jeremy-第8节

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down　to　us　as　though　we　were　beings　of　another　and　inferior　planet。
He　called　it；　〃Getting　on　with　the　little　ones。〃　No；　he　was　not
popular　with　us。

He　stood　on　this　particular　and　dramatic　occasion　in　front　of　the
group　in　the　doorway　and　staredas　well　he　might。　Unfortunately　the
situation；　already　bad　enough；　was　aggravated　by　this　dark
prominence　of　Mr。　Jellybrand。　It　cannot　be　found　in　any　chronicles
that　Mr。　Jellybrand　and　the　dog　had　met　before；　it　is　simply　a　fact
that　the　dog；　raising　his　eyes　at　the　opening　of　the　door　and
catching　sight　of　the　black…coated　figure；　forgot　instantly　his
toilet；　rose　dripping　from　his　rug；　and　advanced　growling；　his　lips
back；　his　ears　out；　his　tail　erect；　towards　the　door。　Then
everything　happened　together。　Mr。　Jellybrand；　who　had　been　afraid　of
dogs　ever　since；　as　an　infant；　he　had　been　mistaken　for　a　bone　by　a
large　retriever；　stepped　back　upon　Aunt　Amy；　who　uttered　a　shrill
cry。　Mrs。　Cole；　although　she　did　not　forsake　her　accustomed
placidity；　said：　〃Nurse　。　。　。　Nurse　。　。　。〃　Jeremy　cried：　〃It's　all
right；　he　wouldn't　touch　anything；　he's　only　friendly。〃　Mary　and
Helen　together　moved　forward　as　though　to　protect　Jeremy；　and　the
Jampot　could　be　heard　in　a　confused　wail：　〃Not　me；　Mum　。　。　。
Wickedest　boy　。　。　。　better　give　notice　。　。　。　as　never　listens　。　。　。
dog　。　。　。　dog　。　。　。〃

The　animal；　however；　showed　himself　now；　as　at　that　first　earlier
view　of　him；　indifferent　to　his　surroundings。　He　continued　his
advance　and　then；　being　only　a　fraction　of　an　inch　from　Mr。
Jellybrand's　tempting　gleaming　black　trousers；　he　stopped；　crouched
like　a　tiger；　and　with　teeth　still　bared　continued　his　kettle…like
reverberations。　Aunt　Amy；　who　hated　dogs；　loved　Mr。　Jellybrand；　and
was　not　in　the　least　sentimental　when　her　personal　safety　was　in
danger；　cried　in　a　shrill　voice：　〃But　take　it　away。　Take　it　away。
Alice；　tell　him。　It's　going　to　bite　Mr。　Jellybrand。〃

The　dog　raised　one　eye　from　his　dreamy　contemplation　of　the　trousers
and　glanced　at　Aunt　Amy；　from　that　moment　may　be　dated　a　feud　which
death　only　concluded。　This　dog　was　not　a　forgetful　dog。

Jeremy　advanced。　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　cried　scornfully。　〃He　wouldn't
bite　anything。〃　He　bent　down；　took　the　animal　by　the　scruff　of　the
neck；　and　proceeded　to　lead　it　back　to　the　fire。　The　animal　went
without　a　moment's　hesitation；　it　would　be　too　much　to　say　that　it
exchanged　a　wink　with　Jeremy；　but　something　certainly　passed　between
them。　Back　again　on　the　Turkey　rug　he　became　master　of　the
situation。　He　did　the　only　thing　possible：　he　disregarded　entirely
the　general　company　and　addressed　himself　to　the　only　person　of
ultimate　importancenamely；　Mrs。　Cole。　He　lay　down　on　all　fours；
looked　up　directly　into　her　face；　bared　his　teeth　this　time　in　a
smile　and　not　in　a　growl；　and　wagged　his　farcical　tail。

