jeremy-第4节

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suddenly　became　no　longer　a　birthday　but　an　ordinary　daywith　an
extraordinary　standard。　This　is　why　so　many　birthdays　end　in　tears。

But　Jeremy；　as　was　usual　with　him；　took　everything　quietly。　He　might
cry　aloud　about　such　an　affair　as　the　conquest　of　the　wicker　chair
because　that　did　not　deeply　matter　to　him；　but　about　the　real　things
he　was　silent。　The　village　was　one　of　the　real　things；　during　all
the　morning　he　remained　shut　up　in　his　soul　with　it；　the　wide　world
closed　off　from　them　by　many　muffled　doors。　How　had　Uncle　Samuel
known　that　he　had　deep　in　his　own　inside；　so　deep　that　he　had　not
mentioned　it　even　to　himself；　wanted　something　just　like　this？
Thirty　years　ago　there　were　none　of　the　presents　that　there　are　for
children　nowno　wonderful　railways　that　run　round　the　nursery　from
Monte　Carlo　to　Paris　with　all　the　stations　marked；　no　dolls　that　are
so　like　fashionable　women　that　you　are　given　a　manicure　set　with
them　to　keep　their　nails　tidy；　no　miniature　motor…cars　that　run　of
themselves　and　go　for　miles　round　the　floor　without　being　wound　up。
Jeremy　knew　none　of　these　things；　and　was　the　happier　that　he　did
not。　To　such　a　boy　such　a　village　was　a　miracle。　。　。　。　It　had　not
come　from　Germany；　as　Aunt　Amy　said；　but　from　heaven。　But　it　was
even　more　of　Uncle　Samuel　than　the　village　that　he　was　thinking。
When　they　startedHelen；　Mary　and　he　in　charge　of　the　Jampotupon
their　afternoon　walk；　he　was　still　asking　himself　the　same
questions。　How　had　Uncle　Samuel　known　so　exactly？　Had　it　been　a
great　trouble　to　bring　from　so　far　away？　Had　Uncle　Samuel　thought　it
bad　of　him　not　to　thank　him？

He　was　lost　in　such　considerations　when　the　Jampot　inquired　of　him
the　way　that　their　walk　should　takeit　was　his　choice　because　it
was　his　Birthday。　He　had　no　choice。　There　was　one　walk　that　far
exceeded　all　others　in　glory；　straight　down　Orange　Street；　straight
again　through　the　Market；　past　the　Assembly　Rooms　and　the　Town　Hall；
past　the　flower　and　fruit　stalls；　and　the　old　banana　woman　under　the
green　umbrella　and　the　toy　stall　with　coloured　balloons；　the　china
dogs　and　the　nodding　donkeys；　up　the　High　Street；　into　the　cobble…
stones　of　the　Close；　whence　one　could　look　down；　between　the　houses
on　to　the　orchards；　round　the　Cathedral　with　the　meadows；　Pol　Meads
sloping　down　to　the　river；　so　through　Orchard　Lane　into　Orange
Street　once　again。

Such　a　walk　combined　every　magic　and　delight　known　to　the　heart　of
man；　but　it　was　not　generally　allowed；　because　Jeremy　would　drag
past　the　shops；　the　stalls　in　the　Market　Place　and　the　walk　behind
the　Cathedral；　whence　one　might　sometimes　see　boats　on　the　river；
sheep　and　cows　in　the　meads；　and；　in　their　proper　season；　delight　of
delightslambs。

