dream days-第5章

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possessing　distinction；　marked　with　a　character　that　did　not

depend　on　lichen　or　on　crumbling　semi…effacement　of　moulding　and

mullion。　　Strangers　might　have　been　puzzled　to　classify　it；　to

me；　an　explorer　from　earliest　years；　the　place　was　familiar

enough。　　Most　folk　called　it　〃The　Settlement〃；　others；　with　quite

sufficient　conciseness　for　our　neighbourhood；　spoke　of　〃them

there　fellows　up　by　Halliday's〃；　others　again；　with　a　hint　of

derision；　named　them　the　〃monks。〃　　This　last　title　I　supposed　to

be　intended　for　satire；　and　knew　to　be　fatuously　wrong。　　I　was

thoroughly　acquainted　with　monksin　booksand　well　knew　the　cut

of　their　long　frocks；　their　shaven　polls；　and　their　fascinating

big　dogs；　with　brandy…bottles　round　their　necks；　incessantly

hauling　happy　travellers　out　of　the　snow。　　The　only　dog　at　the

settlement　was　an　Irish　terrier；　and　the　good　fellows　who　owned

him；　and　were　owned　by　him；　in　common；　wore　clothes　of　the　most

nondescript　order；　and　mostly　cultivated　side…whiskers。　　I　had

wandered　up　there　one　day；　searching　（as　usual）　for　something　I

never　found；　and　had　been　taken　in　by　them　and　treated　as　friend

and　comrade。　　They　had　made　me　free　of　their　ideal　little　rooms；

full　of　books　and　pictures；　and　clean　of　the　antimacassar　taint；

they　had　shown　me　their　chapel；　high；　hushed；　and　faintly

scented；　beautiful　with　a　strange　new　beauty　born　both　of　what　it

had　and　what　it　had　notthat　too　familiar　dowdiness　of　common

places　of　worship。　　They　had　also　fed　me　in　their　dining…hall；

where　a　long　table　stood　on　trestles　plain　to　view；　and　all　the

woodwork　was　natural；　unpainted；　healthily　scrubbed；　and

redolent　of　the　forest　it　came　from。　　I　brought　away　from　that

visit；　and　kept　by　me　for　many　days；　a　sense　of　cleanness；　of　the

freshness　that　pricks　the　sensesthe　freshness　of　cool　spring

water；　and　the　large　swept　spaces　of　the　rooms；　the　red　tiles；

and　the　oaken　settles；　suggested　a　comfort　that　had　no　connexion

with　padded　upholstery。



On　this　particular　morning　I　was　in　much　too　unsociable　a　mind

for　paying　friendly　calls。　　Still；　something　in　the　aspect　of　the

place　harmonised　with　my　humour；　and　I　worked　my　way　round　to　the

back；　where　the　ground；　after　affording　level　enough　for　a

kitchen…garden；　broke　steeply　away。　　Both　the　word　Gothic　and　the

thing　itself　were　still　unknown　to　me；　yet　doubtless　the

architecture　of　the　place；　consistent　throughout；　accounted　for

its　sense　of　comradeship　in　my　hour　of　disheartenment。　　As　I

mused　there；　with　the　low；　grey；　purposeful…looking　building

before　me；　and　thought　of　my　pleasant　friends　within；　and　what

good　times　they　always　seemed　to　be　having；　and　how　they　larked

with　the　Irish　terrier；　whose　footing　was　one　of　a　perfect

equality；　I　thought　of　a　certain　look　in　their　faces；　as　if　they

had　a　common　purpose　and　a　business；　and　were　acting　under　orders

thoroughly　recognised　and　understood。　　I　remembered；　too；

something　that　Martha　had　told　me；　about　these　same　fellows　doing

〃a　power　o'　good；〃　and　other　hints　I　had　collected　vaguely；　of

renouncements；　rules；　self…denials；　and　the　like。　　Thereupon；　out

of　the　depths　of　my　morbid　soul　swam　up　a　new　and　fascinating

idea；　and　at　once　the　career　of　arms　seemed　over…acted　and　stale；

and　piracy；　as　a　profession；　flat　and　unprofitable。　　This；　then；

or　something　like　it；　should　be　my　vocation　and　my　revenge。　

A　severer　line　of　business；　perhaps；　such　as　I　had　read　of；

something　that　included　black　bread　and　a　hair…shirt。　　There

should　be　vows；　tooirrevocable；　blood　curdling　vows；　and　an

iron　grating。　　This　iron　grating　was　the　most　necessary　feature

of　all；　for　I　intended　that　on　the　other　side　of　it　my　relations

should　range　themselvesI　mentally　ran　over　the　catalogue；　and

saw　that　the　whole　gang　was　present；　all　in　their　proper　places

a　sad…eyed　row；　combined　in　tristful　appeal。　　〃We　see　our　error

now；〃　they　would　say；　〃we　were　always　dull　dogs；　slow　to　catch

