jeremy-第7部分

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！



But　her　advance　was　stopped。　Jeremy　stopped　it。　Standing　in　front　of
the　dog；　his　short　thick　legs　spread　defiantly　apart；　his　fists
clenched；　he　almost　shouted：

〃You　shan't　touch　him。　。　。。　No；　you　shan't。　I　don't　care。　He　shan't
go　out　again　and　die。　You're　a　cruel；　wicked　woman。〃

The　Jampot　gasped。　Never；　no；　never　in　all　her　long　nursing
experience　had　she　been　so　defied；　so　insulted。

Her　teeth　clicked　as　always　when　her　temper　was　roused；　the　reason
being　that　thirty　years　ago　the　arts　and　accomplishments　of
dentistry　had　not　reached　so　fine　a　perfection　as　to…day　can　show。

She　had；　moreover；　bought　a　cheap　set。　Her　teeth　clicked。　She　began：
〃The　moment　your　mother　comes　I　give　her　notice。　To　think　that　all
these　years　I've　slaved　and　slaved　only　to　be　told　such　things　by　a
boy　as〃

Then　a　very　dramatic　thing　occurred。　The　door　opened；　just　as　it
might　in　the　third　act　of　a　play　by　M。　Sardou；　and　revealed　the
smiling　faces　of　Mrs。　Cole；　Miss　Amy　Trefusis　and　the　Rev。　William
Jellybrand；　Senior　Curate　of　St。　James's；　Orange　Street。

Mr。　Jellybrand　had　arrived；　as　he　very　often　did；　to　tea。　He　had
expressed　a　desire；　as　he　very　often　did；　to　see　the　〃dear
children。〃　Mrs。　Cole；　liking　to　show　her　children　to　visitors；　even
to　such　regular　and　ordinary　ones　as　Mr。　Jellybrand；　at　once　was
eager　to　gratify　his　desire。

〃We'll　catch　them　just　before　their　tea；〃　she　said　happily。

There　is　an　unfortunate　tendency　on　the　part　of　our　Press　and　stage
to　caricature　our　curates；　this　tendency　I　would　willingly　avoid。　It
should　be　easy　enough　to　do；　as　I　am　writing　about　Polchester；　a
town　that　simply　aboundsand　also　abounded　thirty　years　agoin
curates　of　the　most　splendid　and　manly　type。　But；　unfortunately；　Mr。
Jellybrand　was　not　one　of　these。　I；　myself；　remember　him　very　well；
and　can　see　him　now　flinging　his　thin；　black；　andas　it　seemed　to
me　thengigantic　figure　up　Orange　Street；　his　coat　flapping　behind
him；　his　enormous　boots　flapping　in　front　of　him；　and　his　huge　hands
flapping　on　each　side　of　him　like　a　huge　gesticulating　crow。

He　had；　the　Polchester　people　who　liked　him　said；　〃a　rich　voice。〃
The　others　who　did　not　like　him　called　him　〃an　affected　ass。〃　He　ran
up　and　down　the　scale　like　this：
______________________________________________________________
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mrs。
______________________________________________________________
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　dear
_____________________________________________________________
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　My
______________________________________________________________
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cole。
______________________________________________________________

and　his　blue　cheeks　looked　colder　than　any　iceberg。　But　then　I　must
confess　that　I　am　prejudiced。　I　did　not　like　him；　no　children　did。

The　Cole　children　hated　him。　Jeremy　because　he　had　damp　hands；　Helen
because　he　never　looked　at　her；　Mary　because　he　once　said　to　her；
〃Little　girls　must　play　as　well　as　work；　you　know。〃　He　always　talked
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　wa