They　set　out。　。　。

Thirty　years　ago　the　winter　weather　in　Polchester　was　wonderful。
Now；　of　course；　there　are　no　hard　winters；　no　frost；　no　snow；　no
waits；　no　snowmen；　and　no　skating　on　the　Pol。　Then　there　were　all
those　things。　To…day　was　of　a　hard；　glittering　frost；　the　sun；　like
a　round；　red　lacquer　tray；　fell　heavily；　slowly　through　a　faint　pale
sky　that　was　not　strong　enough　to　sustain　it。　The　air　had　the　cold；
sweet　twang　of　peppermints　in　the　throat。　Polchester　was　a　painted
town　upon　a　blue　screen；　the　Cathedral　towers　purple　against　the
sky；　the　air　was　scented　with　burning　leaves；　and　cries　from　the
town　rose　up　clear　and　hard；　lingering　and　falling　like　notes　of
music。　Somewhere　they　were　playing　football；　and　the　shouting　was
distant　and　regular　like　the　tramp　of　armed　men。　〃Three〃　struck　the
Cathedral　clock；　as　though　it　were　calling　〃Open　Sesame。〃　Other
lesser　clocks　repeated　the　challenge　cry　through　the　town。　〃Woppley…
…WoppleyWhy！〃　sung　the　man　who　was　selling　skins　down　Orange
Street。　The　sky；　turning　slowly　from　blue　to　gold；　shone
mysteriously　through　the　glass　of　the　street　lamps；　and　the　sun
began　to　wrap　itself　in　tints　of　purple　and　crocus　and　iris。

〃WoppleyWoppleyWhy！〃　screamed　the　skin…man　suddenly　appearing　at
the　top　of　the　street。

〃Now　'urry；　Master　Jeremy；〃　said　the　Jampot；　〃or　we　shall　never　get
'ome　this　night；　and　I　might　have　known　you'd　choose　the　longest
walk　possible。　Come　along；　Miss　Mary；　nownone　of　that　dawdling。〃

Jeremy；　in　his　H。M。S。　Adventure's　cap　and　rough　blue　navy　coat；　felt
himself　superior　to　the　Jampot；　so　he　only　said；　〃Oh；　don't　bother；
Nurse；〃　and　then　in　the　same　breath；　〃I'll　run　you　down　the　hill；
Mary；〃　and　before　anyone　could　say　a　word　there　they　were　at　the
bottom　of　Orange　Street；　as　though　they　had　fallen　into　a　well。　The
sun　was　gone；　the　golden　horizon　was　goneonly　the　purple　lights
began　to　gather　about　their　feet　and　climb　slowly　the　high　black
houses。

Mary　liked　this；　because　she　now　had　Jeremy　to　herself。　She　began
hurriedly；　so　that　she　should　lose　no　time：

〃Shall　I　tell　you　a　story；　Jeremy？　I've　got　a　new　one。　Once　upon　a
time　there　were　three　little　boys；　and　they　lived　in　a　wood；　and　an
old　witch　ate　them；　and　the　Princess　who　had　heaps　of　jewellery　and
a　white　horse　and　a　lovely　gold　dress　came；　and　it　was　snowing　and
the　witch〃

This　was　always　Mary's　way。　She　loved　to　tell　Jeremy　interesting
stories；　and　he　did　not　mind　because　he　did　not　listen　and　could
meanwhile　think　his　own　thoughts。

His　chief　decision　arrived　at　as　he　marched　along　was　that　he　would
keep　the　village　to　himself；　no　one　else　should　put　their　fingers
into　it；　arrange　the　orchard　with　the　coloured　trees；　decide　upon
the　names　of　the　Noah　family；　settle　the　village　street　in　its　final
order；　ring　the　bell　of　the　church；　or　milk　the　cows。　He　alone　would
do　all　these　things。　And；　so　considering；　he　seemed　to　himself　very
like　God。　God；　he　supposed；　could　pull　Polchester　about；　root　out　a
house　here；　another　there；　knock　the　Assembly　Rooms　down　and　send　a
thunderbolt　on　to　the　apple　woman's　umbrella。　Well；　thenso　could
he　with　his　village。　He　walked　swollen　with　pride。　He　arrived　at　the
first　Island　of　Circe；　namely；　the　window　of　Mr。　Thompson；　the
jeweller　in　Market　Street；　pressed　his　nose　to　the　pane；　and　refused
to　listen　when　the　Jampot　suggested　that　he　should　move　forward。

