diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:50 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:50 -0700 |
| commit | 1b059dd73edefd75693d9a7c5d1263e5e2436940 (patch) | |
| tree | 0af4591563f5deca0b2626fa4e74582422a6f1d2 /1288-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '1288-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 1288-h/1288-h.htm | 4234 |
1 files changed, 4234 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/1288-h/1288-h.htm b/1288-h/1288-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fb6608 --- /dev/null +++ b/1288-h/1288-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4234 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Dream Days, by Kenneth Grahame + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1288 ***</div> + +<h4>There are several editions of this ebook in the Project Gutenberg collection. Various characteristics of each ebook are listed to aid in selecting the preferred file.<br />Click on any of the filenumbers below to quickly view each ebook. +</h4> + + +<table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto" cellpadding="4" border="3"> + +<tr><td> + <b><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1288/1288-h/1288-h.htm"> +1288</a> </b> </td><td>(A Table of Contents) +</td></tr> + +<tr><td> + <b><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/270/270-h/270-h.htm"> +270</a></b></td><td>(A Table of Contents) +</td></tr> + +<tr><td> + <b><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/35187/35187-h/35187-h.htm"> +35187</a></b> </td><td>(Illustrated HTML File, and a Table of Contents) +</td></tr> + +</table> + + + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + DREAM DAYS + </h1> + <h3> + Sequel to “The Golden Age” + </h3> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Kenneth Grahame + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> THE TWENTY-FIRST OF OCTOBER </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> DIES IRAE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> MUTABILE SEMPER </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> THE MAGIC RING </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> ITS WALLS WERE AS OF JASPER </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> A SAGA OF THE SEAS </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0007"> THE RELUCTANT DRAGON </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0008"> A DEPARTURE </a> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + THE TWENTY-FIRST OF OCTOBER + </h2> + <p> + In the matter of general culture and attainments, we youngsters stood on + pretty level ground. True, it was always happening that one of us would be + singled out at any moment, freakishly, and without regard to his own + preferences, to wrestle with the inflections of some idiotic language long + rightly dead; while another, from some fancied artistic tendency which + always failed to justify itself, might be told off without warning to + hammer out scales and exercises, and to bedew the senseless keys with + tears of weariness or of revolt. But in subjects common to either sex, and + held to be necessary even for him whose ambition soared no higher than to + crack a whip in a circus-ring—in geography, for instance, + arithmetic, or the weary doings of kings and queens—each would have + scorned to excel. And, indeed, whatever our individual gifts, a general + dogged determination to shirk and to evade kept us all at much the same + dead level,—a level of Ignorance tempered by insubordination. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately there existed a wide range of subjects, of healthier tone than + those already enumerated, in which we were free to choose for ourselves, + and which we would have scorned to consider education; and in these we + freely followed each his own particular line, often attaining an amount of + special knowledge which struck our ignorant elders as simply uncanny. For + Edward, the uniforms, accoutrements, colours, and mottoes of the regiments + composing the British Army had a special glamour. In the matter of facings + he was simply faultless; among chevrons, badges, medals, and stars, he + moved familiarly; he even knew the names of most of the colonels in + command; and he would squander sunny hours prone on the lawn, heedless of + challenge from bird or beast, poring over a tattered Army List. My own + accomplishment was of another character—took, as it seemed to me, a + wider and a more untrammelled range. Dragoons might have swaggered in + Lincoln green, riflemen might have donned sporrans over tartan trews, + without exciting notice or comment from me. But did you seek precise + information as to the fauna of the American continent, then you had come + to the right shop. Where and why the bison “wallowed”; how beaver were to + be trapped and wild turkeys stalked; the grizzly and how to handle him, + and the pretty pressing ways of the constrictor,—in fine, the haunts + and the habits of all that burrowed, strutted, roared, or wriggled between + the Atlantic and the Pacific,—all this knowledge I took for my + province. By the others my equipment was fully recognized. Supposing a + book with a bear-hunt in it made its way into the house, and the + atmosphere was electric with excitement; still, it was necessary that I + should first decide whether the slot had been properly described and + properly followed up, ere the work could be stamped with full approval. A + writer might have won fame throughout the civilized globe for his trappers + and his realistic backwoods, and all went for nothing. If his pemmican + were not properly compounded I damned his achievement, and it was heard no + more of. + </p> + <p> + Harold was hardly old enough to possess a special subject of his own. He + had his instincts, indeed, and at bird's-nesting they almost amounted to + prophecy. Where we others only suspected eggs, surmised possible eggs, + hinted doubtfully at eggs in the neighbourhood, Harold went straight for + the right bush, bough, or hole as if he carried a divining-rod. But this + faculty belonged to the class of mere gifts, and was not to be ranked with + Edward's lore regarding facings, and mine as to the habits of + prairie-dogs, both gained by painful study and extensive travel in those + “realms of gold,” the Army List and Ballantyne. + </p> + <p> + Selina's subject, quite unaccountably, happened to be naval history. There + is no laying down rules as to subjects; you just possess them—or + rather, they possess you—and their genesis or protoplasm is rarely + to be tracked down. Selina had never so much as seen the sea; but for that + matter neither had I ever set foot on the American continent, the by-ways + of which I knew so intimately. And just as I, if set down without warning + in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, would have been perfectly at home, + so Selina, if a genie had dropped her suddenly on Portsmouth Hard, could + have given points to most of its frequenters. From the days of Blake down + to the death of Nelson (she never condescended further) Selina had taken + spiritual part in every notable engagement of the British Navy; and even + in the dark days when she had to pick up skirts and flee, chased by an + ungallant De Ruyter or Van Tromp, she was yet cheerful in the + consciousness that ere long she would be gleefully hammering the fleets of + the world, in the glorious times to follow. When that golden period + arrived, Selina was busy indeed; and, while loving best to stand where the + splinters were flying the thickest, she was also a careful and critical + student of seamanship and of maneuver. She knew the order in which the + great line-of-battle ships moved into action, the vessels they + respectively engaged, the moment when each let go its anchor, and which of + them had a spring on its cable (while not understanding the phrase, she + carefully noted the fact); and she habitually went into an engagement on + the quarter-deck of the gallant ship that reserved its fire the longest. + </p> + <p> + At the time of Selina's weird seizure I was unfortunately away from home, + on a loathsome visit to an aunt; and my account is therefore feebly + compounded from hearsay. It was an absence I never ceased to regret—scoring + it up, with a sense of injury, against the aunt. There was a splendid + uselessness about the whole performance that specially appealed to my + artistic sense. That it should have been Selina, too, who should break out + this way—Selina, who had just become a regular subscriber to the + “Young Ladies' Journal,” and who allowed herself to be taken out to + strange teas with an air of resignation palpably assumed—this was a + special joy, and served to remind me that much of this dreaded convention + that was creeping over us might be, after all, only veneer. Edward also + was absent, getting licked into shape at school; but to him the loss was + nothing. With his stern practical bent he wouldn't have seen any sense in + it—to recall one of his favourite expressions. To Harold, however, + for whom the gods had always cherished a special tenderness, it was + granted, not only to witness, but also, priestlike, to feed the sacred + fire itself. And if at the time he paid the penalty exacted by the sordid + unimaginative ones who temporarily rule the roast, he must ever after, one + feels sure, have carried inside him some of the white gladness of the + acolyte who, greatly privileged, has been permitted to swing a censer at + the sacring of the very Mass. + </p> + <p> + October was mellowing fast, and with it the year itself; full of tender + hints, in woodland and hedgerow, of a course well-nigh completed. From all + sides that still afternoon you caught the quick breathing and sob of the + runner nearing the goal. Preoccupied and possessed, Selina had strayed + down the garden and out into the pasture beyond, where, on a bit of rising + ground that dominated the garden on one side and the downs with the old + coach-road on the other, she had cast herself down to chew the cud of + fancy. There she was presently joined by Harold, breathless and very full + of his latest grievance. + </p> + <p> + “I asked him not to,” he burst out. “I said if he'd only please wait a bit + and Edward would be back soon, and it couldn't matter to him, and the pig + wouldn't mind, and Edward'd be pleased and everybody'd be happy. But he + just said he was very sorry, but bacon didn't wait for nobody. So I told + him he was a regular beast, and then I came away. And—and I b'lieve + they're doing it now!” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, he's a beast,” agreed Selina, absently. She had forgotten all about + the pig-killing. Harold kicked away a freshly thrown-up mole-hill, and + prodded down the hole with a stick. From the direction of Farmer Larkin's + demesne came a long-drawn note of sorrow, a thin cry and appeals telling + that the stout soul of a black Berkshire pig was already faring down the + stony track to Hades. + </p> + <p> + “D' you know what day it is?” said Selina presently, in a low voice, + looking far away before her. + </p> + <p> + Harold did not appear to know, nor yet to care. He had laid open his + mole-run for a yard or so, and was still grubbing at it absorbedly. + </p> + <p> + “It's Trafalgar Day,” went on Selina, trancedly; “Trafalgar Day—and + nobody cares!” + </p> + <p> + Something in her tone told Harold that he was not behaving quite + becomingly. He didn't exactly know in what manner; still, he abandoned his + mole-hunt for a more courteous attitude of attention. + </p> + <p> + “Over there,” resumed Selina—she was gazing out in the direction of + the old highroad—“over there the coaches used to go by. Uncle Thomas + was telling me about it the other day. And the people used to watch for + 'em coming, to tell the time by, and p'r'aps to get their parcels. And one + morning—they wouldn't be expecting anything different—one + morning, first there would be a cloud of dust, as usual, and then the + coach would come racing by, and then they would know! For the coach would + be dressed in laurel, all laurel from stem to stern! And the coachman + would be wearing laurel, and the guard would be wearing laurel; and then + they would know, then they would know!” + </p> + <p> + Harold listened in respectful silence. He would much rather have been + hunting the mole, who must have been a mile away by this time if he had + his wits about him. But he had all the natural instincts of a gentleman; + of whom it is one of the principal marks, if not the complete definition, + never to show signs of being bored. + </p> + <p> + Selina rose to her feet, and paced the turf restlessly with a short + quarter-deck walk. + </p> + <p> + “Why can't we do something?” she burst out presently. “He—he did + everything—why can't we do anything for him?” + </p> + <p> + “Who did everything?” inquired Harold, meekly. It was useless wasting + further longings on that mole. Like the dead, he travelled fast. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Nelson, of course,” said Selina, shortly, still looking restlessly + around for help or suggestion. + </p> + <p> + “But he's—he's dead, isn't he?” asked Harold, slightly puzzled. + </p> + <p> + “What's that got to do with it?” retorted his sister, resuming her + caged-lion promenade. + </p> + <p> + Harold was somewhat taken aback. In the case of the pig, for instance, + whose last outcry had now passed into stillness, he had considered the + chapter as finally closed. Whatever innocent mirth the holidays might hold + in store for Edward, that particular pig, at least, would not be a + contributor. And now he was given to understand that the situation had not + materially changed! He would have to revise his ideas, it seemed. Sitting + up on end, he looked towards the garden for assistance in the task. + Thence, even as he gazed, a tiny column of smoke rose straight up into the + still air. The gardener had been sweeping that afternoon, and now, an + unconscious priest, was offering his sacrifice of autumn leaves to the + calm-eyed goddess of changing hues and chill forebodings who was moving + slowly about the land that golden afternoon. Harold was up and off in a + moment, forgetting Nelson, forgetting the pig, the mole, the Larkin + betrayal, and Selina's strange fever of conscience. Here was fire, real + fire, to play with, and that was even better than messing with water, or + remodelling the plastic surface of the earth. Of all the toys the world + provides for right-minded persons, the original elements rank easily the + first. + </p> + <p> + But Selina sat on where she was, her chin on her fists; and her fancies + whirled and drifted, here and there, in curls and eddies, along with the + smoke she was watching. As the quick-footed dusk of the short October day + stepped lightly over the garden, little red tongues of fire might be seen + to leap and vanish in the smoke. Harold, anon staggering under armfuls of + leaves, anon stoking vigorously, was discernible only at fitful intervals. + It was another sort of smoke that the inner eye of Selina was looking + upon,—a smoke that hung in sullen banks round the masts and the + hulls of the fighting ships; a smoke from beneath which came thunder and + the crash and the splinter-rip, the shout of the boarding-party, the + choking sob of the gunner stretched by his gun; a smoke from out of which + at last she saw, as through a riven pall, the radiant spirit of the + Victor, crowned with the coronal of a perfect death, leap in full + assurance up into the ether that Immortals breathe. The dusk was glooming + towards darkness when she rose and moved slowly down towards the beckoning + fire; something of the priestess in her stride, something of the devotee + in the set purpose of her eye. + </p> + <p> + The leaves were well alight by this time, and Harold had just added an old + furze bush, which flamed and crackled stirringly. + </p> + <p> + “Go 'n' get some more sticks,” ordered Selina, “and shavings, 'n' chunks + of wood, 'n' anything you can find. Look here—in the kitchen-garden + there 's a pile of old pea-sticks. Fetch as many as you can carry, and + then go back and bring some more!” + </p> + <p> + “But I say,—” began Harold, amazedly, scarce knowing his sister, and + with a vision of a frenzied gardener, pea-stickless and threatening + retribution. + </p> + <p> + “Go and fetch 'em quick!” shouted Selina, stamping with impatience. + </p> + <p> + Harold ran off at once, true to the stern system of discipline in which he + had been nurtured. But his eyes were like round O's, and as he ran he + talked fast to himself, in evident disorder of mind. + </p> + <p> + The pea-sticks made a rare blaze, and the fire, no longer smouldering + sullenly, leapt up and began to assume the appearance of a genuine + bonfire. Harold, awed into silence at first, began to jump round it with + shouts of triumph. Selina looked on grimly, with knitted brow; she was not + yet fully satisfied. “Can't you get any more sticks?” she said presently. + “Go and hunt about. Get some old hampers and matting and things out of the + tool-house. Smash up that old cucumber frame Edward shoved you into, the + day we were playing scouts and Mohicans. Stop a bit! Hooray! I know. You + come along with me.” + </p> + <p> + Hard by there was a hot-house, Aunt Eliza's special pride and joy, and + even grimly approved of by the gardener. At one end, in an out-house + adjoining, the necessary firing was stored; and to this sacred fuel, of + which we were strictly forbidden to touch a stick, Selina went straight. + Harold followed obediently, prepared for any crime after that of the + pea-sticks, but pinching himself to see if he were really awake. + </p> + <p> + “You bring some coals,” said Selina briefly, without any palaver or + pro-and-con discussion. “Here's a basket. I'll manage the faggots!” + </p> + <p> + In a very few minutes there was little doubt about its being a genuine + bonfire and no paltry makeshift. Selina, a Maenad now, hatless and tossing + disordered locks, all the dross of the young lady purged out of her, + stalked around the pyre of her own purloining, or prodded it with a + pea-stick. And as she prodded she murmured at intervals, “I knew there was + something we could do! It isn't much—but still it 's something!” + </p> + <p> + The gardener had gone home to his tea. Aunt Eliza had driven out for hers + a long way off, and was not expected back till quite late; and this far + end of the garden was not overlooked by any windows. So the Tribute blazed + on merrily unchecked. Villagers far away, catching sight of the flare, + muttered something about “them young devils at their tricks again,” and + trudged on beerwards. Never a thought of what day it was, never a thought + for Nelson, who preserved their honest pint-pots, to be paid for in honest + pence, and saved them from litres and decimal coinage. Nearer at hand, + frightened rabbits popped up and vanished with a flick of white tails; + scared birds fluttered among the branches, or sped across the glade to + quieter sleeping-quarters; but never a bird nor a beast gave a thought to + the hero to whom they owed it that each year their little homes of + horsehair, wool, or moss, were safe stablished 'neath the flap of the + British flag; and that Game Laws, quietly permanent, made la chasse a + terror only to their betters. No one seemed to know, nor to care, nor to + sympathise. In all the ecstasy of her burnt-offering and sacrifice, Selina + stood alone. + </p> + <p> + And yet—not quite alone! For, as the fire was roaring at its best, + certain stars stepped delicately forth on the surface of the immensity + above, and peered down doubtfully—with wonder at first, then with + interest, then with recognition, with a start of glad surprise. They at + least knew all about it, they understood. Among them the Name was a daily + familiar word; his story was a part of the music to which they swung, + himself was their fellow and their mate and comrade. So they peeped, and + winked, and peeped again, and called to their laggard brothers to come + quick and see. