太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > jeremy >

第9节

jeremy-第9节

小说: jeremy 字数: 每页4000字

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!



truly original appearance。 His beard afforded him the air of an
ambassador; and his grave; melancholy eyes the absorbed
introspection of a Spanish hidalgo; his tail; however; in its
upright; stumpy jocularity; betrayed his dignity。

〃There he is;〃 said Jeremy; with a glance half of terror; half of
delight; at the Jampot。 〃Isn't he lovely?〃

〃Lovely。 My word!〃 Uncle Samuel's smile broadened。 〃He's about the
most hideous mongrel it's ever been my lot to set eyes on。 But he
has his points。 He despises you all; I'm glad to see。〃

Jeremy; as usual with Uncle Samuel; was uncertain as to his
sincerity。

〃He looks a bit funny just now;〃 he explained。 〃He's been drying on
the rug。 He'll be all right soon。 He wanted to bite Mr。 Jellybrand。
It was funny。 Mr。 Jellybrand was frightened as anything。〃

〃Yes; that must have been delightful;〃 agreed Uncle Samuel。 〃What's
his name?〃

〃We haven't given him one yet。 Wouldn't you think of one; Uncle
Samuel?〃

The uncle considered the dog。 The dog; with grave and scornful eyes;
considered the uncle。

〃Well; if you really ask me;〃 said that gentleman; 〃if you name him
by his character I should say Hamlet would be as good as anything。〃

〃What's Hamlet?〃 asked Jeremy。

〃He isn't anything just now。 But he was a prince who Was unhappy
because he thought so much about himself。〃

〃Hamlet'11 do;〃 said Jeremy comfortably。 〃I've never heard of a dog
called that; but it's easy to say。〃

〃Well; I must go;〃 said Uncle Samuel; making one of his usual sudden
departures。 〃Glad to have seen the animal。 Good…bye。〃

He vanished。

〃Hamlet;〃 repeated Jeremy thoughtfully。 〃I wonder whether he'll like
that…〃

His attention; however; was caught by the Jampot's sudden outburst。

〃All of them;〃 she cried; 〃supporting you in your wickedness and
disobedience。 I won't 'ave it nor endure it not a minute longer。
They can 'ave my notice this moment; and I won't take it back; not
if they ask me on their bended knees … no; I won't … and that's
straight。〃

For an instant she frowned upon them all … then she was gone; the
door banging after her。

They gazed at one another。

There was a dreadful silence。 Once Mary whispered: 〃Suppose she
really does。〃

Hamlet only was unmoved。

Ten minutes later; Rose; the housemaid; entered with the tea…things。
For a little she was silent。 Then the three faces raised to hers
compelled her confidence。

〃Nurse has been and given notice;〃 she said; 〃and the Missis has
taken it。 She's going at the end of the month。 She's crying now in
the kitchen。〃

They were alone again。 Mary and Helen looked at Jeremy as though
waiting to follow his lead。 He did not know what to say。 There was
Tragedy; there was Victory; there was Remorse; there was Triumph。 He
was sorry; he was glad。 His eyes fell upon Hamlet; who was now
stretched out upon the rug; his nose between his paws; fast asleep。

Then he looked at his sisters。

〃Well;〃 he said slowly; 〃it's awfully nice to have a doganyway。〃

Such is the true and faithful account of Hamlet's entrance into the
train of the Coles。




CHAPTER III

CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME


I


I am sometimes inclined to wonder whether; in very truth; those
Polchester Christmases of nearly thirty years ago were so marvellous
as now in retrospect they seem。 I can give details of those
splendours; facts and figures; that to the onlooker are less than
nothing at alla sugar elephant in a stocking; a box of pencils on
a Christmas tree; 〃Hark; the Herald Angels。 。 。〃 at three in the
morning below one's window; a lighted plum… pudding; a postman four
hours late; his back bent with bursting parcels。 And it is something
furtherbehind the sugar cherries and the paper caps and the
lighted treethat remains to give magic to those days; a sense of
expectancy; a sense of richness; a sense of worship; a visit from
the Three Kings who have so seldom come to visit one since。

