jeremy-第2章

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him　once　when　he　had　toothache；　and　he　had　not　known　whether　her
reading　or　the　toothache　agonised　him　the　more；　and　so　on；　an
endless　sequence　of　sensational　history。

His　reminiscences　were　cut　short　by　the　appearance　of　Gladys　with
the　porridge。　Gladys；　who　was　only　the　between…maid；　but　was
nevertheless　stout；　breathless　from　her　climb　and　the　sentiment　of
the　occasion；　produced　from　a　deep　pocket　a　dirty　envelope；　which
she　laid　upon　the　table。

〃Many　'appy　returns；　Master　Jeremy。〃　Giggle　。　。　。　giggle。　。　。　〃Lord
save　us　if　I　'aven't　gone　and　forgotten　they　spunes；〃　and　she
vanished。　The　present…giving　had　begun。

He　had　an　instant's　struggle　as　to　whether　it　were　better　to　wait
until　all　the　presents　had　accumulated；　or　whether　he　would　take
them　separately　as　they　arrived。　The　dirty　envelope　lured　him。　He
advanced　towards　it　and　seized　it。　He　could　not　read　very　easily　the
sprawling　writing　on　the　cover；　but　he　guessed　that　it　said　〃From
Gladys　to　Master　Jeremy。〃　Within　was　a　marvellous　card；　tied
together　with　glistening　cord　and　shining　with　all　the　colours　of
the　rainbow。　It　was　apparently　a　survival　from　last　Christmas；　as
there　was　a　church　in　snow　and　a　peal　of　bells；　he　was；
nevertheless；　very　happy　to　have　it。

After　his　introduction　events　moved　swiftly。　First　Helen　and　Mary
appeared；　their　faces　shining　and　solemn　and　mysteriousHelen　self…
conscious　and　Mary　staring　through　her　spectacles　like　a　profound
owl。

Because　Jeremy　had　known　Mary　ever　since　he　could　remember；　he　was
unaware　that　there　was　anything　very　peculiar　about　her。　But　in
truth　she　was　a　strange　looking　child。　Very　thin；　she　had　a　large
head；　with　big　outstanding　ears；　spectacles；　and　yellow　hair　pulled
back　and　〃stringy。〃　Her　large　hands　were　always　red；　and　her
forehead　was　freckled。　She　was　as　plain　a　child　as　you　were　ever
likely　to　see；　but　there　was　character　in　her　mouth　and　eyes；　and
although　she　was　only　seven　years　old；　she　could　read　quite
difficult　books　（she　was　engaged　at　this　particular　time　upon
〃Ivanhoe〃）；　and　she　was　a　genius　at　sums。

The　passion　of　her　life；　as　the　family　were　all　aware；　was　Jeremy；
but　it　was　an　unfortunate　and　uncomfortable　passion。　She　bothered
and　worried　him；　she　was　insanely　jealous；　she　would　sulk　for　days
did　he　ever　seem　to　prefer　Helen　to　herself。　No　one　understood　her；
she　was　considered　a　〃difficult　child；〃　quite　unlike　any　other
member　of　the　family；　except　possibly　Samuel；　Mr。　Cole's　brother…
in…law；　who　was　an　unsuccessful　painter　and　therefore　〃odd。〃

As　Mary　was　at　present　only　seven　years　of　age　it　would　be　too　much
to　say　that　the　family　was　afraid　of　her。　Aunt　Amy's　attitude　was：
〃Well；　after　all；　she's　sure　to　be　clever　when　she　grows　up；　poor
child；〃　and　although　the　parishioners　of　Mary's　father　always
alluded　to　her　as　〃the　ludicrous　Cole　child；〃　they　told　awed　little
stories　about　the　infant's　mental　capacities；　and　concluded
comfortably；　〃I'm　glad　Alice　（or　Jane　or　Matilda　or　Anabel）　isn't
clever　like　that。　They　overwork　when　they　are　young；　and　then　when
they　grow　up〃

Meanwhile　Mary　led　her　private　life。　She　attached　herself　to　no　one
but　Jeremy；　she　was　delicate　and　suffered　from　perpetual　colds；　she
therefore　spent　much　of　her　time　in　the　nursery　reading；　her　huge
spectacles　close　to　the　page；　her　thin　legs　like　black　sticks　stuck
up　on　the　fender　in　front　of　the　fire　or　curled　up　under　her　on　the
window…seat。

