jeremy-第20节

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smiling　mouth。　He　saw　black　curling　hair　and　a　yachting　cap；　faded
this　last　and　the　white　of　it　a　dirty　grey　but　set　on　jauntily　at　a
magnificent　angle。　He　saw　a　suit　of　dark　navy　blue；　this　again
faded；　spotted　too　with　many　stains；　ragged　at　the　trouser…ends　and
even　torn　in　one　place　above　the　elbow；　fitting　also　so　closely　to
the　figure　that　it　must　have　been　at　bursting　point。　He　saw　round
the　neck　a　dark　navy　handkerchief；　and　down　the　front　of　the　coat
brass　buttons　that　shook　and　trembled　as　their　owner's　chest　heaved。

And　what　a　chest！　Jeremy　had　never　conceived　that　any　human　being
could　be　so　thick　and　so　broad。　The　back；　spreading　to　the　farthest
limits　of　the　shiny　seams　of　the　coat；　was　like　a　wall。　The　thighs
were　pillows；　the　arms　bolsters　and　yet　not　fat；　mind　you；　simply
muscle；　all　of　it。　One　could　see　in　a　minute　that　it　was　all　muscle；
the　chest　thrust　forward；　the　legs　spread　wide；　the　bull…neck
bursting　the　handkerchief；　everything　that　Jeremy　himself　most
wished　to　be。　A　sailor；　a　monument　of　strength；　with　the　scent　of
his　〃shag〃　strong　enough　to　smell　a　mile　away；　andyes；　most
marvellous　of　all；　gold　rings　in　his　ears！　His　chest　would　be
tatooed　probably；　and　perhaps　his　legs　also！

There；　on　the　back　of　his　hand；　was　a　blue　anchor。　。　。　。　Jeremy
looked　up　and　trembled　lest　the　vision　should　fade；　then　flung　a
hurried　look　around　him　to　see　whether　Miss　Jones　were　near。　No　one
was　about。　He　was　alone　with　the　desire　of　his　life。

〃I'm　so　so　sorry　I　haven't　a　match；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　not　allowed　to
have　them；　you　know。〃

〃No；　I　suppose　not；〃　said　the　vision。　〃Just　my　blamed　luck。　There　I
am　with　'undreds　of　pounds　lying　around　my　room　at　'ome　careless　as
you　please；　and　then　held　up　for　a　bloomin'　match。　What's　gold　to　a
man　like　me？　But　a　match　。　。　。　there　you　are　。　。　。　that's　life。〃

He　looked　at　Jeremy　with　great　interest；　he　took　in；　as　Jeremy
realised；　every　detail　of　his　personal　appearance。

〃I　like　boys；〃　he　said。　〃'Ad　two　myself'ealthy　little　nippers　they
was。　Both　dead…'ere　to…day　and　gone　to…morrer；　as　you　might　say。　Got
your　nurse　'anging　around　anywhere？〃

〃Nurse？〃　said　Jeremy　indignantly。　〃I　don't　have　a　nurse。　I'm　much
too　old！　There　is　a　governess；　but　she's　over　there　talking　to　Mary。
She's　my　sisterbut　they　won't　bother　yetnot　till　the　Cathedral
bell　begins。〃

〃No　intention　of　'urting　your　feelings；　young　fellow　my　lad。　Didn't
think　you'd　want　a　nurse　of　coursebig　chap　like　you。　Thought　you
might　'ave　a　baby　brother　or　such。　No　offenceI　suppose　you　'aven't
begun　to　smoke　yet。　Can't　offer　you　some　tobacco。〃

Jeremy　coloured。　The　man　was　laughing　at　him。

〃I'm　eight　if　you　want　to　know；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'm　going　to　school
in　September。〃

〃School！〃　said　the　mariner；　sniffing　contemptuously。　〃I　don't　think
much　of　school　if　you　ask　me。　Now　I　never　went　to　school；　and　I
can't　see　that　I'm　much　the　worse　for　not　'aving　been　there。
ContrariwiseI've　seen　many　a　fine　promising　lad　spoiled　by　too
much　schoolin'。　Be　a　man　of　the　world；　I　say；　that's　the　direction
you　want　to　sail　in。〃

