jeremy-第17章

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'em　you　one　day。　It　wouldn't　be　decent　exactly　'eretoo　public。　But
one　day　you　come　to　my　little　place　and　I'll　show　'em　you。〃

〃Will　you　really？〃　said　Jeremy。　〃Didn't　it　hurt　terribly？〃

〃Hurt！〃　said　the　Captain。　〃I　should　just　think　it　did。　I　'ad　to　put
cotton　wool　behind　my　teeth　to　prevent　myself　from　screaming。　But
that's　nothing。　What　do　you　say　to　being　tortured　by　the　Caribbees
natives　every　day　after　breakfast　for　three　'ole　months。　A　tooth　out
a　day〃

〃But　your　teeth　are　all　there；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃False；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃Every　one　of　'em。　And　the　things　they'll
do　to　your　toenailsit　'ud　make　your　'air　creep　on　your　'ead　to
listen　to　the　things　I　could　tell　you〃

〃Oh；　it's　awful！〃　said　Jeremy。　〃And　where　is　your　ship　now？〃

〃Ah；　my　ship！〃　the　Captain　replied；　winking　in　the　most　mysterious
fashion；　〃it　would　be　telling　to　say　where　that　is。　I　can　trust　you；
I　know；　I'm　a　great　judge　o'　character；　I　am；　but　not　even　with　my
own　mother；　gone　to　glory　now　twenty　years　and　as　holy　a　soul　as
ever　breathed；　I　wouldn't　trust　even　'er　with　the　secret。〃

〃Why　is　it　a　secret？〃　asked　Jeremy　breathlessly。

〃Treasure；〃　said　the　Captain；　dropping　his　voice。

〃Treasure；　nothing　less　nor　more。　Between　you　and　me　there's　enough
gold　on　that　there　ship　to　satisfy　the　Prime　Minister　'imself；　to
say　nothing　of　the　jewelsrubies；　pearls；　diamonds。　My　word；　if
you　could　see　them　diamonds。　I'm　looking　about　me　now　for　an　extra
man　or　two；　and　then　I'm　off　againsilent　come；　silent　go's　my
motto〃

〃I　suppose　you　don't　happen　to　want　a　cabin…boy？〃　gasped　Jeremy；　his
voice　choked　in　his　throat。

〃Well；　now；　that's　a　funny　thing；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃It's　one　of
the　very　things。　But　I'm　afraid　you're　a　bit　young。　Yet　I　don't
know。　We　might〃

He　broke　off；　suddenly　lifted　his　finger　to　his　lip；　whispered：

〃Keep　your　eyes　open。　I'll　be　round　again；〃　and　had　vanished。

Directly　after　Jeremy　heard　Miss　Jones's　unwelcome　voice：　〃Why；
Jeremy；　we　couldn't　find　you　anywhere。　It's　turning　coldtea…time　…
…〃

With　a　thump　and　a　thud　and　a　bang　he　fell　back　into　the　homely
world。




III


Jeremy　was　a　perfectly　normal　little　boy；　and　I　defy　anyone　to　have
discovered　in　him　at　this　stage　in　his　progress；　those　strange
morbidities　and　irregular　instincts　that　were　to　be　found　in　such
unhappy　human　beings　as　Dostoieffsky's　young　hero　in　〃Podrostok；〃　or
the　unpleasant　son　and　heir　of　Jude　and　Sue。　Nevertheless；　eight
years　old　is　not　too　early　for　stranger　impulses　and　wilder　dreams
than　most　parents　ever　conceive　of；　and　the　fortnight　that　followed
Jeremy's　meeting　with　the　Sea…Captain　was　as　peculiar　and　fantastic
a　fortnight　as　he　was　ever；　in　all　his　later　life；　to　know。

