board　a　boat　and　row　up　as　far　as　the　curly　ship；

but　around　the　headland　I　might　not　go。　　On　the　other　side；

of　a　surety；　the　shipping　lay　thick。　　The　merchants　walked　on　the

quay；　and　the　sailors　sang　as　they　swung　out　the　corded　bales。　

But　as　for　me；　I　must　stay　down　in　the　meadow；　and　imagine　it　all

as　best　I　could。



Once　I　broached　the　subject　to　Charlotte；　and　found；　to　my

surprise；　that　she　had　had　the　same　joys　and　encountered　the　same

disappointments　in　this　delectable　country。　　She；　too；　had　walked

up　that　road　and　flattened　her　nose　against　that　portcullis；　and

she　pointed　out　something　that　I　had　overlookedto　wit；　that　if

you　rowed　off　in　a　boat　to　the　curly　ship；　and　got　hold　of　a

rope；　and　clambered　aboard　of　her；　and　swarmed　up　the　mast；　and

got　into　the　crow's…nest；　you　could　just　see　over　the　headland；

and　take　in　at　your　ease　the　life　and　bustle　of　the　port。　　She

proceeded　to　describe　all　the　fun　that　was　going　on　there；

at　such　length　and　with　so　much　particularity　that　I　looked　at

her　suspiciously。　　〃Why；　you　talk　as　if　you'd　been　in　that

crow's…nest　yourself！〃　I　said。　　Charlotte　answered　nothing；　but

pursed　her　mouth　up　and　nodded　violently　for　some　minutes；　and　I

could　get　nothing　more　out　of　her。　　I　felt　rather　hurt。　

Evidently　she　had　managed；　somehow　or　other；　to　get　up　into　that

crow's…nest。　　Charlotte　had　got　ahead　of　me　on　this　occasion。



It　was　necessary；　no　doubt；　that　grown…up　people　should　dress

themselves　up　and　go　forth　to　pay　calls。　　I　don't　mean　that　we

saw　any　sense　in　the　practice。　　It　would　have　been　so　much　more

reasonable　to　stay　at　home　in　your　old　clothes　and　play。　　But　we

recognized　that　these　folk　had　to　do　many　unaccountable　things；

and　after　all　it　was　THEIR　life；　and　not　ours；　and　we　were　not

in　a　position　to　criticise。　　Besides；　they　had　many　habits

more　objectionable　than　this　one；　which　to　us　generally　meant　a

free　and　untrammelled　afternoon；　wherein　to　play　the　devil　in　our

own　way。　　The　case　was　different；　however；　when　the　press…gang

was　abroad；　when　prayers　and　excuses　were　alike　disregarded；　and

we　were　forced　into　the　service；　like　native　levies　impelled

toward　the　foe　less　by　the　inherent　righteousness　of　the　cause

than　by　the　indisputable　rifles　of　their　white　allies。　　This　was

unpardonable　and　altogether　detestable。　　Still；　the　thing

happened；　now　and　again；　and　when　it　did；　there　was　no　arguing

about　it。　　The　order　was　for　the　front；　and　we　just　had　to　shut

up　and　march。



Selina；　to　be　sure；　had　a　sneaking　fondness　for　dressing　up　and

paying　calls；　though　she　pretended　to　dislike　it；　just　to　keep　on

the　soft　side　of　public　opinion。　　So　I　thought　it　extremely

mean　in　her　to　have　the　earache　on　that　particular　afternoon　when

Aunt　Eliza　ordered　the　pony…carriage　and　went　on　the　war…path。　　I

was　ordered　also；　in　the　same　breath　as　the　pony…carriage；　and；

as　we　eventually　trundled　off；　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　utter