That Christmas of Jeremy's ninth year was one of the best that he
ever had; it was perhaps the last of the MAGICAL Christmases。 After
this he was to know too much; was to see Father Christmas vanish
before a sum in arithmetic; and a stocking change into something
that 〃boys who go to school never have〃the last of the Christmases
of divine magic; when the snow fell and the waits sang and the
stockings were filled and the turkey fattened and the candles blazed
and the holly crackled by the will of God rather than the power of
man。 It would be many years before he would realise that; after all;
in those early days he had been right。 。 。

A very fat book could be written about all that had happened during
that wonderful Christmas; how Hamlet the Dog caught a rat to his own
immense surprise; how the Coles' Christmas dinner was followed by a
play acted with complete success by the junior members of the
family; and it was only Mr。 Jellybrand the curate who disapproved;
how Aunt Amy had a new dress in which; by general consent; she
looked ridiculous; how Mary; owing to the foolish kindness of Mrs。
Bartholomew; the Precentor's wife; was introduced to the works of
Charlotte Mary Yonge and became quite impossible in consequence; how
Miss Maple had a children's party at which there was nothing to eat;
so that all the children cried with disappointment; and one small
boy (the youngest son of the Precentor) actually bit Miss Maple; how
for two whole days it really seemed that there would be skating on
The Pool; and everyone bought skates; and then; of course; the ice
broke; and so on; and so on。 。 。 there is no end to the dramatic
incidents of that great sensational time。

The theme that I sing; however; is Jeremy's Progress; and although
even Hamlet's catching of a rat influenced his development; there
was one incident of this Christmas that stands out and away from all
the others; an affair that he will never all his days forget; and
that even now; at this distance of time and experience; causes his
heart to beat roughly with the remembered excitement and pleasure。

Several weeks before Christmas there appeared upon the town walls
and hoardings the pictured announcements of the approaching visit to
Polchester of Denny's Great Christmas Pantomime 〃Dick Whittington。〃
Boxing Night was to see the first performance at our Assembly Rooms;
and during every afternoon and evening of the next three weeks this
performance was to be repeated。

A pantomime had; I believe; never visited our town before; there
had; of course; for many years been the Great Christmas Pantomime at
the Theatre Royal; Drymouth; but in those days trains were not easy;
and if you wished to attend an afternoon performance at the Drymouth
Theatre you must rise very early in the morning by the candle…light
and return late in the evening; with the cab forgetting to meet you
at the station as commanded; and the long walk up Orange Street; and
a headache and a bad temper next day。

It happened naturally then that the majority of the Polchester
children had never set their inquisitive noses within the doors of a
theatre; and although the two eldest daughters of the Dean; aged ten
and eleven; had been once to London and to Drury Lane Theatre; their
sense of glory and distinction so clouded their powers of accuracy
and clarity that we were no nearer; by their help and authority; to
the understanding of what a pantomime might really be。

I can myself recall the glory of those 〃Dick Whittington〃 pictures。
Just above Martin's the pastry…cook's (where they sold lemon
biscuits); near the Cathedral; there was a big wooden hoarding; and
on to this was pasted a marvellous representation of Dick and his
Cat dining with the King of the Zanzibar Islands。 The King; a
Mulatto; sat with his court in a hall with golden pillars; and the
rats were to be seen flying in a confused flood towards the golden
gates; whilst Dick; in red plush and diamond buckles; stood in
dignified majesty; the Cat at his side。 There was another wonderful
picture of Dick asleep at the Cross Roads; fairies watching over
him; and London Town in a lighted purple distanceand another of
the streets of Old London with a comic fat serving man; diamond…
paned windows; cobblestones and high pointing eaves to the houses。

Jeremy saw these pictures for the first time during one of his
afternoon walks; and returned home in such a state of choking
excitement that he could not drink his tea。 As was ever his way he
was silent and controlled about the matter; asked very few
questions; and although he talked to himself a little did not
disturb the general peace of the nursery。 On Mary and Helen the
effect of the posters had been less。 Mary was following the
adventures of the May family in 〃The Daisy Chain;〃 and Helen was
making necklaces for herself out of a box of beads that had been
given her。

When Jeremy said once; 〃Who was the man in the red trousers with
gold on them?〃 no one paid any attention save Hamlet; who wagged his
tail; looked wise and growled a little。

Who indeed could tell how he ached and longed and desired  He had a
very vague idea as to the nature of a play; they had often dressed
up at home and pretended to be different things and people; and; of
course;

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1

你可能喜欢的