jeremy-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


large　teapot　with　the　red　roses；　the　dark　blue　porridge　plates；　the
glass　jar　with　the　marmalade　a　rich　yellow　inside　it；　the　huge　loaf
with　the　soft　pieces　bursting　out　between　the　crusty　pieces；　the
solid　square　of　butter；　so　beautiful　a　colour　and　marked　with　a
large　cow　and　a　tree　on　the　top　（he　had　seen　once　in　the　kitchen　the
wooden　shape　with　which　the　cook　made　this　handsome　thing）。　There
were　also　his　own　silver　mug；　given　him　at　his　christening　by　Canon
Trenchard；　his　godfather；　and　his　silver　spoon；　given　him　on　the
same　occasion　by　Uncle　Samuel。

All　these　things　glittered　and　glowed　in　the　firelight；　and　a　kettle
was　singing　on　the　hob　and　Martha　the　canary　was　singing　in　her　cage
in　the　window。　（No　one　really　knew　whether　the　canary　were　a　lady　or
a　gentleman；　but　the　name　had　been　Martha　after　a　beloved　housemaid；
now　married　to　the　gardener；　and　the　sex　had　followed　the　name。）

There　were　also　all　the　other　familiar　nursery　things。　The　hole　in
the　Turkey　carpet　near　the　bookcase；　the　rocking…horse；　very　shiny
where　you　sit　and　very　Christmas…　tree…like　as　to　its　tail；　the
doll's　house；　now　deserted；　because　Helen　was　too　old　and　Mary　too
clever；　the　pictures　of　〃Church　on　Christmas　Morning〃　（everyone　with
their　mouths　very　wide　open；　singing　a　Christmas　hymn；　with　holly）；
〃Dignity　and　Impudence；〃　after　Landseer；　〃The　Shepherds　and　the
Angels；〃　and　〃The　Charge　of　the　Light　Brigade。〃　So　packed　was　the
nursery　with　history　for　Jeremy　that　it　would　have　taken　quite　a
week　to　relate　it　all。　There　was　the　spot　where　he　had　bitten　the
Jampot's　fingers；　for　which　deed　he　had　afterwards　been　slippered　by
his　father；　there　the　corner　where　they　stood　for　punishment　（he
knew　exactly　how　many　ships　with　sails；　how　many　ridges　of　waves；
and　how　many　setting　suns　there　were　on　that　especial　piece　of
corner　wallpaperthree　ships；　twelve　ridges；　two　and　a　half　suns）；
there　was　the　place　where　he　had　broken　the　ink　bottle　over　his
shoes　and　the　carpet；　there　by　the　window；　where　Mary　had　read　to
him　once　when　he　had　toothache；　and　he　had　not　known　whether　her
reading　or　the　toothache　agonised　him　the　more；　and　so　on；　an
endless　sequence　of　sensational　history。

His　reminiscences　were　cut　short　by　the　appearance　of　Gladys　with
the　porridge。　Gladys；　who　was　only　the　between…maid；　but　was
nevertheless　stout；　breathless　from　her　climb　and　the　sentiment　of
the　occasion；　produced　from　a　deep　pocket　a　dirty　envelope；　which
she　laid　upon　the　table。

〃Many　'appy　returns；　Master　Jeremy。〃　Giggle　。　。　。　giggle。　。　。　〃Lord
save　us　if　I　'aven't　gone　and　forgotten　they　spunes；〃　and　she
vanished。　The　present…giving　had　begun。

He　had　an　instant's　struggle　as　to　whether　it　were　better　to　wait
until　all　the　presents　had　accumulated；　or　whether　he　would　take
them　separately　as　they　arrived。　The　dirty　envelope　lured　him。　He
advanced　towards　it　and　seized　it。　He　could　not　read　very　easily　the
sprawling　writing　on　the　cover；　but　he　guessed　that　it　said　〃From
Gladys　to　Master　Jeremy。〃　Within　was　a　marvellous　card；　tied
together　with　glistening　cord　and　shining　with　all　the　colours　of
the　rainbow。　It　was　apparently　a　survival　from　last　Christmas；　as
there　was　a　church　in　snow　and　a　peal　of　bells；　he　was；
nevertheless；　very　happy　to　have　it。

