jeremy-第37节

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

And　walk　they　did。

That　walk　was；　as　Mrs。　Cole　afterwards　said；　〃a　pity；〃　because　it
destroyed　the　Le　Page　tempers　when　the　day　was　scarcely　begun。　Mr。
Le　Page　was；　it　was　quickly　descried；　not　intended　for　walking。
Strong　and　fierce　though　he　seemed；　heat　instantly　crumpled　him　up。
The　perfect　crease　of　his　white　trousers　vanished；　his　collar　was　no
longer　spotless；　little　beads　of　perspiration　appeared　almost　at
once　on　his　forehead；　and　his　black　beard　dripped　moisture。　Mrs。　Le
Page；　with　her　skirts　raised；　walked　as　though　she　were　passing
through　the　Valley　of　Destruction；　every　step　was　a　risk　and　a
danger；　and　the　difficulty　of　holding　her　skirts　and　her　sunshade　at
the　same　time；　and　of　seeing　that　her　shoes　were　not　soiled　and　her
hat　not　caught　by　an　offending　bough　gave　her　face　an　expression　of
desperate　despair。

There　was；　unfortunately；　one　spot　very　deep　down　in　the　lane　where
the　ground　was　never　dry　even　in　the　height　of　the　hottest　summer。

A　little　stream　ran　here　across　the　path；　and　the　ground　on　either
side　was　soft　and　sodden。　Mrs。　Le　Page；　struggling　to　avoid　an
overhanging　branch；　stepped　into　the　mud；　one　foot　stuck　there；　and
it　needed　Mr。　Cole's　strong　arm　to　pull　her　out　of　it。

〃Charlotte！　Charlotte！〃　she　cried。　〃Don't　let　Charlotte　step　into
that！　Mr。　Cole！　Mr。　Cole！　I　charge　youmy　child！〃　Charlotte　was
conveyed　across；　but　the　damage　was　done。　One　of　Mrs。　Le　Page's
beautiful　shoes　was　thick　with　mud。

When；　therefore；　the　party；　climbing　out　of　the　Lane；　came　suddenly
upon　the　path　leading　down　to　the　Cove；　with　the　sea；　like　a　blue
cloud　in　front　of　them；　no　one　exclaimed　at　the　view。　It　was　a　very
beautiful　viewone　of　the　finest　of　its　kind　in　the　United
Kingdom；　the　high　rocks　closing　in　the　Cove　and　the　green　hills
closing　in　the　rocks。　On　the　hill　to　the　right　was　the　Rafiel　Old
Church；　with　its　graveyard　that　ran　to　the　very　edge　of　the　cliff；
and　behind　the　Cove　was　a　stream　and　a　green　orchard　and　a　little
wood。　The　sand　of　the　Cove　was　bright　gold；　and　the　low　rocks　to
either　side　of　it　were　a　dark　redthe　handsomest　place　in　the
world；　with　the　water　so　clear　that　you　could　see　down；　far　down；
into　green　caverns　laced　with　silver　sand。　Unfortunately；　at　the
moment　when　the　Coles　and　their　friends　beheld　it；　it　was　blazing　in
the　sun；　soon　the　sun　would　pass　and；　during　the　whole　afternoon；
half　of　it　at　least　would　lie　in　shadow；　but　the　Le　Pages　could　not
be　expected　to　think　of　that。

The　basket　was　unloaded　from　the　jingle　and　carried　down　to　the
beach　by　Mr。　Cole　and　Jim。　Jeremy；　finding　himself　at　the　side　of
the　lovely　Charlotte；　was　convulsed　with　shyness；　the　more　that　he
knew　that　the　unhappy　Mary　was　listening　with　jealous　ears。
Charlotte；　walking　like　Agag；　〃delicately；〃　had　a　piteous　expression
in　her　eyes　as　though　she　were　being　led　to　the　torture。

Jeremy　coughed　and　began：　〃We　always　come　here　every　year。　Don't　you
like　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said　miserably。

