jeremy-第38节

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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；　lest　the　milk
should　be　spilt。　He　walked　along　very　happily；　humming　to　himself
and　thinking　in　a　confused　summer　afternoon　kind　of　manner　of
Charlotte；　Hamlet；　Mrs。　Le　Page　and　himself。　〃Shall　I　give　her　the
thimble　or　shan't　I？　I　could　take　her　to　the　pools　where　the　little
crabs　are。　She'd　like　them。　I　wonder　whether　we're　going　to　bathe。
Mrs。　Le　Page　will　look　funny　bathing。　。　。〃　Then　he　was　in　the　green
lane　again；　and　at　once　his　discomfort　returned　to　him；　and　he
looked　around　his　shoulder　and　into　the　hedges；　and　stopped　once　and
again　to　listen。　There　was　no　sound。　The　birds；　it　seemed；　had　all
fallen　to　sleep。　The　hedges；　he　thought；　were　closer　about　him。　It
was　very　hot　here；　with　no　breeze　and　no　comforting　sound　of　the
sea。　〃I　wonder　whether　he　really　does　come；〃　he　thought。　〃It　must　be
horrid　to　see　himcoming　quite　close。〃　And　the　thought　of　the　Fool
also　frightened　him。　The　Fool　with　his　tongue　out　and　his　shaking
legs；　like　the　idiot　who　lived　near　the　Cathedral　at　home。　At　the
thought　of　this　Jeremy　suddenly　took　to　his　legs　and　ran；　covering
the　top　of　his　jug　with　his　hand；　then；　when　he　came　out　on　to　the
strip　of　grass　that　crossed　the　top　of　the　beach；　he　stopped；
suddenly　ashamed　of　himself。　Scarlet　Admirals！　Scarlet　Admirals！　How
could　there　be　Scarlet　Admirals　in　a　world　that　also　contained　so
blazing　a　sun；　so　blue　a　sea；　and　the　gorgeous　realities　of　the　Le
Page　family。　He　arrived　at　the　luncheon　party　hot　and　proud　and
smiling；　so　cheerful　and　stolid　and　agreeable　that　even　Mrs。　Le　Page
was　compelled　to　say；　〃Really；　Mrs。　Cole；　that's　a　very　nice　little
boy　of　yours。　Come　here；　little　Jeremy；　and　talk　to　me！〃　How　deeply
he　hated　being　called　〃little　Jeremy〃　only　Mary　and　Helen　knew。
Their　eyes　flew　to　his　face　to　see　how　he　would　take　it。　He　took　it
very　well。　He　sat　down　beside　Mrs。　Le　Page；　who　very　gracefully　and
languidly　sipped　at　her　glass　of　milk。

〃How　old　are　you；　Jeremy　dear？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Eight；〃　he　answered；　wriggling。

〃What　a　nice　age！　And　one　day　you'll　go　to　school？〃

〃In　September。〃

〃And　what　will　you　be　when　you're　a　man？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　I'll　be　a　soldier；　perhaps。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　like　to　be　a　soldier　and　kill　people。〃

〃Yes；　I　would。　There's　lots　of　people　I'd　like　to　kill。〃

Mrs。　Le　Page　drew　her　skirts　back　a　little。

〃How　horrible！　I'm　sure　your　mother　wouldn't　like　to　hear　that。〃

But　Mr。　Cole　had　caught　the　last　words　of　the　dialogue　and
interrupted　with：

〃But　what　could　be　finer；　Mrs。　Le　Page；　than　the　defence　of　one's
country？　Would　you　have　our　young　lads　grow　up　faint…hearted　and
fail　their　Motherland　when　she　calls？　What　can　be　finer；　I　say；　than
to　die　for　Queen　and　country？　Would　not　every　mother　have　her　son
shed　his　blood　for　liberty　and　freedom？　。　。　。　No；　Jeremy；　not
another。　You've　had　quite　enough。　It　would　indeed　be　a　disheartening
sight　if　we　elders　were　to　watch　our　sons　and　grandchildren　turning
their　swords　into　ploughshares〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　shrill　cry　from　Mrs。　Le　Page：