〃Did　you　really　never　go　to　school？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃Not　I！〃　relied　the　sailor。　〃Flung　out　at　the　age　of　six；　I　was；
turned　into　a　boat　sailing　to　the　West　Indies　and　left　to　shift　for
myselfand　'ere　I　am　to…day　a　Captain　of　as　fine　a　craft　as　you're
ever　likely　to　see；　with　gold　in　'er　lockers　and　peacocks　in　the
'oldall　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　you　know。〃

Jeremy's　eyes　glittered；　his　face　was　flushed　a　brilliant　red。
Hamlet　had　returned　from　his　rabbit　hunting　and　sat　with　his　tongue
out　and　a　wild　adventurous　eye　glittering　up　at　his　master　from
behind　his　hair；　yet　he　was　not　noticed。

〃You　were　very　lucky；〃　he　said　devoutly；　then　he　went　on　hurriedly：
〃Would　you　mindyou　see；　Miss　Jones　may　come　at　any　momentwould
you　mind〃　he　choked。

〃Would　I　mind　what？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃Would　you　mind　telling　me？　Are　you　tatooed　on　your　body；　snakes　and
ships　and　things；　like　a　gardener　once　we　had？　He　had　a　sea…serpent
all　down　his　back。　He　showed　me　one　day。〃

The　Captain　smiled　proudly。

〃Tatooed！　Talk　of　tatooing！　I'll　show　yerand　it　isn't　everybody
I'd　do　it　for　neither。　But　I've　taken　a　fancy　to　you；　like　my　own
young　nipper　what　died。〃

With　an　air　of　vast　ceremony；　as　though　he　were　throwing　open　the
door　to　all　the　universe；　he　slowly　unwound　from　about　his　neck　the
dark　blue　handkerchief；　unbuttoned　his　coat；　then　a　grimy　shirt　and
displayed　a　wall　of　deep　brown　chest。　This　fine　expanse　had　no　hair
upon　it；　but　was　illuminated　with　a　superb　picture　of　a　ship　in　full
sail　against　a　setting　sun；　all　worked　in　the　most　handsome　of　blue
tatoo。　Jeremy　gasped。　He　had　never　dreamed　that　such　things　could
be。　He　ventured　to　touch　the　ship　with　his　finger；　and　he　could　feel
the　Captain's　manly　heart　thumping　like　a　muffled　hammer　beneath　the
skin。

〃There's　Queen　Victoria　on　my　right　thigh　and　Nelson　on　my　left；　and
the　battle　of　Trafalgar　on　the　middle　of　my　back。　P'raps　I'll　show
'em　you　one　day。　It　wouldn't　be　decent　exactly　'eretoo　public。　But
one　day　you　come　to　my　little　place　and　I'll　show　'em　you。〃

〃Will　you　really？〃　said　Jeremy。　〃Didn't　it　hurt　terribly？〃

〃Hurt！〃　said　the　Captain。　〃I　should　just　think　it　did。　I　'ad　to　put
cotton　wool　behind　my　teeth　to　prevent　myself　from　screaming。　But
that's　nothing。　What　do　you　say　to　being　tortured　by　the　Caribbees
natives　every　day　after　breakfast　for　three　'ole　months。　A　tooth　out
a　day〃

〃But　your　teeth　are　all　there；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃False；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃Every　one　of　'em。　And　the　things　they'll
do　to　your　toenailsit　'ud　make　your　'air　creep　on　your　'ead　to
listen　to　the　things　I　could　tell　you〃

〃Oh；　it's　awful！〃　said　Jeremy。　〃And　where　is　your　ship　now？〃

〃Ah；　my　ship！〃　the　Captain　replied；　winking　in　the　most　mysterious
fashion；　〃it　would　be　telling　to　say　where　that　is。　I　can　trust　you；
I　know；　I'm　a　great　judge　o'　character；　I　am；　but　not　even　with　my
own　mother；　gone　to　glory　now　twenty　years　and　as　holy　a　soul　as
ever　breathed；　I　wouldn't　trust　even　'er　with　the　secret。〃