Very　different　was　Helen。　Helen　had　a　mass　of　dark　black　hair；　big
black　eyes　with　thick　eye…lashes；　a　thin　white　neck；　little　feet；
and　already　an　eye　to　〃effects〃　in　dress。　She　was　charming　to
strangers；　to　the　queer　curates　who　haunted　the　family　hall；　to　poor
people　and　rich　people；　to　old　people　and　young　people。　She　was
warm…hearted　but　not　impulsive；　intelligent　but　not　clever；
sympathetic　but　not　sentimental；　impatient　but　never　uncontrolled。
She　liked　almost　everyone　and　almost　everything；　but　no　one　and
nothing　mattered　to　her　very　deeply；　she　liked　going　to　church；
always　learnt　her　Collect　first　on　Sunday；　and　gave　half　her　pocket…
money　to　the　morning　collection。　She　was　generous　but　never
extravagant；　enjoyed　food　but　was　not　greedy。　She　was　quite　aware
that　she　was　pretty　and　might　one　day　be　beautiful；　and　she　was　glad
of　that；　but　she　was　never　silly　about　her　looks。

When　Aunt　Amy；　who　was　always　silly　about　everything；　said　in　her
presence　to　visitors；　〃Isn't　Helen　the　loveliest　thing　you　ever
saw？〃　she　managed　by　her　shy　self…　confidence　to　suggest　that　she
was　pretty；　that　Aunt　Amy　was　a　fool；　and　life　was　altogether　very
agreeable；　but　that　none　of　these　things　was　of　any　great
importance。　She　was　very　good　friends　with　Jeremy；　but　she　played　no
part　in　his　life　at　all。　At　the　same　time　she　often　fought　with　him；
simply　from　her　real　deep　consciousness　of　her　superiority　to　him。
She　valued　her　authority　and　asserted　it　incessantly。　That　authority
had　until　last　year　been　unchallenged；　but　Jeremy　now　was　growing。
She　had；　although　she　did　not　as　yet　realise　it；　a　difficult　time
before　her。

Helen　and　Mary　advanced　with　their　presents；　laid　them　on　the
breakfast…table；　and　then　retreated　to　watch　the　effect　of　it　all。

〃Shall　I　now？〃　asked　Jeremy。

〃Yes；　now；〃　said　Helen　and　Mary。

There　were　three　parcels；　one　large　and　〃shoppy；〃　two　small　and
bound　with　family　paper；　tied　by　family　hands　with　family　string。　He
grasped　immediately　the　situation。　The　shoppy　parcel　was　bought　with
mother's　money　and　only　〃pretended〃　to　be　from　his　sisters；　the　two
small　parcels　were　the　very　handiwork　of　the　ladies　themselves；　the
same　having　been　seen　by　all　eyes　at　work　for　the　last　six　months；
sometimes；　indeed；　under　the　cloak　of　attempted　secrecy；　but　more
oftenbecause　weariness　or　ill…temper　made　them　carelessin　the
full　light　of　day。

His　interest　was　centred　almost　entirely　in　the　〃shoppy〃　parcel；
which　by　its　shape　might　be　〃soldiers〃；　but　he　knew　the　rules　of　the
game；　and　disregarding　the　large；　ostentatious　brown…papered　thing；
he　went　magnificently　for　the　two　small　incoherent　bundles。

He　opened　them。　A　flat　green　table…centre　with　a　red　pattern　of
roses；　a　thick　table…napkin　ring　worked　in　yellow　worsted；　these
were　revealed。

〃Oh！〃　he　cried；　〃just　what　I　wanted。〃　（Father　always　said　that　on
his　birthday。）

〃Is　it？〃　said　Mary　and　Helen。

〃Mine's　the　ring；〃　said　Mary。　〃It's　dirty　rather；　but　it　would　have
got　dirty；　anyway；　afterwards。〃　She　watched　anxiously　to　see　whether
he　preferred　Helen's。

He　watched　them　nervously；　lest　he　should　be　expected　to　kiss　them。
He　wiped　his　mouth　with　his　hand　instead；　and　began　rapidly　to　talk：

〃Jampot　will　know　now　which　mine　is。　She's　always　giving　me　the
wrong　one。　I'll　have　it　always；　and　the　green　thing　too。〃

〃It's　for　the　middle　of　a　table；〃　Helen　interrupted。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Jeremy　hurriedly。　〃I'll　always　have　it　toolike
Mary'swhen　I'm　grown　up　and　all。　。　。　。　I　say；　shall　I　open　the
other　one　now？〃

〃Yes；　you　can；〃　said　Helen　and　Mary；　ceasing　to　take　the　central
place　in　the　ceremony；　spectators　now　and　eagerly　excited。

But　Mary　had　a　last　word。

〃You　do　like　mine；　don't　you？〃

〃Of　course；　like　anything。〃

She　wanted　to　say　〃Better　than　Helen's？〃　but　restrained　herself。

〃I　was　ever　so　long　doing　it；　I　thought　I　wouldn't　finish　it　in
time。〃

He　saw　with　terror　that　she　meditated　a　descent　upon　him；　a　kiss　was
in　the　air。　She　moved　forward；　then；　to　his　extreme　relief；　the　door
opened　and　the　elders　arriving　saved　him。

