dream days-第10节

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was　distinguishable　was；　〃We're…goin'…to…the…circus！〃　and　then；

once　more；　〃We're…goin'…to…the…circus！〃the　sweet　rhythmic

phrase　repeated　again　and　again。　　But　indeed　I　cannot　be　quite

sure；　for　I　heard　confusedly；　as　in　a　dream。　　Wings　of　fire

sprang　from　the　old　mare's　shoulders。　　We　whirled　on　our　way

through　purple　clouds；　and　earth　and　the　rattle　of　wheels　were

far　away　below。



The　dream　and　the　dizziness　were　still　in　my　head　when　I　found

myself；　scarce　conscious　of　intermediate　steps；　seated　actually

in　the　circus　at　last；　and　took　in　the　first　sniff　of　that

intoxicating　circus　smell　that　will　stay　by　me　while　this

clay　endures。　　The　place　was　beset　by　a　hum　and　a　glitter　and　a

mist；　suspense　brooded　large　o'er　the　blank；　mysterious　arena。　

Strung　up　to　the　highest　pitch　of　expectation；　we　knew　not　from

what　quarter；　in　what　divine　shape；　the　first　surprise　would

come。



A　thud　of　unseen　hoofs　first　set　us　aquiver；　then　a　crash　of

cymbals；　a　jangle　of　bells；　a　hoarse　applauding　roar；　and　Coralie

was　in　the　midst　of　us；　whirling　past　'twixt　earth　and　sky；　now

erect；　flushed；　radiant；　now　crouched　to　the　flowing　mane；　swung

and　tossed　and　moulded　by　the　maddening　dance…music　of　the　band。　

The　mighty　whip　of　the　count　in　the　frock…coat　marked　time　with

pistol…shots；　his　war…cry；　whooping　clear　above　the　music；　fired

the　blood　with　a　passion　for　splendid　deeds；　as　Coralie；

laughing；　exultant；　crashed　through　the　paper　hoops。　　We

gripped　the　red　cloth　in　front　of　us；　and　our　souls　sped　round

and　round　with　Coralie；　leaping　with　her；　prone　with　her；　swung

by　mane　or　tail　with　her。　　It　was　not　only　the　ravishment　of　her

delirious　feats；　nor　her　cream　coloured　horse　of　fairy　breed；

long…tailed；　roe…footed；　an　enchanted　prince　surely；　if　ever

there　was　one！　　It　was　her　more　than　mortal　beautydisplayed；

too；　under　conditions　never　vouchsafed　to　us　beforethat　held　us

spell…bound。　　What　princess　had　arms　so　dazzlingly　white；　or　went

delicately　clothed　in　such　pink　and　spangles？　　Hitherto　we　had

known　the　outward　woman　as　but　a　drab　thing；　hour…glass　shaped；

nearly　legless；　bunched　here；　constricted　there；　slow　of

movement；　and　given　to　deprecating　lusty　action　of　limb。　　Here

was　a　revelation！　　From　henceforth　our　imaginations　would　have　to

be　revised　and　corrected　up　to　date。　　In　one　of　those　swift

rushes　the　mind　makes　in　high…strung　moments；　I　saw　myself　and

Coralie；　close　enfolded；　pacing　the　world　together；　o'er　hill　and

plain；　through　storied　cities；　past　rows　of　applauding

relations；I　in　my　Sunday　knickerbockers；　she　in　her　pink　and

spangles。



Summers　sicken；　flowers　fail　and　die；　all　beauty　but　rides　round

the　ring　and　out　at　the　portal；　even　so　Coralie　passed　in　her

turn；　poised　sideways；　panting；　on　her　steed；　lightly　swayed　as　a

tulip…bloom；　bowing　on　this　side　and　on　that　as　she　disappeared；

and　with　her　went　my　heart　and　my　soul；　and　all　the　light　and　the

glory　and　the　entrancement　of　the　scene。



Harold　woke　up　with　a　gasp。　　〃Wasn't　she　beautiful？〃　he　said；　in

quite　a　subdued　way　for　him。　　I　felt　a　momentary　pang。　　We　had

been　friendly　rivals　before；　in　many　an　exploit；　but　here　was

altogether　a　more　serious　affair。　　Was　this；　then；　to　be　the

beginning　of　strife　and　coldness；　of　civil　war　on　the　hearthstone

and　the　sundering　of　old　ties？　　Then　I　recollected　the　true

position　of　things；　and　felt　very　sorry　for　Harold；　for　it　was

inexorably　written　that　he　would　have　to　give　way　to　me；　since　I

was　the　elder。　　Rules　were　not　made　for　nothing；　in　a　sensibly

constructed　universe。



There　was　little　more　to　wait　for；　now　Coralie　had　gone；　yet　I

lingered　still；　on　the　chance　of　her　appearing　again。　　Next

moment　the　clown　tripped　up　and　fell　flat；　with　magnificent

artifice；　and　at　once　fresh　emotions　began　to　stir。　　Love　had

endured　its　little　hour；　and　stern　ambition　now　asserted　itself。　

Oh；　to　be　a　splendid　fellow　like　this；　self…contained；　ready　of

speech；　agile　beyond　conception；　braving　the　forces　of　society；

his　hand　against　everyone；　yet　always　getting　the　best　of　it！　

What　freshness　of　humour；　what　courtesy　to　dames；　what

triumphant　ability　to　discomfit　rivals；　frock…coated　and

moustached　though　they　might　be！　　And　what　a　grand；　self…

confident　straddle　of　the　legs！　　Who　could　desire　a　finer　career

than　to　go　through　life　thus　gorgeously　equipped！　　Success　was

his　key…note；　adroitness　his　panoply；　and　the　mellow　music　of

