jeremy-第38章

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he　had　been　to　the　Fair　or　no。

He　felt　aloof　and　apart；　as　though　no　one　could　touch　him。　He　would
not　have　minded　simply　going　into　them　all　and　saying：　〃I'm　off　to
the　Fair。〃　The　obvious　drawback　to　that　would　have　been　that　he
would　have　been　shut　up　in　his　room；　and　then　they　might　make　him
give　his　word　。　。　。　He　would　not　break　any　promises。

When　Wednesday　came　it　was　a　lovely　day。　Out　in　the　field　just
behind　the　Coles'　house　they　were　burning　a　huge　bonfire　of　dead
leaves。　At　first　only　a　heavy　column　of　grey　smoke　rose；　then　flames
broke　through；　little；　thin　golden　flames　like　paper；　then　a　sudden
fierce　red　tongue　shot　out　and　went　licking　up　into　the　air　until　it
faded　like　tumbling　water　against　the　sunlight。　On　the　outer　edge　of
the　bonfire　there　was　thin　grey　smoke　through　which　you　could　see　as
through　glass。　The　smell　was　heavenly；　and　even　through　closed
windows　the　crackling　of　the　burnt　leaves　could　be　heard。　The　sight
of　the　bonfire　excited　Jeremy。　It　seemed　to　him　a　signal　of
encouragement；　a　spur　to　perseverance。　All　the　morning　the　flames
crackled；　and　men　came　with　wheelbarrows　full　of　leaves　and　emptied
them　in　thick　heaps　upon　the　fire。　At　each　emptying　the　fire　would
be　for　a　moment　beaten；　and　only　the　white；　thick；　malicious　smoke
would　come　through；　then　a　little　spit　of　flame；　another；　another；
then　a　thrust　like　a　golden　hand　stretching　out；　then　a　fine；
towering；　quivering　splendour。

Under　the　full　noonday　sun　the　fire　was　pale　and　so　unreal；　weak；
and　sickly；　that　one　was　almost　ashamed　to　look　at　it。　But　as　the
afternoon　passed；　it　again　gathered　strength；　and　with　the　faint；
dusky　evening　it　was　a　giant　once　more。

〃You　come　along；〃　it　said　to　Jeremy。　〃Come　along！　Come　along！〃

〃I'm　going　to　Mr。　Somerset's；　Mother；〃　he　said；　putting　two　exercise
books　and　a　very　new　and　shining　blue　Latin　book　together。

〃Are　you；　dear？　I　suppose　you're　safe？〃　Mrs。　Cole　asked；　looking
through　the　drawing…room　window。

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；〃　said　Jeremy

〃Well；　I　think　it　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Cole。　〃The　street　seems　quite
empty。　Don't　speak　to　any　odd…looking　men；　will　you？〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　he　said　again。

He　walked　down　Orange　Street；　his　books　under　his　arm；　the　3s。　3
1/2d。　in　his　pocket。　The　street　was　quite　deserted；　swimming　in　a
cold；　pale　light；　the　trees；　the　houses；　the　church；　the　garden…
walls；　sharp　and　black；　the　street；　dim　and　precipitous；　tumbling
forward　into　the　blue；　whence　lights；　one；　two；　three；　now　a　little
bunch　together；　came　pricking　out。

The　old　woman　opened　the　door　when　he　rang　Mr。　Somerset's　bell。

〃Master's　been　called　away；〃　she　said　in　her　croaking　voice。　〃A
burial。　'E　'adn't　time　to　let　you　know。　'Tell　the　little　gen'l'man；'
'e　said；　'I'm　sorry。'〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Jeremy；　〃thank　you。〃

He　descended　the　steps；　then　stood　where　he　was；　in　the　street；
looking　up　and　down。　Who　could　deny　that　it　was　all　being　arranged
for　him？　He　felt　more　than　ever　like　God　as　he　looked　proudly　about
him。　Everything　served　his　purpose。

The　jingling　of　the　money　in　his　pocket　reminded　him　that　he　must
waste　no　more　time。　He　started　off。

Even　his　progress　through　the　town　seemed　wonderful；　quite
unattended　at　last；　as　he　had　always　all　his　life　longed　to　be。　So
soon　as　he　left　Orange　Street　and　entered　the　market　he　was　caught
into　a　great　crowd。　It　was　all　stirring　and　humming　with　a　noise
such　as　the　bonfire　had　all　day　been　making。　It　was　his　first
introduction　to　the　worldhe　had　never　been　in　a　large　crowd
beforeand　it　is　not　to　be　denied　but　that　his　heart　beat　thick　and
his　knees　trembled　a　little。　But　he　pulled　himself　together。　Who　was
he　to　be　afraid？　But　the　books　under　his　arm　were　a　nuisance。　He
suddenly　dropped　them　in　amongst　the　legs　and　boots　of　the　people。

