jeremy-第34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！


provisions　spread　outpasties　for　everybody；　egg…sandwiches；　seed…
cake；　and　jam…puffsand　ginger　beer。　It　looked　a　fine　feast　when　it
was　all　there；　and　Mrs。　Cole；　as　she　gave　the　final　touch　to　it　by
placing　a　drinking　glass　containing　two　red　rose…buds　in　the　middle；
felt　proud　of　her　efforts　and　hoped　that　after　all　the　affair　might
pass　off　bravely。　But　alas；　how　easily　the　proudest　plans　fall　to
the　ground。

〃I　hope；　Alice；　you　haven't　forgotten　the　salt！〃

Instantly　Mrs。　Cole　knew　that　she　had　forgotten　it。　She　could　see
herself　standing　there　in　Mrs。　Monk's　kitchen　forgetting　it。　How
could　she？　And　Mrs。　Monk；　how　could　SHE？　It　had　never　been　forgotten
before。

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said　wildly。　〃Oh；　no！　I'm　sure　I　can't　have　forgotten
it。〃

She　plunged　about；　her　red　face　all　creased　with　anxiety；　her　hat　on
one　side；　her　hands　searching　everywhere；　under　the　tablecloth；　in
the　basket；　amongst　the　knives　and　forks。

〃Jim；　you　haven't　dropped　anything？〃

〃No；　mum。　Beggin'　your　pardon；　mum；　the　basket　was　closed；　so　to
speakclosed　it　was。〃

No；　she　knew　that　she　had　forgotten　it。

〃I'm　so　sorry；　Mrs。　Le　Page；　I'm　afraid〃

〃My　dear　Mrs。　Cole！　What　does　it　matter？　Not　in　the　least；　I　assure
you。　In　this　heat　it's　impossible　to　feel　hungry；　isn't　it？　I　assure
you　I　don't　feel　as　though　I　could　touch　a　thing。　A　little　fruit；
perhapsan　apple　or　a　peach〃

Fruit？　Why　hadn't　Mrs。　Cole　brought　fruit？　She　might　so　easily　have
done　so；　and　she　had　never　thought　about　it。　They　themselves　were
rather　tired　of　fruit；　and　so

〃I'm　afraid　we've　no　fruit；　but　an　egg…sandwich〃

〃Eggs　need　salt；　don't　you　think？　Not　that　it　matters　in　the　very
least；　but　so　that　you　shouldn't　think　me　fussy。　Really；　dear　Mrs。
Cole；　I　never　felt　less　hungry　in　my　life。　Just　a　drop　of　milk　and
I'm　perfectly　satisfied。〃

〃Jeremy　shall　run　up　to　the　farm　for　the　milk。　You　don't　mind；
Jeremy　dear；　do　you？　It's　only　a　step。　Just　take　this　sixpence；
dear；　and　say　we'll　send　the　jug　back　this　afternoon　if　they'll
spare　one。〃

Jeremy　did　mind。　He　was　enjoying　his　luncheon；　and　he　was　gazing　at
Charlotte；　and　he　was　teasing　Hamlet　with　scrapshe　was　very　happy。
Nevertheless；　he　started　off。

So　soon　as　he　left　the　sands　the　noise　of　the　sea　was　shut　off　from
him；　and　he　was　climbing　the　little　green　path　up　which　the　Scarlet
Admiral　had　once　stalked。