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + The best of life is but intoxication, and Selina, who during her brief + inebriation had lived in an ecstasy as golden as our drab existence + affords, had to experience the inevitable bitterness of awakening + sobriety, when the dying down of the flames into sullen embers coincided + with the frenzied entrance of Aunt Eliza on the scene. It was not so much + that she was at once and forever disrated, broke, sent before the mast, + and branded as one on whom no reliance could be placed, even with Edward + safe at school, and myself under the distant vigilance of an aunt; that + her pocket money was stopped indefinitely, and her new Church Service, the + pride of her last birthday, removed from her own custody and placed under + the control of a Trust. She sorrowed rather because she had dragged poor + Harold, against his better judgment, into a most horrible scrape, and + moreover because, when the reaction had fairly set in, when the exaltation + had fizzled away and the young-lady portion of her had crept timorously + back to its wonted lodging, she could only see herself as a plain fool, + unjustified, undeniable, without a shadow of an excuse or explanation. + </p> + <p> + As for Harold, youth and a short memory made his case less pitiful than it + seemed to his more sensitive sister. True, he started upstairs to his + lonely cot bellowing dismally, before him a dreary future of pains and + penalties, sufficient to last to the crack of doom. Outside his door, + however, he tumbled over Augustus the cat, and made capture of him; and at + once his mourning was changed into a song of triumph, as he conveyed his + prize into port. For Augustus, who detested above all things going to bed + with little boys, was ever more knave than fool, and the trapper who was + wily enough to ensnare him had achieved something notable. Augustus, when + he realized that his fate was sealed, and his night's lodging settled, + wisely made the best of things, and listened, with a languorous air of + complete comprehension, to the incoherent babble concerning pigs and + heroes, moles and bonfires, which served Harold for a self-sung lullaby. + Yet it may be doubted whether Augustus was one of those rare fellows who + thoroughly understood. + </p> + <p> + But Selina knew no more of this source of consolation than of the sympathy + with which the stars were winking above her; and it was only after some + sad interval of time, and on a very moist pillow, that she drifted into + that quaint inconsequent country where you may meet your own pet hero + strolling down the road, and commit what hair-brained oddities you like, + and everybody understands and appreciates. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + DIES IRAE + </h2> + <p> + Those memorable days that move in procession, their heads just out of the + mist of years long dead—the most of them are full-eyed as the + dandelion that from dawn to shade has steeped itself in sunlight. Here and + there in their ranks, however, moves a forlorn one who is blind—blind + in the sense of the dulled window-pane on which the pelting raindrops have + mingled and run down, obscuring sunshine and the circling birds, happy + fields, and storied garden; blind with the spatter of a misery + uncomprehended, unanalysed, only felt as something corporeal in its + buffeting effects. + </p> + <p> + Martha began it; and yet Martha was not really to blame. Indeed, that was + half the trouble of it—no solid person stood full in view, to be + blamed and to make atonement. There was only a wretched, impalpable + condition to deal with. Breakfast was just over; the sun was summoning us, + imperious as a herald with clamour of trumpet; I ran upstairs to her with + a broken bootlace in my hand, and there she was, crying in a corner, her + head in her apron. Nothing could be got from her but the same dismal + succession of sobs that would not have done, that struck and hurt like a + physical beating; and meanwhile the sun was getting impatient, and I + wanted my bootlace. + </p> + <p> + Inquiry below stairs revealed the cause. Martha's brother was dead, it + seemed—her sailor brother Billy; drowned in one of those strange + far-off seas it was our dream to navigate one day. We had known Billy + well, and appreciated him. When an approaching visit of Billy to his + sister had been announced, we had counted the days to it. When his cheery + voice was at last heard in the kitchen and we had descended with shouts, + first of all he had to exhibit his tattooed arms, always a subject for + fresh delight and envy and awe; then he was called upon for tricks, + jugglings, and strange, fearful gymnastics; and lastly came yarns, and + more yarns, and yarns till bedtime. There had never been any one like + Billy in his own particular sphere; and now he was drowned, they said, and + Martha was miserable, and—and I couldn't get a new bootlace. They + told me that Billy would never come back any more, and I stared out of the + window at the sun which came back, right enough, every day, and their news + conveyed nothing whatever to me. Martha's sorrow hit home a little, but + only because the actual sight and sound of it gave me a dull, bad sort of + pain low down inside—a pain not to be actually located. Moreover, I + was still wanting my bootlace. + </p> + <p> + This was a poor sort of a beginning to a day that, so far as outside + conditions went, had promised so well. I rigged up a sort of jurymast of a + bootlace with a bit of old string, and wandered off to look up the girls, + conscious of a jar and a discordance in the scheme of things. The moment I + entered the schoolroom something in the air seemed to tell me that here, + too, matters were strained and awry. Selina was staring listlessly out of + the window, one foot curled round her leg. When I spoke to her she jerked + a shoulder testily, but did not condescend to the civility of a reply. + Charlotte, absolutely unoccupied, sprawled in a chair, and there were + signs of sniffles about her, even at that early hour. It was but a + trifling matter that had caused all this electricity in the atmosphere, + and the girls' manner of taking it seemed to me most unreasonable. Within + the last few days the time had come round for the despatch of a hamper to + Edward at school. Only one hamper a term was permitted him, so its + preparation was a sort of blend of revelry and religious ceremony. After + the main corpus of the thing had been carefully selected and safely + bestowed—the pots of jam, the cake, the sausages, and the apples + that filled up corners so nicely—after the last package had been + wedged in, the girls had deposited their own private and personal + offerings on the top. I forget their precise nature; anyhow, they were + nothing of any particular practical use to a boy. But they had involved + some contrivance and labour, some skimping of pocket money, and much + delightful cloud-building as to the effect on their enraptured recipient. + Well, yesterday there had come a terse acknowledgment from Edward, + heartily commending the cakes and the jam, stamping the sausages with the + seal of Smith major's approval, and finally hinting that, fortified as he + now was, nothing more was necessary but a remittance of five shillings in + postage stamps to enable him to face the world armed against every buffet + of fate. That was all. Never a word or a hint of the personal tributes or + of his appreciation of them. To us—to Harold and me, that is—the + letter seemed natural and sensible enough. After all, provender was the + main thing, and five shillings stood for a complete equipment against the + most unexpected turns of luck. The presents were very well in their way—very + nice, and so on—but life was a serious matter, and the contest + called for cakes and half-crowns to carry it on, not gew-gaws and knitted + mittens and the like. The girls, however, in their obstinate way, + persisted in taking their own view of the slight. Hence it was that I + received my second rebuff of the morning. + </p> + <p> + Somewhat disheartened, I made my way downstairs and out into the sunlight, + where I found Harold playing conspirators by himself on the gravel. He had + dug a small hole in the walk and had laid an imaginary train of powder + thereto; and, as he sought refuge in the laurels from the inevitable + explosion, I heard him murmur: “'My God!' said the Czar, 'my plans are + frustrated!'” It seemed an excellent occasion for being a black puma. + Harold liked black pumas, on the whole, as well as any animal we were + familiar with. So I launched myself on him, with the appropriate howl, + rolling him over on the gravel. + </p> + <p> + Life may be said to be composed of things that come off and things that + don't come off. This thing, unfortunately, was one of the things that + didn't come off. From beneath me I heard a shrill cry of, “Oh, it's my + sore knee!” And Harold wriggled himself free from the puma's clutches, + bellowing dismally. Now, I honestly didn't know he had a sore knee, and, + what's more, he knew I didn't know he had a sore knee. According to + boy-ethics, therefore, his attitude was wrong, sore knee or not, and no + apology was due from me. I made half-way advances, however, suggesting we + should lie in ambush by the edge of the pond and cut off the ducks as they + waddled down in simple, unsuspecting single file; then hunt them as bisons + flying scattered over the vast prairie. A fascinating pursuit this, and + strictly illicit. But Harold would none of my overtures, and retreated to + the house wailing with full lungs. + </p> + <p> + Things were getting simply infernal. I struck out blindly for the open + country; and even as I made for the gate a shrill voice from a window bade + me keep off the flower-beds. When the gate had swung to behind me with a + vicious click I felt better, and after ten minutes along the road it began + to grow on me that some radical change was needed, that I was in a blind + alley, and that this intolerable state of things must somehow cease. All + that I could do I had already done. As well-meaning a fellow as ever + stepped was pounding along the road that day, with an exceeding sore + heart; one who only wished to live and let live, in touch with his + fellows, and appreciating what joys life had to offer. What was wanted now + was a complete change of environment. Somewhere in the world, I felt sure, + justice and sympathy still resided. There were places called pampas, for + instance, that sounded well. League upon league of grass, with just an + occasional wild horse, and not a relation within the horizon! To a bruised + spirit this seemed a sane and a healing sort of existence. There were + other pleasant corners, again, where you dived for pearls and stabbed + sharks in the stomach with your big knife. No relations would be likely to + come interfering with you when thus blissfully occupied. And yet I did not + wish—just yet—to have done with relations entirely. They + should be made to feel their position first, to see themselves as they + really were, and to wish—when it was too late—that they had + behaved more properly. + </p> + <p> + Of all professions, the army seemed to lend itself the most thoroughly to + the scheme. You enlisted, you followed the drum, you marched, fought, and + ported arms, under strange skies, through unrecorded years. At last, at + long last, your opportunity would come, when the horrors of war were + flickering through the quiet country-side where you were cradled and bred, + but where the memory of you had long been dim. Folk would run together, + clamorous, palsied with fear; and among the terror-stricken groups would + figure certain aunts. “What hope is left us?” they would ask themselves, + “save in the clemency of the General, the mysterious, invincible General, + of whom men tell such romantic tales?” And the army would march in, and + the guns would rattle and leap along the village street, and, last of all, + you—you, the General, the fabled hero—you would enter, on your + coal-black charger, your pale set face seamed by an interesting sabre-cut. + And then—but every boy has rehearsed this familiar piece a score of + times. You are magnanimous, in fine—that goes without saying; you + have a coal-black horse, and a sabre-cut, and you can afford to be very + magnanimous. But all the same you give them a good talking-to. + </p> + <p> + This pleasant conceit simply ravished my soul for some twenty minutes, and + then the old sense of injury began to well up afresh, and to call for new + plasters and soothing syrups. This time I took refuge in happy thoughts of + the sea. The sea was my real sphere, after all. On the sea, in especial, + you could combine distinction with lawlessness, whereas the army seemed to + be always weighted by a certain plodding submission to discipline. To be + sure, by all accounts, the life was at first a rough one. But just then I + wanted to suffer keenly; I wanted to be a poor devil of a cabin boy, + kicked, beaten, and sworn at—for a time. Perhaps some hint, some + inkling of my sufferings might reach their ears. In due course the sloop + or felucca would turn up—it always did—the rakish-looking + craft, black of hull, low in the water, and bristling with guns; the jolly + Roger flapping overhead, and myself for sole commander. By and by, as + usually happened, an East Indiaman would come sailing along full of + relations—not a necessary relation would be missing. And the crew + should walk the plank, and the captain should dance from his own yardarm, + and then I would take the passengers in hand—that miserable group of + well-known figures cowering on the quarterdeck!—and then—and + then the same old performance: the air thick with magnanimity. In all the + repertory of heroes, none is more truly magnanimous than your pirate + chief. + </p> + <p> + When at last I brought myself back from the future to the actual present, + I found that these delectable visions had helped me over a longer stretch + of road than I had imagined; and I looked around and took my bearings. To + the right of me was a long low building of grey stone, new, and yet not + smugly so; new, and yet possessing distinction, marked with a character + that did not depend on lichen or on crumbling semi-effacement of moulding + and mullion. Strangers might have been puzzled to classify it; to me, an + explorer from earliest years, the place was familiar enough. Most folk + called it “The Settlement”; others, with quite sufficient conciseness for + our neighbourhood, spoke of “them there fellows up by Halliday's”; others + again, with a hint of derision, named them the “monks.” This last title I + supposed to be intended for satire, and knew to be fatuously wrong. I was + thoroughly acquainted with monks—in books—and well knew the + cut of their long frocks, their shaven polls, and their fascinating big + dogs, with brandy-bottles round their necks, incessantly hauling happy + travellers out of the snow. The only dog at the settlement was an Irish + terrier, and the good fellows who owned him, and were owned by him, in + common, wore clothes of the most nondescript order, and mostly cultivated + side-whiskers. I had wandered up there one day, searching (as usual) for + something I never found, and had been taken in by them and treated as + friend and comrade. They had made me free of their ideal little rooms, + full of books and pictures, and clean of the antimacassar taint; they had + shown me their chapel, high, hushed, and faintly scented, beautiful with a + strange new beauty born both of what it had and what it had not—that + too familiar dowdiness of common places of worship. They had also fed me + in their dining-hall, where a long table stood on trestles plain to view, + and all the woodwork was natural, unpainted, healthily scrubbed, and + redolent of the forest it came from. I brought away from that visit, and + kept by me for many days, a sense of cleanness, of the freshness that + pricks the senses—the freshness of cool spring water; and the large + swept spaces of the rooms, the red tiles, and the oaken settles, suggested + a comfort that had no connection with padded upholstery. + </p> + <p> + On this particular morning I was in much too unsociable a mind for paying + friendly calls. Still, something in the aspect of the place harmonized + with my humour, and I worked my way round to the back, where the ground, + after affording level enough for a kitchen-garden, broke steeply away. + Both the word Gothic and the thing itself were still unknown to me, yet + doubtless the architecture of the place, consistent throughout, accounted + for its sense of comradeship in my hour of disheartenment. As I mused + there, with the low, grey, Purposeful-looking building before me, and + thought of my pleasant friends within, and what good times they always + seemed to be having, and how they larked with the Irish terrier, whose + footing was one of a perfect equality, I thought of a certain look in + their faces, as if they had a common purpose and a business, and were + acting under orders thoroughly recognized and understood. I remembered, + too, something that Martha had told me, about these same fellows doing “a + power o' good,” and other hints I had collected vaguely, of renouncements, + rules, self-denials, and the like. Thereupon, out of the depths of my + morbid soul swam up a new and fascinating idea; and at once the career of + arms seemed over-acted and stale, and piracy, as a profession, flat and + unprofitable. This, then, or something like it, should be my vocation and + my revenge. A severer line of business, perhaps, such as I had read of; + something that included black bread and a hair-shirt. There should be + vows, too—irrevocable, blood-curdling vows; and an iron grating. + This iron grating was the most necessary feature of all, for I intended + that on the other side of it my relations should range themselves—I + mentally ran over the catalogue, and saw that the whole gang was present, + all in their proper places—a sad-eyed row, combined in tristful + appeal. “We see our error now,” they would say; “we were always dull dogs, + slow to catch—especially in those akin to us—the finer + qualities of soul! We misunderstood you, misappreciated you, and we own up + to it. And now—” “Alas, my dear friends,” I would strike in here, + waving towards them an ascetic hand—one of the emaciated sort, that + lets the light shine through at the fingertips—“Alas, you come too + late! This conduct is fitting and meritorious on your part, and indeed I + always expected it of you, sooner or later; but the die is cast, and you + may go home again and bewail at your leisure this too tardy repentance of + yours. For me, I am vowed and dedicated, and my relations henceforth are + austerity and holy works. Once a month, should you wish it, it shall be + your privilege to come and gaze at me through this very solid grating; but—” + Whack! A well-aimed clod of garden soil, whizzing just past my ear, + starred on a tree-trunk behind, spattering me with dirt, The present came + back to me in a flash, and I nimbly took cover behind the trees, realizing + that the enemy was up and abroad, with ambuscades, alarms, and thrilling + sallies. It was the gardener's boy, I knew well enough; a red proletariat, + who hated me just because I was a gentleman. Hastily picking up a nice + sticky clod in one hand, with the other I delicately projected my hat + beyond the shelter of the tree-trunk. I had not fought with Red-skins all + these years for nothing. As I had expected, another clod, of the first + class for size and stickiness, took my poor hat full in the centre. Then, + Ajax-like, shouting terribly, I issued from shelter and discharged my + ammunition. Woe then for the gardener's boy, who, unprepared, skipping in + premature triumph, took the clod full in his stomach! He, the foolish one, + witless on whose side the gods were fighting that day, discharged yet + other missiles, wavering and wide of the mark; for his wind had been taken + with the first clod, and he shot wildly, as one already desperate and in + flight. I got another clod in at short range; we clinched on the brow of + the hill, and rolled down to the bottom together. When he had shaken + himself free and regained his legs, he trotted smartly off in the + direction of his mother's cottage; but over his shoulder he discharged at + me both imprecation and deprecation, menace mixed up with an under-current + of tears. + </p> + <p> + But as for me, I made off smartly for the road, my frame tingling, my head + high, with never a backward look at the Settlement of suggestive aspect, + or at my well-planned future which lay in fragments around it. Life had + its jollities, then; life was action, contest, victory! The present was + rosy once more, surprises lurked on every side, and I was beginning to + feel villainously hungry. + </p> + <p> + Just as I gained the road a cart came rattling by, and I rushed for it, + caught the chain that hung below, and swung thrillingly between the dizzy + wheels, choked and blinded with delicious-smelling dust, the world + slipping by me like a streaky ribbon below, till the driver licked at me + with his whip, and I had to descend to earth again. Abandoning the beaten + track, I then struck homewards through the fields; not that the way was + very much shorter, but rather because on that route one avoided the + bridge, and had to splash through the stream and get refreshingly wet. + Bridges were made for narrow folk, for people with aims and vocations + which compelled abandonment of many of life's highest pleasures. Truly + wise men called on each element alike to minister to their joy, and while + the touch of sun-bathed air, the fragrance of garden soil, the ductible + qualities of mud, and the spark-whirling rapture of playing with fire, had + each their special charm, they did not overlook the bliss of getting their + feet wet. As I came forth on the common Harold broke out of an adjoining + copse and ran to meet me, the morning rain-clouds all blown away from his + face. He had made a new squirrel-stick, it seemed. Made it all himself; + melted the lead and everything! I examined the instrument critically, and + pronounced it absolutely magnificent. As we passed in at our gate the + girls were distantly visible, gardening with a zeal in cheerful contrast + to their heartsick lassitude of the morning. + </p> + <p> + “There's bin another letter come today,” Harold explained, “and the hamper + got joggled about on the journey, and the presents worked down into the + straw and all over the place. One of 'em turned up inside the cold duck. + And that's why they weren't found at first. And Edward said, Thanks + awfully!” + </p> + <p> + I did not see Martha again until we were all re-assembled at tea-time, + when she seemed red-eyed and strangely silent, neither scolding nor + finding fault with anything. Instead, she was very kind and thoughtful + with jams and things, feverishly pressing unwonted delicacies on us, who + wanted little pressing enough. Then suddenly, when I was busiest, she + disappeared; and Charlotte whispered me presently that she had heard her + go to her room and lock herself in. This struck me as a funny sort of + proceeding. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + MUTABILE SEMPER + </h2> + <p> + She stood on the other side of the garden fence, and regarded me gravely + as I came down the road. Then she said, “Hi—o!” and I responded, + “Hullo!” and pulled up somewhat nervously. + </p> + <p> + To tell the truth, the encounter was not entirely unexpected on my part. + The previous Sunday I had seen her in church, and after service it had + transpired who she was, this new-comer, and what aunt she was staying + with. That morning a volunteer had been called for, to take a note to the + Parsonage, and rather to my own surprise I had found myself stepping + forward with alacrity, while the others had become suddenly absorbed in + various pursuits, or had sneaked unobtrusively out of view. Certainly I + had not yet formed any deliberate plan of action; yet I suppose I + recollected that the road to the Parsonage led past her aunt's garden. + </p> + <p> + She began the conversation, while I hopped backwards and forwards over the + ditch, feigning a careless ease. + </p> + <p> + “Saw you in church on Sunday,” she said; “only you looked different then. + All dressed up, and your hair quite smooth, and brushed up at the sides, + and oh, so shiny! What do they put on it to make it shine like that? Don't + you hate having your hair brushed?” she ran on, without waiting for an + answer. “How your boots squeaked when you came down the aisle! When mine + squeak, I walk in all the puddles till they stop. Think I'll get over the + fence.” + </p> + <p> + This she proceeded to do in a businesslike way, while, with my hands deep + In my pockets, I regarded her movements with silent interest, as those of + some strange new animal. + </p> + <p> + “I've been gardening,” she explained, when she had joined me, “but I + didn't like it. There's so many worms about to-day. I hate worms. Wish + they'd keep out of the way when I'm digging.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I like worms when I'm digging,” I replied heartily, “seem to make + things more lively, don't they?” + </p> + <p> + She reflected. “Shouldn't mind 'em so much if they were warm and dry,” she + said, “but—” here she shivered, and somehow I liked her for it, + though if it had been my own flesh and blood hoots of derision would have + instantly assailed her. + </p> + <p> + From worms we passed, naturally enough, to frogs, and thence to pigs, + aunts, gardeners, rocking-horses, and other fellow-citizens of our common + kingdom. In five minutes we had each other's confidences, and I seemed to + have known her for a lifetime. Somehow, on the subject of one's self it + was easier to be frank and communicative with her than with one's female + kin. It must be, I supposed, because she was less familiar with one's + faulty, tattered past. + </p> + <p> + “I was watching you as you came along the road,” she said presently, “and + you had your head down and your hands in your pockets, and you weren't + throwing stones at anything, or whistling, or jumping over things; and I + thought perhaps you'd bin scolded, or got a stomachache.” + </p> + <p> + “No,” I answered shyly, “it wasn't that. Fact is, I was—I often—but + it's a secret.” + </p> + <p> + There I made an error in tactics. That enkindling word set her dancing + round me, half beseeching, half imperious. “Oh, do tell it me!” she cried. + “You must! I'll never tell anyone else at all, I vow and declare I won't!” + </p> + <p> + Her small frame wriggled with emotion, and with imploring eyes she jigged + impatiently just in front of me. Her hair was tumbled bewitchingly on her + shoulders, and even the loss of a front tooth—a loss incidental to + her age—seemed but to add a piquancy to her face. + </p> + <p> + “You won't care to hear about it,” I said, wavering. “Besides, I can't + explain exactly. I think I won't tell you.” But all the time I knew I + should have to. + </p> + <p> + “But I do care,” she wailed plaintively. “I didn't think you'd be so + unkind!” + </p> + <p> + This would never do. That little downward tug at either corner of the + mouth—I knew the symptom only too well! + </p> + <p> + “It 's like this,” I began stammeringly. “This bit of road here—up + as far as that corner—you know it 's a horrid dull bit of road. I'm + always having to go up and down it, and I know it so well, and I'm so sick + of it. So whenever I get to that corner, I just—well, I go right off + to another place!” + </p> + <p> + “What sort of a place?” she asked, looking round her gravely. + </p> + <p> + “Of course it's just a place I imagine,” I went on hurriedly and rather + shamefacedly: “but it's an awfully nice place—the nicest place you + ever saw. And I always go off there in church, or during joggraphy + lessons.” + </p> + <p> + “I'm sure it's not nicer than my home,” she cried patriotically. “Oh, you + ought to see my home—it 's lovely! We've got—” + </p> + <p> + “Yes it is, ever so much nicer,” I interrupted. “I mean”—I went on + apologetically—“of course I know your home's beautiful and all that. + But this must be nicer, 'cos if you want anything at all, you've only got + to want it, and you can have it!” + </p> + <p> + “That sounds jolly,” she murmured. “Tell me more about it, please. Tell me + how you get there, first.” + </p> + <p> + “I—don't—quite—know—exactly,” replied. “I just go. + But generally it begins by—well, you're going up a broad, clear + river in a sort of a boat. You're not rowing or anything—you're just + moving along. And there's beautiful grass meadows on both sides, and the + river's very full, quite up to the level of the grass. And you glide along + by the edge. And the people are haymaking there, and playing games, and + walking about; and they shout to you, and you shout back to them, and they + bring you things to eat out of their baskets, and let you drink out of + their bottles; and some of 'em are the nice people you read about in + books. And so at last you come to the Palace steps—great broad + marble steps, reaching right down to the water. And there at the steps you + find every sort of boat you can imagine—schooners, and punts, and + row-boats, and little men-of-war. And you have any sort of boating you + want to—rowing, or sailing, or shoving about in a punt!” + </p> + <p> + “I'd go sailing,” she said decidedly: “and I 'd steer. No, you'd have to + steer, and I'd sit about on the deck. No, I wouldn't though; I'd row—at + least I'd make you row, and I'd steer. And then we'd—Oh, no! I'll + tell you what we do! We'd just sit in a punt and dabble!” + </p> + <p> + “Of course we'll do just what you like,” I said hospitably; but already I + was beginning to feel my liberty of action somewhat curtailed by this + exigent visitor I had so rashly admitted into my sanctum. + </p> + <p> + “I don't think we'd boat at all,” she finally decided. “It's always so + wobbly. Where do you come to next?” + </p> + <p> + “You go up the steps,” I continued, “and in at the door, and the very + first place you come to is the Chocolate-room!” + </p> + <p> + She brightened up at this, and I heard her murmur with gusto, + “Chocolate-room!” + </p> + <p> + “It's got every sort of chocolate you can think of,” I went on: “soft + chocolate, with sticky stuff inside, white and pink, what girls like; and + hard shiny chocolate, that cracks when you bite it, and takes such a nice + long time to suck!” + </p> + <p> + “I like the soft stuff best,” she said: “'cos you can eat such a lot more + of it!” This was to me a new aspect of the chocolate question, and I + regarded her with interest and some respect. With us, chocolate was none + too common a thing, and, whenever we happened to come by any, we resorted + to the quaintest devices in order to make it last out. Still, legends had + reached us of children who actually had, from time to time, as much + chocolate as they could possibly eat; and here, apparently, was one of + them. + </p> + <p> + “You can have all the creams,” I said magnanimously, “and I'll eat the + hard sticks, 'cos I like 'em best.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, but you mustn't!” she cried impetuously. “You must eat the same as I + do! It isn't nice to want to eat different. I'll tell you what—you + must give me all the chocolate, and then I'll give you—I'll give you + what you ought to have!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, all right,” I said, in a subdued sort of way. It seemed a little hard + to be put under a sentimental restriction like this in one s own + Chocolate-room. + </p> + <p> + “In the next room you come to,” I proceeded, “there's fizzy drinks! + There's a marble-slab business all round the room, and little silver taps; + and you just turn the right tap, and have any kind of fizzy drink you + want.” + </p> + <p> + “What fizzy drinks are there?” she inquired. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, all sorts,” I answered hastily, hurrying on. (She might restrict my + eatables, but I'd be hanged if I was going to have her meddle with my + drinks.) “Then you go down the corridor, and at the back of the palace + there's a great big park—the finest park you ever saw. And there's + ponies to ride on, and carriages and carts; and a little railway, all + complete, engine and guard's van and all; and you work it yourself, and + you can go first-class, or in the van, or on the engine, just whichever + you choose.” + </p> + <p> + “I'd go on the engine,” she murmured dreamily. “No, I wouldn't, I'd—” + </p> + <p> + “Then there 's all the soldiers,” I struck in. Really the line had to be + drawn somewhere, and I could not have my railway system disorganized and + turned upside down by a mere girl. “There's any quantity of 'em, fine big + soldiers, and they all belong to me. And a row of brass cannons all along + the terrace! And every now and then I give the order, and they fire off + all the guns!” + </p> + <p> + “No, they don't,” she interrupted hastily. “I won't have 'em fire off any + guns You must tell 'em not to. I hate guns, and as soon as they begin + firing I shall run right away!” + </p> + <p> + “But—but that 's what they're there for,” I protested, aghast + </p> + <p> + “I don't care,” she insisted. “They mustn't do it. They can walk about + behind me if they like, and talk to me, and carry things. But they mustn't + fire off any guns.” + </p> + <p> + I was sadly conscious by this time that in this brave palace of mine, + wherein I was wont to swagger daily, irresponsible and unquestioned, I was + rapidly becoming—so to speak—a mere lodger. The idea of my + fine big soldiers being told off to “carry things”! I was not inclined to + tell her any more, though there still remained plenty more to tell. + </p> + <p> + “Any other boys there?” she asked presently, in a casual sort of way. “Oh + yes,” I unguardedly replied. “Nice chaps, too. We'll have great—” + Then I recollected myself. “We'll play with them, of course,” I went on. + “But you are going to be my friend, aren't you? And you'll come in my + boat, and we'll travel in the guard's van together, and I'll stop the + soldiers firing off their guns!” But she looked mischievously away, and—do + what I would—I could not get her to promise. + </p> + <p> + Just then the striking of the village clock awoke within me another + clamorous timepiece, reminding me of mid-day mutton a good half-mile away, + and of penalties and curtailments attaching to a late appearance. We took + a hurried farewell of each other, and before we parted I got from her an + admission that she might be gardening again that afternoon, if only the + worms would be less aggressive and give her a chance. + </p> + <p> + “Remember,” I said as I turned to go, “you mustn't tell anybody about what + I've been telling you!” + </p> + <p> + She appeared to hesitate, swinging one leg to and fro while she regarded + me sideways with half-shut eyes. + </p> + <p> + “It's a dead secret,” I said artfully. “A secret between us two, and + nobody knows it except ourselves!” + </p> + <p> + Then she promised, nodding violently, big-eyed, her mouth pursed up small. + The delight of revelation, and the bliss of possessing a secret, run each + other very close. But the latter generally wins—for a time. + </p> + <p> + I had passed the mutton stage and was weltering in warm rice pudding, + before I found leisure to pause and take in things generally; and then a + glance in the direction of the window told me, to my dismay, that it was + raining hard. This was annoying in every way, for, even if it cleared up + later, the worms—I knew well from experience—would be + offensively numerous and frisky. Sulkily I said grace and accompanied the + others upstairs to the schoolroom; where I got out my paint-box and + resolved to devote myself seriously to Art, which of late I had much + neglected. Harold got hold of a sheet of paper and a pencil, retired to a + table in the corner, squared his elbows, and protruded his tongue. + Literature had always been his form of artistic expression. + </p> + <p> + Selina had a fit of the fidgets, bred of the unpromising weather, and, + instead of settling down to something on her own account, must needs walk + round and annoy us artists, intent on embodying our conceptions of the + ideal. She had been looking over my shoulder some minutes before I knew of + it; or I would have had a word or two to say upon the subject. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose you call that thing a ship,” she remarked contemptuously. “Who + ever heard of a pink ship? Hoo-hoo!” + </p> + <p> + I stifled my wrath, knowing that in order to score properly it was + necessary to keep a cool head. + </p> + <p> + “There is a pink ship,” I observed with forced calmness, “lying in the + toyshop window now. You can go and look at it if you like. D' you suppose + you know more about ships than the fellows who make 'em?” + </p> + <p> + Selina, baffled for the moment, returned to the charge presently. + </p> + <p> + “Those are funny things, too,” she observed. “S'pose they 're meant to be + trees. But they're blue.” + </p> + <p> + “They are trees,” I replied with severity; “and they are blue. They've got + to be blue, 'cos you stole my gamboge last week, so I can't mix up any + green.” + </p> + <p> + “Didn't steal your gamboge,” declared Selina, haughtily, edging away, + however, in the direction of Harold. “And I wouldn't tell lies, either, if + I was you, about a dirty little bit of gainboge.” + </p> + <p> + I preserved a discreet silence. After all, I knew she knew she stole my + gainboge. + </p> + <p> + The moment Harold became conscious of Selina's stealthy approach, he + dropped his pencil and flung himself flat upon the table, protecting thus + his literary efforts from chilling criticism by the interposed thickness + of his person. From some-where in his interior proceeded a heart-rending + compound of squeal and whistle, as of escaping steam,—long-drawn, + ear-piercing, unvarying in note. + </p> + <p> + “I only just wanted to see,” protested Selina, struggling to uproot his + small body from the scrawl it guarded. But Harold clung limpet-like to the + table edge, and his shrill protest continued to deafen humanity and to + threaten even the serenities of Olympus. The time seemed come for a + demonstration in force. Personally I cared little what soul-outpourings of + Harold were priated by Selina—she was pretty sure to get hold of + them sooner or later—and indeed I rather welcomed the diversion as + favourable to the undisturbed pursuit of Art. But the clannishness of sex + has its unwritten laws. Boys, as such, are sufficiently put upon, + maltreated, trodden under, as it is. Should they fail to hang together in + perilous times, what disasters, what ignominies may not be looked for? + Possibly even an extinction of the tribe. I dropped my paint brush and + sailed shouting into the fray. + </p> + <p> + The result for a short space hung dubious. There is a period of life when + the difference of a year or two in age far outweighs the minor advantage + of sex. Then the gathers of Selina's frock came away with a sound like the + rattle of distant musketry; and this calamity it was, rather than mere + brute compulsion, that quelled her indomitable spirit. + </p> + <p> + The female tongue is mightier than the sword, as I soon had good reason to + know, when Selina, her riven garment held out at length, avenged her + discomfiture with the Greek-fire of personalities and abuse. Every black + incident in my short, but not stainless, career—every error, every + folly, every penalty ignobly suffered—were paraded before me as in a + magic-lantern show. The information, however, was not particularly new to + me, and the effect was staled by previous rehearsals. Besides, a victory + remains a victory, whatever the moral character of the triumphant general. + </p> + <p> + Harold chuckled and crowed as he dropped from the table, revealing the + document over which so many gathers had sighed their short lives out. “You + can read it if you like,” he said to me gratefully. “It's only a + Death-letter.” + </p> + <p> + It had never been possible to say what Harold's particular amusement of + the hour might turn out to be. One thing only was certain, that it would + be something improbable, unguessable, not to be foretold. Who, for + instance, in search of relaxation, would ever dream of choosing the + drawing-up of a testamentary disposition of property? Yet this was the + form taken by Harold's latest craze; and in justice this much had to be + said for him, that in the christening of his amusement he had gone right + to the heart of the matter. The words “will” and “testament” have various + meanings and uses; but about the signification of “death-letter” there can + be no manner of doubt. I smoothed out the crumpled paper and read. In + actual form it deviated considerably from that usually adopted by family + solicitors of standing, the only resemblance, indeed, lying in the absence + of punctuation. + </p> + <p> + “my dear edward (it ran) when I die I leave all my muny to you my walkin + sticks wips my crop my sord and gun bricks forts and all things i have + goodbye my dear charlotte when die I leave you my wach and cumpus and + pencel case my salors and camperdown my picteres and evthing goodbye your + loving brother armen my dear Martha I love you very much i leave you my + garden my mice and rabets my plants in pots when I die please take care of + them my dear—” Catera desunt. + </p> + <p> + “Why, you 're not leaving me anything!” exclaimed Selina, indignantly. + “You're a regular mean little boy, and I'll take back the last birthday + present I gave you!” + </p> + <p> + “I don't care,” said Harold, repossessing himself of the document. “I was + going to leave you something, but I sha'n't now, 'cos you tried to read my + death-letter before I was dead!” + </p> + <p> + “Then I'II write a death-letter myself,” retorted Selina, scenting an + artistic vengeance: “and I sha'n't leave you a single thing!” And she went + off in search of a pencil. + </p> + <p> + The tempest within-doors had kept my attention off the condition of things + without. But now a glance through the window told me that the rain had + entirely ceased, and that everything was bathed instead in a radiant glow + of sunlight, more golden than any gamboge of mine could possibly depict. + Leaving Selina and Harold to settle their feud by a mutual disinheritance, + I slipped from the room and escaped into the open air, eager to pick up + the loose end of my new friendship just where I had dropped it that + morning. In the glorious reaction of the sunshine after the downpour, with + its moist warm smells, bespanglement of greenery, and inspiriting touch of + rain-washed air, the parks and palaces of the imagination glowed with a + livelier iris, and their blurred beauties shone out again with fresh blush + and palpitation. As I sped along to the tryst, again I accompanied my new + comrade along the corridors of my pet palace into which I had so hastily + introduced her; and on reflection I began to see that it wouldn't work + properly. I had made a mistake, and those were not the surroundings in + which she was most fitted to shine. However, it really did not matter + much; I had other palaces to place at her disposal—plenty of 'em; + and on a further acquaintance with and knowledge of her tastes, no doubt I + could find something to suit her. + </p> + <p> + There was a real Arabian one, for instance, which I visited but rarely—only + just when I was in the fine Oriental mood for it; a wonder of silk + hangings, fountains of rosewater, pavilions, and minarets. Hundreds of + silent, well-trained slaves thronged the stairs and alleys of this + establishment, ready to fetch and carry for her all day, if she wished it; + and my brave soldiers would be spared the indignity. Also there were + processions through the bazaar at odd moments—processions with + camels, elephants, and palanquins. Yes, she was more suited for the East, + this imperious young person; and I determined that thither she should be + personally conducted as soon as ever might be. + </p> + <p> + I reached the fence and climbed up two bars of it, and leaning over I + looked this way and that for my twin-souled partner of the morning. It was + not long before I caught sight of her, only a short distance away. Her + back was towards me and—well, one can never foresee exactly how one + will find things—she was talking to a Boy. + </p> + <p> + Of course there are boys and boys, and Lord knows I was never narrow. But + this was the parson's son from an adjoining village, a red-headed boy and + as common a little beast as ever stepped. He cultivated ferrets—his + only good point; and it was evidently through the medium of this art that + he was basely supplanting me, for her head was bent absorbedly over + something he carried in his hands. With some trepidation I called out, + “Hi!” But answer there was none. Then again I called, “Hi!” but this time + with a sickening sense of failure and of doom. She replied only by a + complex gesture, decisive in import if not easily described. A petulant + toss of the head, a jerk of the left shoulder, and a backward kick of the + left foot, all delivered at once—that was all, and that was enough. + The red-headed boy never even condescended to glance my way. Why, indeed, + should he? I dropped from the fence without another effort, and took my + way homewards along the weary road. + </p> + <p> + Little inclination was left to me, at first, for any solitary visit to my + accustomed palace, the pleasures of which I had so recently tasted in + company; and yet after a minute or two I found myself, from habit, + sneaking off there much as usual. Presently I became aware of a certain + solace and consolation in my newly-recovered independence of action. Quit + of all female whims and fanciful restrictions, I rowed, sailed, or punted, + just as I pleased; in the Chocolate-room I cracked and nibbled the hard + sticks, with a certain contempt for those who preferred the soft, veneered + article; and I mixed and quaffed countless fizzy drinks without dread of + any prohibitionist. Finally, I swaggered into the park, paraded all my + soldiers on the terrace, and, bidding them take the time from me, gave the + order to fire off all the guns. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE MAGIC RING + </h2> + <p> + Grown-up people really ought to be more careful. Among themselves it may + seem but a small thing to give their word and take back their word. For + them there are so many compensations. Life lies at their feet, a + party-coloured india-rubber ball; they may kick it this way or kick it + that, it turns up blue, yellow, or green, but always coloured and + glistenning. Thus one sees it happen almost every day, and, with a jest + and a laugh, the thing is over, and the disappointed one turns to fresh + pleasure, lying ready to his hand. But with those who are below them, + whose little globe is swayed by them, who rush to build star-pointing + alhambras on their most casual word, they really ought to be more careful. + </p> + <p> + In this case of the circus, for instance, it was not as if we had led up + to the subject. It was they who began it entirely—prompted thereto + by the local newspaper. “What, a circus!” said they, in their irritating, + casual way: “that would be nice to take the children to. Wednesday would + be a good day. Suppose we go on Wednesday. Oh, and pleats are being worn + again, with rows of deep braid,” etc. + </p> + <p> + What the others thought I know not: what they said, if they said anything, + I did not comprehend. For me the house was bursting, walls seemed to cramp + and to stifle, the roof was jumping and lifting. Escape was the imperative + thing—to escape into the open air, to shake off bricks and mortar, + and to wander in the unfrequented places of the earth, the more properly + to take in the passion and the promise of the giddy situation. + </p> + <p> + Nature seemed prim and staid that day, and the globe gave no hint that it + was flying round a circus ring of its own. Could they really be true. I + wondered, all those bewildering things I had heard tell of circuses? Did + long-tailed ponies really walk on their hind-legs and fire off pistols? + Was it humanly possible for clowns to perform one-half of the bewitching + drolleries recorded in history? And how, oh, how dare I venture to believe + that, from off the backs of creamy Arab steeds, ladies of more than + earthly beauty discharged themselves through paper hoops? No, it was not + altogether possible, there must have been some exaggeration. Still, I + would be content with very little, I would take a low percentage—a + very small proportion of the circus myth would more than satisfy me. But + again, even supposing that history were, once in a way, no liar, could it + be that I myself was really fated to look upon this thing in the flesh and + to live through it, to survive the rapture? No, it was altogether too + much. Something was bound to happen, one of us would develop measles, the + world would blow up with a loud explosion. I must not dare, I must not + presume, to entertain the smallest hope. I must endeavour sternly to think + of something else. + </p> + <p> + Needless to say, I thought, I dreamed of nothing else, day or night. + Waking, I walked arm-in-arm with a clown, and cracked a portentous whip to + the brave music of a band. Sleeping, I pursued—perched astride of a + coal-black horse—a princess all gauze and spangles, who always + managed to keep just one unattainable length ahead. In the early morning + Harold and I, once fully awake, crossexammed each other as to the + possibilities of this or that circus tradition, and exhausted the lore + long ere the first housemaid was stirring. In this state of exaltation we + slipped onward to what promised to be a day of all white days—which + brings me right back to my text, that grown-up people really ought to be + more careful. I had known it could never really be; I had said so to + myself a dozen times. The vision was too sweetly ethereal for embodiment. + Yet the pang of the disillusionment was none the less keen and sickening, + and the pain was as that of a corporeal wound. It seemed strange and + foreboding, when we entered the breakfast-room, not to find everybody + cracking whips, jumping over chairs, and whooping In ecstatic rehearsal of + the wild reality to come. The situation became grim and pallid indeed, + when I caught the expressions “garden-party” and “my mauve tulle,” and + realized that they both referred to that very afternoon. And every minute, + as I sat silent and listened, my heart sank lower and lower, descending + relentlessly like a clock-weight into my boot soles. + </p> + <p> + Throughout my agony I never dreamed of resorting to a direct question, + much less a reproach. Even during the period of joyful anticipation some + fear of breaking the spell had kept me from any bald circus talk in the + presence of them. But Harold, who was built in quite another way, so soon + as he discerned the drift of their conversation and heard the knell of all + his hopes, filled the room with wail and clamour of bereavement. The + grinning welkin rang with “Circus!” “Cir-cus!” shook the window-panes; the + mocking walls re-echoed “Circus!” Circus he would have, and the whole + circus, and nothing but the circus. No compromise for him, no evasions, no + fallacious, unsecured promises to pay. He had drawn his cheque on the Bank + of Expectation, and it had got to be cashed then and there; else he would + yell, and yell himself into a fit, and come out of it and yell again. + Yelling should be his profession, his art, his mission, his career. He was + qualified, he was resolute, and he was in no hurry to retire from the + business. + </p> + <p> + The noisy ones of the world, if they do not always shout themselves into + the imperial purple, are sure at least of receiving attention. If they + cannot sell everything at their own price, one thing—silence—must, + at any cost, be purchased of them. Harold accordingly had to be consoled + by the employment of every specious fallacy and base-born trick known to + those whose doom it is to handle children. For me their hollow cajolery + had no interest, I could pluck no consolation out of their bankrupt though + prodigal pledges. I only waited till that hateful, well-known “Some other + time, dear!” told me that hope was finally dead. Then I left the room + without any remark. It made it worse—if anything could—to hear + that stale, worn-out old phrase, still supposed by those dullards to have + some efficacy. + </p> + <p> + To nature, as usual, I drifted by instinct, and there, out of the track of + humanity, under a friendly hedge-row had my black hour unseen. The world + was a globe no longer, space was no more filled with whirling circuses of + spheres. That day the old beliefs rose up and asserted themselves, and the + earth was flat again—ditch-riddled, stagnant, and deadly flat. The + undeviating roads crawled straight and white, elms dressed themselves + stiffly along inflexible hedges, all nature, centrifugal no longer, + sprawled flatly in lines out to its farthest edge, and I felt just like + walking out to that terminus, and dropping quietly off. Then, as I sat + there, morosely chewing bits of stick, the recollection came back to me of + certain fascinating advertisements I had spelled out in the papers—advertisements + of great and happy men, owning big ships of tonnage running into four + figures, who yet craved, to the extent of public supplication, for the + sympathetic co-operation of youths as apprentices. I did not rightly know + what apprentices might be, nor whether I was yet big enough to be styled a + youth; but one thing seemed clear, that, by some such means as this, + whatever the intervening hardships, I could eventually visit all the + circuses of the