He　could　see　the　diamonds　like　drops　of　water　in　the　sun；　and　the
pearls　like　drops　of　milk；　and　the　rubies　like　drops　of　blood；　but
it　was　not　of　diamonds；　pearls　or　rubies　that　he　was　thinkinghe
thought　only　of　his　village。　He　would　ring　the　church　bell；　and　then
all　the　Noah　family　should　start　out　of　the　door；　down　the　garden；
up　the　village　street。　。　。　It　did　not　matter　if　one　of　the　younger
Noahs　should　be　lazy　and　wish　to　stay　at　home　beneath　the　flowering
trees　of　the　orchard。　She　would　not　be　allowed。　。　。　He　was　as　God。　。
。　He　was　as　God。　。　。　The　butcher　should　go　（if　he　was　not　stuck　to
his　shop）；　and　even　some　of　his　cows　might　go。　。　。　。　He　was　as
God。　。　。

He　heard　Mary's　voice　in　his　ear。

〃And　after　that　they　all　ate　chocolates　with　white　cream　and　red
cream；　and　they　sucked　it　off　pins；　and　there　were　hard　bits　and
soft　bits；　and　the　Princess　（she　was　a　frog　now。　You　remember；　don't
you；　Jeremy？　The　witch　turned　her）　hotted　the　oven　like　cook　has；
with　black　doors；　and　hotted　it　and　hotted　it；　but　suddenly　there
was　a　noise〃

And；　on　the　other　side；　the　Jampot's　voice：　〃You　naughty　boy；
stoppin'　'ere　for　everyone　to　see；　just　because　it's　your　birthday；
which　I　wish　there　wasn't　no　birthdays；　nor　there　wouldn't　be　if　I
had　my　way。〃

Jeremy　turned　from　Mr。　Thompson's　window；　a　scornful　smile　on　his
face：

〃I'm　bigger'n　you；　Nurse；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　said　out　loud；　'I　won't
go；'　I　wouldn't　go；　and　no　one　could　make　me。〃

〃Well；　come　along；　then；〃　said　Nurse。

〃Don't　be　so　stupid；　Jerry；〃　said　Helen　calmly。　〃If　a　policeman　came
and　said　you　had　to　go　home　you'd　have　to　go。〃

〃No　I　wouldn't；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃Then　they'd　put　you　in　prison。〃

〃They　could。〃

〃They'd　hang　you；　perhaps。〃

〃They　could；〃　replied　Jeremy。

Farther　than　this　argument　cannot　go；　so　Helen　shrugged　her
shoulders　and　said：　〃You　are　silly。〃

And　they　all　moved　forward。

He　found　then　that　this　new　sense　or　God…like　power　detracted　a
little　from　the　excitements　of　the　Market　Place；　although　the
flower…stall　was　dazzling　with　flowers；　there　was　a　new　kind　of　pig
that　lifted　its　tail　and　lowered　it　again　on　the　toy　stall；　and　the
apple…woman　was　as　fat　as　ever　and　had　thick　clumps　of　yellow
bananas　hanging　most　richly　around　her　head。　They　ascended　the　High
Street　and　reached　the　Close。　It　was　half…past　three；　and　the
Cathedral　bells　had　begun　to　ring　for　evensong。　All　the　houses　in
the　Close　were　painted　with　a　pale　yellow　light；　across　the　long
green　Cathedral　lawn　thin　black　shadows　like　the　fingers　of　giants
pointed　to　the　Cathedral　door。　All　was　so　silent　here　that　the　bells
danced　against　the　houses　and　back　again；　the　echoes　lingering　in
the　high　elms　and　mingling　with　the　placid　cooing　of　the　rooks。

〃There's　Mrs。　Sampson；〃　said　Jeremy。　〃Aunt　Amy　says　she's　a　wicked
woman。　Do　you　think　she's　a　wicked　woman；　Nurse？〃　He　gazed　at　the
stout　figure　with　interest。　If　he　were　truly　God　he　would　turn　her
into　a　rabbit。　This　thought　amused　him；　and　he　began　to　laugh。

〃You　naughty　boy；　now　come　along