jeremy-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　saw　behind　the　spectacles　eyes　beseeching　his　permission。

〃Well；　it　wouldn't　be　much　fun；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　all　beastly　this
afternoon；　anyway。〃

〃Can　I　sit　on　the　window　too？〃　asked　Mary。

〃Not　too　close；　because　it　tickles　my　ear；　but　you　can　if　you　like。〃

She　hurried　across　to　the　bookshelf。　〃There's　'Stumps'　and　'Rags　and
Tatters；'　and　'Engel　the　Fearless；'　and　'Herr　Baby'　and　'Alice'　and…
…〃

〃'Alice'　is　best；〃　said　Jeremy；　sighing。　〃You　know　it　better　than
the　others。〃　He　curled　himself　into　a　corner　of　the　window…seat。
From　his　position　there　he　had　a　fine　view。　Immediately　below　him
was　the　garden；　white　and　grey　under　the　grey　sky；　the　broken
fountain　standing　up　like　a　snow　man　in　the　middle　of　it。　The　snow
had　ceased　to　fall　and　a　great　stillness　held　the　world。

Beyond　the　little　iron　gate　of　the　garden　that　always　sneezed
〃Tishoo〃　when　you　closed　it；　was　the　top　of　Orange　Street；　then　down
the　hill　on　the　right　was　the　tower　of　his　father's　church；　exactly
opposite　the　gate　was　the　road　that　led　to　the　Orchards；　and　on　the
right　of　that　was　the　Polchester　High　School　for　Young　Ladies；　held
in　great　contempt　by　Jeremy；　the　more　that　Helen　would　shortly　be　a
day…boarder　there；　would　scream　with　the　other　girls；　and；　worst　of
all；　would　soon　be　seen　walking　with　her　arm　round　another　girl's
neck；　chattering　and　eating　sweets。　。　。

The　whole　world　seemed　deserted。　No　colour；　no　movement；　no　sound。
He　sighed　once　more〃I'd　like　to　eat　jam　and　jamlots　of　it；〃　he
thought。　〃It　would　be　fun　to　be　sick。〃

Mary　arrived　and　swung　herself　up　on　to　the　window…seat。

〃It's　the　'Looking　Glass'　one。　I　hope　you　don't　mind；〃　she　said
apprehensively。

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；〃　he　allowed。　He　flung　a　glance　back　to　the
lighted　nursery。　It　seemed　by　contrast　with　that　grey　world　outside
to　blaze　with　colour；　the　red…　painted　ships　on　the　wallpaper；　the
bright　lights　and　shadows　of　〃The　Charge　of　the　Light　Brigade；〃　the
salmon　fronts　of　the　doll's　house；　the　green　and　red　of　the　village
on　the　floor　with　the　flowery　trees；　the　blue　tablecloth；　the
shining　brass　coal…scuttle　all　alive　and　sparkling　in　the　flames　and
shadows　of　the　fire；　caught　and　held　by　the　fine　gold　of　the　higher
fender。　Beyond　that　dead　whitesoon　it　would　be　dark；　the　curtains
would　be　drawn；　and　still　there　would　be　nothing　to　do。　He　sighed
again。

〃It's　a　nice　bit　about　the　shop；〃　said　Mary。　Jeremy　said　nothing；　so
she　began。　She　started　at　a　run：

〃She　looked　at　the　Queen；　who　seemed　to　have'〃sniff；　sniff…〃　'sud…
den…ly　suddenly　wra…wra…w…r…a…p…p…e…d　wrapped'〃

〃Wrapped？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mary；　rubbing　her　nose；　〃what　it　means；　but
perhaps　we'll　see　presently；　herself　up　in　w…o…o…l　wool。　'Alice
rubbed　her　eyes　and　looked　again　she　couldn't'〃

〃'Looked　again　she　couldn't'？〃　asked　Jeremy。　〃It　should　be；　'she
couldn't　look　again。'〃

〃Oh；　there's　a　stop；〃　said　Mary。　〃I　didn't　see。　After　'again'
there's　a　stop。　'She　couldn't　make　out　what　had　happened　at　all'〃

