jeremy-第26节
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and his thin leggy body that Jeremy found especially offensive。
Jeremy 〃bristled；〃 and Mary was conscious of that bristling。
〃Hallo！〃 said Ernest。
〃Hallo！〃 said Jeremy。
〃What rot these silly games are！〃 said Ernest。 〃Why can't they have
something decent； like cricket？〃
Jeremy had never played cricket； so he said nothing。 〃At our
school；〃 said Ernest； 〃we're very good at cricket。 We win all our
matches always〃
〃I don't care about your school；〃 said Jeremy； breathing through his
nose。
The Dean's Ernest was obviously surprised by this； he had not
expected it。 His pale neck began to flush。
〃Look here； young Cole；〃 he said； 〃none of your cheek。〃
This was a new dialect to Jeremy； who had no friends who went to
school。 All he said； however； breathing more fiercely than before；
was： 〃I don't care〃
〃Oh； don't you？〃 said Ernest。 〃Now； look here〃 Then he paused；
apparently uncertain； for a moment； of his courage。 The sight of
Mary's timorous anxiety； however； reassured him； and he continued：
〃It's all right for you； this sort of thing。 You ought to be in the
nursery with your old podge…faced nurse。 Kids like you oughtn't to
be allowed out of their prams。〃
〃I don't care；〃 said Jeremy again； seeing in front of him the whole
family of the Reverend Dean。 〃Your school isn't much anyway； I
expect； and I'm going to school in September； and I'll wear just the
same things as you do and〃
He wanted to comment upon the plain features of Ernest's sisters；
but his gentlemanly courtesy restrained him。 He paused for breath；
and Ernest seized his advantage。
〃You have to have an old aunt to look after you anywayan ugly old
aunt。 I wouldn't have an old aunt always hanging over me'Now；
Jeremy dear' 'Blow your nose； Jeremy dear' 'Wipe your feet；
Jeremy dear。' Look at the things she wears and the way she walks。 If
I did have to have an aunt always I'd have a decent one； not an old
clothes bag。〃
What happened to Jeremy at the moment？ Did he recollect that only a
few hours before he had been hating Aunt Amy with a fine frenzy of
hatred？ For nearly a week he had been chafing under her restraint；
combating her commands； defying her orders。 He had been seeing her
as everything that the Dean's Ernest had but now been calling her。
Now he only saw her as someone to be defended； someone who was his；
someone even who depended on him for support。 He would have
challenged a whole world of Deans in her defence。
He said something； but no one could hear his words； then he sprang
upon the startled Ernest。
It was not a very distinguished combat； it was Jeremy's first
battle； and he knew at that time nothing of the science of fighting。
The Dean's Ernest； in spite of his term at school； also knew
nothingand the Dean's Ernest was a coward。 。 。
It lasted but a short while； for Mary； after the first pause of
horrified amazement （aware only that Ernest was twice as big as her
Jeremy）； ran to appeal to authority。 Jeremy himself was aware
neither of time nor prudence。 He realised immediately that Ernest
was a coward； and this realisation filled him with joy and
happiness。 He had seized Ernest by his long yellow neck； and； with
his other hand； he struck at eyes and cheeks and nose。 He did not
secure much purchase for his blows because their bodies were very
close against one another； but he felt the soft flesh yield and
suddenly something wet against his hand which must； he knew； be
blood。 And all the time he was thinking to himself： 〃I'll teach him
to say things about Aunt Amy！ Aunt Amy's mine！ I'll teach him！ He
shan't touch Aunt Amy！ He shan't touch Aunt Amy！ 。 。 。〃
Ernest meanwhile kicked and kicked hard； he also tried to bite
Jeremy's hand and also to pull his hair。 But his own terror
handicapped him； every inch of his body was alarmed； and that alarm
prevented the freedom of his limbs。 Then when he felt the blood from
his nose trickle on to his cheek his resistance was at an end； panic
flooded over him like water。 He broke away and flung himself howling
on to the ground； kicking his legs and screaming：
〃It isn't fair！ He's bitten me！ Take him away！ Take him away！〃
Jeremy himself was no beautiful sight。 His hair was wild； his white
navy collar crumpled and soiled； the buttons of his tunic torn； his
stocking down； and his legs already displaying purple bruises。 But
he did not care； he was well now； he was no longer unhappy。
He had beaten Ernest and he was a man； he had risen victorious from
his first fight； and Authority might storm as it pleased。 Authority
