dream days-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



for　hers　a　long　way　off；　and　was　not　expected　back　till　quite

late；　and　this　far　end　of　the　garden　was　not　overlooked　by　any

windows。　　So　the　Tribute　blazed　on　merrily　unchecked。　　Villagers

far　away；　catching　sight　of　the　flare；　muttered　something　about

〃them　young　devils　at　their　tricks　again；〃　and　trudged　on　beer…

wards。　　Never　a　thought　of　what　day　it　was；　never　a　thought　for

Nelson；　who　preserved　their　honest　pint…pots；　to　be　paid　for　in

honest　pence；　and　saved　them　from　litres　and　decimal　coinage。　

Nearer　at　hand；　frightened　rabbits　popped　up　and　vanished　with　a

flick　of　white　tails；　scared　birds　fluttered　among　the

branches；　or　sped　across　the　glade　to　quieter　sleeping…quarters；

but　never　a　bird　nor　a　beast　gave　a　thought　to　the　hero　to　whom

they　owed　it　that　each　year　their　little　homes　of　horsehair；

wool；　or　moss；　were　safe　stablished　'neath　the　flap　of　the

British　flag；　and　that　Game　Laws；　quietly　permanent；　made　la

chasse　a　terror　only　to　their　betters。　　No　one　seemed　to　know；

nor　to　care；　nor　to　sympathise。　　In　all　the　ecstasy　of　her　burnt…

offering　and　sacrifice；　Selina　stood　alone。



And　yetnot　quite　alone！　　For；　as　the　fire　was　roaring　at　its

best；　certain　stars　stepped　delicately　forth　on　the　surface　of

the　immensity　above；　and　peered　down　doubtfullywith　wonder　at

first；　then　with　interest；　then　with　recognition；　with　a　start　of

glad　surprise。　　THEY　at　least　knew　all　about　it；　THEY


understood。　　Among　THEM　the　Name　was　a　daily　familiar

word；　his　story　was　a　part　of　the　music　to　which　they　swung；

himself　was　their　fellow　and　their　mate　and　comrade。　　So　they

peeped；　and　winked；　and　peeped　again；　and　called　to　their　laggard

brothers　to　come　quick　and　see。





。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。



〃The　best　of　life　is　but　intoxication；〃　and　Selina；　who　during

her　brief　inebriation　had　lived　in　an　ecstasy　as　golden　as　our

drab　existence　affords；　had　to　experience　the　inevitable

bitterness　of　awakening　sobriety；　when　the　dying　down　of　the

flames　into　sullen　embers　coincided　with　the　frenzied　entrance　of

Aunt　Eliza　on　the　scene。　　It　was　not　so　much　that　she　was　at　once

and　forever　disrated；　broke；　sent　before　the　mast；　and　branded　as

one　on　whom　no　reliance　could　be　placed；　even　with　Edward　safe　at

school；　and　myself　under　the　distant　vigilance　of　an　aunt；　that

her　pocket　money　was　stopped　indefinitely；　and　her　new　Church

Service；　the　pride　of　her　last　birthday；　removed　from　her　own

custody　and　placed　under　the　control　of　a　Trust。　　She　sorrowed

rather　because　she　had　dragged　poor　Harold；　against　his　better

judgment；　into　a　most　horrible　scrape；　and　moreover　because；　when

the　reaction　had　fairly　set　in；　when　the　exaltation　had　fizzled

away　and　the　young…lady　portion　of　her　had　crept　timorously　back

to　its　wonted　lodging；　she　could　only　see　herself　as　a　plain

fool；　unjustified；　undeniable；　without　a　shadow　of　an　excuse　or

explanation。



As　for　Harold；　youth　and　a　short　memory　made　his　case　less

pitiful　than　it　seemed　to　his　more　sensitive　sister。　　True；　he

started　upstairs　to　his　lonely　cot　bellowing　dismally；　before　him

a　dreary　future　of　pains　and　penalties；　sufficient　to　last　to　the

crack　of　doom。　　Outside　his　door；　however；　he　tumbled　over

Augustus　the　cat；　and　made　capture　of　him；　and　at　once　his

mourning　was　changed　into　a　song　of　triumph；　as　he　conveyed　his

prize　into　port。　　For　Augustus；　who　detested　above　all　things

going　to　bed　with　little　boys；　was　ever　more　knave　than　fool；　and

the　trapper　who　was　wily　enough　to　ensnare　him　had　achieved

something　notable。　　Augustus；　when　he　realized　that　his　fate　was

sealed；　and　his　night's　lodging　settled；　wisely　made　the　best　of

things；　and　listened；　with　a　languorous　air　of　complete

comprehension；　to　the　incoherent　babble　concerning　pigs　and

heroes；　moles　and　bonfires；　which　served　Harold　for　a　self…sung

lullaby。　　Yet　it　may　be　doubted　whether　Augustus　was　one　of　those