〃I　can't　either；〃　said　Jeremy　crossly。　〃It　would　be　better　perhaps
if　I　read　it　myself。〃

〃It　will　be　all　right　in　a　minute；〃　said　Mary　confidently。　〃'Was　she
in　a　shop？　And　was　that　reallywas　it　really　a　ship　that　was
sitting　on　the　counter？'〃　she　finished　with　a　run。

〃A　what？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃A　ship〃

〃A　ship！　How　could　it　sit　on　a　counter？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh　no；　it's　a　sheep。　How　silly　I　am！〃　Mary　exclaimed。

〃You　do　read　badly；〃　he　agreed　frankly。　〃I　never　can　understand
nothing。〃　And　it　was　at　that　very　moment　that　he　saw　the　Dog。




II


He　had　been　staring　down　into　the　garden　with　a　gaze　half
abstracted；　half　speculative；　listening　with　one　ear　to　Mary；　with
the　other　to　the　stir　of　the　fire；　the　heavy　beat　of　the　clock　and
the　rustlings　of　Martha　the　canary。

He　watched　the　snowy　expanse　of　garden；　the　black　gate；　the　road
beyond。　A　vast　wave　of　pale　grey　light；　the　herald　of　approaching
dusk；　swept　the　horizon；　the　snowy　roofs；　the　streets；　and　Jeremy
felt　some　contact　with　the　strange　air；　the　mysterious　omens　that
the　first　snows　of　the　winter　spread　about　the　land。　He　watched　as
though　he　were　waiting　for　something　to　happen。

The　creature　came　up　very　slowly　over　the　crest　of　Orange　Street。　No
one　else　was　in　sight；　no　cart；　no　horse；　no　weather…beaten
wayfarer。　At　first　the　dog　was　only　a　little　black　smudge　against
the　snow；　then；　as　he　arrived　at　the　Coles'　garden…gate；　Jeremy
could　see　him　very　distinctly。　He　was；　it　appeared；　quite　alone；　he
had　been；　it　was　evident；　badly　beaten　by　the　storm。　Intended　by
nature　to　be　a　rough　and　hairy　dog；　he　now　appeared　before　God　and
men　a　shivering　battered　creature；　dripping　and　wind…tossed；
bedraggled　and　bewildered。　And　yet；　even　in　that　first　distant
glimpse；　Jeremy　discerned　a　fine　independence。　He　was　a　short　stumpy
dog；　in　no　way　designed　for　dignified　attitudes　and　patronising
superiority；　nevertheless；　as　he　now　wandered　slowly　up　the　street；
his　nose　was　in　the　air　and　he　said　to　the　whole　world：　〃The　storm
may　have　done　its　best　to　defeat　meit　has　failed。　I　am　as　I　was。　I
ask　charity　of　no　man。　I　know　what　is　due　to　me。〃

It　was　this　that　attracted　Jeremy；　he　had　himself　felt　thus　after　a
slippering　from　his　father；　or　idiotic　punishments　from　the　Jampot；
and　the　uninvited　consolations　of　Mary　or　Helen　upon　such　occasions
had　been　resented　with　so　fierce　a　bitterness　that　his　reputation
for　sulkiness　had　been　soundly　established　with　all　his　circle。

Mary　was　reading。　。　。！　〃'an　old　Sheep；　sitting　in　an　arm…chair；
knitting；　and　every　now　and　then　leaving　off　to　look　at　her　through
a　great　pair　of　spec…t…a…c…les　spectacles！'〃

He　touched　her　arm　and　whispered：

〃I　say；　Mary；　stop　a　minutelook　at　that　dog　down　there。〃

They　both　stared　down　into　the　garden。　The　dog　had　stopped　at　the
gate；　it　sniffed　at　the　bars；　sniffed　at　the　wall　beyond；　then　very
slowly　but　with　real　dignity　continued　its　way　up　the　road。

