jeremy-第15部分

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！


during　hours　of　Spartan　resolution　whilst　the　rest　of　the　household
slept。　〃To…morrow　I'll　see　that　they　do　what　I　tell　them〃

〃Now；　children；〃　she　would　say；　〃I'm　determined　to　stand　no　nonsense
this　morning。　Get　out　your　copy　books。〃　Five　minutes　later　would
begin：　〃Oh；　Miss　Jones；　I　can't　write　with　this　pencil。　May　I　find　a
better　one？〃　Granted　permission；　Mary's　head　and　large　spectacles
would　disappear　inside　the　schoolroom　cupboard。　Soon　Jeremy　would
say　very　politely：　〃Miss　Jones；　I　think　I　know　where　it　is。　May　I
help　her　to　find　it？〃　Then　Jeremy's　head　would　disappear。　There
would　follow　giggles；　whispers；　again　giggles；　then　from　the
cupboard　a　book　tumbles；　then　another；　then　another。　Then　Miss　Jones
would　say：　〃Now；　Jeremy；　come　back　to　the　table。　You've　had　quite
enough　time〃　interrupted　by　a　perfect　avalanche　of　books。　Mary
crying：

〃Oh；　Jeremy！〃　Jeremy　crying：　〃I　didn't；　it　was　you！〃　Miss　Jones：
〃Now；　children〃

Then　Jeremy；　very　politely：

〃Please；　Miss　Jones；　may　I　help　Mary　to　pick　the　books　up？　There　are
rather　a　lot。〃　Then；　both　on　their　knees；　more　whispers　and　giggles。
Miss　Jones；　her　voice　trembling：　〃Children；　I　really　insist〃　And
more　books　dropped；　and　more　whispers　and　more　protests；　and　so　on
ad　infinitum。　A　beautiful　game　to　be　played　all　the　morning。

Or　there　was　the　game　of　Not　Hearing。　Miss　Jones　would　say：　〃And
twice　two　are　four。〃　Mary　would　repeat　loudly：　〃And　twice　two　is
five〃

〃Four；　Mary。〃

〃Oh；　I　thought　you　said　five。〃

And　then　a　second　later　Jeremy　would　ask：

〃Did　you　say　four　or　five；　Miss　Jones？〃

〃I　told　Mary　I　said　four〃

〃Oh；　I've　written　fiveand　now　it's　all　wrong。　Didn't　you　write
five；　Mary？〃

〃Yes；　I've　written　five。　You　did　say　four；　didn't　you；　Miss　Jones？〃

〃Yesyes。　And　three　makes〃

〃What　did　you　say　made　five？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃I　didn't　say　five。　I　said　four。　Twice　two。〃

〃Is　that　as　well　as　'add　three；'　Miss　Jones？　I've　got　twice　two；　and
then　add　three；　and　then　twice　two〃

〃No；　no。　I　was　only　telling　Jeremy〃

〃Please；　Miss　Jones；　would　you　mind　beginning　again〃

This　is　a　very　unpleasant　game　for　a　lady　with　neuralgia。

Or　there　is　the　game　of　Making　a　Noise。　At　this　game；　without　any
earlier　training　or　practice；　Jeremy　was　a　perfect　master。　The　three
children　would　be　sitting　there　very；　very　quiet；　learning　the　first
verse　of　〃Tiger；　Tiger；　burning　bright〃　A　very　gentle　creaking
sound　would　break　the　stillnessa　creaking　sound　that　can　be　made；
if　you　are　clever；　by　rubbing　a　boot　against　a　boot。　It　would　not
come　regularly；　but　once；　twice；　thrice；　a　pause；　and　then　once；
twice　and　another　pause。

〃Who's　making　a　noise？〃

Dead　silence。　A　very　long　pause；　and　then　it　would　begin　again。

〃That　noise　must　cease；　I　say。　Jeremy；　what　are　you　doing？〃

He　would　lift　to　her　then　eyes　full　of　meekness　and　love。

〃Nothing；　Miss　Jones。〃

Soon　it　would　begin　again。　Miss　Jones　would　be　silent　this　time；　and
then　Mary　would　speak。

〃Please；　would　you　ask　Jeremy　not　to　rub　his　boots　together？　I　can't
learn　my　verse〃

