jeremy-第36节

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of　the　parson　and　his　little　bundle　of　black　clothes　lying　neatly
upon　a　stone。　Then　the　fool　ran　all　the　way　home　to　his　mother　who
was　a　widow；　and　sat　and　cried　and　cried　for　the　beautiful　young　man
who　had　been　slain；　nor　would　he　eat；　nor　taste　the　excellent　Rafiel
beer；　and　he　pined　away；　and　at　last　he　died；　first　telling　this
history　to　his　mother；　who；　like　all　widows；　was　a　garulous　woman
and　loved　a　good　story。　。　。

Impossible　to　imagine　with　what　life　and　fire　old　Miss　Henhouse　gave
this　history。　You　could　see　with　your　own　eyes　the　golden　ship；　the
diamond　buckles　of　the　Scarlet　Admiral；　the　young　man's　sad　eyes；
the　parson's　black　clothes。　When　she　had　finished　it　seemed　to
Jeremy　that　it　must　have　been　just　so。　She　told　him　that　now　on　a
summer　morning　or　evening　the　Scarlet　Admiral　might　still　be　seen；
climbing　the　cliff…path；　wiping　his　sword　upon　the　grass；　gazing　out
with　sad　eyes　to　sea。　Jeremy　swore　to　himself　that　on　the　next
occasion　of　visiting　the　Cove　he　would　watch　。　。　。　he　would　watch…
but　to　no　single　human　being　would　he　speak　anything　of　this。

This　was　the　second　reason　why　he　had　looked　forward　so　eagerly　to
the　sea…picnic。




III


The　day　arrived；　and　it　was　marvellously　fineone　of　those　days　in
August　when　heat　possesses　the　world　and　holds　it　tranced　and　still；
but　has　in　the　very　strength　of　its　possession　some　scent　of　the
decay　and　chill　of　autumn　that　is　to　follow　so　close　upon　its　heels。
There　was　no　breeze；　no　wind　from　the　sea；　only　a　sky　utterly
without　cloud　and　a　world　without　sound。

Punctually　at　eleven　of　the　morning　the　splendid　Le　Page　equipage
arrived　at　Cow　Farm。　Splendid　it　was！　A　large　wagonette；　with　a
stout　supercilious　fellow　on　the　box　who　sniffed　at　the　healthy
odours　of　the　farm　and　stared　haughtily　at　Mrs。　Monk　as　though　she
should　be　ashamed　to　be　alive。　The　Coles　had　provided　a　small　plump
〃jingle〃　with　a　small　plump　pony；　their　regular　conveyance；　the　pony
was　Bob；　and　he　would　not　go　up　hills　unless　persuaded　with　sugar；
but　Jeremy　loved　him　and　would　not　have　ridden　behind　any　other
steed　in　the　whole　world。　How　contemptuously　the　big　black　horses　of
the　wagonette　gazed　down　their　nostrils　at　Bob；　and　how　superbly
Mrs。　Le　Page；　sitting　very　upright　under　her　white　sunshade；　greeted
Mrs。　Cole！

〃Dear　Mrs。　Cole。　Such　a　hot　morning；　isn't　it？　Lovely；　of　course；
but　so　hot。〃

〃I'm　afraid；〃　Jeremy　heard　his　mother　say；　〃that　your　carriage　will
never　get　down　the　Rafiel　Lane；　Mrs。　Le　Page。　We　hoped　you'd　come　in
the　dog…cart。　Plenty　of　room。　。　。〃

Superb　to　witness　the　fashion　in　which　Mrs。　Le　Page　gazed　at　the
dog…cart。

〃For　all　of　us？　。　。　。　Dear　Mrs。　Cole；　I　scarcely　thinkAnd
Charlotte's　frock　。　。　。〃

Then　Jeremy　turned　his　eyes　to　Charlotte。　She　sat　under　a　miniature
sunshade　of　white　silk　and　lace；　a　vision　of　loveliness。　She　was　a
shimmer　of　white；　a　little　white　cloud　that　had　settled　for　a　moment
upon　the　seat　of　the　carriage　to　allow　the　sun　to　dance　upon　it；　to
caress　it　with　fingers　of　fire；　so　to　separate　it　from　the　rest　of
the　world　for　ever　as　something　too　precious　to　be　touched。　Jeremy
had　never　seen　anything　so　lovely。