For　he　was　hauntedreally　haunted　in　the　good　old　solid　practical
meaning　of　the　termhaunted　with　the　haunting　that　pursued　Sintram
and　many　another　famous　hero。　And　he　was　haunted　not　only　by　the
Sea…Captain；　but　by　a　thousand　things　that　attended　in　that　hero's
company。　He　was　haunted　by　a　picturewhence　it　had　come　to　him　he
did　not　knowof　a　dead…white　high　road；　dropping　over　the　hill　into
shadow；　the　light　fading　around　it；　black；　heavy　hedges　on　every
side　of　it。　From　below　the　hill　came　the　pounding　of　the　sea；
exactly　as　he　had　heard　it　so　many　many　times　on　the　hill　above
Rafiel；　and　he　knew；　although　his　eyes　could　not　catch　it；　that　in
the　valley　round　the　head　of　the　road　was　the　fishing　village　with
the　lights　just　coming　in　the　windows；　and　beyond　the　village　the
sloping　shingly　Cove。　But　he　could　see　only　the　dead…　white　road；
and　upon　this　his　eyes　were　always　fixed　as　though　he　were　expecting
someone。　And　he　could　smell　the　sea…pinks　and　the　grass　damp　with
evening　dew；　and　the　cold　dust　of　the　road；　and　the　sea…smell　in　the
wind。　And　he　waited；　knowing　that　the　time　would　come　when　he　would
be　told　to　descend　the　hill；　pass　through　the　village；　and　step　out；
under　the　heavy　grey　clouds；　upon　the　little　shingly　beach。　He　was
aware　then　that　out　at　sea　a　dark；　black　ship　was　riding；　slipping　a
little　with　the　tide；　one　light　gleaming　and　swinging　against　the
pale　glow　of　the　dusky　horizon。　The　church　clock　struck　four　below
the　hill；　he　was　still　on　the　high　road　waiting；　his　eyes　straining
for　figures。　。　。　He　was　prepared　for　some　journey；　because　he　had　at
his　feet　a　bundle。　And　he　knew　that　he　ought　not　to　be　there。　He
knew　that　something　awful　was　about　to　happen　and　that；　when　it　had
occurred；　he　would　be　committed　always　to　something　or　someone。　。　。
A　little　cold　breeze　then　would　rise　in　the　hedges　and　against　the
silence　that　followed　the　chiming　of　the　clock　he　could　hear　first
the　bleating　of　a　sheep；　then　a　sudden　pounding　of　the　sea　as　though
the　breakers　responded　to　the　sudden　rising　of　the　wind；　then　the
hoofs　of　a　horse；　clear　and　hard；　upon　the　road。　。　。　At　that　moment
the　picture　clouded　and　was　dim。　Had　this　been　a　dream？　Was　it
simply　a　confusion　of　summer　visits　to　Rafiel；　stories　told　him　by
Mary；　pictures　in　books　（a　fine　illustrated　edition　of　〃Redgauntlet〃
had　been　a　treasure　to　him　since　he　was　a　baby）；　the　exciting　figure
of　the　Captain；　and　the　beginning　of　spring？　And　yet　the　vision　was
so　vividly　detailed　that　it　was　precisely　like　a　remembered　event。
He　had　always　seen　things　in　pictures；　punishment　meant　standing　in
the　corner　counting　the　ships　on　the　wallpaper；　summer　holidays
meant　the　deep　green　meadows　of　Cow　Farm；　or　a　purple　pool　under　an
afternoon　sun；　religion　meant　walking　up　the　great　wide　aisle　of　the
Cathedral　in　creaking　boots　and　clean　underclothes；　and　so　on。　It
was　nothing　new　for　him　to　make　a　picture；　and　to　let　that　picture
stand　for　a　whole　complex　phase　of　life。　But　this？　What　had　it　to　do
with　the　Sea…Captain；　aud　why　was　it；　as　he　knew　in　his　heart　that
it　was；　wicked　and　wrong　and　furtive？　For　this　had　begun　as　a　high
adventurous　romance。　There　had　been　nothing　wrong　in　that　first　talk
in　the　Meads；　when　the　Captain　had　shown　him　the　tatooes。　The
wickedness　of　it　had　developed　partly　with　his　growing　longing　to
see　the　Captain　again；　partly　with　the　meeting　that　actually
followed；　and　partly　with　the　sense　that　grew　and　grew　as　the　days
passed　that　the　Captain　was　always　watching　him。