〃Charlotte；　darling；　do　hold　your　sunshade　up。　All　the　left　side　of
your　face　is　exposed。　That's　better；　dear。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。
Cole。〃

But　Mr。　Cole　was　offended。

〃I　hope　no　son　of　mine　will　ever　show　himself　a　faint　heart；〃　he
concluded　severely。

The　luncheon；　in　fact；　had　been　a　most　dismal　failure。　The　Coles
could　fling　their　minds　back　to　luncheons　on　this　same　beach　that
had　been　simply　riotous　successes。　What　fun　they　had　had！　What
games！　What　bathes？　Now　the　very　sight　of　Mr。　Le　Page's　black　beard
was　enough。　Even　Jeremy　felt　that　things　were　wrong。　Then　he　looked
at　Charlotte　and　was　satisfied。　There　she　sat；　straight　and　stiff；
her　hands　on　her　lap；　her　hair　falling　in　lovely　golden　ripples　down
her　back；　her　gaze　fixed　on　distance。　Oh！　she　was　beautiful！　He
would　do　whatever　she　told　him；　he　would　give　her　Miss　Noah　and　the
apple　tree；　he　wouldA　sound　disturbed　his　devotions。　He　turned。
Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Le　Page　were　fast　asleep。




IV


〃Children；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Cole；　〃very　quietly　now；　so　that　you
don't　disturb　anyone；　run　off　to　the　farther　beach　and　play。　Helen；
you'll　see　that　everything　is　all　right；　won't　you？〃

It　was　only　just　in　time　that　Jeremy　succeeded　in　strangling
Hamlet's　bark　into　a　snort；　and　even　then　they　all　looked　round　for
a　moment　at　the　sleepers　in　the　greatest　anxiety。　But　no；　they　had
not　been　disturbed。　If　only　Mr。　Le　Page　could　have　known　what　he
resembled　lying　there　with　his　mouth　open！　But　he　did　not　know。　He
was　doubtless　dreaming　of　his　property。

The　children　crept　away。　Charlotte　and　Jeremy　together。　Jeremy's
heart　beat　thickly。　At　last　he　had　the　lovely　creature　in　his
charge。　It　was　true　that　he　did　not　quite　know　what　he　was　going　to
do　with　her；　and　that　even　now；　in　the　height　of　his　admiration；　he
did　wish　that　she　would　not　walk　as　though　she　were　treading　on　red…
hot　ploughshares；　and　that　she　could　talk　a　little　instead　of　giving
little　shivers　of　apprehension　at　every　step。

〃I　must　say；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃she's　rather　silly　in　some
ways。　Perhaps　it　wouldn't　be　fun　to　see　her　always。〃

They　turned　the　corner　round　a　projecting　finger　of　rock；　and　a　new
little　beach；　white　and　gleaming；　lay　in　front　of　them。

〃Well；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃here　we　are。　What　shall　we　play？〃

There　was　dead　silence。

〃We　might　play　pirates；〃　he　continued。　〃I'll　be　the　pirate；　and　Mary
can　sit　on　that　rock　until　the　water　comes　round　her；　and　Charlotte
shall　hide　in　that　cave〃

There　was　still　silence。　Looking　about　him；　he　discovered　from　his
sisters'　countenances　that　they　were　resolved　to　lend　no　kind　of
assistance；　and　he　then　from　that　deduced　the　simple　fact　that　his
sisters　hated　Charlotte　and　were　not　going　to　make　it　pleasant　for
her　in　any　way　if　they　could　help　it。　Oh！　it　was　a　miserable　picnic！
The　worst　that　he'd　ever　had。

〃It's　too　hot　to　play；〃　said　Helen　loftily。　〃I'm　going　to　sit　down
over　there。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　Mary。

