jeremy-第23部分

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The　afternoon　was　spoilt　for　him。　He　was　not　even　hungry。　Why　could
he　not　go　to　school　to…morrow；　and　then　challenge　Ernest　to　combat？
But　he　might　challenge　Ernest　without　going　to　school。　。　。　He　had
never　fought　a　real　fight；　but　the　sight　of　his　enemy's　thin；　peaky
body　was　encouraging。

〃Now；　Jeremy；　dear；〃　said　Miss　Maddison；　〃it's　your　turn　to
hide。　。　。〃

Soon　they　all　went　in　to　tea。　Everyone　was　thoroughly　at　home　by
this　time；　and　screamed　and　shouted　quite　in　the　most　natural　manner
in　the　world。　The　long　table　stretched　down　the　whole　room；　almost
from　wall　to　wall；　the　sunlight　played　in　pools　and　splashes　upon
the　carpet　and　the　flowers　and　the　pictures。　There　was　every　sort　of
thing　to　eatthin　bread…and…butter　rolled　up　into　little　curly
sandwiches；　little　cakes　and　big　cakes；　seed　cakes　and　sugar　cakes；
and；　of　course；　saffron　buns；　jam　in　little　shining　dishes；　and　hot
buttered　toast　so　buttery　that；　it　dripped　on　to　your　fingers。

Jeremy　sat　next　to　Mary；　and　behind　him　hovered　Aunt　Amy。　Only　half
an　hour　ago　how　this　would　have　angered　him！　To　have　her　interfering
with　him；　saying：　〃Not　two　at　a　time；　Jeremy；〃　or　〃Pass　the　little
girl　the　sugar；　Jeremyremember　your　manners。〃　or　〃Not　so　big　a
piece；　Jeremy。〃　But　nowhe　did　not　know。　。　。　She　was　one　of　the
family；　and　he　felt　as　though　the　Dean's　Ernest　had　scorned　her　as
well　as　himself。　Also　Mary。　He　felt　kind　to　Mary；　and　when　she
whispered　〃Are　you　enjoying　it；　Jeremy？〃　he　answered　〃Yes；　are　you？〃
Not　because　he　was　really　enjoying　it；　but　because　he　knew　that　she
wanted　him　to　say　that。

He　could　see　Ernest　from　where　he　sat；　and　he　knew　that　Ernest　was
laughing　at　him。　He　remembered　that　he　had　given　Ernest　three
splendid　marbles；　just　before　his　departure　to　school；　as　a
keepsake。　How　he　wished　that　he　had　kept　them！　He　would　never　give
Ernest　anything　again　except　blows。　Mary　might　be　tiresome
sometimes；　but　she　was　his　sister；　and　he　greatly　preferred　her　as　a
girl　to　Ernest's　sisters。　He　could　see　them　now；　greedy；　ugly
things。　。　。

〃Now；　Jeremy；　wipe　your　mouth；〃　said　Aunt　Amy。

He　obeyed　at　once。




III


Tea　over；　they　all　trooped　out　into　the　garden　again。　The　evening
light　now　painted　upon　the　little　green　lawn　strange　trembling
shadows　of　purple　and　grey；　the　old　red　garden　wall　seemed　to　have
crept　forwards；　as　though　it　would　protect　the　house　and　the　garden
from　the　night；　and　a　sky　of　the　faintest　blue　seemed；　with　gentle
approval；　to　bless　the　quiet　town　fading　into　dusk　beneath　it。　Over
the　centre　of　the　lawn　the　sun　was　still　shining；　and　there　it　was
warm　and　light。　But　from　every　side　the　shadows　stealthily　crept
forward。　A　group　of　children　played　against　the　golden　colour；　their
white　dresses　patterns　that　formed　figures　and　broke　and　formed
again。　The　Cathedral　bell　was　ringing　for　evensong；　and　its　notes
stole　about　the　garden；　and　in　and　out　amongst　the　children；　as
though　some　guardian　spirit　watching　over　their　safety　counted　their
numbers。