After　his　introduction　events　moved　swiftly。　First　Helen　and　Mary
appeared；　their　faces　shining　and　solemn　and　mysteriousHelen　self…
conscious　and　Mary　staring　through　her　spectacles　like　a　profound
owl。

Because　Jeremy　had　known　Mary　ever　since　he　could　remember；　he　was
unaware　that　there　was　anything　very　peculiar　about　her。　But　in
truth　she　was　a　strange　looking　child。　Very　thin；　she　had　a　large
head；　with　big　outstanding　ears；　spectacles；　and　yellow　hair　pulled
back　and　〃stringy。〃　Her　large　hands　were　always　red；　and　her
forehead　was　freckled。　She　was　as　plain　a　child　as　you　were　ever
likely　to　see；　but　there　was　character　in　her　mouth　and　eyes；　and
although　she　was　only　seven　years　old；　she　could　read　quite
difficult　books　（she　was　engaged　at　this　particular　time　upon
〃Ivanhoe〃）；　and　she　was　a　genius　at　sums。

The　passion　of　her　life；　as　the　family　were　all　aware；　was　Jeremy；
but　it　was　an　unfortunate　and　uncomfortable　passion。　She　bothered
and　worried　him；　she　was　insanely　jealous；　she　would　sulk　for　days
did　he　ever　seem　to　prefer　Helen　to　herself。　No　one　understood　her；
she　was　considered　a　〃difficult　child；〃　quite　unlike　any　other
member　of　the　family；　except　possibly　Samuel；　Mr。　Cole's　brother…
in…law；　who　was　an　unsuccessful　painter　and　therefore　〃odd。〃

As　Mary　was　at　present　only　seven　years　of　age　it　would　be　too　much
to　say　that　the　family　was　afraid　of　her。　Aunt　Amy's　attitude　was：
〃Well；　after　all；　she's　sure　to　be　clever　when　she　grows　up；　poor
child；〃　and　although　the　parishioners　of　Mary's　father　always
alluded　to　her　as　〃the　ludicrous　Cole　child；〃　they　told　awed　little
stories　about　the　infant's　mental　capacities；　and　concluded
comfortably；　〃I'm　glad　Alice　（or　Jane　or　Matilda　or　Anabel）　isn't
clever　like　that。　They　overwork　when　they　are　young；　and　then　when
they　grow　up〃

Meanwhile　Mary　led　her　private　life。　She　attached　herself　to　no　one
but　Jeremy；　she　was　delicate　and　suffered　from　perpetual　colds；　she
therefore　spent　much　of　her　time　in　the　nursery　reading；　her　huge
spectacles　close　to　the　page；　her　thin　legs　like　black　sticks　stuck
up　on　the　fender　in　front　of　the　fire　or　curled　up　under　her　on　the
window…seat。

Very　different　was　Helen。　Helen　had　a　mass　of　dark　black　hair；　big
black　eyes　with　thick　eye…lashes；　a　thin　white　neck；　little　feet；
and　already　an　eye　to　〃effects〃　in　dress。　She　was　charming　to
strangers；　to　the　queer　curates　who　haunted　the　family　hall；　to　poor
people　and　rich　people；　to　old　people　and　young　people。　She　was
warm…hearted　but　not　impulsive；　intelligent　but　not　clever；
sympathetic　but　not　sentimental；　impatient　but　never　uncontrolled。
She　liked　almost　everyone　and　almost　everything；　but　no　one　and
nothing　mattered　to　her　very　deeply；　she　liked　going　to　church；
always　learnt　her　Collect　first　on　Sunday；　and　gave　half　her　pocket…
money　to　the　morning　collection。　She　was　generous　but　never
extravagant；　enjoyed　food　but　was　not　greedy。　She　was　quite　aware
that　she　was　pretty　and　might　one　day　be　beautiful；　and　she　was　glad
of　that；　but　she　was　never　silly　about　her　looks。