There　were　Father　and　Mother；　Uncle　Samuel　and　Aunt　Amy；　all　with
presents；　faces　of　birthday　tolerance　and　〃do…as…you…please…to…day；
dear〃　expressions。

The　Rev。　Herbert　Cole　was　forty　years　of　age；　rector　of　St。　James's；
Polchester；　during　the　last　ten　years；　and　marked　out　for　greater
preferment　in　the　near　future。　To　be　a　rector　at　thirty　is　unusual；
but　he　had　great　religious　gifts；　preached　an　admirable　〃as…man…to…
man〃　sermon；　and　did　not　believe　in　thinking　about　more　than　he
could　see。　He　was　an　excellent　father　in　the　abstract　sense；　but　the
parish　absorbed　too　much　of　his　time　to　allow　of　intimacies　with
anyone。

Mrs。　Cole　was　the　most　placid　lady　in　Europe。　She　had　a　comfortable
figure；　but　was　not　stout；　here　a　dimple　and　there　a　dimple。　Nothing
could　disturb　her。　Children；　servants；　her　husband's　sermons；
district　visiting；　her　Tuesday　〃at　homes；〃　the　butcher；　the　dean's
wife；　the　wives　of　the　canons；　the　Polchester　climate；　bills；
clothes；　other　women's　clothesover　all　these　rocks　of　peril　in　the
sea　of　daily　life　her　barque　happily　floated。　Some　ill…natured
people　thought　her　stupid；　but　in　her　younger　days　she　had　liked
Trollope's　novels　in　the　Cornhill；　disapproved　placidly　of　〃Jane
Eyre；〃　and　admired　Tennyson；　so　that　she　could　not　be　considered
unliterary。

She　was　economical；　warm…hearted；　loved　her　children；　talked　only
the　gentlest　scandal；　and　was　a　completely　happy　womanall　this　in
the　placidest　way　in　the　world。　Miss　Amy　Trefusis；　her　sister；　was
very　different；　being　thin　both　in　her　figure　and　her　emotions。　She
skirted　tempestuously　over　the　surface　of　things；　was　the　most
sentimental　of　human　beings；　was　often　in　tears　over　reminiscences
of　books　or　the　weather；　was　deeply　religious　in　a　superficial　way；
and　reallyalthough　she　would　have　been　entirely　astonished　had　you
told　her　socared　for　no　one　in　the　world　but　herself。　She　was
dressed　always　in　dark　colours；　with　the　high　shoulders　of　the　day；
elegant　bonnets　and　little　chains　that　jingled　as　she　moved。　In　her
soul　she　feared　and　distrusted　children；　but　she　did　not　know　this。
She　did　know；　however；　that　she　feared　and　distrusted　her　brother
Samuel。

Her　brother　Samuel　was　all　that　the　Trefusis　family；　as　a
conservative　body　who　believed　in　tradition；　had　least　reason　for
understanding。　He　had　been　a　failure　from　the　first　moment　of　his
entry　into　the　Grammar　School　in　Polchester　thirty…five　years　before
this　story。　He　had　continued　a　failure　at　Winchester　and　at　Christ
Church；　Oxford。　He　had　desired　to　be　a　painter；　he　had　broken　from
the　family　and　gone　to　study　Art　in　Paris。　He　had　starved　and
starved；　was　at　death's　door；　was　dragged　home；　and　there　suddenly
had　relapsed　into　Polchester；　lived　first　on　his　father；　then　on　his
brother…in…law；　painted　about　the　town；　painted；　made　cynical
remarks　about　the　Polcastrians；　painted；　made　blasphemous　remarks
about　the　bishop；　the　dean　and　all　the　canons；　painted；　and　refused
to　leave　his　brother…in…law's　house。　He　was　a　scandal；　of　course；　he
was　fat；　untidy；　wore　a　blue　tam…o'…shanter　when　he　was　〃out；〃　and
sometimes　went　down　Orange　Street　in　carpet　slippers。

He　was　a　scandal；　but　what　are　you　to　do　if　a　relative　is　obstinate
and　refuses　to　go？　At　least　make　him　shave；　say　the　wives　of　the
canons。　But　no　one　had　ever　made　Samuel　Trefusis　do　anything　that　he
did　not　want　to　do。　He　was　sometimes　not　shaved　for　three　whole　days
and　nights。　At　any　rate；　there　he　is。　It　is　of　no　use　saying　that　he
does　not　exist；　as　many　of　the　Close　ladies　try　to　do。　And　at　least
he　does　not　paint　strange　women；　he　prefers　flowers　and　cows　and　the
Polchester　woods；　although　anythi