dream days-第27章

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accustomed　to　doze　peacefully　the　long　night　through。　　In　days　of

old　each　of　us　in　turn　had　been　jerked　thrillingly　round　the　room

on　his　precarious　back；　had　dug　our　heels　into　his　unyielding

sides；　and　had　scratched　our　hands　on　the　tin　tacks　that

secured　his　mane　to　his　stiffly…curving　neck。　　Later；　with

increasing　stature；　we　came　to　overlook　his　merits　as　a　beast　of

burden；　but　how　frankly；　how　good…naturedly；　he　had　recognized

the　new　conditions；　and　adapted　himself　to　them　without　a　murmur！



When　the　military　spirit　was　abroad；　who　so　ready　to　be　a

squadron　of　cavalry；　a　horde　of　Cossacks；　or　artillery　pounding

into　position？　　He　had　even　served　with　honour　as　a　gun…boat；

during　a　period　when　naval　strategy　was　the　only　theme；　and　no

false　equine　pride　ever　hindered　him　from　taking　the　part　of　a

roaring　locomotive；　earth…shaking；　clangorous；　annihilating　time

and　space。　　Really　it　was　no　longer　clear　how　life；　with　its

manifold　emergencies；　was　to　be　carried　on　at　all　without　a

fellow　like　the　spotty　horse；　ready　to　step　in　at　critical

moments　and　take　up　just　the　part　required　of　him。



In　moments　of　mental　depression；　nothing　is　quite　so

consoling　as　the　honest　smell　of　a　painted　animal；　and

mechanically　I　turned　towards　the　shelf　that　had　been　so　long　the

Ararat　of　our　weather…beaten　Ark。　　The　shelf　was　empty；　the　Ark

had　cast　off　moorings　and　sailed　away　to　Poplar；　and　had　taken

with　it　its　haunting　smell；　as　well　as　that　pleasant　sense　of

disorder　that　the　best　conducted　Ark　is　always　able　to　impart。　

The　sliding　roof　had　rarely　been　known　to　close　entirely。　　There

was　always　a　pair　of　giraffe…legs　sticking　out；　or　an　elephant…

trunk；　taking　from　the　stiffness　of　its　outline；　and　reminding　us

that　our　motley　crowd　of　friends　inside　were　uncomfortably

cramped　for　room　and　only　too　ready　to　leap　in　a　cascade　on　the

floor　and　browse　and　gallop；　flutter　and　bellow　and　neigh；　and　be

their　natural　selves　again。　　I　think　that　none　of　us　ever　really

thought　very　much　of　Ham　and　Shem　and　Japhet。　　They　were　only

there　because　they　were　in　the　story；　but　nobody　really

wanted　them。　　The　Ark　was　built　for　the　animals；　of　course

animals　with　tails；　and　trunks；　and　horns；　and　at　least　three

legs　apiece；　though　some　unfortunates　had　been　unable　to　retain

even　that　number。　　And　in　the　animals　were　of　course　included　the

birdsthe　dove；　for　instance；　grey　with　black　wings；　and　the

red…crested　woodpeckeror　was　it　a　hoo…poe？and　the　insects；

for　there　was　a　dear　beetle；　about　the　same　size　as　the　dove；

that　held　its　own　with　any　of　the　mammalia。



Of　the　doll…department　Charlotte　had　naturally　been　sole　chief

for　a　long　time；　if　the　staff　were　not　in　their　places　to…day；　it

was　not　I　who　had　any　official　right　to　take　notice。　　And　yet　one

may　have　been　member　of　a　Club　for　many　a　year　without　ever

exactly　understanding　the　use　and　object　of　the　other　members；

until　one　enters；　some　Christmas　day　or　other　holiday；　and；

surveying　the　deserted　armchairs；　the　untenanted　sofas；　the

barren　hat…pegs；　realizes；　with　depression；　that　those　other

fellows　had　their　allotted　functions；　after　all。　　Where　was　old

Jerry？　　Where　were　Eugenie；　Rosa；　Sophy；　Esmeralda？　　We　had　long

drifted　apart；　it　was　true；　we　spoke　but　rarely；　perhaps；

absorbed　in　new　ambitions；　new　achievements；　I　had　even　come　to

look　down　on　these　conservative；　unprogressive　members　who　were

so　clearly　content　to　remain　simply　what　they　were。　　And　now　that

their　corners　were　unfilled；　their　chairs　unoccupiedwell；　my

eyes　were　opened　and　I　wanted　'em　back！



However；　it　was　no　business　of　mine。　　If　grievances　were　the

question；　I　hadn't　a　leg　to　stand　upon。　　Though　my　catapults　were

officially　confiscated；　I　knew　the　drawer　in　which　they　were

incarcerated；　and　where　the　key　of　it　was　hidden；　and　I

could　make　life　a　burden；　if　I　chose；　to　every　living　thing

within　a　square…mile　radius；　so　long　as　the　catapult　was　restored