world—the circuses of merry France and gaudy Spain, + of Holland and Bohemia, of China and Peru. Here was a plan worth thinking + out in all its bearings; for something had presently to be done to end + this intolerable state of things. + </p> + <p> + Mid-day, and even feeding-time, passed by gloomily enough, till a small + disturbance occurred which had the effect of releasing some of the + electricity with which the air was charged. Harold, it should be + explained, was of a very different mental mould, and never brooded, moped, + nor ate his heart out over any disappointment. One wild outburst—one + dissolution of a minute into his original elements of air and water, of + tears and outcry—so much insulted nature claimed. Then he would pull + himself together, iron out his countenance with a smile, and adjust + himself to the new condition of things. + </p> + <p> + If the gods are ever grateful to man for anything, it is when he is so + good as to display a short memory. The Olympians were never slow to + recognize this quality of Harold's, in which, indeed, their salvation lay, + and on this occasion their gratitude had taken the practical form of a + fine fat orange, tough-rinded as oranges of those days were wont to be. + This he had eviscerated in the good old-fashioned manner, by biting out a + hole in the shoulder, inserting a lump of sugar therein, and then working + it cannily till the whole soul and body of the orange passed glorified + through the sugar into his being. Thereupon, filled full of orange-juice + and iniquity, he conceived a deadly snare. Having deftly patted and + squeezed the orange-skin till it resumed its original shape, he filled it + up with water, inserted a fresh lump of sugar in the orifice, and, issuing + forth, blandly proffered it to me as I sat moodily in the doorway dreaming + of strange wild circuses under tropic skies. + </p> + <p> + Such a stale old dodge as this would hardly have taken me in at ordinary + moments. But Harold had reckoned rightly upon the disturbing effect of + ill-humour, and had guessed, perhaps, that I thirsted for comfort and + consolation, and would not criticize too closely the source from which + they came. Unthinkingly I grasped the golden fraud, which collapsed at my + touch, and squirted its contents, into my eyes and over my collar, till + the nethermost parts of me were damp with the water that had run down my + neck. In an instant I had Harold down, and, with all the energy of which I + was capable, devoted myself to grinding his head into the gravel; while + he, realizing that the closure was applied, and that the time for + discussion or argument was past, sternly concentrated his powers on + kicking me in the stomach. + </p> + <p> + Some people can never allow events to work themselves out quietly. At this + juncture one of Them swooped down on the scene, pouring shrill, misplaced + abuse on both of us: on me for ill-treating my younger brother, whereas it + was distinctly I who was the injured and the deceived; on him for the high + offense of assault and battery on a clean collar—a collar which I + had myself deflowered and defaced, shortly before, in sheer desperate + ill-temper. Disgusted and defiant we fled in different directions, + rejoining each other later in the kitchen-garden; and as we strolled along + together, our short feud forgotten, Harold observed, gloomily: “I should + like to be a cave-man, like Uncle George was tellin' us about: with a + flint hatchet and no clothes, and live in a cave and not know anybody!” + </p> + <p> + “And if anyone came to see us we didn't like,” I joined in, catching on to + the points of the idea, “we'd hit him on the head with the hatchet till he + dropped down dead.” + </p> + <p> + “And then,” said Harold, warming up, “we'd drag him into the cave and skin + him!” + </p> + <p> + For a space we gloated silently over the fair scene our imaginations had + conjured up. It was blood we felt the need of just then. We wanted no + luxuries, nothing dear-bought nor far-fetched. Just plain blood, and + nothing else, and plenty of it. + </p> + <p> + Blood, however, was not to be had. The time was out of joint, and we had + been born too late. So we went off to the greenhouse, crawled into the + heating arrangement underneath, and played at the dark and dirty and + unrestricted life of cave-men till we were heartily sick of it. Then we + emerged once more into historic times, and went off to the road to look + for something living and sentient to throw stones at. + </p> + <p> + Nature, so often a cheerful ally, sometimes sulks and refuses to play. + When in this mood she passes the word to her underlings, and all the + little people of fur and feather take the hint and slip home quietly by + back streets. In vain we scouted, lurked, crept, and ambuscaded. + Everything that usually scurried, hopped, or fluttered—the small + society of the undergrowth—seemed to have engagements elsewhere. The + horrid thought that perhaps they had all gone off to the circus occurred + to us simultaneously, and we humped ourselves up on the fence and felt + bad. Even the sound of approaching wheels failed to stir any interest in + us. When you are bent on throwing stones at something, humanity seems + obtrusive and better away. Then suddenly we both jumped off the fence + together, our faces clearing. For our educated ear had told us that the + approaching rattle could only proceed from a dog-cart, and we felt sure it + must be the funny man. + </p> + <p> + We called him the funny man because he was sad and serious, and said + little, but gazed right into our souls, and made us tell him just what was + on our minds at the time, and then came out with some magnificently + luminous suggestion that cleared every cloud away. What was more, he would + then go off with us at once and pay the thing right out to its finish, + earnestly and devotedly, putting all other things aside. So we called him + the funny man, meaning only that he was different from those others who + thought it incumbent on them to play the painful mummer. The ideal as + opposed to the real man was what we meant, only we were not acquainted + with the phrase. Those others, with their laboured jests and clumsy + contortions, doubtless flattered themselves that they were funny men; we, + who had to sit through and applaud the painful performance, knew better. + </p> + <p> + He pulled up to a walk as soon as he caught sight of us, and the dog-cart + crawled slowly along till it stopped just opposite. Then he leant his chin + on his hand and regarded us long and soulfully, yet said he never a word; + while we jigged up and down in the dust, grinning bashfully but with + expectation. For you never knew exactly what this man might say or do. + </p> + <p> + “You look bored,” he remarked presently; “thoroughly bored. Or else—let + me see; you're not married, are you?” + </p> + <p> + He asked this in such sad earnestness that we hastened to assure him we + were not married, though we felt he ought to have known that much; we had + been intimate for some time. + </p> + <p> + “Then it's only boredom,” he said. “Just satiety and world-weariness. + Well, if you assure me you aren't married you can climb into this cart and + I'll take you for a drive. I'm bored, too. I want to do something dark and + dreadful and exciting.” + </p> + <p> + We clambered in, of course, yapping with delight and treading all over his + toes; and as we set off, Harold demanded of him imperiously whither he was + going. + </p> + <p> + “My wife,” he replied, “has ordered me to go and look up the curate and + bring him home to tea. Does that sound sufficiently exciting for you?” + </p> + <p> + Our faces fell. The curate of the hour was not a success, from our point + of view. He was not a funny man, in any sense of the word. + </p> + <p> + “—but I'm not going to,” he added, cheerfully. “Then I was to stop + at some cottage and ask—what was it? There was nettle-rash mixed up + in it, I'm sure. But never mind, I've forgotten, and it doesn't matter. + Look here, we're three desperate young fellows who stick at nothing. + Suppose we go off to the circus?” + </p> + <p> + Of certain supreme moments it is not easy to write. The varying shades and + currents of emotion may indeed be put into words by those specially + skilled that way; they often are, at considerable length. But the sheer, + crude article itself—the strong, live thing that leaps up inside you + and swells and strangles you, the dizziness of revulsion that takes the + breath like cold water—who shall depict this and live? All I knew + was that I would have died then and there, cheerfully, for the funny man; + that I longed for red Indians to spring out from the hedge on the + dog-cart, just to show what I would do; and that, with all this, I could + not find the least little word to say to him. + </p> + <p> + Harold was less taciturn. With shrill voice, uplifted in solemn chant, he + sang the great spheral circus-song, and the undying glory of the Ring. Of + its timeless beginning he sang, of its fashioning by cosmic forces, and of + its harmony with the stellar plan. Of horses he sang, of their strength, + their swiftness, and their docility as to tricks. Of clowns again, of the + glory of knavery, and of the eternal type that shall endure. Lastly he + sang of Her—the Woman of the Ring—flawless, complete, + untrammelled in each subtly curving limb; earth's highest output, time's + noblest expression. At least, he doubtless sang all these things and more—he + certainly seemed to; though all that was distinguishable was, + “We're-goin'-to-the-circus!” and then, once more, + “We're-goin'-to-the-circus!”—the sweet rhythmic phrase repeated + again and again. But indeed I cannot be quite sure, for I heard + confusedly, as in a dream. Wings of fire sprang from the old mare's + shoulders. We whirled on our way through purple clouds, and earth and the + rattle of wheels were far away below. + </p> + <p> + The dream and the dizziness were still in my head when I found myself, + scarce conscious of intermediate steps, seated actually in the circus at + last, and took in the first sniff of that intoxicating circus smell that + will stay by me while this clay endures. The place was beset by a hum and + a glitter and a mist; suspense brooded large o'er the blank, mysterious + arena. Strung up to the highest pitch of expectation, we knew not from + what quarter, in what divine shape, the first surprise would come. + </p> + <p> + A thud of unseen hoofs first set us aquiver; then a crash of cymbals, a + jangle of bells, a hoarse applauding roar, and Coralie was in the midst of + us, whirling past 'twixt earth and sky, now erect, flushed, radiant, now + crouched to the flowing mane; swung and tossed and moulded by the + maddening dance-music of the band. The mighty whip of the count in the + frock-coat marked time with pistol-shots; his war-cry, whooping clear + above the music, fired the blood with a passion for splendid deeds, as + Coralie, laughing, exultant, crashed through the paper hoops. We gripped + the red cloth in front of us, and our souls sped round and round with + Coralie, leaping with her, prone with her, swung by mane or tail with her. + It was not only the ravishment of her delirious feats, nor her + cream-coloured horse of fairy breed, long-tailed, roe-footed, an enchanted + prince surely, if ever there was one! It was her more than mortal beauty—displayed, + too, under conditions never vouchsafed to us before—that held us + spell-bound. What princess had arms so dazzlingly white, or went + delicately clothed in such pink and spangles? Hitherto we had known the + outward woman as but a drab thing, hour-glass shaped, nearly legless, + bunched here, constricted there; slow of movement, and given to + deprecating lusty action of limb. Here was a revelation! From henceforth + our imaginations would have to be revised and corrected up to date. In one + of those swift rushes the mind makes in high-strung moments, I saw myself + and Coralie, close enfolded, pacing the world together, o'er hill and + plain, through storied cities, past rows of applauding relations,—I + in my Sunday knickerbockers, she in her pink and spangles. + </p> + <p> + Summers sicken, flowers fail and die, all beauty but rides round the ring + and out at the portal; even so Coralie passed in her turn, poised + sideways, panting, on her steed; lightly swayed as a tulip-bloom, bowing + on this side and on that as she disappeared; and with her went my heart + and my soul, and all the light and the glory and the entrancement of the + scene. + </p> + <p> + Harold woke up with a gasp. “Wasn't she beautiful?” he said, in quite a + subdued way for him. I felt a momentary pang. We had been friendly rivals + before, in many an exploit; but here was altogether a more serious affair. + Was this, then, to be the beginning of strife and coldness, of civil war + on the hearthstone and the sundering of old ties? Then I recollected the + true position of things, and felt very sorry for Harold; for it was + inexorably written that he would have to give way to me, since I was the + elder. Rules were not made for nothing, in a sensibly constructed + universe. + </p> + <p> + There was little more to wait for, now Coralie had gone; yet I lingered + still, on the chance of her appearing again. Next moment the clown tripped + up and fell flat, with magnificent artifice, and at once fresh emotions + began to stir. Love had endured its little hour, and stern ambition now + asserted itself. Oh, to be a splendid fellow like this, self-contained, + ready of speech, agile beyond conception, braving the forces of society, + his hand against everyone, yet always getting the best of it! What + freshness of humour, what courtesy to dames, what triumphant ability to + discomfit rivals, frock-coated and moustached though they might be! And + what a grand, self-confident straddle of the legs! Who could desire a + finer career than to go through life thus gorgeously equipped! Success was + his key-note, adroitness his panoply, and the mellow music of laughter his + instant reward. Even Coralie's image wavered and receded. I would come + back to her in the evening, of course; but I would be a clown all the + working hours of the day. + </p> + <p> + The short interval was ended: the band, with long-drawn chords, sounded a + prelude touched with significance; and the programme, in letters + overtopping their fellows, proclaimed Zephyrine, the Bride of the Desert, + in her unequalled bareback equestrian interlude. So sated was I already + with beauty and with wit, that I hardly dared hope for a fresh emotion. + Yet her title was tinged with romance, and Coralie's display had aroused + in me an interest in her sex which even herself had failed to satisfy + entirely. + </p> + <p> + Brayed in by trumpets, Zephyrine swung passionately into the arena. With a + bound she stood erect, one foot upon each of her supple, plunging Arabs; + and at once I knew that my fate was sealed, my chapter closed, and the + Bride of the Desert was the one bride for me. Black was her raiment, great + silver stars shone through it, caught in the dusky twilight of her gauze; + black as her own hair were the two mighty steeds she bestrode. In a + tempest they thundered by, in a whirlwind, a scirocco of tan; her cheeks + bore the kiss of an Eastern sun, and the sand-storms of her native desert + were her satellites. What was Coralie, with her pink silk, her golden hair + and slender limbs, beside this magnificent, full-figured Cleopatra? In a + twinkling we were scouring the desert—she and I and the two + coal-black horses. Side by side, keeping pace in our swinging gallop, we + distanced the ostrich, we outstrode the zebra; and, as we went, it seemed + the wilderness blossomed like the rose. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + I know not rightly how we got home that evening. On the road there were + everywhere strange presences, and the thud of phantom hoofs encircled us. + In my nose was the pungent circus-smell; the crack of the whip and the + frank laugh of the clown were in my ears. The funny man thoughtfully + abstained from conversation, and left our illusion quite alone, sparing us + all jarring criticism and analysis; and he gave me no chance, when he + deposited us at our gate, to get rid of the clumsy expressions of + gratitude I had been laboriously framing. For the rest of the evening, + distraught and silent, I only heard the march-music of the band, playing + on in some corner of my brain. When at last my head touched the pillow, in + a trice I was with Zephyrine, riding the boundless Sahara, cheek to cheek, + the world well lost; while at times, through the sand-clouds that + encircled us, glimmered the eyes of Coralie, touched, one fancied, with + something of a tender reproach. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + ITS WALLS WERE AS OF JASPER + </h2> + <p> + In the long winter evenings, when we had the picture-books out on the + floor, and sprawled together over them with elbows deep in the hearth-rug, + the first business to be gone through was the process of allotment. All + the characters in the pictures had to be assigned and dealt out among us, + according to seniority, as far as they would go. When once that had been + satisfactorily completed, the story was allowed to proceed; and + thereafter, in addition to the excitement of the plot, one always + possessed a personal interest in some particular member of the cast, whose + successes or rebuffs one took as so much private gain or loss. + </p> + <p> + For Edward this was satisfactory enough. Claiming his right of the eldest, + he would annex the hero in the very frontispiece; and for the rest of the + story his career, if chequered at intervals, was sure of heroic episodes + and a glorious close. But his juniors, who had to put up with characters + of a clay more mixed—nay, sometimes with undiluted villany—were + hard put to it on occasion to defend their other selves (as it was strict + etiquette to do) from ignominy perhaps only too justly merited. + </p> + <p> + Edward was indeed a hopeless grabber. In the “Buffalo-book,” for instance + (so named from the subject of its principal picture, though indeed it + dealt with varied slaughter in every zone), Edward was the stalwart, + bearded figure, with yellow leggings and a powder-horn, who undauntedly + discharged the fatal bullet into the shoulder of the great bull bison, + charging home to within a yard of his muzzle. To me was allotted the + subsidiary character of the friend who had succeeded in bringing down a + cow; while Harold had to be content to hold Edward's spare rifle in the + background, with evident signs of uneasiness. Farther on, again, where the + magnificent chamois sprang rigid into mid-air. Edward, crouched dizzily + against the precipice-face, was the sportsman from whose weapon a puff of + white smoke was floating away. A bare-kneed guide was all that fell to my + share, while poor Harold had to take the boy with the haversack, or + abandon, for this occasion at least, all Alpine ambitions. + </p> + <p> + Of course the girls fared badly in this book, and it was not surprising + that they preferred the “Pilgrim's Progress” (for instance), where women + had a fair show, and there was generally enough of 'em to go round; or a + good fairy story, wherein princesses met with a healthy appreciation. But + indeed we were all best pleased with a picture wherein the characters just + fitted us, in number, sex, and qualifications; and this, to us, stood for + artistic merit. + </p> + <p> + All the Christmas numbers, in their gilt frames on the nursery-wall, had + been gone through and allotted long ago; and in these, sooner or later, + each one of us got a chance to figure in some satisfactory and brightly + coloured situation. Few of the other pictures about the house afforded + equal facilities. They were generally wanting in figures, and even when + these were present they lacked dramatic interest. In this picture that I + have to speak about, although the characters had a stupid way of not doing + anything, and apparently not wanting to do anything, there was at least a + sufficiency of them; so in due course they were allotted, too. + </p> + <p> + In itself the picture, which—in its ebony and tortoise-shell frame—hung + in a corner of the dining-room, had hitherto possessed no special interest + for us, and would probably never have been dealt with at all but for a + revolt of the girls against a succession of books on sport, in which the + illustrator seemed to have forgotten that there were such things as women + in the world. Selina accordingly made for it one rainy morning, and + announced that she was the lady seated in the centre, whose gown of rich, + flowered brocade fell in such straight, severe lines to her feet, whose + cloak of dark blue was held by a jewelled clasp, and whose long, fair hair + was crowned with a diadem of gold and pearl. Well, we had no objection to + that; it seemed fair enough, especially to Edward, who promptly proceeded + to “grab” the armour-man who stood leaning on his shield at the lady's + right hand. A dainty and delicate armour-man this! And I confess, though I + knew it was all right and fair and orderly, I felt a slight pang when he + passed out of my reach into Edward's possession. His armour was just the + sort I wanted myself—scalloped and fluted and shimmering and + spotless; and, though he was but a boy by his beardless face and golden + hair, the shattered spear-shaft in his grasp proclaimed him a genuine + fighter and fresh from some such agreeable work. Yes, I grudged Edward the + armour-man, and when he said I could have the fellow on the other side, I + hung back and said I'd think about it. + </p> + <p> + This fellow had no armour nor weapons, but wore a plain jerkin with a + leather pouch—a mere civilian—and with one hand he pointed to + a wound in his thigh. I didn't care about him, and when Harold eagerly put + in his claim I gave way and let him have the man. The cause of Harold's + anxiety only came out later. It was the wound he coveted, it seemed. He + wanted to have a big, sore wound of his very own, and go about and show it + to people, and excite their envy or win their respect. Charlotte was only + too pleased to take the child-angel seated at the lady's feet, grappling + with a musical instrument much too big for her. Charlotte wanted wings + badly, and, next to those, a guitar or a banjo. The angel, besides, wore + an amber necklace, which took her fancy immensely. + </p> + <p> + This left the picture allotted, with the exception of two or three more + angels, who peeped or perched behind the main figures with a certain + subdued drollery in their faces, as if the thing had gone on long enough, + and it was now time to upset something or kick up a row of some sort. We + knew these good folk to be saints and angels, because we had been told + they were; otherwise we should never have guessed it. Angels, as we knew + them in our Sunday books, were vapid, colourless, uninteresting + characters, with straight up-and-down sort of figures, white nightgowns, + white wings, and the same straight yellow hair parted in the middle. They + were serious, even melancholy; and we had no desire to have any traffic + with them. These bright bejewelled little persons, however, piquant of + face and radiant of feather, were evidently hatched from quite a different + egg, and we felt we might have interests in common with them. Short-nosed, + shock-headed, with mouths that went up at the corners and with an evident + disregard for all their fine clothes, they would be the best of good + company, we felt sure, if only we could manage to get at them. One doubt + alone disturbed my mind. In games requiring agility, those wings of theirs + would give them a tremendous pull. Could they be trusted to play fair? I + asked Selina, who replied scornfully that angels always played fair. But I + went back and had another look at the brown-faced one peeping over the + back of the lady's chair, and still I had my doubts. + </p> + <p> + When Edward went off to school a great deal of adjustment and re-allotment + took place, and all the heroes of illustrated literature were at my call, + did I choose to possess them. In this particular case, however, I made no + haste to seize upon the armour-man. Perhaps it was because I wanted a + fresh saint of my own, not a stale saint that Edward had been for so long + a time. Perhaps it was rather that, ever since I had elected to be + saintless, I had got into the habit of strolling off into the background, + and amusing myself with what I found there. A very fascinating background + it was, and held a great deal, though so tiny. Blue and red, like gems. + Then a white road ran, with wilful, uncalled-for loops, up a steep, + conical hill, crowned with towers, bastioned walls, and belfries; and down + the road the little knights came riding, two and two. The hill on one side + descended to water, tranquil, farreaching, and blue; and a very curly ship + lay at anchor, with one mast having an odd sort of crow's-nest at the top + of it. + </p> + <p> + There was plenty to do in this pleasant land. The annoying thing about it + was, one could never penetrate beyond a certain point. I might wander up + that road as often as I liked, I was bound to be brought up at the + gateway, the funny galleried, top-heavy gateway, of the little walled + town. Inside, doubtless, there were high jinks going on; but the password + was denied to me. I could get on board a boat and row up as far as the + curly ship, but around the headland I might not go. On the other side, of + a surety, the shipping lay thick. The merchants walked on the quay, and + the sailors sang as they swung out the corded bales. But as for me, I must + stay down in the meadow, and imagine it all as best I could. + </p> + <p> + Once I broached the subject to Charlotte, and found, to my surprise, that + she had had the same joys and encountered the same disappointments in this + delectable country. She, too, had walked up that road and flattened her + nose against that portcullis; and she pointed out something that I had + overlooked—to wit, that if you rowed off in a boat to the curly + ship, and got hold of a rope, and clambered aboard of her, and swarmed up + the mast, and got into the crow's-nest, you could just see over the + headland, and take in at your ease the life and bustle of the port. She + proceeded to describe all the fun that was going on there, at such length + and with so much particularity that I looked at her suspiciously. “Why, + you talk as if you'd been in that crow's-nest yourself!” I said. Charlotte + answered nothing, but pursed her mouth up and nodded violently for some + minutes; and I could get nothing more out of her. I felt rather hurt. + Evidently she had managed, somehow or other, to get up into that + crow's-nest. Charlotte had got ahead of me on this occasion. + </p> + <p> + It was necessary, no doubt, that grownup people should dress themselves up + and go forth to pay calls. I don't mean that we saw any sense in the + practice. It would have been so much more reasonable to stay at home in + your old clothes and play. But we recognized that these folk had to do + many unaccountable things, and after all it was their life, and not ours, + and we were not in a position to criticize. Besides, they had many habits + more objectionable than this one, which to us generally meant a free and + untrammelled afternoon, wherein to play the devil in our own way. The case + was different, however, when the press-gang was abroad, when prayers and + excuses were alike disregarded, and we were forced into the service, like + native levies impelled toward the foe less by the inherent righteousness + of the cause than by the indisputable rifles of their white allies. This + was unpardonable and altogether detestable. Still, the thing happened, now + and again; and when it did, there was no arguing about it. The order was + for the front, and we just had to shut up and march. + </p> + <p> + Selina, to be sure, had a sneaking fondness for dressing up and paying + calls, though she pretended to dislike it, just to keep on the soft side + of public opinion. So I thought it extremely mean in her to have the + earache on that particular afternoon when Aunt Eliza ordered the + pony-carriage and went on the war-path. I was ordered also, in the same + breath as the pony-carriage; and, as we eventually trundled off, it seemed + to me that the utter waste of that afternoon, for which I had planned so + much, could never be made up nor atoned for in all the tremendous stretch + of years that still lay before me. + </p> + <p> + The house that we were bound for on this occasion was a “big house;” a + generic title applied by us to the class of residence that had a long + carriage-drive through rhododendrons; and a portico propped by fluted + pillars; and a grave butler who bolted back swing-doors, and came down + steps, and pretended to have entirely forgotten his familiar intercourse + with you at less serious moments; and a big hall, where no boots or shoes + or upper garments were allowed to lie about frankly and easily, as with + us; and where, finally, people were apt to sit about dressed up as if they + were going on to a party. + </p> + <p> + The lady who received us was effusive to Aunt Eliza and hollowly gracious + to me. In ten seconds they had their heads together and were hard at it + talking clothes. I was left high and dry on a straight-backed chair, + longing to kick the legs of it, yet not daring. For a time I was content + to stare; there was lots to stare at, high and low and around. Then the + inevitable fidgets came on, and scratching one's legs mitigated slightly, + but did not entirely disperse them. My two warders were still deep in + clothes; I slipped off my chair and edged cautiously around the room, + exploring, examining, recording. + </p> + <p> + Many strange, fine things lay along my route—pictures and gimcracks + on the walls, trinkets and globular old watches and snuff-boxes on the + tables; and I took good care to finger everything within reach thoroughly + and conscientiously. Some articles, in addition, I smelt. At last in my + orbit I happened on an open door, half concealed by the folds of a + curtain. I glanced carefully around. They were still deep in clothes, both + talking together, and I slipped through. + </p> + <p> + This was altogether a more sensible sort of room that I had got into; for + the walls were honestly upholstered with books, though these for the most + part glimmered provokingly through the glass doors of their tall cases. I + read their titles longingly, breathing on every accessible pane of glass, + for I dared not attempt to open the doors, with the enemy encamped so + near. In the window, though, on a high sort of desk, there lay, all by + itself, a most promising-looking book, gorgeously bound. I raised the + leaves by one corner, and like scent from a pot-pourri jar there floated + out a brief vision of blues and reds, telling of pictures, and pictures + all highly coloured! Here was the right sort of thing at last, and my + afternoon would not be entirely wasted. I inclined an ear to the door by + which I had entered. Like the brimming tide of a full-fed river the grand, + eternal, inexhaustible clothes-problem bubbled and eddied and surged + along. It seemed safe enough. I slid the book off its desk with some + difficulty, for it was very fine and large, and staggered with it to the + hearthrug—the only fit and proper place for books of quality, such + as this. + </p> + <p> + They were excellent hearthrugs in that house; soft and wide, with the + thickest of pile, and one's knees sank into them most comfortably. When I + got the book open there was a difficulty at first in making the great + stiff pages lie down. Most fortunately the coal-scuttle was actually at my + elbow, and it was easy to find a flat bit of coal to lay on the refractory + page. Really, it was just as if everything had been arranged for me. This + was not such a bad sort of house after all. + </p> + <p> + The beginnings of the thing were gay borders—scrolls and strap-work + and diapered backgrounds, a maze of colour, with small misshapen figures + clambering cheerily up and down everywhere. But first I eagerly scanned + what text there was in the middle, in order to get a hint of what it was + all about. Of course I was not going to waste any time in reading. A clue, + a sign-board, a finger-post was all I required. To my dismay and disgust + it was all in a stupid foreign language! Really, the perversity of some + people made one at times almost despair of the whole race. However, the + pictures remained; pictures never lied, never shuffled nor evaded; and as + for the story, I could invent it myself. + </p> + <p> + Over the page I went, shifting the bit of coal to a new position; and, as + the scheme of the picture disengaged itself from out the medley of colour + that met my delighted eyes, first there was a warm sense of familiarity, + then a dawning recognition, and then—O then! along with blissful + certainty came the imperious need to clasp my stomach with both hands, in + order to repress the shout of rapture that struggled to escape—it + was my own little city! + </p> + <p> + I knew it well enough, I recognized it at once, though I had never been + quite so near it before. Here was the familiar gateway, to the left that + strange, slender tower with its grim, square head shot far above the + walls; to the right, outside the town, the hill—as of old—broke + steeply down to the sea. But to-day everything was bigger and fresher and + clearer, the walls seemed newly hewn, gay carpets were hung out over them, + fair ladies and long-haired children peeped and crowded on the + battlements. Better still, the portcullis was up—I could even catch + a glimpse of the sunlit square within—and a dainty company was + trooping through the gate on horseback, two and two. Their horses, in + trappings that swept the ground, were gay as themselves; and they were the + gayest crew, for dress and bearing, I had ever yet beheld. It could mean + nothing else but a wedding, I thought, this holiday attire, this festal + and solemn entry; and, wedding or whatever it was, I meant to be there. + This time I would not be balked by any grim portcullis; this time I would + slip in with the rest of the crowd, find out just what my little town was + like, within those exasperating walls that had so long confronted me, and, + moreover, have my share of the fun that was evidently going on inside. + Confident, yet breathless with expectation, I turned the page. + </p> + <p> + Joy! At last I was in it, at last I was on the right side of those + provoking walls; and, needless to say, I looked about me with much + curiosity. A public place, clearly, though not such as I was used to. The + houses at the back stood on a sort of colonnade, beneath which the people + jostled and crowded. The upper stories were all painted with wonderful + pictures. Above the straight line of the roofs the deep blue of a + cloudless sky stretched from side to side. Lords and ladies thronged the + foreground, while on a dais in the centre a gallant gentleman, just + alighted off his horse, stooped to the fingers of a girl as bravely + dressed out as Selina's lady between the saints; and round about stood + venerable personages, robed in the most variegated clothing. There were + boys, too, in plenty, with tiny red caps on their thick hair; and their + shirts had bunched up and worked out at the waist, just as my own did so + often, after chasing anybody; and each boy of them wore an odd pair of + stockings, one blue and the other red. This system of attire went straight + to my heart. I had tried the same thing so often, and had met with so much + discouragement; and here, at last, was my justification, painted + deliberately in a grown-up book! I looked about for my saint-friends—the + armour-man and the other fellow—but they were not to be seen—Evidently + they were unable to get off duty, even for a wedding, and still stood on + guard in that green meadow down below. I was disappointed, too, that not + an angel was visible. One or two of them, surely, could easily have been + spared for an hour, to run up and see the show; and they would have been + thoroughly at home here, in the midst of all the colour and the movement + and the fun. + </p> + <p> + 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! + </p> + <p> + 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. Storybooks 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. + </p> + <p> + 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-presents—bales + 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 island—it 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! + </p> + <p> + 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 too—ravished + from my grasp by the dressy lady, who joined in the outburst of + denunciation as heartily as if she had been a relative—and 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + First I thought, “I've got ahead of Charlotte this time!