Suddenly　he　rememberedin　his　excitement　about　Charlotte　he　had
forgotten　the　Admiral。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　listening。　The　green
hedge　shut　off　the　noise　of　the　seaonly　above　his　head　some　birds
were　twittering。　He　fancied　that　he　heard　footsteps；　then　that
beyond　the　hedge　something　was　moving。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the
birds　were　also　listening　for　something。　〃Well；　it's　the　middle　of
the　afternoon；　anyway。〃　He　thought　to　himself；　〃He　never　comes
thereonly　in　the　morning　or　evening；〃　but　he　hurried　forward　after
that；　wishing　that　he　had　called　to　Hamlet　to　accompany　him。　It　was
a　pleasant　climb　to　the　farm　through　the　green　orchard；　and　he　found
at　the　farm　door　an　agreeable　woman　who　smiled　at　him　when　she　gave
him　the　milk。　He　had　to　come　down　the　hill　carefully；　lest　the　milk
should　be　spilt。　He　walked　along　very　happily；　humming　to　himself
and　thinking　in　a　confused　summer　afternoon　kind　of　manner　of
Charlotte；　Hamlet；　Mrs。　Le　Page　and　himself。　〃Shall　I　give　her　the
thimble　or　shan't　I？　I　could　take　her　to　the　pools　where　the　little
crabs　are。　She'd　like　them。　I　wonder　whether　we're　going　to　bathe。
Mrs。　Le　Page　will　look　funny　bathing。　。　。〃　Then　he　was　in　the　green
lane　again；　and　at　once　his　discomfort　returned　to　him；　and　he
looked　around　his　shoulder　and　into　the　hedges；　and　stopped　once　and
again　to　listen。　There　was　no　sound。　The　birds；　it　seemed；　had　all
fallen　to　sleep。　The　hedges；　he　thought；　were　closer　about　him。　It
was　very　hot　here；　with　no　breeze　and　no　comforting　sound　of　the
sea。　〃I　wonder　whether　he　really　does　come；〃　he　thought。　〃It　must　be
horrid　to　see　himcoming　quite　close。〃　And　the　thought　of　the　Fool
also　frightened　him。　The　Fool　with　his　tongue　out　and　his　shaking
legs；　like　the　idiot　who　lived　near　the　Cathedral　at　home。　At　the
thought　of　this　Jeremy　suddenly　took　to　his　legs　and　ran；　covering
the　top　of　his　jug　with　his　hand；　then；　when　he　came　out　on　to　the
strip　of　grass　that　crossed　the　top　of　the　beach；　he　stopped；
suddenly　ashamed　of　himself。　Scarlet　Admirals！　Scarlet　Admirals！　How
could　there　be　Scarlet　Admirals　in　a　world　that　also　contained　so
blazing　a　sun；　so　blue　a　sea；　and　the　gorgeous　realities　of　the　Le
Page　family。　He　arrived　at　the　luncheon　party　hot　and　proud　and
smiling；　so　cheerful　and　stolid　and　agreeable　that　even　Mrs。　Le　Page
was　compelled　to　say；　〃Really；　Mrs。　Cole；　that's　a　very　nice　little
boy　of　yours。　Come　here；　little　Jeremy；　and　talk　to　me！〃　How　deeply
he　hated　being　called　〃little　Jeremy〃　only　Mary　and　Helen　knew。
Their　eyes　flew　to　his　face　to　see　how　he　would　take　it。　He　took　it
very　well。　He　sat　down　beside　Mrs。　Le　Page；　who　very　gracefully　and
languidly　sipped　at　her　glass　of　milk。

〃How　old　are　you；　Jeremy　dear？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Eight；〃　he　answered；　wriggling。

〃What　a　nice　age！　And　one　day　you'll　go　to　school？〃

〃In　September。〃

〃And　what　will　you　be　when　you're　a　man？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　I'll　be　a　soldier；　perhaps。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　like　to　be　a　soldier　and　kill　people。〃

〃Yes；　I　would。　There's　lots　of　people　I'd　like　to　kill。〃

Mrs。　Le　Page　drew　her　skirts　back　a　little。

〃How　horrible！　I'm　sure　your　mother　wouldn't　like　to　hear　that。〃

But　Mr。　Cole　had　caught　the　last　words　of　the　dialogue　and
interrupted　with：

〃But　what　could　be　finer；　Mrs。　Le　Page；　than　the　defence　of　one's
country？　Would　you　have　our　young　lads　grow　up　faint…hearted　and
fail　their　Motherland　when　she　calls？　What　can　be　finer；　I　say；　than
to　die　for　Queen　and　country？　Would　not　every　mother　have　her　son
shed　his　blood　for　liberty　and　freedom？　。　。　。　No；　Jeremy；　not
another。　You've　had　quite　enough。　It　would　indeed　be　a　disheartening
sight　if　we　elders　were　to　watch　our　sons　and　grandchildren　turning
their　swords　into　ploughshares〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　shrill　cry　from　Mrs。　Le　Page：

〃Charlotte；　darling；　do　hold　your　sunshade　up。　All　the　left　side　of
your　face　is　exposed。　That's　better；　dear。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。
Cole。〃

But　Mr。　Cole　was　offended。

〃I　hope　no　son　of　mine　will　ever　show　himself　a　faint　heart；〃　he
concluded　severely。

