dream days-第2节

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absorbedly。



〃It's　Trafalgar　Day；〃　went　on　Selina；　trancedly；　〃Trafalgar　Day

and　nobody　cares！〃



Something　in　her　tone　told　Harold　that　he　was　not　behaving　quite

becomingly。　　He　didn't　exactly　know　in　what　manner；　still；　he

abandoned　his　mole…hunt　for　a　more　courteous　attitude　of

attention。



〃Over　there；〃　resumed　Selinashe　was　gazing　out　in　the　direction

of　the　old　highroad〃over　there　the　coaches　used　to　go　by。　

Uncle　Thomas　was　telling　me　about　it　the　other　day。　　And　the

people　used　to　watch　for　'em　coming；　to　tell　the　time　by；　and

p'r'aps　to　get　their　parcels。　　And　one　morningthey　wouldn't　be

expecting　anything　differentone　morning；　first　there　would　be　a

cloud　of　dust；　as　usual；　and　then　the　coach　would　come　racing

by；　and　THEN　they　would　know！　　For　the　coach　would　be　dressed

in　laurel；　all　laurel　from　stem　to　stern！　　And　the　coachman　would

be　wearing　laurel；　and　the　guard　would　be　wearing　laurel；　and

then　they　would　know；　then　they　would　know！〃



Harold　listened　in　respectful　silence。　　He　would　much　rather　have

been　hunting　the　mole；　who　must　have　been　a　mile　away　by　this

time　if　he　had　his　wits　about　him。　　But　he　had　all　the　natural

instincts　of　a　gentleman；　of　whom　it　is　one　of　the　principal

marks；　if　not　the　complete　definition；　never　to　show　signs　of

being　bored。



Selina　rose　to　her　feet；　and　paced　the　turf　restlessly　with　a

short　quarter…deck　walk。



〃Why　can't　we　DO　something？〃　she　burst　out　presently。　

〃HEhe　did　everythingwhy　can't　we　do　anything　for　him？〃



〃WHO　did　everything？〃　inquired　Harold；　meekly。　　It　was　useless

wasting　further　longings　on　that　mole。　　Like　the　dead；　he

travelled　fast。



〃Why；　Nelson；　of　course；〃　said　Selina；　shortly；　still　looking

restlessly　around　for　help　or　suggestion。



〃But　he'she's　DEAD；　isn't　he？〃　asked　Harold；　slightly

puzzled。



〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃　retorted　his　sister；　resuming

her　caged…lion　promenade。



Harold　was　somewhat　taken　aback。　　In　the　case　of　the　pig；　for

instance；　whose　last　outcry　had　now　passed　into　stillness；　he　had

considered　the　chapter　as　finally　closed。　　Whatever　innocent

mirth　the　holidays　might　hold　in　store　for　Edward；　that

particular　pig；　at　least；　would　not　be　a　contributor。　　And　now　he

was　given　to　understand　that　the　situation　had　not　materially

changed！　　He　would　have　to　revise　his　ideas；　it　seemed。　

Sitting　up　on　end；　he　looked　towards　the　garden　for　assistance　in

the　task。　　Thence；　even　as　he　gazed；　a　tiny　column　of　smoke　rose

straight　up　into　the　still　air。　　The　gardener　had　been　sweeping

that　afternoon；　and　now；　an　unconscious　priest；　was　offering　his

sacrifice　of　autumn　leaves　to　the　calm…eyed　goddess　of　changing

hues　and　chill　forebodings　who　was　moving　slowly　about　the　land

that　golden　afternoon。　　Harold　was　up　and　off　in　a　moment；

forgetting　Nelson；　forgetting　the　pig；　the　mole；　the　Larkin

betrayal；　and　Selina's　strange　fever　of　conscience。　　Here　was

fire；　real　fire；　to　play　with；　and　that　was　even　better　than

messing　with　water；　or　remodelling　the　plastic　surface　of　the

earth。　　Of　all　the　toys　the　world　provides　for　right…minded

persons；　the　original　elements　rank　easily　the　first。



But　Selina　sat　on　where　she　was；　her　chin　on　her　fists；　and

her　fancies　whirled　and　drifted；　here　and　there；　in　curls　and

eddies；　along　with　the　smoke　she　was　watching。　　As　the　quick…

footed　dusk　of　the　short　October　day　stepped　lightly　over　the

garden；　little　red　tongues　of　fire　might　be　seen　to　leap　and

vanish　in　the　smoke。　　Harold；　anon　staggering　under　armfuls　of

leaves；　anon　stoking　vigorously；　was　discernible　only　at　fitful

intervals。　　It　was　another　sort　of　smoke　that　the　inner　eye　of

Selina　was　looking　upon；a　smoke　that　hung　in　sullen　banks　round

the　masts　and　the　hulls　of　the　fighting　ships；　a　smoke　from

beneath　which　came　thunder　and　the　crash　and　the　splinter…rip；

the　shout　of　the　boarding　party；　the　choking　sob　of　the　gunner

stretched　by　his　gun；　a　smoke　from　out　of　which　at　last　she　saw；

as　through　a　riven　pall；　the　radiant　spirit　of　the　Victor；

crowned　with　the　coronal　of　a　perfect　death；　leap　in　full

assurance　up　into　the　ether　that　Immortals　breathe。　　The　dusk　was

glooming　towards　darkness　when　she　rose　and　moved　slowly　down

towards　the　beckoning　fire；　something　of　the　priestess　in　her

stride；　something　of　the　devotee　in　the　set　purpose　of　her　eye。



The　leaves　were　well　alight　by　this　time；　and　Harold　had　just

added　an　old　furze　bush；　which　flamed　and　crackled　stirringly。



〃Go　'n'　get　some　more　sticks；〃　ordered　Selina；　〃and　shavings；　'n'