There　were　many　interesting　sights　to　be　seen　in　the　market…place；
but　he　could　not　stay；　and　he　found　himself　soon；　to　his　own
surprise；　slipping　through　the　people　as　quietly　and　easily　as
though　he　had　done　it　all　his　days；　only　always　he　kept　his　hand　on
his　money　lest　that　should　be　stolen　and　his　adventure　suddenly　come
to　nothing。

He　knew　his　way　very　well；　and　soon　he　was　at　the　end　of　Finch
Street　which　in　those　days　opened　straight　into　fields　and　hedges。

Even　now；　so　little　has　Polchester　grown　in　thirty　years；　the　fields
and　hedges　are　not　very　far　away。　Here　there　was　a　stile　with　a
large　wooden　fence　on　either　side　of　it；　and　a　red…faced　man　saying：
〃Pay　your　sixpences　now！　Come　along　。　。　。　pay　your　sixpences　now。〃
Crowds　of　people　were　passing　through　the　stile；　jostling　one
another；　pressing　and　pushing；　but　all　apparently　in　good　temper；
for　there　was　a　great　deal　of　laughter　and　merriment。　From　the　other
side　of　the　fence　came　a　torrent　of　sound；　so　discordant　and　so
tumultuous　that　it　was　impossible　to　separate　the　elements　of　it　one
from　anotherscreams；　shrieks；　the　bellowing　of　animals；　and　the
monotonous　rise　and　fall　of　scraps　of　tune；　several　bars　of　one　and
then　bars　of　another；　and　then　everything　lost　together　in　the
general　babel；　and　to　the　right　of　him　Jeremy　could　see　not　very　far
away　quiet　fields　with　cows　grazing；　and　the　dark　grave　wood　on　the
horizon。

Would　he　venture？　For　a　moment　his　heart　failed　hima　wave　of
something　threatening　and　terribly　powerful　seemed　to　come　out　to
him　through　the　stile；　and　the　people　who　were　passing　in　looked
large　and　fierce。　Then　he　saw　two　small　boys；　their　whole　bearing
one　of　audacious　boldness；　push　through。　He　was　not　going　to　be
beaten。　He　followed　a　man　with　a　back　like　a　wall。　〃One；　please；〃　he
said。

〃'Come　along　now　。　。　。　pay　your　sixpences　。　。　。　pay　your　sixpences；〃
cried　the　man。　He　was　through。　He　stepped　at　once　into　something
that　had　for　him　all　the　elements　of　the　most　terrifying　and
enchanting　of　fairy　tales。　He　was　planted；　it　seemed；　in　a　giant
world。　At　first　he　could　see　nothing　but　the　high　and　thick　bodies
of　the　people　who　moved　on　every　side　of　him；　he　peered　under
shoulders；　he　was　lost　amongst　legs　and　arms；　he　walked　suddenly
into　waistcoat　buttons　and　was　flung　thence　on　to　walking　sticks。

But　it　was；　if　he　had　known　it；　the　most　magical　hour　of　all　for　him
to　have　chosen。　It　was　the　moment　when　the　sun；　sinking　behind　the
woods　and　hills；　leaves　a　faint　white　crystal　sky　and　a　world
transformed　in　an　instant　from　sharp　outlines　and　material　form　into
coloured　mist　and　rising　vapour。　The　Fair　also　was　transformed；
putting　forward　all　its　lights　and　becoming；　after　the　glaring
tawdiness　of　the　day；　a　place　of　shadow　and　sudden　circles　of　flame
and　dim　obscurity。

Lights；　even　as　Jeremy　watched；　sprang　into　the　air；　wavered；
faltered；　hesitated；　then　rocked　into　a　steady　glow；　only　shifting　a
little　with　the　haze。　On　either　side　of　him　were　rough；　wooden
stalls；　and　these　were　illuminated　with　gas；　which　sizzled　and
hissed　like　angry　snakes。　The　stalls　were　covered　with　everything
invented　by　man；　here　a　sweet　stall；　with　thick；　sticky　lumps　of
white　and　green　and　red；　glass　bottles　of　bulls'　eyes　and
peppermints；　thick　slabs　of　almond　toffee　and　pink　cocoanut　icing；
boxes　of　round　chocolate　creams　and　sticks　of　liquorice；　lumps　of
gingerbread；　with　coloured　pictures　stuck　upon　them；　saffron　buns；
plum　cakes　in　glass　jars；　and　chains　of　little　sugary　biscuits
hanging　on　long　red　strings。　There　was　the　old…clothes'　stall　with
trousers　and　coats　and　waistcoats；　all　shabby　and　lanky；　swinging
beneath　the　gas；　and　piles　of　clothes　on　the　boards；　all　nondescript
and　unhappy　and　faded；　there　was　the　stall　with　the　farm　implements；
and　the　medicine　stall；　and　the　flower　stall；　and　the　vegetable
stall；　and　many；　many　another。　Each　place　had　his　or　her　guardian；
vociferous；　red…faced；　screaming　out　the　wares；　lowering　the　voice
to　cajole；　raising　it　again　to　draw　back　a　retreating　customer；
carrying　on　suddenly　an　intimate　conversation　with　the　next…door
shopkeeper；　laughing；　quarrelling；　arguing。