Jeremy；　feeling　rather　neglected　and　miserable；　stood　in　the　shadow
near　the　oak　on　the　farther　side　of　the　lawn。　He　did　not　want　to
play　with　those　little　girls；　and　yet　he　was　hurt　because　he　had　not
been　asked。　The　party　had　been　a　most　miserable　failure；　and　a　year
ago　it　would　have　been　such　a　success。　He　did　not　know　that　he　was
standing　now；　in　the　middle　of　his　eighth　year；　at　the　parting　of
the　ways；　that　only　yesterday　he　had　been　a　baby；　and　that　he　would
never　be　a　baby　again。　He　did　not　feel　his　independencehe　felt
only　inclined　to　tears　and　a　longing；　that　he　would　never；　never
confess；　even　to　himself；　that　someone　should　come　and　comfort　him！
Nevertheless；　even　at　this　very　moment；　although　he　did　not　know　it；
he；　a　free；　independent　man；　was　facing　the　world　for　the　first　time
on　his　own　legs。　His　mother　might　have　realised　it　had　she　been
therebut　she　was　not。　Mary；　however；　was　there；　and　in　the　very
middle　of　her　game；　searching　for　him；　as　she　was　always　doing；　she
found　him　desolate　under　the　shadow　of　the　oak。　She　slipped　away；
and；　coming　up　to　him　with　the　shyness　and　fear　that　she　always　had
when　she　approached　him；　because　she　loved　him　so　much　and　he　could
so　easily　hurt　her；　said：

〃Aren't　you　coming　to　play；　Jeremy？〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　he　answered　gruffly。

〃It　isn't　any　fun　without　you。〃　She　paused；　and　added：　〃Would　you
mind　if　I　stayed　here　too？〃

〃I'd　rather　you　played；〃　he　said；　and　yet　he　was　comforted　by　her；
determined；　as　he　was；　that　she　should　never　know　it！

〃I'd　rather　stay；〃　she　said；　and　then　gazed；　with　that　melancholy
stare　through　her　large　spectacles　that　always　irritated　Jeremy；　out
across　the　garden。

〃I'm　all　right；〃　he　said　again；　〃only　my　stocking　tickles；　and　I
can't　get　at　itit's　the　back　of　my　leg。　I　say；　Mary；　don't　you
hate　the　Dean's　Ernest？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　she　answered　fervently；　although　she　had　not　thought
about　him　at　allenough　for　her　that　Jeremy　should　hate　him！　Then
she　gasped：　〃Here　he　comes〃

He　was　walking　towards　them　with　a　swagger　of　his　long　yellow　neck
and　his　thin　leggy　body　that　Jeremy　found　especially　offensive。
Jeremy　〃bristled；〃　and　Mary　was　conscious　of　that　bristling。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Ernest。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Jeremy。

〃What　rot　these　silly　games　are！〃　said　Ernest。　〃Why　can't　they　have
something　decent；　like　cricket？〃

Jeremy　had　never　played　cricket；　so　he　said　nothing。　〃At　our
school；〃　said　Ernest；　〃we're　very　good　at　cricket。　We　win　all　our
matches　always〃

〃I　don't　care　about　your　school；〃　said　Jeremy；　breathing　through　his
nose。

The　Dean's　Ernest　was　obviously　surprised　by　this；　he　had　not
expected　it。　His　pale　neck　began　to　flush。

〃Look　here；　young　Cole；〃　he　said；　〃none　of　your　cheek。〃

This　was　a　new　dialect　to　Jeremy；　who　had　no　friends　who　went　to
school。　All　he　said；　however；　breathing　more　fiercely　than　before；
was：　〃I　don't　care〃

〃Oh；　don't　you？〃　said　Ernest。　〃Now；　look　here〃　Then　he　paused；
apparently　uncertain；　for　a　moment；　of　his　courage。　The　sight　of
Mary's　timorous　anxiety；　however；　reassured　him；　and　he　continued：
〃It's　all　right　for　you；　this　sort　of　thing。　You　ought　to　be　in　the
nursery　with　your　old　podge…faced　nurse。　Kids　like　you　oughtn't　to
be　allowed　out　of　their　prams。〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　said　Jeremy　again；　seeing　in　front　of　him　the　whole
family　of　the　Reverend　Dean。　〃Your　school　isn't　much　anyway；　I
expect；　and　I'm　going　to　school　in　September；　and　I'll　wear　just　the
same　things　as　you　do　and〃

He　wanted　to　comment　upon　the　plain　features　of　Ernest's　sisters；
but　his　gentlemanly　courtesy　restrained　him。　He　paused　for　breath；
and　Ernest　seized　his　advantage。