waste　of　that　afternoon；　for　which　I　had　planned　so　much；　could

never　be　made　up　nor　atoned　for　in　all　the　tremendous　stretch　of

years　that　still　lay　before　me。



The　house　that　we　were　bound　for　on　this　occasion　was　a　〃big

house；〃　a　generic　title　applied　by　us　to　the　class　of　residence

that　had　a　long　carriage…drive　through　rhododendrons；　and　a

portico　propped　by　fluted　pillars；　and　a　grave　butler　who　bolted

back　swing…doors；　and　came　down　steps；　and　pretended　to　have

entirely　forgotten　his　familiar　intercourse　with　you　at　less

serious　moments；　and　a　big　hall；　where　no　boots　or　shoes　or

upper　garments　were　allowed　to　lie　about　frankly　and　easily；　as

with　us；　and　where；　finally；　people　were　apt　to　sit　about　dressed

up　as　if　they　were　going　on　to　a　party。



The　lady　who　received　us　was　effusive　to　Aunt　Eliza　and　hollowly

gracious　to　me。　　In　ten　seconds　they　had　their　heads　together　and

were　hard　at　it　talking　CLOTHES。　　I　was　left　high　and　dry　on　a

straight…backed　chair；　longing　to　kick　the　legs　of　it；　yet　not

daring。　　For　a　time　I　was　content　to　stare；　there　was　lots　to

stare　at；　high　and　low　and　around。　　Then　the　inevitable　fidgets

came　on；　and　scratching　one's　legs　mitigated　slightly；　but　did

not　entirely　disperse　them。　　My　two　warders　were　still　deep　in

clothes；　I　slipped　off　my　chair　and　edged　cautiously　around　the

room；　exploring；　examining；　recording。



Many　strange；　fine　things　lay　along　my　routepictures　and

gimcracks　on　the　walls；　trinkets　and　globular　old　watches　and

snuff…boxes　on　the　tables；　and　I　took　good　care　to　finger

everything　within　reach　thoroughly　and　conscientiously。　　Some

articles；　in　addition；　I　smelt。　　At　last　in　my　orbit　I　happened

on　an　open　door；　half　concealed　by　the　folds　of　a　curtain。　　I

glanced　carefully　around。　　They　were　still　deep　in　clothes；　both

talking　together；　and　I　slipped　through。



This　was　altogether　a　more　sensible　sort　of　room　that　I　had　got

into；　for　the　walls　were　honestly　upholstered　with　books；　though

these　for　the　most　part　glimmered　provokingly　through　the　glass

doors　of　their　tall　cases。　　I　read　their　titles　longingly；

breathing　on　every　accessible　pane　of　glass；　for　I　dared　not

attempt　to　open　the　doors；　with　the　enemy　encamped　so　near。　　In

the　window；　though；　on　a　high　sort　of　desk；　there　lay；　all　by

itself；　a　most　promising…looking　book；　gorgeously　bound。　　I

raised　the　leaves　by　one　corner；　and　like　scent　from　a　pot…pourri

jar　there　floated　out　a　brief　vision　of　blues　and　reds；　telling

of　pictures；　and　pictures　all　highly　coloured！　　Here　was　the

right　sort　of　thing　at　last；　and　my　afternoon　would　not　be

entirely　wasted。　　I　inclined　an　ear　to　the　door　by　which　I　had

entered。　　Like　the　brimming　tide　of　a　full…fed　river　the　grand；

eternal；　inexhaustible　clothes…problem　bubbled　and　eddied　and

surged　along。　　It　seemed　safe　enough。　　I　slid　the　book　off　its

desk　with　some　difficulty；　for　it　was　very　fine　and　large；　and

staggered　with　it　to　the　hearthrugthe　only　fit　and　proper　place

for　books　of　quality；　such　as　this。



They　were　excellent　hearthrugs　in　that　house；　soft　and　wide；　with

the　thickest　of　pile；　and　one's　knees　sank　into　them　most

comfortably。　　When　I　got　the　book　open　there　was　a　difficulty　at

first　in　making　the　great　stiff　pages　lie　down。　　Most

fortunately　the　coal…scuttle　was　actually　at　my　elbow；　and　it　was

easy　to　find　a　flat　bit　of　coal　to　lay　on　the　refractory　page。　

Really；　it　was　just　as　if　everything　had　been　arranged　for　me。　

This　was　not　such　a　bad　sort　of　house　after　all。



The　beginnings　of　the　thing　were　gay　bordersscrolls　and　strap…

work　and　diapered　backgrounds；　a　maze　of　colour；　with　small

misshapen　figures　clambering　cheerily　up　and　down　everywhere。　

But　first　I　eagerly　scanned　what　text　there　was　in　the　middle；　in

order　to　get　a　hint　of　what　it　was　all　about。　　Of　course　I　was

not　going　to　waste　any　time　in　reading。　　A　clue；　a　sign…board；　a

finger…post　was　all　I　requ