〃Poor　thing；〃　said　Jeremy。　〃It　IS　in　a　mess。〃　Then　to　their
astonishment　the　dog　turned　back　and；　sauntering　down　the　road　again
as　though　it　had　nothing　all　day　to　do　but　to　wander　about；　and　as
though　it　were　not　wet；　shivering　and　hungry；　it　once　more　smelt　the
gate。

〃Oh；〃　said　Mary　and　Jeremy　together。

〃It's　like　Mother；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃when　she's　going　to　see　someone
and　isn't　sure　whether　it's　the　right　house。〃

Then；　most　marvellous　of　unexpected　climaxes；　the　dog　suddenly　began
to　squeeze　itself　between　the　bottom　bar　of　the　gate　and　the　ground。
The　interval　was　fortunately　a　large　one；　a　moment　later　the　animal
was　in　the　Coles'　garden。

The　motives　that　led　Jeremy　to　behave　as　he　did　are　uncertain。　It
may　have　been　something　to　do　with　the　general　boredom　of　the
afternoon；　it　may　have　been　that　he　felt　pity　for　the　bedraggled
aspect　of　the　animalmost　probable　reason　of　all；　was　that　devil…
may…care　independence　flung　up　from　the　road；　as　it　were；　expressly
at　himself。

The　dog　obviously　did　not　feel　any　great　respect　for　the　Cole
household。　He　wandered　about　the　garden；　sniffing　and　smelling
exactly　as　though　the　whole　place　belonged　to　him；　and　a　ridiculous
stump　of　tail；　unsubdued　by　the　weather；　gave　him　the　ludicrous
dignity　of　a　Malvolio。

〃I'm　going　down；〃　whispered　Jeremy；　flinging　a　cautious　glance　at
Helen　who　was　absorbed　in　her　sewing。

Mary's　eyes　grew　wide　with　horror　and　admiration。　〃You're　not　going
out；〃　she　whispered。　〃In　the　snow。　Oh；　Jeremy。　They　WILL　be　angry。〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　whispered　Jeremy　back　again。　〃They　can　be。〃

Indeed；　before　Mary's　frightened　whisper　he　had　not　intended　to　do
more　than　creep　down　into　the　pantry　and　watch　the　dog　at　close
range；　now　it　was　as　though　Mary　had　challenged　him。　He　knew　that　it
was　the　most　wicked　thing　that　he　could　doto　go　out　into　the　snow
without　a　coat　and　in　his　slippers。　He　might　even；　according　to　Aunt
Amy；　die　of　it；　but　as　death　at　present　meant　no　more　to　him　than　a
position　of　importance　and　a　quantity　of　red…　currant　jelly　and
chicken；　THAT　prospect　did　not　deter　him。　He　left　the　room　so
quietly　that　Helen　did　not　even　lift　her　eyes。

Then　upon　the　landing　he　waited　and　listened。　The　house　had　all　the
lighted　trembling　dusk　of　the　snowy　afternoon；　there　was　no　sound
save　the　ticking　of　the　clocks。　He　might　come　upon　the　Jampot　at　any
moment；　but　this　was　just　the　hour　when　she　liked　to　drink　her　cup
of　tea　in　the　kitchen；　he　knew　from　deep　and　constant　study　every
movement　of　her　day。　Fortune　favoured　him。　He　reached　without
trouble　the　little　dark　corkscrew　servants'　staircase。　Down　this　he
crept；　and　found　himself　beside　the　little　gardener's　door。　Although
here　there　was　only　snow…lit　dusk；　he　felt　for　the　handle　of　the
lock；　found　it；　turned　it；　and　was；　at　once；　over　the　steps；　into
the　garden。

Here；　with　a　vengeance；　he　felt　the　full　romance　and　danger　of　his
enterprise。　It　was　horribly　cold；　he　had　been　in　the　nursery　for　two
whole　days；　wrapped　up　and　warm；　and　now　the　snowy　world　seemed　to
leap　up　at　him　and　drag　him　down　as　though　into　an　icy　well。
Mysterious　shadows　hovered　over　the　garden；　the　fountain　pointed
darkly　against　the　sky；　and