especially　in　those　akin　to　usthe　finer　qualities　of　soul！　　We

misunderstood　you；　misappreciated　you；　and　we　own　up　to　it。　　And

now〃　　〃Alas；　my　dear　friends；〃　I　would　strike　in　here；　waving

towards　them　an　ascetic　handone　of　the　emaciated　sort；　that

lets　the　light　shine　through　at　the　finger…tips〃Alas；　you

come　too　late！　　This　conduct　is　fitting　and　meritorious　on　your

part；　and　indeed　I　always　expected　it　of　you；　sooner　or　later；

but　the　die　is　cast；　and　you　may　go　home　again　and　bewail　at　your

leisure　this　too　tardy　repentance　of　yours。　　For　me；　I　am　vowed

and　dedicated；　and　my　relations　henceforth　are　austerity　and　holy

works。　　Once　a　month；　should　you　wish　it；　it　shall　be　your

privilege　to　come　and　gaze　at　me　through　this　very　solid　grating；

but〃　　WHACK！



A　well…aimed　clod　of　garden　soil；　whizzing　just　past　my　ear；

starred　on　a　tree…trunk　behind；　spattering　me　with　dirt。　　The

present　came　back　to　me　in　a　flash；　and　I　nimbly　took　cover

behind　the　trees；　realising　that　the　enemy　was　up　and　abroad；

with　ambuscades；　alarms；　and　thrilling　sallies。　　It　was　the

gardener's　boy；　I　knew　well　enough；　a　red　proletariat；　who　hated

me　just　because　I　was　a　gentleman。　　Hastily　picking　up　a　nice

sticky　clod　in　one　hand；　with　the　other　I　delicately　projected　my

hat　beyond　the　shelter　of　the　tree…trunk。　　I　had　not　fought　with

Red…skins　all　these　years　for　nothing。



As　I　had　expected；　another　clod；　of　the　first　class　for　size　and

stickiness；　took　my　poor　hat　full　in　the　centre。　　Then；　Ajax…

like；　shouting　terribly；　I　issued　from　shelter　and　discharged　my

ammunition。　　Woe　then　for　the　gardener's　boy；　who；　unprepared；

skipping　in　premature　triumph；　took　the　clod　full　in　his　stomach！



He；　the　foolish　one；　witless　on　whose　side　the　gods　were　fighting

that　day；　discharged　yet　other　missiles；　wavering　and　wide　of　the

mark；　for　his　wind　had　been　taken　with　the　first　clod；　and　he

shot　wildly；　as　one　already　desperate　and　in　flight。　　I　got

another　clod　in　at　short　range；　we　clinched　on　the　brow　of　the

hill；　and　rolled　down　to　the　bottom　together。　　When　he　had

shaken　himself　free　and　regained　his　legs；　he　trotted　smartly　off

in　the　direction　of　his　mother's　cottage；　but　over　his　shoulder

he　discharged　at　me　both　imprecation　and　deprecation；　menace

mixed　up　with　an　under…current　of　tears。



But　as　for　me；　I　made　off　smartly　for　the　road；　my　frame

tingling；　my　head　high；　with　never　a　backward　look　at　the

Settlement　of　suggestive　aspect；　or　at　my　well…planned　future

which　lay　in　fragments　around　it。　　Life　had　its　jollities；　then；

life　was　action；　contest；　victory！　　The　present　was　rosy　once

more；　surprises　lurked　on　every　side；　and　I　was　beginning　to　feel

villainously　hungry。



Just　as　I　gained　the　road　a　cart　came　rattling　by；　and　I　rushed

for　it；　caught　the　chain　that　hung　below；　and　swung　thrillingly

between　the　dizzy　wheels；　choked　and　blinded　with　delicious…

smelling　dust；　the　world　slipping　by　me　like　a　streaky　ribbon

below；　till　the　driver　licked　at　me　with　his　whip；　and　I　had　to

descend　to　earth　again。　　Abandoning　the　beaten　track；　I　then

struck　homewards　through　the　fields；　not　that　the　way　was　very

much　shorter；　but　rather　because　on　that　route　one　avoided　the

bridge；　and　had　to　splash　through　the　stream　and　get　refreshingly

wet。　　Bridges　were　made　for　narrow　folk；　for　people　with　aims　and

vocations　which　compelled　abandonment　of　many　of　life's　highest

pleasures。　　Truly　wise　men　called　on　each　element　alike　to

minister　to　their　joy；　and　while　the　touch　of　sun…bathed　air；　the

fragrance　of　garden　soil；　the　ductible　qualities　of　mud；　and　the

spark…whirling　rapture　of　playing　with　fire；　had　each　their

special　charm；　they　did　not　overlook　the　bliss　of　getting　their

feet　wet。　　As　I　came　forth　on　the　common　Harold　broke　out　of　an

adjoining　copse　and　ran　to　meet　me；　the　morning　rain…clouds

all　blown　away　from　his　face。　　He　had　made　a　new　squirrel…stick；

it　seemed。　　Made　it　all　himself；　melted　the　lead　and　everything！