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + A SAGA OF THE SEAS + </h2> + <p> + 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 Man—Men in general and + Man in particular. (Though the words were but spoken, I could clearly + discern the capital M in their acid utterance.) + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + It seemed a serious indictment enough, as they rolled it out. In tact, + considerateness, and right appreciation, as well as in taste and aesthetic + sensibilities—we 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. Helena 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 + felled—and 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? + </p> + <p> + 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 raft-glamour seemed to have departed as I half-mechanically stepped + inside and curled myself up in it for a solitary voyage. Once I was in, + however, the old magic and mystery returned in full flood, when I + discovered that the inequalities of the towel-horse caused the bath to + rock, slightly, indeed, but easily and incessantly. A few minutes of this + delightful motion, and one was fairly launched. So those women below + didn't want us? Well, there were other women, and other places, that did. + And this was going to be no scrambling raft-affair, but a full-blooded + voyage of the Man, equipped and purposeful, in search of what was his + rightful own. + </p> + <p> + Whither should I shape my course, and what sort of vessel should I charter + for the voyage? The shipping of all England was mine to pick from, and the + far corners of the globe were my rightful inheritance. A frigate, of + course, seemed the natural vehicle for a boy of spirit to set out in. And + yet there was something rather “uppish” in commanding a frigate at the + very first set-off, and little spread was left for the ambition. Frigates, + too, could always be acquired later by sheer adventure; and your real hero + generally saved up a square-rigged ship for the final achievement and the + rapt return. No, it was a schooner that I was aboard of—a schooner + whose masts raked devilishly as the leaping seas hissed along her low + black gunwale. Many hairbrained youths started out on a mere cutter; but I + was prudent, and besides I had some inkling of the serious affairs that + were ahead. + </p> + <p> + I have said I was already on board; and, indeed, on this occasion I was + too hungry for adventure to linger over what would have been a special + delight at a period of more leisure—the dangling about the harbour, + the choosing your craft, selecting your shipmates, stowing your cargo, and + fitting up your private cabin with everything you might want to put your + hand on in any emergency whatever. I could not wait for that. Out beyond + soundings the big seas were racing westward and calling me, albatrosses + hovered motionless, expectant of a comrade, and a thousand islands held + each of them a fresh adventure, stored up, hidden away, awaiting + production, expressly saved for me. We were humming, close-hauled, down + the Channel, spray in the eyes and the shrouds thrilling musically, in + much less time than the average man would have taken to transfer his + Gladstone bag and his rugs from the train to a sheltered place on the + promenade-deck of the tame daily steamer. + </p> + <p> + So long as we were in pilotage I stuck manfully to the wheel. The + undertaking was mine, and with it all its responsibilities, and there was + some tricky steering to be done as we sped by headland and bay, ere we + breasted the great seas outside and the land fell away behind us. But as + soon as the Atlantic had opened out I began to feel that it would be + rather nice to take tea by myself in my own cabin, and it therefore became + necessary to invent a comrade or two, to take their turn at the wheel. + </p> + <p> + This was easy enough. A friend or two of my own age, from among the boys I + knew; a friend or two from characters in the books I knew; and a friend or + two from No-man's-land, where every fellow's a born sailor; and the crew + was complete. I addressed them on the poop, divided them into watches, + gave instructions I should be summoned on the first sign of pirates, + whales, or Frenchmen, and retired below to a well-earned spell of + relaxation. + </p> + <p> + That was the right sort of cabin that I stepped into, shutting the door + behind me with a click. Of course, fire-arms were the first thing I looked + for, and there they were, sure enough, in their racks, dozens of 'em—double-barrelled + guns, and repeating-rifles, and long pistols, and shiny plated revolvers. + I rang up the steward and ordered tea, with scones, and jam in its native + pots—none of your finicking shallow glass dishes; and, when properly + streaked with jam, and blown out with tea, I went through the armoury, + clicked the rifles and revolvers, tested the edges of the cutlasses with + my thumb, and filled the cartridge-belts chock-full. Everything was there, + and of the best quality, just as if I had spent a whole fortnight knocking + about Plymouth and ordering things. Clearly, if this cruise came to grief, + it would not be for want of equipment. + </p> + <p> + Just as I was beginning on the lockers and the drawers, the watch reported + icebergs on both bows—and, what was more to the point, coveys of + Polar bears on the icebergs. I grasped a rifle or two, and hastened on + deck. The spectacle was indeed magnificent—it generally is, with + icebergs on both bows, and these were exceptionally enormous icebergs. But + I hadn't come there to paint Academy pictures, so the captain's gig was in + the water and manned almost ere the boatswain's whistle had ceased + sounding, and we were pulling hard for the Polar bears—myself and + the rifles in the stern-sheets. + </p> + <p> + I have rarely enjoyed better shooting than I got during that afternoon's + tramp over the icebergs. Perhaps I was in specially good form; perhaps the + bears “rose” well. Anyhow, the bag was a portentous one. In later days, on + reading of the growing scarcity of Polar bears, my conscience has pricked + me; but that afternoon I experienced no compunction. Nevertheless, when + the huge pile of skins had been hoisted on board, and a stiff grog had + been served out to the crew of the captain's gig, I ordered the schooner's + head to be set due south. For icebergs were played out, for the moment, + and it was getting to be time for something more tropical. + </p> + <p> + Tropical was a mild expression of what was to come, as was shortly proved. + It was about three bells in the next day's forenoon watch when the + look-out man first sighted the pirate brigantine. I disliked the looks of + her from the first, and, after piping all hands to quarters, had the brass + carronade on the fore-deck crammed with grape to the muzzle. + </p> + <p> + This proved a wise precaution. For the flagitious pirate craft, having + crept up to us under the colours of the Swiss Republic, a state with which + we were just then on the best possible terms, suddenly shook out the + skull-and-cross-bones at her masthead, and let fly with round-shot at + close quarters, knocking into pieces several of my crew, who could ill be + spared. The sight of their disconnected limbs aroused my ire to its utmost + height, and I let them have the contents of the brass carronade, with + ghastly effect. Next moment the hulls of the two ships were grinding + together, the cold steel flashed from its scabbard, and the death-grapple + had begun. + </p> + <p> + In spite of the deadly work of my grape-gorged carronade, our foe still + outnumbered us, I reckoned, by three to one. Honour forbade my fixing it + at a lower figure—this was the minimum rate at which one dared to do + business with pirates. They were stark veterans, too, every man seamed + with ancient sabre-cuts, whereas my crew had many of them hardly attained + the maturity which is the gift of ten long summers—and the whole + thing was so sudden that I had no time to invent a reinforcement of riper + years. It was not surprising, therefore, that my dauntless boarding-party, + axe in hand and cutlass between teeth, fought their way to the pirates' + deck only to be repulsed again and yet again, and that our planks were + soon slippery with our own ungrudged and inexhaustible blood. At this + critical point in the conflict, the bo'sun, grasping me by the arm, drew + my attention to a magnificent British man-of-war, just hove to in the + offing, while the signalman, his glass at his eye, reported that she was + inquiring whether we wanted any assistance or preferred to go through with + the little job ourselves. + </p> + <p> + This veiled attempt to share our laurels with us, courteously as it was + worded, put me on my mettle. Wiping the blood out of my eyes, I ordered + the signalman to reply instantly, with the half-dozen or so of flags that + he had at his disposal, that much as we appreciated the valour of the + regular service, and the delicacy of spirit that animated its commanders, + still this was an orthodox case of young gentleman-adventurer versus the + unshaved pirate, and Her Majesty's Marine had nothing to do but to form + the usual admiring and applauding background. Then, rallying round me the + remnant of my faithful crew, I selected a fresh cutlass (I had worn out + three already) and plunged once more into the pleasing carnage. + </p> + <p> + The result was not long doubtful. Indeed, I could not allow it to be, as I + was already getting somewhat bored with the pirate business, and was + wanting to get on to something more southern and sensuous. All serious + resistance came to an end as soon as I had reached the quarter-deck and + cut down the pirate chief—a fine black-bearded fellow in his way, + but hardly up to date in his parry-and-thrust business. Those whom our + cutlasses had spared were marched out along their own plank, in the + approved old fashion; and in tune the scuppers relieved the decks of the + blood that made traffic temporarily impossible. And all the time the + British-man-of-war admired and applauded in the offing. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we had got through with the necessary throat-cutting and + swabbing-up all hands set to work to discover treasure; and soon the deck + shone bravely with ingots and Mexican dollars and church plate. There were + ropes of pearls, too, and big stacks of nougat; and rubies, and gold + watches, and Turkish Delight in tubs. But I left these trifles to my crew, + and continued the search alone. For by this time I had determined that + there should be a Princess on board, carried off to be sold in captivity + to the bold bad Moors, and now with beating heart awaiting her rescue by + me, the Perseus of her dreams. + </p> + <p> + I came upon her at last in the big state-cabin in the stern; and she wore + a holland pinafore over her Princess-clothes, and she had brown wavy hair, + hanging down her back, just like—well, never mind, she had brown + wavy hair. When gentle-folk meet, courtesies pass; and I will not weary + other people with relating all the compliments and counter-compliments + that we exchanged, all in the most approved manner. Occasions like this, + when tongues wagged smoothly and speech flowed free, were always + especially pleasing to me, who am naturally inclined to be tongue-tied + with women. But at last ceremony was over, and we sat on the table and + swung our legs and agreed to be fast friends. And I showed her my latest + knife—one-bladed, horn-handled, terrific, hung round my neck with + string; and she showed me the chiefest treasures the ship contained, + hidden away in a most private and particular locker—a musical box + with a glass top that let you see the works, and a railway train with real + lines and a real tunnel, and a tin iron-clad that followed a magnet, and + was ever so much handier in many respects than the real full-sized thing + that still lay and applauded in the offing. + </p> + <p> + There was high feasting that night in my cabin. We invited the captain of + the man-of-war—one could hardly do less, it seemed to me—and + the Princess took one end of the table and I took the other, and the + captain was very kind and nice, and told us fairy-stories, and asked us + both to come and stay with him next Christmas, and promised we should have + some hunting, on real ponies. When he left I gave him some ingots and + things, and saw him into his boat; and then I went round the ship and + addressed the crew in several set speeches, which moved them deeply, and + with my own hands loaded up the carronade with grape-shot till it ran over + at the mouth. This done, I retired into the cabin with the Princess, and + locked the door. And first we started the musical box, taking turns to + wind it up; and then we made toffee in the cabin-stove; and then we ran + the train round and round the room, and through and through the tunnel; + and lastly we swam the tin ironclad in the bath, with the soap-dish for a + pirate. + </p> + <p> + Next morning the air was rich with spices, porpoises rolled and gambolled + round the bows, and the South Sea Islands lay full in view (they were the + real South Sea Islands, of course—not the badly furnished + journeymen-islands that are to be perceived on the map). As for the pirate + brigantine and the man-of-war, I don't really know what became of them. + They had played their part very well, for the time, but I wasn't going to + bother to account for them, so I just let them evaporate quietly. The + islands provided plenty of fresh occupation. For here were little bays of + silvery sand, dotted with land-crabs; groves of palm-trees wherein monkeys + frisked and pelted each other with cocoanuts; and caves, and sites for + stockades, and hidden treasures significantly indicated by skulls, in + riotous plenty; while birds and beasts of every colour and all latitudes + made pleasing noises which excited the sporting instinct. + </p> + <p> + The islands lay conveniently close together, which necessitated careful + steering as we threaded the devious and intricate channels that separated + them. Of course no one else could be trusted at the wheel, so it is not + surprising that for some time I quite forgot that there was such a thing + as a Princess on board. This is too much the masculine way, whenever + there's any real business doing. However, I remembered her as soon as the + anchor was dropped, and I went below and consoled her, and we had + breakfast together, and she was allowed to “pour out,” which quite made up + for everything. When breakfast was over we ordered out the captain's gig, + and rowed all about the islands, and paddled, and explored, and hunted + bisons and beetles and butterflies, and found everything we wanted. And I + gave her pink shells and tortoises and great milky pearls and little green + lizards; and she gave me guineapigs, and coral to make into, + waistcoat-buttons; and tame sea-otters, and a real pirate's powder-horn. + It was a prolific day and a long-lasting one, and weary were we with all + our hunting and our getting and our gathering, when at last we clambered + into the captain's gig and rowed back to a late tea. + </p> + <p> + The following day my conscience rose up and accused me. This was not what + I had come out to do. These triflings with pearls and parrakeets, these al + fresco luncheons off yams and bananas—there was no “making of + history” about them. I resolved that without further dallying I would turn + to and capture the French frigate, according to the original programme. So + we upped anchor with the morning tide, and set all sail for San Salvador. + </p> + <p> + Of course I had no idea where San Salvador really was. I haven't now, for + that matter. But it seemed a right-sounding sort of name for a place that + was to have a bay that was to hold a French frigate that was to be cut + out; so, as I said, we sailed for San Salvador, and made the bay about + eight bells that evening, and saw the top-masts of the frigate over the + headland that sheltered her. And forthwith there was summoned a Council of + War. + </p> + <p> + It is a very serious matter, a Council of War. We had not held one + hitherto, pirates and truck of that sort not calling for such solemn + treatment. But in an affair that might almost be called international, it + seemed well to proceed gravely and by regular steps. So we met in my cabin—the + Princess, and the bo'sun, and a boy from the real-life lot, and a man from + among the book-men, and a fellow from No-man's-land, and myself in the + chair. The bo'sun had taken part in so many cuttings-out during his past + career that practically he did all the talking, and was the Council of War + himself. It was to be an affair of boats, he explained. A boat's-crew + would be told off to cut the cables, and two boats'-crews to climb + stealthily on board and overpower the sleeping Frenchmen, and two more + boats'-crews to haul the doomed vessel out of the bay. This made rather a + demand on my limited resources as to crews; but I was prepared to stretch + a point in a case like this, and I speedily brought my numbers up to the + requisite efficiency. + </p> + <p> + The night was both moonless and starless—I had arranged all that—when + the boats pushed off from the side of our vessel, and made their way + toward the ship that, unfortunately for itself, had been singled out by + Fate to carry me home in triumph. I was in excellent spirits, and, indeed, + as I stepped over the side, a lawless idea crossed my mind, of discovering + another Princess on board the frigate—a French one this time; I had + heard that that sort was rather nice. But I abandoned the notion at once, + recollecting that the heroes of all history had always been noted for + their unswerving constancy. The French captain was snug in bed when I + clambered in through his cabin window and held a naked cutlass to his + throat. Naturally he was surprised and considerably alarmed, till I + discharged one of my set speeches at him, pointing out that my men already + had his crew under hatchways, that his vessel was even then being towed + out of harbour, and that, on his accepting the situation with a good + grace, his person and private property would be treated with all the + respect due to the representative of a great nation for which I + entertained feelings of the profoundest admiration and regard and all that + sort of thing. It was a beautiful speech. The Frenchman at once presented + me with his parole, in the usual