〃You　have　to　have　an　old　aunt　to　look　after　you　anywayan　ugly　old
aunt。　I　wouldn't　have　an　old　aunt　always　hanging　over　me'Now；
Jeremy　dear'　'Blow　your　nose；　Jeremy　dear'　'Wipe　your　feet；
Jeremy　dear。'　Look　at　the　things　she　wears　and　the　way　she　walks。　If
I　did　have　to　have　an　aunt　always　I'd　have　a　decent　one；　not　an　old
clothes　bag。〃

What　happened　to　Jeremy　at　the　moment？　Did　he　recollect　that　only　a
few　hours　before　he　had　been　hating　Aunt　Amy　with　a　fine　frenzy　of
hatred？　For　nearly　a　week　he　had　been　chafing　under　her　restraint；
combating　her　commands；　defying　her　orders。　He　had　been　seeing　her
as　everything　that　the　Dean's　Ernest　had　but　now　been　calling　her。
Now　he　only　saw　her　as　someone　to　be　defended；　someone　who　was　his；
someone　even　who　depended　on　him　for　support。　He　would　have
challenged　a　whole　world　of　Deans　in　her　defence。

He　said　something；　but　no　one　could　hear　his　words；　then　he　sprang
upon　the　startled　Ernest。

It　was　not　a　very　distinguished　combat；　it　was　Jeremy's　first
battle；　and　he　knew　at　that　time　nothing　of　the　science　of　fighting。
The　Dean's　Ernest；　in　spite　of　his　term　at　school；　also　knew
nothingand　the　Dean's　Ernest　was　a　coward。　。　。

It　lasted　but　a　short　while；　for　Mary；　after　the　first　pause　of
horrified　amazement　（aware　only　that　Ernest　was　twice　as　big　as　her
Jeremy）；　ran　to　appeal　to　authority。　Jeremy　himself　was　aware
neither　of　time　nor　prudence。　He　realised　immediately　that　Ernest
was　a　coward；　and　this　realisation　filled　him　with　joy　and
happiness。　He　had　seized　Ernest　by　his　long　yellow　neck；　and；　with
his　other　hand；　he　struck　at　eyes　and　cheeks　and　nose。　He　did　not
secure　much　purchase　for　his　blows　because　their　bodies　were　very
close　against　one　another；　but　he　felt　the　soft　flesh　yield　and
suddenly　something　wet　against　his　hand　which　must；　he　knew；　be
blood。　And　all　the　time　he　was　thinking　to　himself：　〃I'll　teach　him
to　say　things　about　Aunt　Amy！　Aunt　Amy's　mine！　I'll　teach　him！　He
shan't　touch　Aunt　Amy！　He　shan't　touch　Aunt　Amy！　。　。　。〃

Ernest　meanwhile　kicked　and　kicked　hard；　he　also　tried　to　bite
Jeremy's　hand　and　also　to　pull　his　hair。　But　his　own　terror
handicapped　him；　every　inch　of　his　body　was　alarmed；　and　that　alarm
prevented　the　freedom　of　his　limbs。　Then　when　he　felt　the　blood　from
his　nose　trickle　on　to　his　cheek　his　resistance　was　at　an　end；　panic
flooded　over　him　like　water。　He　broke　away　and　flung　himself　howling
on　to　the　ground；　kicking　his　legs　and　screaming：

〃It　isn't　fair！　He's　bitten　me！　Take　him　away！　Take　him　away！〃

Jeremy　himself　was　no　beautiful　sight。　His　hair　was　wild；　his　white
navy　collar　crumpled　and　soiled；　the　buttons　of　his　tunic　torn；　his
stocking　down；　and　his　legs　already　displaying　purple　bruises。　But
he　did　not　care；　he　was　well　now；　he　was　no　longer　unhappy。

He　had　beaten　Ernest　and　he　was　a　man；　he　had　risen　victorious　from
his　first　fight；　and　Authority　might　storm　as　it　pleased。　Authority
soon　arrived；　and　there　were；　of　course；　many　cries　and
exclamations。　Ernest　was　led　away　still　howling；　Jeremy；　stubborn；
obstinate；　and　silent；　was　also　led　away。　。　。。　A　disgraceful
incident。

Aunt　Amy；　of　course；　was　disgusted。　Couldn't　leave　the　boy　alone　one
minute　but　he　must　misbehave　himself；　upset　the　party；　be　the　little
ruffian　that　he　always　was。　She　had　always　said　that　his　mother
spoiled　him；　and　here　were　the　fruits　of　that　foolishness。　How　could
she　ever　say　enough　to　Miss　Maddison？　Her　delightful　party
completely　ruined！。　。　。　Shocking！。　。　。　Sh