dream days(做梦的日子)-第8节
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away； and of penalties and curtailments attaching to a late appearance。
We took a hurried farewell of each other； and before we parted I got from
her an admission that she might be gardening again that afternoon； if only
the worms would be less aggressive and give her a chance。
〃Remember；〃 I said as I turned to go； 〃you mustn't tell anybody about
what I've been telling you！〃
She appeared to hesitate； swinging one leg to and fro while she
regarded me sideways with half…shut eyes。
〃It's a dead secret；〃 I said artfully。 〃A secret between us two； and
nobody knows it except ourselves！〃
Then she promised； nodding violently； big…eyed； her mouth pursed up
small。 The delight of revelation； and the bliss of possessing a secret； run
each other very close。 But the latter generally winsfor a time。
I had passed the mutton stage and was weltering in warm rice pudding；
before I found leisure to pause and take in things generally； and then a
glance in the direction of the window told me； to my dismay； that it was
raining hard。 This was annoying in every way； for； even if it cleared up
later； the wormsI knew well from experiencewould be offensively
numerous and frisky。 Sulkily I said grace and accompanied the others
upstairs to the schoolroom； where I got out my paint…box and resolved to
devote myself seriously to Art； which of late I had much neglected。
Harold got hold of a sheet of paper and a pencil； retired to a table in the
corner； squared his elbows； and protruded his tongue。 Literature had
always been HIS form of artistic expression。
Selina had a fit of the fidgets； bred of the unpromising weather； and；
instead of settling down to something on her own account； must needs
walk round and annoy us artists； intent on embodying our conceptions of
the ideal。 She had been looking over my shoulder some minutes before I
knew of it； or I would have had a word or two to say upon the subject。
〃I suppose you call that thing a ship；〃 she remarked contemptuously。
〃Who ever heard of a pink ship？ Hoo…hoo！〃
I stifled my wrath； knowing that in order to score properly it was
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necessary to keep a cool head。
〃There is a pink ship；〃 I observed with forced calmness； 〃lying in the
toy…shop window now。 You can go and look at it if you like。 D'you
suppose you know more about ships than the fellows who make 'em？〃
Selina； baffled for the moment； returned to the charge presently。
〃Those are funny things； too；〃 she observed。 〃S'pose they're meant to
be trees。 But they're BLUE。〃
〃They ARE trees；〃 I replied with severity； 〃and they ARE blue。
They've got to be blue； 'cos you stole my gamboge last week； so I can't
mix up any green。〃
〃DIDN'T steal your gamboge；〃 declared Selina； haughtily； edging
away； however； in the direction of Harold。 〃And I wouldn't tell lies；
either； if I was you； about a dirty little bit of gamboge。〃
I preserved a discreet silence。 After all； I knew SHE knew she stole
my gamboge。
The moment Harold became conscious of Selina's stealthy approach；
he dropped his pencil and flung himself flat upon the table； protecting thus
his literary efforts from chilling criticism by the interposed thickness of
his person。 From somewhere in his interior proceeded a heart rending
compound of squeal and whistle； as of escaping steam；long…drawn； ear
piercing； unvarying in note。
〃I only just want to see；〃 protested Selina； struggling to uproot his
small body from the scrawl it guarded。 But Harold clung limpet…like to
the table edge； and his shrill protest continued to deafen humanity and to
threaten even the serenities of Olympus。 The time seemed come for a
demonstration in force。 Personally I cared little what soul…outpourings of
Harold were pirated by Selinashe was pretty sure to get hold of them
sooner or laterand indeed I rather welcomed the diversion as favourable
to the undisturbed pursuit of Art。 But the clannishness of sex has its
unwritten laws。 Boys； as such； are sufficiently put upon； maltreated；
trodden under； as it is。 Should they fail to hang together in perilous times；
what disasters； what ignominies； may not be looked for？ Possibly even
an extinction of the tribe。 I dropped my paint brush and sailed shouting
into the fray。
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The result for a short space hung dubious。 There is a period of life
when the difference of a year or two in age far outweighs the minor
advantage of sex。 Then the gathers of Selina's frock came away with a
sound like the rattle of distant musketry； and this calamity it was； rather
than mere brute compulsion； that quelled her indomitable spirit。
The female tongue is mightier than the sword； as I soon had good
reason to know； when Selina； her riven garment held out at length；
avenged her discomfiture with the Greek…fire of personalities and abuse。
Every black incident in my short； but not stainless； careerevery error；
every folly； every penalty ignobly sufferedwere paraded before me as in
a magic… lantern show。 The information； however； was not particularly
new to me； and the effect was staled by previous rehearsals。 Besides； a
victory remains a victory； whatever the moral character of the triumphant
general。
Harold chuckled and crowed as he dropped from the table； revealing
the document over which so many gathers had sighed their short lives out。
〃YOU can read it if you like；〃 he said to me gratefully。 〃It's only a
Death…letter。〃
It had never been possible to say what Harold's particular amusement
of the hour might turn out to be。 One thing only was certain； that it
would be something improbable； unguessable； not to be foretold。 Who；
for instance； in search of relaxation； would ever dream of choosing the
drawing…up of a testamentary disposition of property？ Yet this was the
form taken by Harold's latest craze； and in justice this much had to be said
for him； that in the christening of his amusement he had gone right to the
heart of the matter。 The words 〃will〃 and 〃testament〃 have various
meanings and uses； but about the signification of 〃death…letter〃 there can
be no manner of doubt。 I smoothed out the crumpled paper and read。
In actual form it deviated considerably from that usually adopted by
family solicitors of standing； the only resemblance； indeed； lying in the
absence of punctuation。
〃my dear edward （it ran） when I die I leave all my muny to you my
walkin sticks wips my crop my sord and gun bricks forts and all things i
have goodbye my dear charlotte when i die I leave you my wach and
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cumpus and pencel case my salors and camperdown my picteres and
evthing goodbye your loving brother armen my dear Martha I love you
very much i leave you my garden my mice and rabets my plants in pots
when I die please take care of them my dear〃 Coetera desunt。
〃Why； you're not leaving me anything！〃 exclaimed Selina；
indignantly。 〃You're a regular mean little boy； and I'll take back the last
birthday present I gave you！〃
〃I don't care；〃 said Harold； repossessing himself of the document。 〃I
was going to leave you something； but I sha'n't now； 'cos you tried to read
my death…letter before I was dead！〃
〃Then I'll write a death…letter myself；〃 retorted Selina； scenting an
artistic vengeance： 〃and I sha'n't leave you a single thing！〃 And she went
off in search of a pencil。
The tempest wi