rare　fellows　who　thoroughly　understood。



But　Selina　knew　no　more　of　this　source　of　consolation　than　of　the

sympathy　with　which　the　stars　were　winking　above　her；　and　it　was

only　after　some　sad　interval　oftime；　and　on　a　very　moist

pillow；　that　she　drifted　into　that　quaint　inconsequent　country

where　you　may　meet　your　own　pet　hero　strolling　down　the　road；　and

commit　what　hair…brained　oddities　you　like；　and　everybody

understands　and　appreciates。





DIES　IRAE



Those　memorable　days　that　move　in　procession；　their　heads　just

out　of　the　mist　of　years　long　deadthe　most　of　them　are　full…

eyed　as　the　dandelion　that　from　dawn　to　shade　has　steeped　itself

in　sunlight。　　Here　and　there　in　their　ranks；　however；　moves　a

forlorn　one　who　is　blindblind　in　the　sense　of　the　dulled

window…pane　on　which　the　pelting　raindrops　have　mingled　and　run

down；　obscuring　sunshine　and　the　circling　birds；　happy　fields；

and　storied　garden；　blind　with　the　spatter　of　a　misery

uncomprehended；　unanalysed；　only　felt　as　something　corporeal　in

its　buffeting　effects。



Martha　began　it；　and　yet　Martha　was　not　really　to　blame。　　Indeed；

that　was　half　the　trouble　of　itno　solid　person　stood　full

in　view；　to　be　blamed　and　to　make　atonement。　　There　was　only　a

wretched；　impalpable　condition　to　deal　with。　　Breakfast　was　just

over；　the　sun　was　summoning　us；　imperious　as　a　herald　with

clamour　of　trumpet；　I　ran　upstairs　to　her　with　a　broken　bootlace

in　my　hand；　and　there　she　was；　crying　in　a　corner；　her　head　in

her　apron。　　Nothing　could　be　got　from　her　but　the　same　dismal

succession　of　sobs　that　would　not　have　done；　that　struck　and　hurt

like　a　physical　beating；　and　meanwhile　the　sun　was　getting

impatient；　and　I　wanted　my　bootlace。



Inquiry　below　stairs　revealed　the　cause。　　Martha's　brother　was

dead；　it　seemedher　sailor　brother　Billy；　drowned　in　one　of

those　strange　far…off　seas　it　was　our　dream　to　navigate　one　day。　

We　had　known　Billy　well；　and　appreciated　him。　　When　an

approaching　visit　of　Billy　to　his　sister　had　been　announced；

we　had　counted　the　days　to　it。　　When　his　cheery　voice　was　at　last

heard　in　the　kitchen　and　we　had　descended　with　shouts；　first　of

all　he　had　to　exhibit　his　tattooed　arms；　always　a　subject　for

fresh　delight　and　envy　and　awe；　then　he　was　called　upon　for

tricks；　jugglings；　and　strange；　fearful　gymnastics；　and　lastly

came　yarns；　and　more　yarns；　and　yarns　till　bedtime。　　There　had

never　been　any　one　like　Billy　in　his　own　particular　sphere；　and

now　he　was　drowned；　they　said；　and　Martha　was　miserable；　andand

I　couldn't　get　a　new　bootlace。　　They　told　me　that　Billy　would

never　come　back　any　more；　and　I　stared　out　of　the　window　at　the

sun　which　came　back；　right　enough；　every　day；　and　their　news

conveyed　nothing　whatever　to　me。　　Martha's　sorrow　hit　home　a

little；　but　only　because　the　actual　sight　and　sound　of　it　gave　me

a　dull；　bad　sort　of　pain　low　down　insidea　pain　not　to　be

actually　located。　　Moreover；　I　was　still　wanting　my　bootlace。



This　was　a　poor　sort　of　a　beginning　to　a　day　that；　so　far　as

outside　conditions　went；　had　promised　so　well。　　I　rigged　up　a

sort　of　jurymast　of　a　bootlace　with　a　bit　of　old　string；　and

wandered　off　to　look　up　the　girls；　conscious　of　a　jar　and　a

discordance　in　the　scheme　of　things。　　The　moment　I　entered　the

schoolroom　something　in　the　air　seemed　to　tell　me　that　here；　too；

matters　were　strained　and　awry。　　Selina　was　staring　listlessly

out　of　the　window；　one　foot　curled　round　her　leg。　　When　I　spoke

to　her　she　jerked　a　shoulder　testily；　but　did　not　condescend　to

the　civility　of　a　reply。　　Charlotte；　absolutely　unoccupied；

sprawled　in　a　chair；　and　there　were　signs　of　sniffles　about　her；

even　at　that　early　hour。　　It　was　but　a　trifling　matter　that　had

caused　all　this　electricity　in　the　atmosphere；　and　the　girls'

manner　of　taking　it　seemed　to　me　most　unreasonable。　　Within　the

last　few　days　the　time　had　come　round　for　the　despatch　of　a

hamper　to　Edward　at　school。　　Only　one　hamper　a　term　was　permitted

him；　so　its　preparation　was　a　sort