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dream days-第13部分

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But it was time to get on; for clearly the interest was only just

beginning。  Over went the next page; and there we were; the whole

crowd of us; assembled in a noble church。  It was not easy to

make out exactly what was going on; but in the throng I was

delighted to recognize my angels at last; happy and very much at

home。  They had managed to get leave off; evidently; and must

have run up the hill and scampered breathlessly through the gate;

and perhaps they cried a little when they found the square empty;

and thought the fun must be all over。  Two of them had got hold

of a great wax candle apiece; as much as they could stagger

under; and were tittering sideways at each other as the

grease ran bountifully over their clothes。  A third had strolled

in among the company; and was chatting to a young gentleman; with

whom she appeared to be on the best of terms。  Decidedly; this

was the right breed of angel for us。  None of your sick…bed or

night nursery business for them!



Well; no doubt they were now being married; He and She; just as

always happened。  And then; of course; they were going to live

happily ever after; and THAT was the part I wanted to get to。 

Story…books were so stupid; always stopping at the point where

they became really nice; but this picture…story was only in its

first chapters; and at last I was to have a chance of knowing

HOW people lived happily ever after。  We would all go home

together; He and She; and the angels; and I; and the armour…man

would be invited to come and stay。  And then the story would

really begin; at the point where those other ones always

left off。  I turned the page; and found myself free of the dim

and splendid church and once more in the open country。



This was all right; this was just as it should be。  The sky was a

fleckless blue; the flags danced in the breeze; and our merry

bridal party; with jest and laughter; jogged down to the water…

side。  I was through the town by this time; and out on the other

side of the hill; where I had always wanted to be; and; sure

enough; there was the harbour; all thick with curly ships。  Most

of them were piled high with wedding…presentsbales of silk; and

gold and silver plate; and comfortable…looking bags suggesting

bullion; and the gayest ship of all lay close up to the carpeted

landing…stage。  Already the bride was stepping daintily down the

gangway; her ladies following primly; one by one; a few minutes

more and we should all be aboard; the hawsers would splash

in the water; the sails would fill and strain。  From the deck I

should see the little walled town recede and sink and grow dim;

while every plunge of our bows brought us nearer to the happy

islandit was an island we were bound for; I knew well!  Already

I could see the island…people waving hands on the crowded quay;

whence the little houses ran up the hill to the castle; crowning

all with its towers and battlements。  Once more we should ride

together; a merry procession; clattering up the steep street and

through the grim gateway; and then we should have arrived; then

we should all dine together; then we should have reached home! 

And then



OW! OW! OW!



Bitter it is to stumble out of an opalescent dream into the cold

daylight; cruel to lose in a second a sea…voyage; an island; and

a castle that was to be practically your own; but cruellest

and bitterest of all to know; in addition to your loss; that the

fingers of an angry aunt have you tight by the scruff of your

neck。  My beautiful book was gone tooravished from my grasp by

the dressy lady; who joined in the outburst of denunciation as

heartily as if she had been a relativeand naught was left me

but to blubber dismally; awakened of a sudden to the harshness of

real things and the unnumbered hostilities of the actual world。 

I cared little for their reproaches; their abuse; but I sorrowed

heartily for my lost ship; my vanished island; my uneaten dinner;

and for the knowledge that; if I wanted any angels to play with;

I must henceforth put up with the anaemic; night…gowned

nonentities that hovered over the bed of the Sunday…school child

in the pages of the Sabbath Improver。



I was led ignominiously out of the house; in a pulpy; watery

state; while the butler handled his swing doors with a

stony; impassive countenance; intended for the deception of the

very elect; though it did not deceive me。  I knew well enough

that next time he was off duty; and strolled around our way; we

should meet in our kitchen as man to man; and I would punch him

and ask him riddles; and he would teach me tricks with corks and

bits of string。  So his unsympathetic manner did not add to my

depression。



I maintained a diplomatic blubber long after we had been packed

into our pony…carriage and the lodge…gate had clicked behind us;

because it served as a sort of armour…plating against heckling

and argument and abuse; and I was thinking hard and wanted to be

let alone。  And the thoughts that I was thinking were two。



First I thought; 〃I've got ahead of Charlotte THIS time!〃



And next I thought; 〃When I've grown up big; and have money

of my own; and a full…sized walking…stick; I will set out early

one morning; and never stop till I get to that little walled

town。〃  There ought to be no real difficulty in the task。  It

only meant asking here and asking there; and people were very

obliging; and I could describe every stick and stone of it。



As for the island which I had never even seen; that was not so

easy。  Yet I felt confident that somehow; at some time; sooner or

later; I was destined to arrive。







A SAGA OF THE SEAS



It happened one day that some ladies came to call; who were not

at all the sort I was used to。  They suffered from a grievance;

so far as I could gather; and the burden of their plaint was

ManMen in general and Man in particular。  (Though the words

were but spoken; I could clearly discern the capital M in their

acid utterance。)



Of course I was not present officially; so to speak。  Down below;

in my sub…world of chair…legs and hearthrugs and the undersides

of sofas; I was working out my own floor…problems; while they

babbled on far above my head; considering me as but a chair…leg;

or even something lower in the scale。  Yet I was listening hard

all the time; with that respectful consideration one gives to

all grown…up people's remarks; so long as one knows no better。



It seemed a serious indictment enough; as they rolled it out。  In

tact; considerateness; and right appreciation; as well as in

taste and aesthetic sensibilitieswe failed at every point; we

breeched and bearded prentice…jobs of Nature; and I began to feel

like collapsing on the carpet from sheer spiritual anaemia。  But

when one of them; with a swing of her skirt; prostrated a whole

regiment of my brave tin soldiers; and never apologized nor even

offered her aid toward revivifying the battle…line; I could not

help feeling that in tactfulness and consideration for others she

was still a little to seek。  And I said as much; with some

directness of language。



That was the end of me; from a society point of view。  Rudeness

to visitors was the unpardonable sin; and in two seconds I

had my marching orders; and was sullenly wending my way to the

St。 Elelena of the nursery。  As I climbed the stair; my thoughts

reverted somehow to a game we had been playing that very morning。



It was the good old game of Rafts;a game that will be played

till all the oceans are dry and all the trees in the world are

felledand after。  And we were all crowded together on the

precarious little platform; and Selina occupied every bit as much

room as I did; and Charlotte's legs didn't dangle over any more

than Harold's。  The pitiless sun overhead beat on us all with

tropic impartiality; and the hungry sharks; whose fins scored the

limitless Pacific stretching out on every side; were impelled by

an appetite that made no exceptions as to sex。  When we shared

the ultimate biscuit and circulated the last water…keg; the girls

got an absolute fourth apiece; and neither more nor less; and

the only partiality shown was entirely in favour of

Charlotte; who was allowed to perceive and to hail the saviour…

sail on the horizon。  And this was only because it was her turn

to do so; not because she happened to be this or that。  Surely;

the rules of the raft were the rules of life; and in what; then;

did these visitor…ladies' grievance consist?



Puzzled and a little sulky; I pushed open the door of the

deserted nursery; where the raft that had rocked beneath so many

hopes and fears still occupied the ocean…floor。  To the dull eye;

that merely tarries upon the outsides of things; it might have

appeared unromantic and even unraftlike; consisting only as it

did of a round sponge…bath on a bald deal towel…horse placed flat

on the floor。  Even to myself much of the recent 
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