jeremy-第45节

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〃I　will　when　I'm　eight；〃　he　answered。

〃Oh；　give　over；　do；　Master　Jeremy；〃　said　she。　And　now　he　was　eight；
very　nearly　nine；　and　going　to　school　in　a　fortnight。　There　seemed
to　be　a　touch　of　destiny　about　his　prophecy。




II


He　had　no　intention　of　disobedience。　Had　he　been　once　definitely
told　by　someone　in　authority　that　he　was　not　to　go　to　the　fair　he
would　not　have　dreamt　of　going。　He　had　no　intention　of　disobedience…
…but　he　had　returned　from　the　Cow　Farm　holiday　in　a　strange
condition　of　mind。

He　had　found　there　this　summer　more　freedom　than　he　had　been　ever
allowed　in　his　life　before；　and　it　had　been　freedom　that　had　come；
not　so　much　from　any　change　of　rules；　but　rather　from　his　own
attitude　to　the　familysimply　he　had　wanted　to　do　certain　things；
and　he　had　done　them　and　the　family　had　stood　aside。　He　began　to　be
aware　that　he　had　only　to　push　and　things　gave　waya　dangerous
knowledge；　and　its　coming　marks　a　period　in　one's　life。

He　seemed；　too；　during　this　summer；　to　have　left　his　sisters
definitely　behind　him　and　to　stand　much　more　alone　than　he　had　done
before。　The　only　person　in　his　world　whom　he　felt　that　he　would　like
to　know　better　was　Uncle　Samuel；　and　that　argued；　on　his　part；　a
certain　tendency　towards　rebellion　and　individuality。　He　was　no
longer　rude　to　Aunt　'Amy；　although　he　hated　her　just　as　he　had
always　done。　She　did　not　seem　any　longer　a　question　that　mattered。
His　attitude　to　his　whole　family　now　was　independent。

Indeed；　he　was；　in　reality；　now　beginning　to　live　his　independent
life。　He　was　perhaps　very　young　to　be　sent　off　to　school　by　himself；
although　in　those　days　for　a　boy　of　eight　to　be　plunged　without　any
help　but　a　friendly　word　of　warning　into　the　stormy　seas　of　private
school　life　was　common　enoughnevertheless；　his　father；　conscious
that　the　child's　life　had　been　hitherto　spent　almost　entirely　among
women；　sent　him　every　morning　during　these　last　weeks　at　home　down
to　the　Curate　of　St。　Martin's…in…　the…Market　to　learn　a　few　words　of
Latin；　an　easy　sum　or　two；　and　the　rudiments　of　spelling。　This　young
curate；　the　Rev。　Wilfred　Somerset；　recently　of　Emmanuel　College；
Cambridge；　had　but　two　ideas　in　his　headthe　noble　game　of　cricket
and　the　jolly　qualities　of　Mr。　Surtees's　novels。　He　was　stout　and
strong；　red…faced；　and　thick　in　the　leg；　always　smoking　a　largo
black…looking　pipe；　and　wearing　trousers　very　short　and　tight。　He
did　not　strike　Jeremy　with　fear；　but　he　was；　nevertheless；　an
influence。　Jeremy；　apparently；　amused　him　intensely。　He　would　roar
with　laughter　at　nothing　at　all；　smack　his　thigh　and　shout；　〃Good
for　you；　young　'un；〃　whatever　that　might　mean；　and　Jeremy；　gazing　at
him；　at　his　pipe　and　his　trousers；　liking　him　rather；　but　not
sufficiently　in　awe　to　be　really　impressed；　would　ask　him　questions
that　seemed　to　him　perfectly　simple　and　natural；　but　that；
nevertheless；　amused　the　Rev。　Wilfred　so　fundamentally　that　he　was
unable　to　give　them　an　intelligible　answer。