The　Captain；　during　these　weeks；　seemed　to　be　everywhere。　Never　was
there　an　afternoon　that　Jeremy　walked　out　with　Miss　Jones　and　his
sisters　that　he　did　not　appear。　It　was　not　very　difficult　to　snatch
a　conversation　with　him。　Because　the　beauty　of　the　spring　weather
continued；　the　children　went　every　day　for　a　walk　in　the　Meads；　and
on　at　least　three　separate　occasions　Jeremy　and　the　Captain　enjoyed
quite　long　conversations　together。　These　were；　none　of　them；　so　good
as　that　first　one　had　been。　The　Captain　was　not　so　genial；　nor　so
light…hearted；　it　seemed　that　he　had　something　on　his　mind。
Sometimes　he　put　his　hand　on　Jeremy's　shoulder；　and　the　heavy
pressure　of　his　great　fingers　made　Jeremy　tremble；　partly　with
terror；　partly　with　pleasure。　His　face；　also；　was　scarcely　so
agreeable　as　it　had　seemed　at　first　sight。　His　tremendous　nose
seemed　to　burn　down　upon　Jeremy　like　a　malignant　fire。　His　eyes　were
so　small　that　sometimes　they　disappeared　under　his　fat　cheeks
altogether；　or　only　gleamed　like　little　sharp　points　of　light　from
under　his　heavy；　shaggy　eyebrows。　Then；　although　he　tried　to　make
his　voice　pleasant；　Jeremy　felt　that　that　complaisant　friendliness
was　not　his　natural　tone。　Sometimes　there　would　be　a　sharp；　barking
note　that　made　Jeremy　jump　and　his　cheek　pale。　The　Captain　told　him
no　more　fascinating　stories；　and　when　Jeremy　wanted　to　know　about
the　ship　with　the　diamonds　and　rubies　and　the　little　sea　village
where　she　lay　hid　and　the　Caribbees　natives；　and　the　chances　of
becoming　a　cabin　boy；　and　the　further　exploitation　of　the　tatooes
all　these　things　the　Captain　brushed　aside　as　though　they　no　longer
interested　him　in　the　least。　He；　on　the　other　hand；　wanted　now　to
know　exactly　where　Jeremy　lived；　what　the　house　was　like；　where　the
back　doors　were；　how　the　windows　opened；　where　Jeremy　slept；　and　so
on。　Jeremy；　pleased　at　this　interest　in　his　daily　life；　told　him　as
many　things　as　he　could；　hoping　to　pass　on　afterwards　to　more
exciting　topics；　how；　for　instance；　the　kitchen　windows　were
fastened　always　last　thing　at　night；　but　you　could　undo　them　from
the　garden　if　you　liked　with　your　knife；　and　Jeremy　knew　this
because　Uncle　Samuel　had　done　it　once　on　a　Sunday　afternoon　when　the
maids　were　all　out　and　he'd　forgotten　his　door　key。　He　would　have
told　the　Captain　all　about　the　schoolroom　and　the　toy　village　and
the　Jampot　and　the　fun　they　had　had　teasing　Miss　Jones　had　not；　the
Captain　fiercely　told　him　that　these　things　did　not　interest　him；
and　that　he　had　better　just　answer　the　questions　that　were　put　to
him。　It　was　indeed　strange　to　see　how；　with　every　interview；　the
Captain　grew　fiercer　and　fiercer　and　sharper　and　sharper。　He　made　no
allusions　now　to　〃'is　little　nipper；〃　said　nothing　about　that　holy
soul　his　mother；　and　never　mentioned　his　liking　for　Jeremy。　There
was　evidently　something　on　his　mind；　and　if　he　had　seemed　mysterious
at　their　first　meeting　it　was　nothing　to　the　secrecy　that　he
practised　now。

And　yet；　in　spite　of　all　this；　his　hold　over　Jeremy　grew　and　grew。
That　dream　of　the　bending　white　road　was　always　with　Jeremy。　He
could　think　of　nothing　but　the　Captain；　and　while　he　was　certainly
afraid　and　would　jump　at　the　slightest　sound；　he　was　also　certainly
excited　beyond　all　earlier　experience。　He　longed；　as　he　lay　awake　at
night；　to　see　the　Captain。　He　seemed　to　have　always　in　front　of　his
eyes　the　great　wall　of　a　chest　with　the　blue　ship　on　it；　and　the
bolster　legs；　and　the　gigantic　hands。　Strangest　of　all　was　the　sense
of　evil　that　came　with　the　attraction。

He　longed　to　be　in　the　man's　company　as　he　longed　to　do　something
that　he　had　been　always　told　not　to　do；　and　when　he　caught　sight　of
him　a　sudden；　hot；　choking　hand　was　pressed　upon　his　heart；　and　he
was　terrified；　delighted；　frightened；　ashamed；　all　in　one。　The
Captain　always　alluded　to　the　things　that　he　would　tell　him；　would
show　him　one　day〃When　you　come　to　my　little　place　I'll　teach　yer　a
thing　or　two〃and　Jeremy　would　wonder　for　hours　what　this　little
place　would　be　like　and　what　the　Captain　would　teach　him。　Meanwhile；
he　saw　him　everywhere；　even　when　he　was　not　therebehind　lamp…
posts；　at　street　corners；　behind　the　old　woman's　umbrella　in　the
market…place；　peering　round　the　statues　in　the　Cathedral；　jerking　up
his　head　from　behind　chimney　pots；　looking　through　the　nursery
windows　just　when　dusk　was　coming　on；　in　the　passages；　under　stairs；
out　in　the　dark　gardenand　always　behind　him　that　horrid　dream　of
the　dead…　white　road　and　the　shingly　Cove。　。　。　Yes；　poor　Jeremy　was
truly　haunted。




IV


That　Miss　Jones　suspected　nothing　of　these　meetings　must　be
attributed　partly　to　that　lady's　habit　of　wrapping　herself　in　her
own　thoughts　on　her　walks　abroad；　and　partly　to　her　natural　short…
sightedness。　Once　Mary　said　that　she　had　noticed　〃a　horrid　man　with
a　red　face〃　staring　at　them；　but　Miss　Jones；　although　she　was　not　a
vain　woman；　thought　it　nevertheless　quit