When　Aunt　Amy；　who　was　always　silly　about　everything；　said　in　her
presence　to　visitors；　〃Isn't　Helen　the　loveliest　thing　you　ever
saw？〃　she　managed　by　her　shy　self…　confidence　to　suggest　that　she
was　pretty；　that　Aunt　Amy　was　a　fool；　and　life　was　altogether　very
agreeable；　but　that　none　of　these　things　was　of　any　great
importance。　She　was　very　good　friends　with　Jeremy；　but　she　played　no
part　in　his　life　at　all。　At　the　same　time　she　often　fought　with　him；
simply　from　her　real　deep　consciousness　of　her　superiority　to　him。
She　valued　her　authority　and　asserted　it　incessantly。　That　authority
had　until　last　year　been　unchallenged；　but　Jeremy　now　was　growing。
She　had；　although　she　did　not　as　yet　realise　it；　a　difficult　time
before　her。

Helen　and　Mary　advanced　with　their　presents；　laid　them　on　the
breakfast…table；　and　then　retreated　to　watch　the　effect　of　it　all。

〃Shall　I　now？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃Yes；　now；〃　said　Helen　and　Mary。

There　were　three　parcels；　one　large　and　〃shoppy；〃　two　small　and
bound　with　family　paper；　tied　by　family　hands　with　family　string。　He
grasped　immediately　the　situation。　The　shoppy　parcel　was　bought　with
mother's　money　and　only　〃pretended〃　to　be　from　his　sisters；　the　two
small　parcels　were　the　very　handiwork　of　the　ladies　themselves；　the
same　having　been　seen　by　all　eyes　at　work　for　the　last　six　months；
sometimes；　indeed；　under　the　cloak　of　attempted　secrecy；　but　more
oftenbecause　weariness　or　ill…temper　made　them　carelessin　the
full　light　of　day。

His　interest　was　centred　almost　entirely　in　the　〃shoppy〃　parcel；
which　by　its　shape　might　be　〃soldiers〃；　but　he　knew　the　rules　of　the
game；　and　disregarding　the　large；　ostentatious　brown…papered　thing；
he　went　magnificently　for　the　two　small　incoherent　bundles。

He　opened　them。　A　flat　green　table…centre　with　a　red　pattern　of
roses；　a　thick　table…napkin　ring　worked　in　yellow　worsted；　these
were　revealed。

〃Oh！〃　he　cried；　〃just　what　I　wanted。〃　（Father　always　said　that　on
his　birthday。）

〃Is　it？〃　said　Mary　and　Helen。

〃Mine's　the　ring；〃　said　Mary。　〃It's　dirty　rather；　but　it　would　have
got　dirty；　anyway；　afterwards。〃　She　watched　anxiously　to　see　whether
he　preferred　Helen's。

He　watched　them　nervously；　lest　he　should　be　expected　to　kiss　them。
He　wiped　his　mouth　with　his　hand　instead；　and　began　rapidly　to　talk：

〃Jampot　will　know　now　which　mine　is。　She's　always　giving　me　the
wrong　one。　I'll　have　it　always；　and　the　green　thing　too。〃

〃It's　for　the　middle　of　a　table；〃　Helen　interrupted。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Jeremy　hurriedly。　〃I'll　always　have　it　toolike
Mary'swhen　I'm　grown　up　and　all。　。　。　。　I　say；　shall　I　open　the
other　one　now？〃

〃Yes；　you　can；〃　said　Helen　and　Mary；　ceasing　to　take　the　central
place　in　the　ceremony；　spectators　now　and　eagerly　excited。

But　Mary　had　a　last　word。

〃You