He　blushed　and　scraped　his　boots　the　one　against　the　other。

〃And　this　is　Jeremy？〃　said　Mrs。　Le　Page　as　though　she　said：　〃And
this　is　where　you　keep　your　little　pigs；　Mr。　Monk？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jeremy；　blushing。

〃Charlotte；　you　know　Jeremy。　You　must　be　friends。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Charlotte；　without　moving。　Then　Jeremy　tumbled　into　the
stern　gaze　of　Mr。　Le　Page　who；　arrayed　as　he　was　in　a　very　smart
suit　of　the　whitest　flannels；　looked　with　his　black　beard　and　fierce
black　eyebrows　like　a　pirate　king　disguised。

〃How　are　you　？〃　said　Mr。　Le　Page　in　a　deep　bass　voice。

〃Very　well；　thank　you；〃　said　Jeremy。

To　tell　the　truth；　Mrs。　Cole's　heart　sadly　misgave　her　when　she　saw
the　Le　Page　family　all　sitting　up　so　new　and　so　bright　in　their　new
and　bright　carriage。　She　thought　of　the　simple　preparations　that　had
been　madethe　pasties；　the　saffron　buns　and　the　ginger　beer；　she
looked　around　her　at　the　very　plain　but　useful　garments　worn　by　her
family；　her　husband　in　faded　grey　flannel　trousers　and　a　cricketing
shirt；　Helen　and　Mary　in　the　simplest　blue　cotton；　and　Jeremy　in　his
two…year…old　sailor　suit。　She　had　intended　to　bring　their　bathing
things　in　a　bundle；　but　now　she　put　them　aside。　It　was　obvious　that
the　Le　Pages　had　no　intention　of　bathing。　She　sighed　and　foresaw　a
difficult　day　ahead　of　her。

It　was　evident　that　the　Le　Pages　did　not　intend　to　come　one　step
farther　into　Cow　Farm　than　was　necessary。

〃Dear　Mrs。　Cole；　on　a　hot　dayhow　can　you　endure　the　smells　of　a
farm　。　。　。　such　a　charming　farm；　too；　with　all　its　cows　and　pigs；
but　in　this　weather。　。　。　Charlotte　darling；　you　don't　feel　the　heat？
No？　Hold　your　sun…shade　a　little　more　to　the　right；　love。　That's
right。　She　was　not　quite　the　thing　last　night；　Mrs。　Cole。　I　had　some
doubts　about　bringing　her；　but　I　knew　you'd　all　be　so　disappointed。
She's　looking　rather　lovely　to…day；　don't　you　think？　You　must
forgive　a　mother's　partiality。　。　。　Oh；　you're　not　bringing　that
little　dog；　are　you？　Surely〃

Jeremy；　who　had　from　the　first　hated　Mrs。　Le　Page；　forgot　his
shyness　and　brought　out　fiercely：

〃Of　course　he's　coming。　Hamlet　always　goes　everywhere　with　us。〃

〃Hamlet！〃　said　Mr。　Le　Page　in　his　deep　bass　voice。

〃What　a　strange　name　for　a　dog！〃　said　Mrs。　Le　Page　in　tones　of　vague
distrust。

At　last　it　was　settled　that　one　member　of　the　Cole　party　should　ride
with　the　Le　Pages；　and　Mary　was　selected。　Poor　Mary！　inevitably
chosen　when　something　unpleasant　must　be　done。　To…day　it　was
especially　hard　for　her；　because　she　entertained　so　implacable　a
hatred　for　the　lovely　Charlotte　and　looked；　it　must　be　confessed；　so
plain　and　shabby　by　the　side　of　her。　Indeed；　to　any　observer　with　a
heart　it　must　have　been　touching　to　see　Mary　driven　away　in　that
magnificent　black　carriage；　staring　with　agonised　hostility　in　front
of　her　through　her　large　spectacles；　compelled　to　balance　herself
exactly　between　the　magnificent　sunshade　of　Mrs。　Le　Page　and　the
smaller　but　also　magnificent　sunshade　of　the　lovely　Charlotte。　Mrs。
Cole；　glancing　in　that　direction；　may　have　felt　with　a　pang　that　she
would　never　be　able　to　make　her　children　handsome　and　gay　as　she
would　like　to　dobut　it　was　certainly　a　pang　of　only　a　moment's
duration。