Undoubtedly　this　encouraged　Jeremy's　independence。

He　walked　to　and　fro　the　curate's　lodging　by　himself；　and　was　able
to　observe　many　interesting　things　on　the　way。　Sometimes；　late　in
the　afternoon；　he　would　have　some　lesson　that　he　must　take　to　his
master　who；　as　he　lodged　at　the　bottom　of　Orange　Street；　was　a　very
safe　and　steady　distance　from　the　Coles。

Of　course　Aunt　Amy　objected。

〃You　allow　Jeremy；　all　by　himself；　into　the　street　at　night；　and
he's　only　eight。　Really；　you're　too　strange！〃

〃Well；　in　the　first　place；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole；　mildly；　〃it　isn't
nightit's　afternoon；　in　the　second　place；　it　is　only　just　down
the　street；　and　Jeremy's　most　obedient　always；　as　you　know；　Amy。〃

〃I'm　sure　that　Mr。　Somerset　is　wild；〃　said　Aunt　Amy。

〃My　dear　Amy；　why'？〃

〃You've　only　got　to　look　at　his　face。　It's　'flashy。'　That's　what　I
call　it。〃

〃Oh；　that　isn't　the　sort　of　man　who'll　do　Jeremy　harm；〃　said　Mrs。
Cole；　with　a　mother's　wisdom。

Certainly；　he　did　Jeremy　no　harm　at　all；　he　taught　him　nothing；　not
even　〃mensa；〃　and　how　to　spell　〃receive〃　and　〃apple。〃　The　only　thing
he　did　was　to　encourage　Jeremy's　independence；　and　this　was　done；　in
the　first　place；　by　the　walks　to　and　fro。

He　had　only　been　going　to　Mr。　Somerset's　a　day　or　two　when　the
announcements　of　the　Fair　appeared　on　the　walls　of　the　town。　He
could　not　help　but　see　them；　there　was　a　large　cue　on　the　boarding
half…way　down　Orange　Street；　just　opposite　the　Doctor's；　a　poster
with　a　coloured　picture　of　〃Wombwell's　Circus；〃　a　fine　affair；　with
spangled　ladies　jumping　through　hoops；　elephants　sitting　on　stools；
tigers　prowling；　a　clown　cracking　a　whip；　and；　best　of　all；　a
gentleman；　with　an　anxious　face　and　a　scanty　but　elegant　costume；
balanced　above　a　gazing　multitude　on　a　tight…rope。　There　was　also　a
bill　of　the　Fair　setting　forth　that　there　would　be　a　〃Cattle　Market；
Races；　Roundabout；　Swings；　Wrestling；　Boxing；　Fat　Women；　Dwarfs；　and
the　Two…Headed　Giant　from　the　Caucasus。〃　During　a　whole　week；　once　a
day；　Jeremy　read　this　bill　from　the　top　to　the　bottom；　at　the　end　of
the　week　he　could　repeat　it　all　by　heart。

He　asked　Mr。　Somerset　whether　he　was　going。

〃Oh；　I　shall　slip　along　one　evening；　I've　no　doubt；〃　replied　that
gentleman。　〃But　it's　a　borea　whole　week　of　itupsets　one's　work。〃

〃It　needn't；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃if　you　stay　indoors。〃

This　amused　Mr。　Somerset　immensely。　He　laughed　a　great　deal。

〃We　always　have　to；〃　said　Jeremy；　rather　hurt。　〃We're　not　allowed
farther　than　the　garden。〃

〃Ah；　but　I'm　older　than　you　are；〃　said　Mr。　Somerset。　〃It　was　the
same　with　me　once。〃

〃And　what　did　you　do？　Did　you　go　all　the　same？〃

〃You　bet；　I　did；〃　said　the　red…faced　hero；　more　intent　on　his
reminiscences　than　on　the　effect　that　this　might　have　on　the　morals
of　his　pupil。