Mrs。　Cole's　psychology　was　of　the　simplest：　if　you　were　nice　to　her
she　would　do　anything　for　you；　but　in　spite　of　all　her　placidity　she
was　sometimes　hurt　in　her　most　sensitive　places。　These　wounds　she
never　displayed；　and　no　one　ever　knew　of　them；　and　indeed　they
passed　very　quicklybut　there　they　occasionally　were。　Now　on　what
slender　circumstances　do　the　fates　of　dogs　and　mortals　hang。　Only
that　afternoon　Mr。　Jellybrand；　in　the　innocent　self…confidence　of
his　heart；　had　agreed　with　Miss　Maple；　an　elderly　and　bitter
spinster；　that　the　next　sewing　meeting　of　the　Dorcas　Sisterhood
should　be　held　in　her　house　and　not　at　the　Rectory。　He　had　told　Mrs。
Cole　of　this　on　his　way　upstairs　to　the　nursery。　Now　Mrs。　Cole　liked
the　Dorcas　meetings　at　the　Rectory；　she　liked　the　cheerful　chatter；
the　hospitality；　the　gentle　scandal　and　her　own　position　as　hostess。

She　did　not　likeshe　never　likedMiss　Maple；　who　was　always
pushing　herself　forward；　criticising　and　back…　biting。　Mr。
Jellybrand　should　not　have　settled　this　without　consulting　her。　He
had　taken　it　for　granted　that　she　would　agree。　He　had　said：　〃I
agreed　with　Miss　Maple　that　it　would　be　better　to　have　it　at　her
house。　I'm　sure　you　will　think　as　I　do。〃　Why　should　he　be　sure？　Was
he　not　forgetting　his　position　a　little？　。　。　。

Kindest　woman　in　the　world；　she　had　seen　with　a　strange　un…Christian
pleasure　the　dog's　advance　upon　the　black　trousers。　Then　Mr。
Jellybrand　had　been　obviously　afraid。　He　fancied；　perhaps；　that　she
too　had　been　afraid。　He　fancied；　perhaps；　that　she　was　not　mistress
in　her　house；　that　she　could　be　browbeaten　by　her　sister　and　her
nurse。

She　smiled　at　him。　〃There's　no　reason　to　be　afraid；　Mr。　Jellybrand。
。　。　。　He's　such　a　little　dog。〃

Then　the　dog　smiled　at　her。

〃Poor　little　thing；〃　she　said。　〃He　must　have　nearly　died　in　the
snow。〃

Thus　Miss　Maple；　bitterest　of　spinsters；　influenced；　all　unwitting；
the　lives　not　only　of　a　dog　and　a　curate；　but　of　the　entire　Cole
family；　and　through　them；　of　endless　generations　both　of　dogs　and
men　as　yet　unborn。　Miss　Maple；　sitting　in　her　little　yellow…
curtained　parlour　drinking；　in　jaundiced　contentment；　her
afternoon's　cup　of　tea；　was；　of　course；　unaware　of　this。　A　good
thing　that　she　was　unaware　…　she　was　quite　conceited　enough　already。




IV


After　that　smiling　judgment　of　Mrs。　Cole's；　affairs　were　quickly
settled。

〃Of　course　it　can　only　be　for　the　night；　children。　Father　will
arrange　something　in　the　morning。　Poor　little　thing。　Where　did　you
find　him？〃

〃We　saw　him　from　the　window；〃　said　Jeremy　quickly；　〃and　he　was
shivering　like　anything；　so　we　called　him　in　to　warm　him。〃

〃My　dear　Alice；　you　surely　don't　mean〃　began　Aunt　Amy；　and　the
Jampot　said：　〃I　really　think；　Mum…；〃　and　Mr。　Jellybrand；　in　his　rich
voice；　murmured：　〃Is　it　quite　wise；　dear　Mrs。　Cole；　do　you　think？〃

With　thoughts　of　Miss　Maple　she　smiled　upon　them　all。

〃Oh；　for　one　night；　I　think　we　can　manage。　He　seems　a　clean　little
dog；　and　really　we　can't　turn　him　out　into　the　snow　at　once。　It
would　be　too　cruel。　But　mind；　children；　it's　only　for　one　night。　He
looks　a　good　little　dog。〃