She　would　not　have　exchanged　her　Mary　for　a　wagon…load　of
Charlottes。

And　Jeremy；　bumping　along　in　the　jingle；　also　felt　the　contrast。　Why
could　not　Mary　wear　her　straw　hat　straight；　and　why　must　she　have
elastic　under　her　chin？　Why　did　she　look　so　cross　and　so　stupid？　Why
did　she　bother　him　so　with　her　worries？　Charlotte　would　never　worry
him。　She　would　just　sit　there；　looking　beautiful；　with　her　golden
hair；　and　blue　eyes　and　pink　cheeks。　Next　week　was　to　be　Miss
Jones's　birthday；　and　in　preparation　for　this　he　had　bought　for　her
in　Polchester　a　silver　thimble。　He　wondered　whether　he　would　not
give　Charlotte　this　thimble　instead　of　Miss　Jones。　He　could　give
Miss　Jones　some　old　thing　he　would　find　somewhere；　or　he　would　go
out　and　pick　for　her　some　flowers。　She　would　be　pleased　with
anything。　He　wondered　what　Charlotte　would　say　when　he　gave　her　the
thimble。　She　would　like　it；　of　course。　She　would　smile。　She　would
open　her　eyes　and　look　at　him。　Fortunately　he　had　the　thimble　even
now　in　his　pocket。　He　had　bought　it　when　he　was　wearing　this　same
suit。　Yes；　he　would　give　it　to　her。　As　he　decided　this　he　looked　at
Miss　Jones　guiltily；　but　she　was　making　such　odd　faces　as　she
squinted　to　escape　from　the　sun　that　he　did　not　feel　ashamed。

They　came　to　that　steep　hill　just　beyond　Garth　woods；　and　Bob；　of
course；　refused　to　move。　The　superb　Le　Page　affair　dashed　past　them；
shouted　something　at　them；　and　disappeared　over　the　brow　of　the
hill。　The　last　thing　to　be　seen　of　them　were　the　fierce　despairing
eyes　of　the　imprisoned　Mary。　A　strange　sensation　of　relief　instantly
settled　upon　the　Coles。　For　a　moment　they　were　alone；　they　began
slowly　to　walk　up　the　hill；　dragging　with　them　the　reluctant　Bob。
About　them　was　peace；　absolute　and　unstained。　The　hard　glitter　of
the　day　shone　upon　the　white　road；　but　behind　them　the　wood　was　dark
and　cool；　a　green　cloud　against　the　sky。　Behind　the　steep　hedges　the
harvesters　were　moving。　In　the　air　a　lark　was　singing；　and　along　the
ditch　at　the　road　side　a　tiny　stream　tumbled。　And　beyond　these
sounds　there　was　a　vast　tranquil　silence。

The　Coles　moved　up　the　hill　very　slowly；　only　Hamlet　racing　ahead　to
find　spots　of　shadow　where　he　might　lie　down　and　pant。　They　would
not　confess　to　themselves　that　this　promised　to　be　the　happiest
moment　of　their　day。　They　went　bravely　forward。

On　the　bend　of　the　hill　the　Le　Pages　were　waiting　for　them。　What
Mrs。　Cole　had　foreseen　had　in　truth　occurred。　The　Le　Page　carriage
would　not　go　down　the　Rafiel　Lane。　No；　it　would；　not。　。　。　Nothing
would　induce　it　to。

〃James；〃　said　Mrs。　Le　Page　to　her　stout　and　disdainful　attendant。

〃Nothing；　ma'am；〃　said　James。

〃Dear　me；　dear　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Le　Page。　〃Well　then；　we　must　walk；〃
said　the　deep　despairing　voice　of