chunks　of　wood；　'n'　anything　you　can　find。　　Look　herein　the

kitchen…garden　there's　a　pile　of　old　pea…sticks。　　Fetch　as　many

as　you　can　carry；　and　then　go　back　and　bring　some　more！〃



〃But　I　say；〃　began　Harold；　amazedly；　scarce　knowing　his　sister；

and　with　a　vision　of　a　frenzied　gardener；　pea…stickless　and

threatening　retribution。



〃Go　and　fetch　'em　quick！　〃　shouted　Selina；　stamping　with

impatience。



Harold　ran　off　at　once；　true　to　the　stern　system　of　discipline　in

which　he　had　been　nurtured。　　But　his　eyes　were　like　round　O's；

and　as　he　ran　he　talked　fast　to　himself；　in　evident　disorder　of

mind。



The　pea…sticks　made　a　rare　blaze；　and　the　fire；　no　longer

smouldering　sullenly；　leapt　up　and　began　to　assume　the　appearance

of　a　genuine　bonfire。　　Harold；　awed　into　silence　at　first；　began

to　jump　round　it　with　shouts　of　triumph。　　Selina　looked　on

grimly；　with　knitted　brow；　she　was　not　yet　fully　satisfied。　

〃Can't　you　get　any　more　sticks？〃　she　said　presently。　　〃Go　and

hunt　about。　　Get　some　old　hampers　and　matting　and　things　out　of

the　tool…house。　　Smash　up　that　old　cucumber　frame　Edward　shoved

you　into；　the　day　we　were　playing　scouts　and　Mohicans。　　Stop

a　bit！　　Hooray！　　I　know。　　You　come　along　with　me。〃



Hard　by　there　was　a　hot…house；　Aunt　Eliza's　special　pride　and

joy；　and　even　grimly　approved　of　by　the　gardener。　　At　one　end；　in

an　out…house　adjoining；　the　necessary　firing　was　stored；　and　to

this　sacred　fuel；　of　which　we　were　strictly　forbidden　to　touch　a

stick；　Selina　went　straight。　　Harold　followed　obediently；

prepared　for　any　crime　after　that　of　the　pea…sticks；　but　pinching

himself　to　see　if　he　were　really　awake。



〃You　bring　some　coals；〃　said　Selina　briefly；　without　any　palaver

or　pro…and…con　discussion。　　〃Here's　a　basket。　　I'LL　manage　the

faggots！〃



In　a　very　few　minutes　there　was　little　doubt　about　its　being　a

genuine　bonfire　and　no　paltry　makeshift。　　Selina；　a　Maenad　now；

hatless　and　tossing　disordered　locks；　all　the　dross　of　the　young

lady　purged　out　of　her；　stalked　around　the　pyre　of　her　own

purloining；　or　prodded　it　with　a　pea…stick。　　And　as　she　prodded

she　murmured　at　intervals；　〃I　KNEW　there　was　something　we

could　do！　　It　isn't　muchbut　still　it's　SOMETHING！〃



The　gardener　had　gone　home　to　his　tea。　　Aunt　Eliza　had　driven　out

for　hers　a　long　way　off；　and　was　not　expected　back　till　quite

late；　and　this　far　end　of　the　garden　was　not　overlooked　by　any

windows。　　So　the　Tribute　blazed　on　merrily　unchecked。　　Villagers

far　away；　catching　sight　of　the　flare；　muttered　something　about

〃them　young　devils　at　their　tricks　again；〃　and　trudged　on　beer…

wards。　　Never　a　thought　of　what　day　it　was；　never　a　thought　for

Nelson；　who　preserved　their　honest　pint…pots；　to　be　paid　for　in

honest　pence；　and　saved　them　from　litres　and　decimal　coinage。　

Nearer　at　hand；　frightened　rabbits　popped　up　and　vanished　with　a

flick　of　white　tails；　scared　birds　fluttered　among　the

branches；　or　sped　across　the　glade　to　quieter　sleeping…quarters；

but　never　a　bird　nor　a　beast　gave　a　thought　to　the　hero　to　whom

they　owed　it　that　each　year　their　little　homes　of　horsehair；

wool；　or　moss；　were　safe　stablished　'neath　the　flap　of　the

British　flag；　and　that　Game　Laws；　quietly　permanent；　made　la

chasse　a　terror　only　to　their　betters。　　No　one　seemed　to　know；

nor　to　care；　nor　to　sympathise。　　In　all　the　ecstasy　of　her　burnt…

offering　and　sacrifice；　Selina　stood　alone。



And　yetnot　quite　alone！　　For；　as　the　fire　was　roaring　at　its

best；　certain　stars　stepped　delicately　forth　on　the　surface　of

the　immensity　above；　and　peered　down　doubtfullywith　wonder　at

first；　then　with　interest；　then　with　recognition；　with　a　start　of

glad　surprise。　　THEY　at　least　knew　all　about　it；　THEY


understood。　　Among　THEM　the　Name　was　a　daily　familiar

word；　his　story　was　a　part　of　the　music　to　which　they　swung；

himself　was　their　fellow　and　their　mate　and　comrade。　　So　they

peeped；　and　winked；　and　peeped　again；　and　called　to　their　laggard

brothers　to　come　quick　and　see。





。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。



〃The　best　of　life　is　but　intoxication；〃　and　Selina；　who　during

her　brief　inebriation　had　lived　in　an　ecstasy　as　golden　as　our

drab　existence　affords；　had　to　experience　the　inevitable

bitterness　of　awakening　sobriety；　when　the　dying　down　of　the

flames　into　sullen　embers　coincided　with　the