When　the　〃quality〃　had　departed；　Jeremy's　mind　was　in　a　confused
condition　of　horror　and　delight。　Such　a　victory　as　he　had　won　over
the　Jampot；　a　victory　that　was　a　further　stage　in　the　fight　for
independence　begun　on　his　birthday；　might　have　very　awful　qualities。
There　would　begin　now　one　of　the　Jampot's　sulksmoods　well　known　to
the　Cole　family；　and　lasting　from　a　day　to　a　week；　according　to　the
gravity　of　the　offence。　Yes；　they　had　already　begun。　There　she　sat
in　her　chair　by　the　fire；　sewing；　sewing；　her　fat；　roly…poly　face
carved　into　a　parody　of　deep　displeasure。　Life　would　be　very
unpleasant　now。　No　tops　of　eggs；　no　marmalade　on　toast；　no　skins　of
milk；　no　stories　of　〃when　I　was　a　young　girl；〃　no　sitting　up　five
minutes　〃later；〃　no　stopping　in　the　market…place　for　a　talk　with　the
banana　womanonly　stern　insistence　on　every　detail　of　daily　life；
swift　judgment　were　anything　left　undone　or　done　wrong。

Jeremy　sighed；　yes；　it　would　be　horrid　and；　for　the　sake　of　the
world　in　general；　which　meant　Mary　and　Helen；　he　must　see　what　a
little　diplomacy　would　do。　Kneeling　down　by　the　dog；　he　looked　up
into　her　face　with　the　gaze　of　ingenuous　innocence。

〃You　wouldn't　have　wanted　the　poor　little　dog　to　have　died　in　the
snow；　would　you；　Nurse　？　。　。　。　It　might；　you　know。　It　won't　be　any
trouble；　I　expect〃

There　was　no　reply。　He　could　hear　Mary　and　Helen　drawing　in　their
breaths　with　excited　attention。

〃Father　always　said　we　might　have　a　dog　one　day　when　we　were　older
and　we　are　older　now。〃

Still　no　word。

〃We'll　be　extra　good；　Nurse；　if　you　don't　mind。　Don't　you　remember
once　you　said　you　had　a　dog　when　you　were　a　little　girl；　and　how　you
cried　when　it　had　its　ear　bitten　off　by　a　nasty　big　dog；　and　how
your　mother　said　she　wouldn't　have　it　fighting　round　the　house；　and
sent　it　away；　and　you　cried；　and　cried；　and　cried；　and　how　you　said
that　p'r'aps　we'll　have　one　one　day？and　now　we've　got　one。〃

He　ended　triumphantly。　She　raised　her　eyes　for　one　moment；　stared　at
them　all；　bit　off　a　piece　of　thread；　and　said　in　deep；　sepulchral
tones：

〃Either　it　goes；　or　I　go。〃

The　three　stared　at　one　another。　The　Jampot　go？　Really　go？　。　。　。
They　could　hear　their　hearts　thumping　one　after　another。　The　Jampot
go？

〃Oh；　Nurse；　would　you　really？〃　whispered　Mary。　This　innocent　remark
of　Mary's　conveyed　in　the　tone　of　it　more　pleased　anticipation　than
was；　perhaps；　polite。　Certainly　the　Jampot　felt　this；　a　flood　of
colour　rose　into　her　face。　Her　mouth　opened。　But　what　she　would　have
said　is　uncertain；　for　at　that　very　moment　the　drama　was　further
developed　by　the　slow　movement　of　the　door；　and　the　revelation　of
half　of　Uncle　Samuel's　body；　clothed　in　its　stained　blue　painting
smock；　and　his　ugly　fat　face　clothed　in　its　usual　sarcastic　smile。

〃Excuse　me　one　moment；〃　he　said；　〃I　hear　you　have　a　dog。〃

The　Jampot　rose；　as　good　manners　demanded；　but　said　nothing。

〃Where　is　the　creature？〃　he　asked。

The　new　addition　to　the　Cole　family　had　finished　his　washing；　the
blazing　fire　had　almost　dried　him；　and　his　hair　stuck　out　now　from
his　body　in　little　stiff　prickles；　hedgehog　fashion；　giving　him　a
truly　original　appearance。　His　beard　afforded　him　the　air　of　an