They　moved　away；　their　heads　in　the　air　and　their　legs　ridiculously
stiff。

Jeremy　gazed　at　Charlotte　in　distress。　It　was　very　wicked　of　his
sisters　to　go　off　like　that；　but　it　was　also　very　silly　of　Charlotte
to　stand　there　so　helplessly。　He　was　beginning　to　think　that　perhaps
he　would　give　the　thimble　to　Miss　Jones　after　all。

〃Would　you　like　to　go　and　see　the　pool　where　the　little　crabs　are？〃
he　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　her　upper　lip　trembling　as　though　she
were　going　to　cry。　〃I　want　to　go　home　with　Mother。〃

〃You　can't　go　home；〃　he　said　firmly；　〃and　you　can't　see　your　mother；
because　she's　asleep。〃

〃I've　made　my　shoes　dirty；〃　she　said；　looking　down　at　her　feet；　〃and
I'm　so　tired　of　holding　my　sunshade。〃

〃I　should　shut　it　up；〃　Jeremy　said　without　any　hesitation。　〃I　think
it's　a　silly　thing。　I'm　glad　I'm　not　a　girl。　Do　you　have　to　take　it
with　you　everywhere？〃

〃Not　if　it's　raining。　Then　I　have　an　umbrella。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　come　and　see　the　crabs；〃　he　settled。　〃They're
only　just　over　there。〃

She　moved　along　with　him　reluctantly；　looking　back　continually　to
where　her　mother　ought　to　be。

〃Are　you　enjoying　yourself？〃　Jeremy　asked　politely。

〃No；〃　she　said；　without　any　hesitation；　〃I　want　to　go　home。〃

〃She's　as　selfish　as　anything；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　〃We're　giving
the　party；　and　she　ought　to　have　said　'Yes'　even　if　she　wasn't。〃

〃Do　you　like　my　dog？〃　he　asked；　with　another　effort　at　light
conversation。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　with　a　little　shiver。　〃He's　ugly。〃

〃He　isn't　ugly；〃　Jeremy　returned　indignantly。　〃He　isn't　perhaps　the
very　best　breed；　but　Uncle　Samuel　says　that　that　doesn't　matter　if
he's　clever。　He's　better　than　any　other　dog。　I　love　him　more　than
anybody。　He　isn't　ugly！〃

〃He　is；〃　cried　Charlotte　with　a　kind　of　wail。　〃Oh！　I　want　to　go
home。〃

〃Well；　you　can't　go　home；〃　he　answered　her　fiercely。　〃So　you　needn't
think　about　it。〃

They　came　to　the　little　pools；　three　of　them；　now　clear　as　crystal；
blue　on　their　surface；　with　green　depths　and　red　shelving　rock。

〃Now　you　sit　there；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃No　one　will　touch　you。　The
crabs　won't　get　at　you。〃

He　looked　about　him　and　noticed　with　surprise　where　he　was。　He　was
sitting　on　the　farther　corner　of　the　very　beach　where　the　Scarlet
Admiral　had　landed　with　his　men。　It　was　out　there　beyond　that　bend
of　rock　that　the　wonderful　ship　had　rode；　with　its　gold　and　silk；
its　jewelled　masts　and　its　glittering　board。　Directly　opposite　to
him　was　the　little　green　path　that　led　up　the　hill；　and　above　it　the
very　fieldFarmer　Ede's　field！

For　a　long；　long　time　they　sat　there　in　silence。　He　forgot　Charlotte
in　his　interest　over　his　discovery；　staring　about　him　and　watching
how　quickly　the　August　afternoon　was　losing　its　heat　and　colour；　so
that　already　a　little　cold　autumnal　wind　was　playing　about　the　sand；
the　colours　were　being　drawn　from　the　sky；　and　a　grey　web　was　slowly
pulled　across　the　sea。

〃Now；〃　he　said　cheerfully　at　last；　to　Charlotte；　〃I'll　look　for　the
crabs。〃

〃I　hate　crabs；〃