〃And　we　paddle　and　bathe。　Do　you　like　bathing？〃

〃Going　into　the　sea？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh；　no！　Mother　says　I　mustn't；　because　it'll　hurt　my　hair。　Do　you
like　my　hair？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jeremy；　blushing　at　so　direct　an　invitation　to
compliment。

〃Mother　says　I've　got　to　be　very　careful　of　my　hair　because　it's　my
chief　beauty。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃I　have　a　maid；　Alice；　and　she　brushes　a　whole　hour　every　morning
and　a　whole　hour　every　evening。〃

〃Don't　you　get　very　tired？〃　asked　Jeremy。　〃I　know　I　should。〃

〃Mother　says　if　you　have　such　beautiful　hair　you　must　take　trouble
with　it；〃　Charlotte　gravely　replied。

Her　voice　was　so　like　the　voice　of　a　parrot　that　Jeremy's
grandmother　had　once　possessed　that　it　didn't　seem　as　though　a　human
being　was　speaking　at　all。　They　were　near　the　beach　now　and　could
see　the　blue　slipping　in；　turning　into　white　bubbles；　then　slipping
out　again。

〃Do　you　like　my　frock？〃　said　Charlotte。

〃Yes；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃It　was　bought　in　London。　All　my　clothes　are　bought　in　London。〃

〃Mary's　and　Helen's　aren't；〃　said　Jeremy　with　some　faint　idea　of
protecting　his　sisters。　〃They're　bought　in　Polchester。〃

〃Mother　says；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃that　if　you're　not　pretty　it　doesn't
matter　where　you　buy　your　clothes。〃

They　arrived　on　the　beach　and　stared　about　them。　It　became　at　once　a
great　question　as　to　where　Mrs。　Le　Page　would　sit。　She　could　not　sit
on　the　sand　which　looked　damp；　nor　equally；　of　course；　on　a　rock
that　was　spiky　and　hard。　What　to　do　with　her？　She　stood　in　the
middle　of　the　beach；　still　holding　up　her　skirts；　gazing　desperately
about　her；　looking　first　at　one　spot　and　then　at　another。

〃Oh；　dear；　the　heat！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Is　there　no　shade　anywhere？
Perhaps　in　that　farm…house　over　there。　。　。〃　It　was　probable　enough
that　no　member　of　the　Cole　family　would　have　minded　banishing　Mrs。
Le　Page　into　the　farmhouse；　but　it　would　have　meant　that　the　whole
party　must　accompany　her。　That　was　impossible。　They　had　come　for　a
picnic　and　a　picnic　they　would　have。

Mrs。　Cole　watched；　with　growing　agitation；　the　whole　situation。　She
saw　from　her　husband's　face　that　he　was　rapidly　losing　his　temper；
and　she　had　learnt；　after　many　experiences；　that　when　he　lost　his
temper　he　was　capable　of　anything。　That　does　not　mean；　of　course；
that　he　ever　was　angry　to　the　extent　of　swearing　or　striking　out
with　his　fistsno；　he　simply　grew　sadder；　and　sadder；　and　sadder；
and　this　melancholy　had　a　way　of　reducing　to　despair　all　the　people
with　whom　he　happened　to　be　at　the　time。

〃What　does　everyone　say　to　our　having　lunch　now？〃　cried　Mrs。　Cole
cheerfully。　〃It's　after　one；　and　I'm　sure　everyone's　hungry。〃

No　one　said　anything；　so　preparations　were　begun。　A　minute　piece　of
shade　was　found　for　Mrs。　Le　Page；　and　here　she　sat　on　a　flat　piece
of　rock　with　her　skirts　drawn　close　about　her　as　though　she　were
afraid　of　rats　or　crabs。　A　tablecloth　was　laid　on　the　sand　and　the
provisions　spread　outpasties　for　everybody；　egg…sandwiches；　seed…
cake；　and　jam…puffsand　ginger　beer。　It　looked　a　fine　feast　when　it
was　all　there；　and　Mrs。　Cole；　as　she　gave　the　final　touch　to　it　by
placing　a　drinking　glass　containing　two　red　rose…buds　in　the　middle；
felt　proud　of　her　efforts　and　hoped　that　after　all　the　affair　might
pass　off　bravely。　But　alas；　how　easily　the　proudest　plans　fall　to
the　ground。