Jeremy　waited　then　for　the　parental　command　that　was　always　issued。
It　was：　〃Now；　children；　you　must　promise　me　never　to　go　outside　the
house　this　week　unless　you　have　asked　permission　first。〃　And　then：
〃And　on　no　account　to　speak　to　any　stranger　about　anything
whatever。〃　And　then：　〃Don't　look　out　of　the　back　windows；　mind。〃
（From　the　extreme　corners　of　the　bedroom　windows　you　could　see　a
patch　of　the　meadow　whereon　the　gipsy…vans　settled。）　These　commands
had　been　as　regular　as　the　Fair；　and　always；　of　course；　the　children
had　promised　obedience。　Jeremy　told　his　conscience　that　if；　this
year；　he　gave　his　promise；　he　would　certainly　keep　it。　He　wondered；
at　the　same　time；　whether　he　might　not　possibly　manage　to　be　out　of
the　house　when　the　commands　were　issued。　He　formed　a　habit　of
suddenly　slipping　out　of　the　room　when　he　saw　his　father's　mouth
assuming　the　shape　of　a　〃command。〃　He　took　the　utmost　care　not　to　be
alone　with　his　father。

But　he　need　not　have　been　alarmed。　This　year　no　command　appeared。
Perhaps　Mr。　Cole　thought　that　it　was　no　longer　necessary；　it　was
obvious　that　the　children　were　not　to　go；　and　they　were；　after　all；
old　enough　now　to　think　for　themselves。　Or；　perhaps；　it　was　that　Mr。
Cole　had　other　things　on　his　mind；　he　was　changing　curates　just
then；　and　a　succession　of　white…faced；　soft…voiced；　and　loud…booted
young　men　were　appearing　at　the　Coles'　hospitable　table。

〃Here's　this　tiresome　Fair　come　round　again；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole。

〃Wicked！〃　said　Aunt　Amy；　with　an　envious　shudder。　〃Satan　finds　work；
indeed；　in　this　town。〃

〃I　don't　suppose　it's　worse　than　anywhere　else；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole。

On　the　late　afternoon　of　the　day　before　the　opening；　Jeremy；　on　his
way　to　Mr。　Somerset's；　caught　the　tailend　of　Wombwell's　Circus
Procession　moving；　in　misty　splendour；　across　the　market。

He　could　see　but　little；　although　he　stood　on　the　pedestal　of　a
lamp…post；　but　Britannia；　rocking　high　in　the　air；　flashing　her
silver　sceptre　in　the　evening　air；　and　followed　by　two　enormous　and
melancholy　elephants；　caught　his　gaze。　Strains　of　a　band　lingered
about　him。　He　entered　Mr。　Somerset's　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；　but
he　said　nothing。　He　felt　that　Mr。　Somerset　would　laugh　at　him。

He　returned　to　his　home　that　night　haunted　by　Britannia。　He　ate
Britannia　for　his　supper；　he　had　Britannia　for　his　dreams；　and　he
greeted　Rose　as　Britannia　the　next　morning　when　she　called　him。
Early　upon　that　day　there　were　borne　into　the　heart　of　the　house
strains　of　the　Fair。　It　was　no　use　whatever　to　close　the　windows；
lock　the　doors；　and　read　Divinity。　The　strains　persisted；　a　heavenly
murmur；　rising　at　moments　into　a　muffled　shriek　or　a　jumbling　shout；
hanging　about　the　walls　as　a　romantic　echo；　dying　upon　the　air　a
chastened　wail。　〃No　use　for　Mr。　Cole　to　say：

〃We　must　behave　as　though　the　Fair　was　not。〃

For　a　whole　week　it　would　be　there；　and　everyone　knew　it。

Jeremy　did　not　mean　to　be　disobedient；　but　after　that　glimpse　of
Britannia　he　knew　that　he　would　go。




III


It　had；　at　first；　been　thought　advisable　that　Jeremy　should　not　go
to　Mr。　Somerset's　during　Fair　Week。　Perhaps　Mr。　Somerset　could　come
to　the　Coles'。　No；　he　was　very　sorry。　He　must　be　in　his　rooms　at
that　particular　hour　in　case　parishioners　should　need　his　advice　or
assistance。

〃Pity　for　him　to　miss　all　this　week；　especially　as　there　will　be
only　four　days　left　after　th