dream days-及2准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
absorbedly。
;It's Trafalgar Day察─went on Selina察trancedly察 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察still察he
abandoned his mole´hunt for a more courteous attitude of
attention。
;Over there察─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察to tell the time by察and
p'r'aps to get their parcels。 And one morningthey wouldn't be
expecting anything differentone morning察first there would be a
cloud of dust察as usual察and then the coach would come racing
by察and THEN they would know For the coach would be dressed
in laurel察all laurel from stem to stern And the coachman would
be wearing laurel察and the guard would be wearing laurel察and
then they would know察then they would know
Harold listened in respectful silence。 He would much rather have
been hunting the mole察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察of whom it is one of the principal
marks察if not the complete definition察never to show signs of
being bored。
Selina rose to her feet察and paced the turf restlessly with a
short quarter´deck walk。
;Why can't we DO something拭─she burst out presently。
;HEhe did everythingwhy can't we do anything for him拭
;WHO did everything拭─inquired Harold察meekly。 It was useless
wasting further longings on that mole。 Like the dead察he
travelled fast。
;Why察Nelson察of course察─said Selina察shortly察still looking
restlessly around for help or suggestion。
;But he'she's DEAD察isn't he拭─asked Harold察slightly
puzzled。
;What's that got to do with it拭─retorted his sister察resuming
her caged´lion promenade。
Harold was somewhat taken aback。 In the case of the pig察for
instance察whose last outcry had now passed into stillness察he had
considered the chapter as finally closed。 Whatever innocent
mirth the holidays might hold in store for Edward察that
particular pig察at least察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察it seemed。
Sitting up on end察he looked towards the garden for assistance in
the task。 Thence察even as he gazed察a tiny column of smoke rose
straight up into the still air。 The gardener had been sweeping
that afternoon察and now察an unconscious priest察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察forgetting the pig察the mole察the Larkin
betrayal察and Selina's strange fever of conscience。 Here was
fire察real fire察to play with察and that was even better than
messing with water察or remodelling the plastic surface of the
earth。 Of all the toys the world provides for right´minded
persons察the original elements rank easily the first。
But Selina sat on where she was察her chin on her fists察and
her fancies whirled and drifted察here and there察in curls and
eddies察along with the smoke she was watching。 As the quick´
footed dusk of the short October day stepped lightly over the
garden察little red tongues of fire might be seen to leap and
vanish in the smoke。 Harold察anon staggering under armfuls of
leaves察anon stoking vigorously察was discernible only at fitful
intervals。 It was another sort of smoke that the inner eye of
Selina was looking upona smoke that hung in sullen banks round
the masts and the hulls of the fighting ships察a smoke from
beneath which came thunder and the crash and the splinter´rip
the shout of the boarding party察the choking sob of the gunner
stretched by his gun察a smoke from out of which at last she saw
as through a riven pall察the radiant spirit of the Victor
crowned with the coronal of a perfect death察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察something of the priestess in her
stride察something of the devotee in the set purpose of her eye。
The leaves were well alight by this time察and Harold had just
added an old furze bush察which flamed and crackled stirringly。
;Go 'n' get some more sticks察─ordered Selina察 and shavings察'n'
chunks of wood察'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察and then go back and bring some more
;But I say察─began Harold察amazedly察scarce knowing his sister
and with a vision of a frenzied gardener察pea´stickless and
threatening retribution。
;Go and fetch 'em quick ─shouted Selina察stamping with
impatience。
Harold ran off at once察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察in evident disorder of
mind。
The pea´sticks made a rare blaze察and the fire察no longer
smouldering sullenly察leapt up and began to assume the appearance
of a genuine bonfire。 Harold察awed into silence at first察began
to jump round it with shouts of triumph。 Selina looked on
grimly察with knitted brow察she was not yet fully satisfied。
;Can't you get any more sticks拭─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察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察Aunt Eliza's special pride and
joy察and even grimly approved of by the gardener。 At one end察in
an out´house adjoining察the necessary firing was stored察and to
this sacred fuel察of which we were strictly forbidden to touch a
stick察Selina went straight。 Harold followed obediently
prepared for any crime after that of the pea´sticks察but pinching
himself to see if he were really awake。
;You bring some coals察─said Selina briefly察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察a Maenad now
hatless and tossing disordered locks察all the dross of the young
lady purged out of her察stalked around the pyre of her own
purloining察or prodded it with a pea´stick。 And as she prodded
she murmured at intervals察 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察and was not expected back till quite
late察and this far end of the garden was not overlooked by any
windows。 So the Tribute blazed on merrily unchecked。 Villagers
far away察catching sight of the flare察muttered something about
;them young devils at their tricks again察─and trudged on beer´
wards。 Never a thought of what day it was察never a thought for
Nelson察who preserved their honest pint´pots察to be paid for in
honest pence察and saved them from litres and decimal coinage。
Nearer at hand察frightened rabbits popped up and vanished with a
flick of white tails察scared birds fluttered among the
branches察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察or moss察were safe stablished 'neath the flap of the
British flag察and that Game Laws察quietly permanent察made la
chasse a terror only to their betters。 No one seemed to know
nor to care察nor to sympathise。 In all the ecstasy of her burnt´
offering and sacrifice察Selina stood alone。
And yetnot quite alone For察as the fire was roaring at its
best察certain stars stepped delicately forth on the surface of
the immensity above察and peered down doubtfullywith wonder at
first察then with interest察then with recognition察with a start of
glad surprise。 THEY at least knew all about it察THEY
understood。 Among THEM the Name was a daily familiar
word察his story was a part of the music to which they swung
himself was their fellow and their mate and comrade。 So they
peeped察and winked察and peeped again察and called to their laggard
brothers to come quick and see。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
;The best of life is but intoxication察─and Selina察who during
her brief inebriation had lived in an ecstasy as golden as our
drab existence affords察had to experience the inevitable
bitterness of awakening sobriety察when the dying down of the
flames into sullen embers coincided with the