〃I　didn't　know　I　was；〃　says　Jeremy。

Then　it　would　begin　again。　Jeremy　would　say：

〃Please；　may　I　take　my　boots　off？〃

〃Take　your　boots　off？　Why？〃

〃They　will　rub　together；　and　I　can't　stop　them；　because　I　don't　know
when　I　do　it；　and　it　is　hard　for　Mary〃

〃Of　course　not！　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！　Next　time　you　do　it
you　must　stand　on　your　chair。〃

Soon　Jeremy　is　standing　on　his　chair。　Soon　his　poetry　book　drops
with　a　terrible　crash　to　the　ground；　and　five　million　pins　stab　Miss
Jones's　heart。　With　white　face　and　trembling　hands；　she　says：

〃Go　and　stand　in　the　corner；　Jeremy！　I　shall　have　to　speak　to　your
mother！〃

He　goes；　grinning　at　Mary；　and　stands　there　knowing　that　his　victim
is　watching　the　door　in　an　agony　lest　Mrs。　Cole　should　suddenly　come
in　and　inquire　what　Jeremy　had　done；　and　that　so　the　whole　story　of
his　insubordination　be　revealed　and　Miss　Jones　lose　her　situation
for　incapacity。

How　did　he　discover　this　final　weakness　of　Miss　Jones？　No　one　told
him；　but　he　knew；　and；　as　the　days　passed；　rejoiced　in　his　power　and
his　might　and　his　glory。

Then　came　the　climax。　The　children　were　not　perfectly　sure　whether；
after　all；　Miss　Jones　might　not　tell　their　mother。　They　did　not　wish
this　to　happen；　and　so　long　as　this　calamity　was　possible　they　were
not　complete　masters　of　the　poor　lady。　Then　came　a　morning　when　they
had　been　extremely　naughty；　when　every　game　had　been　played　and
every　triumph　scored。　Miss　Jones；　almost　in　tears；　had　threatened
four　times　that　the　Powers　Above　should　be　informed。　Suddenly　Mrs。
Cole　entered。

〃Well；　Miss　Jones；　how　have　the　children　been　this　morning？　If
they've　been　good　I　have　a　little　treat　to　propose。〃

The　children　waited；　their　eyes　upon　their　governess。　Her　eyes
stared　back　upon　her　tormentors。　Her　hands　worked　together。　She
struggled。　Why　not　call　in　Mrs。　Cole's　authority　to　her　aid？　No；　she
knew　what　it　would　mean〃I'm　very　sorry；　Miss　Jones；　but　I　think　a
younger　governess；　perhaps〃

Her　throat　moved。

〃They've　been　very　good　this　morning；　Mrs。　Cole。〃

The　eyes　of　Mary　and　of　Jeremy　were　alight　with　triumph。

They　had　won　their　final　victory。




III


I　know　what　Miss　Jones　suffered　during　those　weeks。　She　was　not　an
old　lady　of　very　great　power　of　resistance；　and　it　must　have
positively　terrified　her　that　these　small　children　should　so
vindictively　hate　her。　She　could　not　have　seen　it　as　anything　but
hatred；　being　entirely　ignorant　of　children　and　the　strange　forces
to　whose　power　they　are　subject；　and　she　must　have　shivered　in　her
bedroom　at　the　dreariness　and　terror　of　the　prospect　before　her。
Many；　many　times　she　must　have　resolved　not　to　be　beaten；　and　many；
many　times　she　must　have　admitted　herself　beaten　as　badly　as　any　one
can　be。

Her　life　with　the　people　downstairs　was　not　intimate　enough；　nor
were　those　people　themselves　perceptive　enough　for　any　realisation
of　what　was　occurring　to　penetrate。

〃I　hope　you're　happy　with　the　children；　Miss　Jones；〃　once　or　twice
said　Mrs。　Cole。

〃Very；　thank　you；〃　said　Miss　Jones。

〃They're　good　children；　I　think；　although　parents　are　always
prejudiced；　of　course。　Jeremy　is　a　little　difficult　perhaps。　It's　so
hard　to　tell　what　he's　really　thinking。　You　find　him　a　quiet；
reserved　little　boy？〃

〃Very；〃　said　Miss　Jones。

〃In　a　little　while；　when　you　know　him　better；　he　will　come　out。　Only
you　have　to　let　him　take　his　time。　He　doesn't　like　to　be　forced〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Jones。