laughter　his　instant　reward。　　Even　Coralie's　image　wavered　and

receded。　　I　would　come　back　to　her　in　the　evening；　of　course；　but

I　would　be　a　clown　all　the　working　hours　of　the　day。



The　short　interval　was　ended：　the　band；　with　long…drawn　chords；

sounded　a　prelude　touched　with　significance；　and　the　programme；

in　letters　overtopping　their　fellows；　proclaimed　Zephyrine；　the

Bride　of　the　Desert；　in　her　unequalled　bareback　equestrian

interlude。　　So　sated　was　I　already　with　beauty　and　with　wit；　that

I　hardly　dared　hope　for　a　fresh　emotion。　　Yet　her　title　was

tinged　with　romance；　and　Coralie's　display　had　aroused　in　me

an　interest　in　her　sex　which　even　herself　had　failed　to　satisfy

entirely。



Brayed　in　by　trumpets；　Zephyrine　swung　passionately　into　the

arena。　　With　a　bound　she　stood　erect；　one　foot　upon　each　of　her

supple；　plunging　Arabs；　and　at　once　I　knew　that　my　fate　was

sealed；　my　chapter　closed；　and　the　Bride　of　the　Desert　was　the

one　bride　for　me。　　Black　was　her　raiment；　great　silver　stars

shone　through　it；　caught　in　the　dusky　twilight　of　her　gauze；

black　as　her　own　hair　were　the　two　mighty　steeds　she　bestrode。　

In　a　tempest　they　thundered　by；　in　a　whirlwind；　a　scirocco　of

tan；　her　cheeks　bore　the　kiss　of　an　Eastern　sun；　and　the　sand…

storms　of　her　native　desert　were　her　satellites。　　What　was

Coralie；　with　her　pink　silk；　her　golden　hair　and　slender　limbs；

beside　this　magnificent；　full…figured　Cleopatra？　　In　a　twinkling

we　were　scouring　the　desertshe　and　I　and　the　two　coal…

black　horses。　　Side　by　side；　keeping　pace　in　our　swinging　gallop；

we　distanced　the　ostrich；　we　outstrode　the　zebra；　and；　as　we

went；　it　seemed　the　wilderness　blossomed　like　the　rose。





。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。



I　know　not　rightly　how　we　got　home　that　evening。　　On　the　road

there　were　everywhere　strange　presences；　and　the　thud　of　phantom

hoofs　encircled　us。　　In　my　nose　was　the　pungent　circus…smell；　the

crack　of　the　whip　and　the　frank　laugh　of　the　clown　were　in　my

ears。　　The　funny　man　thoughtfully　abstained　from　conversation；

and　left　our　illusion　quite　alone；　sparing　us　all　jarring

criticism　and　analysis；　and　he　gave　me　no　chance；　when　he

deposited　us　at　our　gate；　to　get　rid　of　the　clumsy　expressions　of

gratitude　I　had　been　laboriously　framing。　　For　the　rest　of　the

evening；　distraught　and　silent；　I　only　heard　the　march…music　of

the　band；　playing　on　in　some　corner　of　my　brain。　　When　at

last　my　head　touched　the　pillow；　in　a　trice　I　was　with　Zephyrine；

riding　the　boundless　Sahara；　cheek　to　cheek；　the　world　well　lost；

while　at　times；　through　the　sand…clouds　that　encircled　us；

glimmered　the　eyes　of　Coralie；　touched；　one　fancied；　with

something　of　a　tender　reproach。









ITS　WALLS　WERE　AS　OF　JASPER



In　the　long　winter　evenings；　when　we　had　the　picture…books　out　on

the　floor；　and　sprawled　together　over　them　with　elbows　deep　in

the　hearth…rug；　the　first　business　to　be　gone　through　was　the

process　of　allotment。　　All　the　characters　in　the　pictures　had　to

be　assigned　and　dealt　out　among　us；　according　to　seniority；　as

far　as　they　would　go。　　When　once　that　had　been　satisfactorily

completed；　the　story　was　allowed　to　proceed；　and　thereafter；　in

addition　to　the　excitement　of　the　plot；　one　always　possessed　a

personal　interest　in　some　particular　member　of　the　cast；　whose

successes　or　rebuffs　one　took　as　so　much　private　gain　or　loss。



For　Edward　this　was　satisfactory　enough。　　Claiming　his　right　of

the　eldest；　he　would　annex　the　hero　in　the　very

frontispiece；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　story　his　career；　if

chequered　at　intervals；　was　sure　of　heroic　episodes　and　a

glorious　close。　　But　his　juniors；　who　had　to　put　up　with

characters　of　a　clay　more　mixednay；　sometimes　with　undiluted

villainywere　hard　put　to　it　on　occasion　to　defend　their　other

selves　（as　it　was　strict　etiquette　to　do）　from　ignominy　perhaps

only　too　justly　merited。　　Edward　was　indeed　a　hopeless　grabber。　

In　the　〃Buffalo…book；〃　for　instance　（so　named　from　the　subject　of

its　principal　picture；　though　indeed　it　dealt　with　varied

slaughter　in　every　zone）；　Edward　was　the　stalwart；　bearded

figure；　with　yellow　leggings　and　a　powder…horn；　who　undauntedly

discharged　the　fatal　bullet　into　the　shoulder　of　the　great　bull

bison；　charging　home　to　within　a　yard　of　his　muzzle。　　To　me　was

allotted　the　subsidiary　character　of　the　friend　who　had　succeeded

in　bringing　down　a　cow；　while　Harold　had　to　be　content　to

hold　Edward's　spare　rifle　in　the　ba