to　its　drawer　in　due　and　decent　time。　　But　I　wondered　how　the

others　were　taking　it。　　The　edict　hit　them　more　severely。　　They

should　have　my　moral　countenance　at　any　rate；　if　not　more；　in　any

protest　or　countermine　they　might　be　planning。　　And；　indeed；

something　seemed　possible；　from　the　dogged；　sullen　air　with　which

the　two　of　them　had　trotted　off　in　the　direction　of　the

raspberry…canes。　　Certain　spots　always　had　their　insensible

attraction　for　certain　moods。　　In　love；　one　sought　the　orchard。　

Weary　of　discipline；　sick　of　convention；　impassioned　for　the

road；　the　mining　camp；　the　land　across　the　border；　one　made　for

the　big　meadow。　　Mutinous；　sulky；　charged　with　plots　and

conspiracies；　one　always　got　behind　the　shelter　of　the

raspberry…canes。





。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。



〃You　can　come　too　if　you　like；〃　said　Harold；　in　a　subdued　sort　of

way；　as　soon　as　he　was　aware　that　I　was　sitting　up　in　bed

watching　him。　　〃We　didn't　think　you'd　care；　'cos　you've　got　to

catapults。　　But　we're　goin'　to　do　what　we've　settled　to　do；　so

it's　no　good　sayin'　we　hadn't　ought　and　that　sort　of　thing；　'cos

we're　goin'　to！〃



The　day　had　passed　in　an　ominous　peacefulness。　　Charlotte　and

Harold　had　kept　out　of　my　way；　as　well　as　out　of　everybody

else's；　in　a　purposeful　manner　that　ought　to　have　bred　suspicion。



In　the　evening　we　had　read　books；　or　fitfully　drawn　ships　and

battles　on　fly…leaves；　apart；　in　separate　corners；　void　of

conversation　or　criticism；　oppressed　by　the　lowering　tidiness　of

the　universe；　till　bedtime　came；　and　disrobement；　and

prayers　even　more　mechanical　than　usual；　and　lastly　bed　itself

without　so　much　as　a　giraffe　under　the　pillow。　　Harold　had

grunted　himself　between　the　sheets　with　an　ostentatious　pretence

of　overpowering　fatigue；　but　I　noticed　that　he　pulled　his　pillow

forward　and　propped　his　head　against　the　brass　bars　of　his　crib；

and；　as　I　was　acquainted　with　most　of　his　tricks　and　subterfuges；

it　was　easy　for　me　to　gather　that　a　painful　wakefulness　was　his

aim　that　night。



I　had　dozed　off；　however；　and　Harold　was　out　and　on　his　feet；

poking　under　the　bed　for　his　shoes；　when　I　sat　up　and　grimly

regarded　him。　　Just　as　he　said　I　could　come　if　I　liked；　Charlotte

slipped　in；　her　face　rigid　and　set。　　And　then　it　was　borne　in

upon　me　that　I　was　not　on　in　this　scene。　　These　youngsters　had

planned　it　all　out；　the　piece　was　their　own；　and　the

mounting；　and　the　cast。　　My　sceptre　had　fallen；　my　rule　had

ceased。　　In　this　magic　hour　of　the　summer　night　laws　went　for

nothing；　codes　were　cancelled；　and　those　who　were　most　in　touch

with　the　moonlight　and　the　warm　June　spirit　and　the　topsy…

turvydom　that　reigns　when　the　clock　strikes　ten；　were　the　true

lords　and　lawmakers。



Humbly；　almost　timidly；　I　followed　without　a　protest　in　the　wake

of　these　two　remorseless；　purposeful　young　persons；　who　were

marching　straight　for　the　schoolroom。　　Here　in　the　moonlight　the

grim　big　box　stood　visiblethe　box　in　which　so　large　a　portion

of　our　past　and　our　personality　lay　entombed；　cold；　swathed　in

paper；　awaiting　the　carrier　of　the　morning　who　should　speed　them

forth　to　the　strange；　cold；　distant　Children's　Hospital；　where

their　little　failings　would　all　be　misunderstood　and　no　one

would　make　allowances。　　A　dreamy　spectator；　I　stood　idly　by

while　Harold　propped　up　the　lid　and　the　two　plunged　in　their　arms

and　probed　and　felt　and　grappled。



〃Here's　Rosa；〃　said　Harold；　suddenly。　　〃I　know　the　feel　of　her

hair。　　Will　you　have　Rosa　out？〃



〃Oh；　give　me　Rosa！〃　cried　Charlotte　with　a　sort　of　gasp。　　And

when　Rosa　had　been　dragged　forth；　quite　unmoved　apparently；

placid　as　ever　in　her　moonfaced　contemplation　of　this　comedy…

world　with　its　ups　and　downs；　Charlotte　retired　with　her　to　the

window…seat；　and　there　in　the　moonlight　the　two　exchanged　their

private　confidences；　leaving　Harold　to　his　exploration　alone。



〃Here's　something　with　sharp　corners；〃　said　Harold；　presently。　

〃Must　be　Leotar