Meanwhile；　that　morning　descent　into　the　schoolroom　was　real　hell
for　her。　She　had　to　summon　up　her　courage；　walking　about　her
bedroom；　pressing　her　hands　together；　evoking　the　memory　of　her
magnificent　iron…souled　brother；　who　would；　she　knew；　despise　such
tremors。　If　only　she　could　have　discovered　some　remedy！　But
sentiment；　attempted　tyranny；　anger；　contempt；　at　all　these　things
they　laughed。　She　could　not　touch　them　anywhere。　And　she　saw　Jeremy
as　a　real　child　of　Evil　in　the　very　baldest　sense。　She　could　not
imagine　how　anyone　so　young　could　be　so　cruel；　so　heartless；　so
maliciously　clever　in　his　elaborate　machinations。　She　regarded　him
with　real　horror；　and　on　the　occasions　when　she　found　him　acting
kindly　towards　his　sisters　or　a　servant；　or　when　she　watched　him
discoursing　solemnly　to　Hamlet；　she　was　helplessly　puzzled；　and
decided　that　these　better　manifestations　were　simply　masks　to　hide
his　devilish　young　heart。　She　perceived　meanwhile　the　inevitable
crisis　slowly　approaching；　when　she　would　be　compelled　to　invite
Mrs。　Cole's　support。　That　would　mean　her　dismissal　and　a　hopeless
future。　There　was　no　one　to　whom　she　might　turn。　She　had　not　a
relation；　not　a　friendtoo　late　to　make　friends　now。

She　could　see　nothing　in　front　of　her　at　all。

The　crisis　did　come；　but　not　as　she　expected　it。

There　arrived　a　morning　when　the　dark　mist　outside　and　badly　made
porridge　inside　tempted　the　children　to　their　very　worst。　Miss　Jones
had　had　a　wakeful　night　struggling　with　neuralgia　and　her　own
hesitating　spirit。　The　children　had　lost　even　their　customary　half…
humourous；　half…contemptuous　reserve。　They　let　themselves　appear　for
what　they　wereinfant　savages　discontented　with　food；　weather　and
education。

I　will　not　detail　the　incidents　of　that　morning。　The　episodes　that
were　on　other　mornings　games　were　today　tortures。　There　was　the
Torture　of　Losing　Things；　the　Torture　of　Not　Hearing；　the　Torture　of
Many　Noises；　the　Torture　of　Sudden　Alarm；　the　Torture　of　Outright
Defiance；　the　Torture　of　Expressed　Contempt。　When　twelve　struck　and
the　children　were　free；　Miss　Jones　was　not　far　from　a　nervous　panic
that　can　be　called；　without　any　exaggeration；　incipient　madness。　The
neuralgia　tore　at　her　brain；　her　own　self…contempt　tore　at　her
heart；　her　baffled　impotence　bewildered　and　blinded　her。　She　did　not
leave　the　schoolroom　with　the　children；　but　went　to　the　broad
window…sill　and　sat　there　looking　out　into　the　dreary　prospect。
Then；　suddenly　for　no　reason　except　general　weakness　and　physical
and　spiritual　collapse　she　began　to　cry。

Jeremy　was　considered　to　have　a　cold；　and　was；　therefore；　not
permitted　to　accompany　his　mother　and　sisters　on　an　exciting
shopping　expedition；　which　would　certainly　lead　as　far　as　old
Poole's；　the　bookseller；　and　might　even　extend　to　Martins'；　the
pastrycook；　who　made　lemon　biscuits　next　door　to　the　Cathedral。　He
was；　therefore；　in　a　very　bad　temper　indeed　when　he　returned　sulkily
to　the　schoolroom。　He　stood　for　a　moment　there　unaware　that　there
was　anybody　in　the　room；　hesitating　as　to　whether　he　should　continue
〃A　Flat　Iron　for　a　Farthing〃　or　hunt　up　Hamlet。　Suddenly　he　heard
the　sound　of　sobbing。　He　turned　and　saw　Miss　Jones。

He　would　have　fled　had　flight　been　in　any　way　possible；　but　she　had
looked　up　and　seen　him；　and　her　sudden　arrested　sniff　held　them　both
there　as　though　by　some　third　invisible　power。　He　saw　that　she　was
crying；　he　saw　her　red　nose；　mottled　cheeks；　untidy　hair。　It　was　the
most　awful　moment　of　his　young　life。　He　had　never　seen　a　grown…up
person　cry　before；　he　had　no　idea　that　they　ever　did　cry。　He　had；
indeed；　never　realised　that