dream days(做梦的日子)-第28节
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urchin cut off by parental penury from the rapture of new clothes。 Just as
the heroes of his dreams are his immediate seniors； so his heroes' clothes
share the glamour； and the reversion of them carries a high privilegea
special thing not sold by Swears and Wells。 The sword of Galahadand
of many another heroarrived on the scene already hoary with history； and
the boy rather prefers his trousers to be legendary； famous； haloed by his
hero's renowneven though the nap may have altogether vanished in the
process。
But； putting clothes aside； there are other matters in which this
reversed heirship comes into play。 Take the case of Toys。 It is hardly
right or fittingand in this the child quite acquiesces that as he
approaches the reverend period of nine or say ten years； he should still be
the unabashed and proclaimed possessor of a hoop and a Noah's Ark。
The child will quite see the reasonableness of this； and； the goal of his
ambition being now a catapult； a pistol； or even a sword…stick； will be
satisfied that the titular ownership should lapse to his juniors； so far below
him in their kilted or petticoated incompetence。 After all； the things are
still there； and if relapses of spirit occur； on wet afternoons； one can still
（nominally） borrow them and be happy on the floor as of old； without the
reproach of being a habitual baby toy…caresser。 Also one can pretend it's
being done to amuse the younger ones。
None of us； therefore； grumbled when in the natural course of things
the nominal ownership of the toys slipped down to Harold； and from him
in turn devolved upon Charlotte。 The toys were still there； they always
had been there and always would be there； and when the nursery door was
fast shut there were no Kings or Queens or First Estates in that small
Republic on the floor。 Charlotte； to be sure； chin…tilted； at last an owner
of real estate； might patronize a little at times； but it was tacitly understood
that her 〃title 〃 was only a drawing…room one。
Why does a coming bereavement project no thin faint voice； no
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shadow of its woe； to warn its happy； heedless victims？ Why cannot
Olympians ever think it worth while to give some hint of the thunderbolts
they are silently forging？ And why； oh； why did it never enter any of our
thick heads that the day would come when even Charlotte would be
considered too matronly for toys？ One's so…called education is
hammered into one with rulers and with canes。 Each fresh grammar or
musical instrument； each new historical period or quaint arithmetical rule；
is impressed on one by some painful physical prelude。 Why does Time；
the biggest Schoolmaster； alone neglect premonitory raps； at each stage of
his curriculum； on our knuckles or our heads？
Uncle Thomas was at the bottom of it。 This was not the first mine he
had exploded under our bows。 In his favourite pursuit of fads he had
passed in turn from Psychical Research to the White Rose and thence to a
Children's Hospital； and we were being daily inundated with leaflets
headed by a woodcut depicting Little Annie （of Poplar） sitting up in her
little white cot； surrounded by the toys of the nice； kind； rich children。
The idea caught on with the Olympians； always open to sentiment of a
treacly； woodcut order； and accordingly Charlotte； on entering one day
dishevelled and panting； having been pursued by yelling Redskins up to
the very threshold of our peaceful home； was curtly informed that her
French lessons would begin on Monday； that she was henceforth to cease
all pretence of being a trapper or a Redskin on utterly inadequate grounds；
and moreover that the whole of her toys were at that moment being finally
packed up in a box； for despatch to London； to gladden the lives and bring
light into the eyes of London waifs and Poplar Annies。
Naturally enough； perhaps； we others received no official intimation of
this grave cession of territory。 We were not supposed to be interested。
Harold had long ago been promoted to a knifea recognized； birthday
knife。 As for me； it was known that I was already given over； heart and
soul； to lawless abandoned catapultscatapults which were confiscated
weekly for reasons of international complications； but with which Edward
kept me steadily supplied； his school having a fine old tradition for
excellence in their manufacture。 Therefore no one was supposed to be
really affected but Charlotte； and even she had already reached Miss
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Yonge； and should therefore have been more interested in prolific curates
and harrowing deathbeds。
Nothwithstanding； we all felt indignant； betrayed； and sullen to the
verge of mutiny。 Though for long we had affected to despise them； these
toys； yet they had grown up with us； shared our joys and our sorrows； seen
us at our worst； and become part of the accepted scheme of existence。 As
we gazed at untenanted shelves and empty； hatefully tidy corners； perhaps
for the first time for long we began to do them a tardy justice。
There was old Leotard； for instance。 Somehow he had come to be
sadly neglected of late yearsand yet how exactly he always responded to
certain moods！ He was an acrobat； this Leotard； who lived in a glass…
fronted box。 His loosejointed limbs were cardboard； cardboard his
slender trunk； and his hands eternally grasped the bar of a trapeze。 You
turned the box round swiftly five or six times； the wonderful unsolved
machinery worked； and Leotard swung and leapt； backwards； forwards；
now astride the bar； now flying free； iron…jointed； supple…sinewed；
unceasingly novel in his invention of new； unguessable attitudes； while
above； below； and around him； a richly…dressed audience； painted in skilful
perspective of stalls； boxes； dress…circle； and gallery； watched the thrilling
performance with a stolidity which seemed to mark them out as made in
Germany。 Hardly versatile enough； perhaps； this Leotard； unsympathetic；
not a companion for all hours； nor would you have chosen him to take to
bed with you。
And yet； within his own limits； how fresh； how engrossing； how
resourceful and inventive！ Well； he was gone； it seemed merely gone。
Never specially cherished while he tarried with us； he had yet contrived to
build himself a particular niche of his own。 Sunrise and sunset； and the
dinner…bell； and the sudden rainbow； and lessons； and Leotard； and the
moon through the nursery windowsthey were all part of the great order
of things； and the displacement of any one item seemed to disorganize the
whole machinery。 The immediate point was； not that the world would
continue to go round as of old； but that Leotard wouldn't。
Yonder corner； now swept and garnished； had been the stall wherein
the spotty horse； at the close of each laborious day； was accustomed to
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doze peacefully the long night through。 In days of old each of us in turn
had been jerked thrillingly round the room on his precarious back； had dug
our heels into his unyielding sides； and had scratched our hands on the tin
tacks that secured his mane to his stiffly…curving neck。 Later； with
increasing stature； we came to overlook his merits as a beast of burden；
but how frankly； how good…naturedly； he had recognized the new
conditions； and adapted himself to them without a murmur！
When the military spirit was abroad； who so ready to be a squadron of
cavalry； a horde of Cossacks； or a