〃Why　is　it　a　secret？〃　asked　Jeremy　breathlessly。

〃Treasure；〃　said　the　Captain；　dropping　his　voice。

〃Treasure；　nothing　less　nor　more。　Between　you　and　me　there's　enough
gold　on　that　there　ship　to　satisfy　the　Prime　Minister　'imself；　to
say　nothing　of　the　jewelsrubies；　pearls；　diamonds。　My　word；　if
you　could　see　them　diamonds。　I'm　looking　about　me　now　for　an　extra
man　or　two；　and　then　I'm　off　againsilent　come；　silent　go's　my
motto〃

〃I　suppose　you　don't　happen　to　want　a　cabin…boy？〃　gasped　Jeremy；　his
voice　choked　in　his　throat。

〃Well；　now；　that's　a　funny　thing；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃It's　one　of
the　very　things。　But　I'm　afraid　you're　a　bit　young。　Yet　I　don't
know。　We　might〃

He　broke　off；　suddenly　lifted　his　finger　to　his　lip；　whispered：

〃Keep　your　eyes　open。　I'll　be　round　again；〃　and　had　vanished。

Directly　after　Jeremy　heard　Miss　Jones's　unwelcome　voice：　〃Why；
Jeremy；　we　couldn't　find　you　anywhere。　It's　turning　coldtea…time　…
…〃

With　a　thump　and　a　thud　and　a　bang　he　fell　back　into　the　homely
world。




III


Jeremy　was　a　perfectly　normal　little　boy；　and　I　defy　anyone　to　have
discovered　in　him　at　this　stage　in　his　progress；　those　strange
morbidities　and　irregular　instincts　that　were　to　be　found　in　such
unhappy　human　beings　as　Dostoieffsky's　young　hero　in　〃Podrostok；〃　or
the　unpleasant　son　and　heir　of　Jude　and　Sue。　Nevertheless；　eight
years　old　is　not　too　early　for　stranger　impulses　and　wilder　dreams
than　most　parents　ever　conceive　of；　and　the　fortnight　that　followed
Jeremy's　meeting　with　the　Sea…Captain　was　as　peculiar　and　fantastic
a　fortnight　as　he　was　ever；　in　all　his　later　life；　to　know。

For　he　was　hauntedreally　haunted　in　the　good　old　solid　practical
meaning　of　the　termhaunted　with　the　haunting　that　pursued　Sintram
and　many　another　famous　hero。　And　he　was　haunted　not　only　by　the
Sea…Captain；　but　by　a　thousand　things　that　attended　in　that　hero's
company。　He　was　haunted　by　a　picturewhence　it　had　come　to　him　he
did　not　knowof　a　dead…white　high　road；　dropping　over　the　hill　into
shadow；　the　light　fading　around　it；　black；　heavy　hedges　on　every
side　of　it。　From　below　the　hill　came　the　pounding　of　the　sea；
exactly　as　he　had　heard　it　so　many　many　times　on　the　hill　above
Rafiel；　and　he　knew；　although　his　eyes　could　not　catch　it；　that　in
the　valley　round　the　head　of　the　road　was　the　fishing　village　with
the　lights　just　coming　in　the　windows；　and　beyond　the　village　the
sloping　shingly　Cove。　But　he　could　see　only　the　dead…　white　road；
and　upon　this　his　eyes　were　always　fixed　as　though　he　were　expecting
someone。　And　he　could　smell　the　sea…pinks　and　the　grass　damp　with
evening　dew；　and　the　cold　dust　of　the　road；　and　the　sea…smell　in　the
wind。　And　he　waited；　knowing　that　the　time　would　come　when　he　would
be　told　to　descend　the　hill；　pass　through　the　village；　and　step　out；
under　the　heavy　grey　clouds；　upon　the　little　shingly　beach。　He　was
aware　then　that　out　at　sea　a　dark；　black　ship　was　riding；　slipping　a
little　with　the　tide；　one　light　gleaming　and　swinging　against　the
pale　glow　of　the　dusky　horizon。　The　church　clock　st