〃I　hope；　Alice；　you　haven't　forgotten　the　salt！〃

Instantly　Mrs。　Cole　knew　that　she　had　forgotten　it。　She　could　see
herself　standing　there　in　Mrs。　Monk's　kitchen　forgetting　it。　How
could　she？　And　Mrs。　Monk；　how　could　SHE？　It　had　never　been　forgotten
before。

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said　wildly。　〃Oh；　no！　I'm　sure　I　can't　have　forgotten
it。〃

She　plunged　about；　her　red　face　all　creased　with　anxiety；　her　hat　on
one　side；　her　hands　searching　everywhere；　under　the　tablecloth；　in
the　basket；　amongst　the　knives　and　forks。

〃Jim；　you　haven't　dropped　anything？〃

〃No；　mum。　Beggin'　your　pardon；　mum；　the　basket　was　closed；　so　to
speakclosed　it　was。〃

No；　she　knew　that　she　had　forgotten　it。

〃I'm　so　sorry；　Mrs。　Le　Page；　I'm　afraid〃

〃My　dear　Mrs。　Cole！　What　does　it　matter？　Not　in　the　least；　I　assure
you。　In　this　heat　it's　impossible　to　feel　hungry；　isn't　it？　I　assure
you　I　don't　feel　as　though　I　could　touch　a　thing。　A　little　fruit；
perhapsan　apple　or　a　peach〃

Fruit？　Why　hadn't　Mrs。　Cole　brought　fruit？　She　might　so　easily　have
done　so；　and　she　had　never　thought　about　it。　They　themselves　were
rather　tired　of　fruit；　and　so

〃I'm　afraid　we've　no　fruit；　but　an　egg…sandwich〃

〃Eggs　need　salt；　don't　you　think？　Not　that　it　matters　in　the　very
least；　but　so　that　you　shouldn't　think　me　fussy。　Really；　dear　Mrs。
Cole；　I　never　felt　less　hungry　in　my　life。　Just　a　drop　of　milk　and
I'm　perfectly　satisfied。〃

〃Jeremy　shall　run　up　to　the　farm　for　the　milk。　You　don't　mind；
Jeremy　dear；　do　you？　It's　only　a　step。　Just　take　this　sixpence；
dear；　and　say　we'll　send　the　jug　back　this　afternoon　if　they'll
spare　one。〃

Jeremy　did　mind。　He　was　enjoying　his　luncheon；　and　he　was　gazing　at
Charlotte；　and　he　was　teasing　Hamlet　with　scrapshe　was　very　happy。
Nevertheless；　he　started　off。

So　soon　as　he　left　the　sands　the　noise　of　the　sea　was　shut　off　from
him；　and　he　was　climbing　the　little　green　path　up　which　the　Scarlet
Admiral　had　once　stalked。

Suddenly　he　rememberedin　his　excitement　about　Charlotte　he　had
forgotten　the　Admiral。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　listening。　The　green
hedge　shut　off　the　noise　of　the　seaonly　above　his　head　some　birds
were　twittering。　He　fancied　that　he　heard　footsteps；　then　that
beyond　the　hedge　something　was　moving。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the
birds　were　also　listening　for　something。　〃Well；　it's　the　middle　of
the　afternoon；　anyway。〃　He　thought　to　himself；　〃He　never　comes
thereonly　in　the　morning　or　evening；〃　but　he　hurried　forward　after
that；　wishing　that　he　had　called　to　Hamlet　to　accompany　him。　It　was
a　pleasant　climb　to　the　farm　through　the　green　orchard；　and　he　found
at　the　farm　door　an　agreeable　woman　who　smiled　at　him　when　she　gave
him　the　milk。　He　had　to　come　down　the　hill　carefully；