The　luncheon；　in　fact；　had　been　a　most　dismal　failure。　The　Coles
could　fling　their　minds　back　to　luncheons　on　this　same　beach　that
had　been　simply　riotous　successes。　What　fun　they　had　had！　What
games！　What　bathes？　Now　the　very　sight　of　Mr。　Le　Page's　black　beard
was　enough。　Even　Jeremy　felt　that　things　were　wrong。　Then　he　looked
at　Charlotte　and　was　satisfied。　There　she　sat；　straight　and　stiff；
her　hands　on　her　lap；　her　hair　falling　in　lovely　golden　ripples　down
her　back；　her　gaze　fixed　on　distance。　Oh！　she　was　beautiful！　He
would　do　whatever　she　told　him；　he　would　give　her　Miss　Noah　and　the
apple　tree；　he　wouldA　sound　disturbed　his　devotions。　He　turned。
Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Le　Page　were　fast　asleep。




IV


〃Children；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Cole；　〃very　quietly　now；　so　that　you
don't　disturb　anyone；　run　off　to　the　farther　beach　and　play。　Helen；
you'll　see　that　everything　is　all　right；　won't　you？〃

It　was　only　just　in　time　that　Jeremy　succeeded　in　strangling
Hamlet's　bark　into　a　snort；　and　even　then　they　all　looked　round　for
a　moment　at　the　sleepers　in　the　greatest　anxiety。　But　no；　they　had
not　been　disturbed。　If　only　Mr。　Le　Page　could　have　known　what　he
resembled　lying　there　with　his　mouth　open！　But　he　did　not　know。　He
was　doubtless　dreaming　of　his　property。

The　children　crept　away。　Charlotte　and　Jeremy　together。　Jeremy's
heart　beat　thickly。　At　last　he　had　the　lovely　creature　in　his
charge。　It　was　true　that　he　did　not　quite　know　what　he　was　going　to
do　with　her；　and　that　even　now；　in　the　height　of　his　admiration；　he
did　wish　that　she　would　not　walk　as　though　she　were　treading　on　red…
hot　ploughshares；　and　that　she　could　talk　a　little　instead　of　giving
little　shivers　of　apprehension　at　every　step。

〃I　must　say；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃she's　rather　silly　in　some
ways。　Perhaps　it　wouldn't　be　fun　to　see　her　always。〃

They　turned　the　corner　round　a　projecting　finger　of　rock；　and　a　new
little　beach；　white　and　gleaming；　lay　in　front　of　them。

〃Well；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃here　we　are。　What　shall　we　play？〃

There　was　dead　silence。

〃We　might　play　pirates；〃　he　continued。　〃I'll　be　the　pirate；　and　Mary
can　sit　on　that　rock　until　the　water　comes　round　her；　and　Charlotte
shall　hide　in　that　cave〃

There　was　still　silence。　Looking　about　him；　he　discovered　from　his
sisters'　countenances　that　they　were　resolved　to　lend　no　kind　of
assistance；　and　he　then　from　that　deduced　the　simple　fact　that　his
sisters　hated　Charlotte　and　were　not　going　to　make　it　pleasant　for
her　in　any　way　if　they　could　help　it。　Oh！　it　was　a　miserable　picnic！
The　worst　that　he'd　ever　had。

〃It's　too　hot　to　play；〃　said　Helen　loftily。　〃I'm　going　to　sit　down
over　there。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　Mary。

They　moved　away；　their　heads　in　the　air　and　their　legs　ridiculously
stiff。

Jeremy　gazed　at　Charlotte　in　distress。　It　was　very　wicked　of　his
sisters　to　go　off　like　that；　but　it　was　also　very　silly　of　Charlotte
to　stand　there　so　helplessly。　He　was　beginning　to　think　that　perhaps
he　would　give　the　thimble　to　Miss　Jones　after　all。

〃Would　you　like　to　go　and　see　the　pool　where　the　little　crabs　are？〃
he　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　her　upper　lip　trembling　as　though　she
were　going　to　cry。　〃I　want　to　go　home　with　Mother。〃

〃You　can't　go　home；〃　he　said　firmly；　〃and　you　can't　see　your　mother；
because　she's　asleep。〃

〃I've　made　my　shoes　dirty；〃　she　said；　looking　down　at　her　feet；　〃and
I'm　so　tired　of　holding　my　sunshade。〃

〃I　should　shut　it　up；〃　Jeremy　said　without　any　hesitation。　〃I　think
it's　a　silly　thing。　I'm　glad　I'm　not　a　girl。　Do　you　have　to　take　it
with　you　everywhere？〃

〃Not　if　it's　raining。　Then　I　have　an　umbrella。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　come　and　see　the　crabs；〃　he　settled。　〃They're
only　just　ove