soon arrived； and there were； of course； many cries and
exclamations。 Ernest was led away still howling； Jeremy； stubborn；
obstinate； and silent； was also led away。 。 。。 A disgraceful
incident。
Aunt Amy； of course； was disgusted。 Couldn't leave the boy alone one
minute but he must misbehave himself； upset the party； be the little
ruffian that he always was。 She had always said that his mother
spoiled him； and here were the fruits of that foolishness。 How could
she ever say enough to Miss Maddison？ Her delightful party
completely ruined！。 。 。 Shocking！。 。 。 Shocking！。 。 。 Too terrible！。
。 。 And Ernest； such a quiet； well…behaved little boy as a rule。 It
must have been Jeremy who。 。 。
While they were waiting in the decent dusk of Miss Maddison's
sitting…room for a cleaned and chastened Jeremy； Mary touched her
aunt's arm and whispered in her nervous voice：
〃Aunt AmyJeremy hit Ernest because he said rude things about you。〃
〃About me！ Nonsense； child。〃
〃No； but it was； really。 Ernest said horrid things about you； and
then Jeremy hit him。〃
〃About me？ What things？〃
〃That you were ugly；〃 eagerly continued Marynever a tactful child；
and intent now only upon Jeremy's reputation〃and wore ugly
clothes and horrid things。 He did really。 I heard it all。〃
Aunt Amy was deeply moved。 Her conceit； her abnormal all…embracing
conceit was woundedyes； even by so insignificant a creature as the
Dean's Ernest； but she was also unexpectedly touched。 She would have
greatly preferred not to be touched； but there it was； she could not
help herself。 She did not know that； in all her life before； anyone
had ever fought for her； and that now of all champions in the world
fate should have chosen Jeremy； who was； she had supposed； her
enemynever her defender！
And that horrid child of the Deanshe had always disliked him； with
his long yellow neck and watery eyes！ How dared he say such things
about her！ He had always been rude to her。 She remembered once
Jeremy arrived； washed； brushed； and obstinate。 He would； of course；
be scolded to within an inch of his life； and he did not care。 He
had seen the Dean's Ernest howling and kicking on the ground； he had
soiled his straw hat for him； dirtied his stiff white collar for
him； and made his nose bleed。 He glared at his aunt （one eye was
rapidly disappearing beneath a blue bruise）； and he was proud；
triumphant； and very tired。
Farewells were madeagain many apologies〃Nothing； I assure you；
nothing。 Boys will be boys； I know；〃 from Miss Maddison。
Then they were seated in the jingle； Jeremy next to Aunt Amy；
awaiting his scolding。 It did not come。 Aunt Amy tried； she knew
what she should say。 She should be very angry； disgusted； ashamed。
She could not be any of these things。 That horrid boy had insulted
her。 She was touched and proud as she had never been touched and
proud in her life before。
Jeremy waited； and then as nothing came his weariness grew upon him。
As the old fat pony jogged along； as the evening colours of street
and sky danced before him； sleep came nearer and nearer。
He nodded； recovered； nodded and nodded again。 His body pressed
closer to Aunt Amy's； leaned against her。 His head rested upon her
shoulder。
After a moment's pause she put her arm round himso； holding him；
she stared； defiantly and crossly； upon the world。
CHAPTER VII
RELIGION
I
Always in after years Jeremy remembered that party of Miss
Maddison's； not because it had been there that he had won his first
fight； but for the deeper reason that from that day his life
received a new colour； woven into the texture of it； even now when
he thinks of those hours that followed Miss Maddison's party he
catches his breath and glances around him to see whether everything
is safe。 The children； on arriving home that evening； found that
their father and mother had already returned from Drymouth。 Jeremy；
sleepy though he was； rushed to his mother； held her hand； explained
his black eye； and then suddenly； in a way that he had； fell asleep；
there as he was； and had to be carried up to bed。
When he awoke next morning his first thought was of his mother。 He
did not know why； she was so definitely part of the background of
his daily life that he felt too sure of her continual and abiding
presence to need deliberate thought of her。 But this morning he
wanted to get up quickly and find her。 Perhaps her absence had made
him feel more insecure； but there had also been something that
night； something in her face； something in the touch of her hand。
And the other thing that he realised was that summer had truly come。
He knew at once that