To　Jeremy　it　was　a　world　of　giant　heights　and　depths。　Behind　the
stalls；　beyond　the　lane　down　which　he　moved；　was　an　uncertain　glory；
a　threatening　peril。　He　fancied　that　strange　animals　moved　there；　he
thought　he　heard　a　lion　roar　and　an　elephant　bellow。　The　din　of　the
sellers　all　about　him　made　it　impossible　to　tell　what　was　happening
beyond　there；　only　the　lights　and　bells；　shouts　and　cries；　confusing
smells；　and　a　great　roar　of　distant　voices。

He　almost　wished　that　he　had　not　come；　he　felt　so　very　small　and
helpless；　he　wondered　whether　he　could　find　his　way　out　again；　and
looking　back；　he　was　for　a　moment　terrified　to　see　that　the　stream
of　people　behind　him　shut　him　in　so　that　he　could　not　see　the　stile；
nor　the　wooden　barrier；　nor　the　red…faced　man。　Pushed　forward；　he
found　himself　at　the　end　of　the　lane　and　standing　in　a　semi…
circular　space　surrounded　by　strange…looking　booths　with　painted
pictures　upon　them；　and　in　front　of　them　platforms　with　wooden　steps
running　up　to　them。　Then；　so　unexpectedly　that　he　gave　a　little
scream；　a　sudden　roar　burst　out　behind　him。　He　turned　and；　indeed；
the　world　seemed　to　have　gone　mad。　A　moment　ago　there　had　been
darkness　and　dim　shadow。　Now；　suddenly；　there　was　a　huge　whistling；
tossing　circle　of　light　and　flame；　and　from　the　centre　of　this　a
banging；　brazen；　cymbal…clashing　scream　issued…a　scream　that；
through　its　strident　shrillness；　he　recognised　as　a　tune　that　he
knewa　tune　often　whistled　by　Jim　at　Cow　Farm。　〃And　her　golden　hair
was　hanging　down　her　back。〃　Whence　the　tune　came　he　could　not　tell；
from　the　very　belly　of　the　flaming　monster；　it　seemed；　but；　as　he
watched；　he　saw　that　the　huge　circle　whirled　ever　faster　and　faster；
and　that　up　and　down　on　the　flame　of　it　coloured　horses　rose　and
fell；　vanishing　from　light　to　darkness；　from　darkness　to　light；　and
seeming　of　their　own　free　will　and　motion　to　dance　to　the　thundering
music。

It　was　the　most　terrific　thing　that　he　had　ever　seen。　The　most
terrific　thing。　。　。　he　stood　there；　his　cap　on　the　back　of　his　head；
his　legs　apart；　his　mouth　open；　forgetting　utterly　the　crowd；
thinking　nothing　of　time　or　danger　or　punishmenthe　gazed　with　his
whole　body。

As　his　eyes　grew　more　accustomed　to　the　glare　of　the　hissing　gas；　he
saw　that　in　the　centre　figures　were　painted　standing　on　the　edge　of
a　pillar　that　revolved　without　pause。　There　was　a　woman　with　flaming
red　cheeks；　a　gold　dress　and　dead　white　dusty　arms；　a　man　with　a
golden　crown　and　a　purple　robe；　but　a　broken　nose；　and　a　minstrel
with　a　harp。　The　woman　and　the　king　moved　stiffly　their　arms　up　and
down；　that　they　might　strike　instruments；　one　a　cymbal　and　the　other
a　drum。　But　it　was　finally　the　horses　that　caught　Jeremy's　heart。
Half　of　them　at　least　were　without　riders；　and　the　empty　ones　went
round　pathetically；　envying　the　more　successful　ones　and　dancing　to
the　music　as　though　with　an　effort。　One　especially　moved　Jeremy's
sympathy。　He　was　a　fine　horse；　rather　fresher　than　the　others；　with
a　coal…black　mane　and　great　black　bulging　eyes；　his　saddle　was　of
gold　and　his　trappings　of　red。　As　he　went　round　he　seemed　to　catch
Jeremy's　eye　and　to　beg　him　to　come　to　him。　He　rode　more　securely
than　the　re