way, and, in a reply of some power and + pathos, only begged that I would retire a moment while he put on his + trousers. This I gracefully consented to do, and the incident ended. + </p> + <p> + Two of my boats were sunk by the fire from the forts on the shore, and + several brave fellows were severely wounded in the hand-to-hand struggle + with the French crew for the possession of the frigate. But the bo'sun's + admirable strategy, and my own reckless gallantry in securing the French + captain at the outset, had the fortunate result of keeping down the + death-rate. It was all for the sake of the Princess that I had arranged so + comparatively tame a victory. For myself, I rather liked a fair amount of + blood-letting, red-hot shot, and flying splinters. But when you have girls + about the place, they have got to be considered to a certain extent. + </p> + <p> + There was another supper-party that night, in my cabin, as soon as we had + got well out to sea; and the French captain, who was the guest of the + evening, was in the greatest possible form. We became sworn friends, and + exchanged invitations to come and stay at each other's homes, and really + it was quite difficult to induce him to take his leave. But at last he and + his crew were bundled into their boats; and after I had pressed some + pirate bullion upon them—delicately, of course, but in a pleasant + manner that admitted of no denial—the gallant fellows quite broke + down, and we parted, our bosoms heaving with a full sense of each other's + magnanimity and good fellowship. + </p> + <p> + The next day, which was nearly all taken up with shifting our quarters + into the new frigate, so honourably and easily acquired, was a very + pleasant one, as everyone who has gone up in the world and moved into a + larger house will readily understand. At last I had grim, black guns all + along each side, instead of a rotten brass carronade: at last I had a + square-rigged ship, with real yards, and a proper quarter-deck. In fact, + now that I had soared as high as could be hoped in a single voyage, it + seemed about time to go home and cut a dash and show off a bit. The worst + of this ocean-theatre was, it held no proper audience. It was hard, of + course, to relinquish all the adventures that still lay untouched in these + Southern seas. Whaling, for instance, had not yet been entered upon; the + joys of exploration, and strange inland cities innocent of the white man, + still awaited me; and the book of wrecks and rescues was not yet even + opened. But I had achieved a frigate and a Princess, and that was not so + bad for a beginning, and more than enough to show off with before those + dull unadventurous folk who continued on their mill-horse round at home. + </p> + <p> + The voyage home was a record one, so far as mere speed was concerned, and + all adventures were scornfully left behind, as we rattled along, for other + adventurers who had still their laurels to win. Hardly later than the noon + of next day we dropped anchor in Plymouth Sound, and heard the + intoxicating clamour of bells, the roar of artillery, and the hoarse + cheers of an excited populace surging down to the quays, that told us we + were being appreciated at something like our true merits. The Lord Mayor + was waiting there to receive us, and with him several Admirals of the + Fleet, as we walked down the lane of pushing, enthusiastic Devonians, the + Princess and I, and our war-worn, weather-beaten, spoil-laden crew. + Everybody was very nice about the French frigate, and the pirate booty, + and the scars still fresh on our young limbs; yet I think what I liked + best of all was, that they all pronounced the Princess to be a duck, and a + peerless, brown-haired darling, and a true mate for a hero, and of the + right Princess-breed. + </p> + <p> + The air was thick with invitations and with the smell of civic banquets in + a forward stage; but I sternly waved all festivities aside. The + coaches-and-four I had ordered immediately on arriving were blocking the + whole of the High Street; the champing of bits and the pawing of gravel + summoned us to take our seats and be off, to where the real performance + awaited us, compared with which all this was but an interlude. I placed + the Princess in the most highly gilded coach of the lot, and mounted to my + place at her side; and the rest of the crew scrambled on board of the + others as best they might. The whips cracked and the crowd scattered and + cheered as we broke into a gallop for home. The noisy bells burst into a + farewell peal— + </p> + <p> + Yes, that was undoubtedly the usual bell for school-room tea. And high + time too, I thought, as I tumbled out of the bath, which was beginning to + feel very hard to the projecting portions of my frame-work. As I trotted + downstairs, hungrier even than usual, farewells floated up from the front + door, and I heard the departing voices of our angular elderly visitors as + they made their way down the walk. Man was still catching it, apparently—Man + was getting it hot. And much Man cared! The seas were his, and their + islands; he had his frigates for the taking, his pirates and their hoards + for an unregarded cutlass-stroke or two; and there were Princesses in + plenty waiting for him somewhere—Princesses of the right sort. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE RELUCTANT DRAGON + </h2> + <p> + Footprints in the snow have been unfailing provokers of sentiment ever + since snow was first a white wonder in this drab-coloured world of ours. + In a poetry-book presented to one of us by an aunt, there was a poem by + one Wordsworth in which they stood out strongly with a picture all to + themselves, too—but we didn't think very highly either of the poem + or the sentiment. Footprints in the sand, now, were quite another matter, + and we grasped Crusoe's attitude of mind much more easily than + Wordsworth's. Excitement and mystery, curiosity and suspense—these + were the only sentiments that tracks, whether in sand or in snow, were + able to arouse in us. + </p> + <p> + We had awakened early that winter morning, puzzled at first by the added + light that filled the room. Then, when the truth at last fully dawned on + us and we knew that snow-balling was no longer a wistful dream, but a + solid certainty waiting for us outside, it was a mere brute fight for the + necessary clothes, and the lacing of boots seemed a clumsy invention, and + the buttoning of coats an unduly tedious form of fastening, with all that + snow going to waste at our very door. + </p> + <p> + When dinner-time came we had to be dragged in by the scruff of our necks. + The short armistice over, the combat was resumed; but presently Charlotte + and I, a little weary of contests and of missiles that ran shudderingly + down inside one's clothes, forsook the trampled battle-field of the lawn + and went exploring the blank virgin spaces of the white world that lay + beyond. It stretched away unbroken on every side of us, this mysterious + soft garment under which our familiar world had so suddenly hidden itself. + Faint imprints showed where a casual bird had alighted, but of other + traffic there was next to no sign; which made these strange tracks all the + more puzzling. + </p> + <p> + We came across them first at the corner of the shrubbery, and pored over + them long, our hands on our knees. Experienced trappers that we knew + ourselves to be, it was annoying to be brought up suddenly by a beast we + could not at once identify. + </p> + <p> + “Don't you know?” said Charlotte, rather scornfully. “Thought you knew all + the beasts that ever was.” + </p> + <p> + This put me on my mettle, and I hastily rattled off a string of animal + names embracing both the arctic and the tropic zones, but without much + real confidence. + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Charlotte, on consideration; “they won't any of 'em quite do. + Seems like something lizardy. Did you say a iguanodon? Might be that, + p'raps. But that's not British, and we want a real British beast. I think + it's a dragon!” + </p> + <p> + “'T isn't half big enough,” I objected. + </p> + <p> + “Well, all dragons must be small to begin with,” said Charlotte: “like + everything else. P'raps this is a little dragon who's got lost. A little + dragon would be rather nice to have. He might scratch and spit, but he + couldn't do anything really. Let's track him down!” + </p> + <p> + So we set off into the wide snow-clad world, hand in hand, our hearts big + with expectation,—complacently confident that by a few smudgy traces + in the snow we were in a fair way to capture a half-grown specimen of a + fabulous beast. + </p> + <p> + We ran the monster across the paddock and along the hedge of the next + field, and then he took to the road like any tame civilized tax-payer. + Here his tracks became blended with and lost among more ordinary + footprints, but imagination and a fixed idea will do a great deal, and we + were sure we knew the direction a dragon would naturally take. The traces, + too, kept reappearing at intervals—at least Charlotte maintained + they did, and as it was her dragon I left the following of the slot to her + and trotted along peacefully, feeling that it was an expedition anyhow and + something was sure to come out of it. + </p> + <p> + Charlotte took me across another field or two, and through a copse, and + into a fresh road; and I began to feel sure it was only her confounded + pride that made her go on pretending to see dragon-tracks instead of + owning she was entirely at fault, like a reasonable person. At last she + dragged me excitedly through a gap in a hedge of an obviously private + character; the waste, open world of field and hedge row disappeared, and + we found ourselves in a garden, well-kept, secluded, most undragon-haunted + in appearance. Once inside, I knew where we were. This was the garden of + my friend the circus-man, though I had never approached it before by a + lawless gap, from this unfamiliar side. And here was the circus-man + himself, placidly smoking a pipe as he strolled up and down the walks. I + stepped up to him and asked him politely if he had lately seen a Beast. + </p> + <p> + “May I inquire,” he said, with all civility, “what particular sort of a + Beast you may happen to be looking for?” + </p> + <p> + “It's a lizardy sort of Beast,” I explained. “Charlotte says it 's a + dragon, but she doesn't really know much about beasts.” + </p> + <p> + The circus-man looked round about him slowly. “I don't think,” he said, + “that I've seen a dragon in these parts recently. But if I come across one + I'll know it belongs to you, and I'll have him taken round to you at + once.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you very much,” said Charlotte, “but don't trouble about it, + please, 'cos p'raps it isn't a dragon after all. Only I thought I saw his + little footprints in the snow, and we followed 'em up, and they seemed to + lead right in here, but maybe it's all a mistake, and thank you all the + same.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, no trouble at all,” said the circus-man, cheerfully. “I should be + only too pleased. But of course, as you say, it may be a mistake. And it's + getting dark, and he seems to have got away for the present, whatever he + is. You'd better come in and have some tea. I'm quite alone, and we'll + make a roaring fire, and I've got the biggest Book of Beasts you ever saw. + It's got every beast in the world, and all of 'em coloured; and we'll try + and find your beast in it!” + </p> + <p> + We were always ready for tea at any time, and especially when combined + with beasts. There was marmalade, too, and apricot-jam, brought in + expressly for us; and afterwards the beast-book was spread out, and, as + the man had truly said, it contained every sort of beast that had ever + been in the world. + </p> + <p> + The striking of six o'clock set the more prudent Charlotte nudging me, and + we recalled ourselves with an effort from Beastland, and reluctantly stood + up to go. + </p> + <p> + “Here, I 'm coming along with you,” said the circus-man. “I want another + pipe, and a walk'll do me good. You needn't talk to me unless you like.” + </p> + <p> + Our spirits rose to their wonted level again. The way had seemed so long, + the outside world so dark and eerie, after the bright warm room and the + highly-coloured beast-book. But a walk with a real Man—why, that was + a treat in itself! We set off briskly, the Man in the middle. I looked up + at him and wondered whether I should ever live to smoke a big pipe with + that careless sort of majesty! But Charlotte, whose young mind was not set + on tobacco as a possible goal, made herself heard from the other side. + </p> + <p> + “Now, then,” she said, “tell us a story, please, won't you?” + </p> + <p> + The Man sighed heavily and looked about him. “I knew it,” he groaned. “I + knew I should have to tell a story. Oh, why did I leave my pleasant + fireside? Well, I will tell you a story. Only let me think a minute.” + </p> + <p> + So he thought a minute, and then he told us this story. + </p> + <p> + Long ago—might have been hundreds of years ago—in a cottage + half-way between this village and yonder shoulder with his wife and their + little son. Now the shepherd spent his days—and at certain times of + the year his nights too—up on the wide ocean-bosom of the Downs, + with only the sun and the stars and the sheep for company, and the + friendly chattering world of men and women far out of sight and hearing. + But his little son, when he wasn't helping his father, and often when he + was as well, spent much of his time buried in big volumes that he borrowed + from the affable gentry and interested parsons of the country round about. + And his parents were very fond of him, and rather proud of him too, though + they didn't let on in his hearing, so he was left to go his own way and + read as much as he liked; and instead of frequently getting a cuff on the + side of the head, as might very well have happened to him, he was treated + more or less as an equal by his parents, who sensibly thought it a very + fair division of labour that they should supply the practical knowledge, + and he the book-learning. They knew that book-learning often came in + useful at a pinch, in spite of what their neighbours said. What the Boy + chiefly dabbled in was natural history and fairy-tales, and he just took + them as they came, in a sandwichy sort of way, without making any + distinctions; and really his course of reading strikes one as rather + sensible. + </p> + <p> + One evening the shepherd, who for some nights past had been disturbed and + preoccupied, and off his usual mental balance, came home all of a tremble, + and, sitting down at the table where his wife and son were peacefully + employed, she with her seam, he in following out the adventures of the + Giant with no Heart in his Body, exclaimed with much agitation: + </p> + <p> + “It's all up with me, Maria! Never no more can I go up on them there + Downs, was it ever so!” + </p> + <p> + “Now don't you take on like that,” said his wife, who was a very sensible + woman: “but tell us all about it first, whatever it is as has given you + this shake-up, and then me and you and the son here, between us, we ought + to be able to get to the bottom of it!” + </p> + <p> + “It began some nights ago,” said the shepherd. “You know that cave up + there—I never liked it, somehow, and the sheep never liked it + neither, and when sheep don't like a thing there's generally some reason + for it. Well, for some time past there's been faint noises coming from + that cave—noises like heavy sighings, with grunts mixed up in them; + and sometimes a snoring, far away down—real snoring, yet somehow not + honest snoring, like you and me o'nights, you know!” + </p> + <p> + “I know,” remarked the Boy, quietly. + </p> + <p> + “Of course I was terrible frightened,” the shepherd went on; “yet somehow + I couldn't keep away. So this very evening, before I come down, I took a + cast round by the cave, quietly. And there—O Lord! there I saw him + at last, as plain as I see you!” + </p> + <p> + “Saw who?” said his wife, beginning to share in her husband's nervous + terror. + </p> + <p> + “Why him, I 'm a telling you!” said the shepherd. “He was sticking + half-way out of the cave, and seemed to be enjoying of the cool of the + evening in a poetical sort of way. He was as big as four cart-horses, and + all covered with shiny scales—deep-blue scales at the top of him, + shading off to a tender sort o' green below. As he breathed, there was + that sort of flicker over his nostrils that you see over our chalk roads + on a baking windless day in summer. He had his chin on his paws, and I + should say he was meditating about things. Oh, yes, a peaceable sort o + beast enough, and not ramping or carrying on or doing anything but what + was quite right and proper. I admit all that. And yet, what am I to do? + Scales, you know, and claws, and a tail for certain, though I didn't see + that end of him—I ain't used to 'em, and I don't hold with 'em, and + that 's a fact!” + </p> + <p> + The Boy, who had apparently been absorbed in his book during his father s + recital, now closed the volume, yawned, clasped his hands behind his head, + and said sleepily: + </p> + <p> + “It's all right, father. Don't you worry. It's only a dragon.” + </p> + <p> + “Only a dragon?” cried his father. “What do you mean, sitting there, you + and your dragons? Only a dragon indeed! And what do you know about it?” + </p> + <p> + “'Cos it is, and 'cos I do know,” replied the Boy, quietly. “Look here, + father, you know we've each of us got our line. You know about sheep, and + weather, and things; I know about dragons. I always said, you know, that + that cave up there was a dragon-cave. I always said it must have belonged + to a dragon some time, and ought to belong to a dragon now, if rules count + for anything. Well, now you tell me it has got a dragon, and so that's all + right. I'm not half as much surprised as when you told me it hadn't got a + dragon. Rules always come right if you wait quietly. Now, please, just + leave this all to me. And I'll stroll up to-morrow morning—no, in + the morning I can't, I've got a whole heap of things to do—well, + perhaps in the evening, if I'm quite free, I'll go up and have a talk to + him, and you'll find it'll be all right. Only, please, don't you go + worrying round there without me. You don't understand 'em a bit, and + they're very sensitive, you know!” + </p> + <p> + “He's quite right, father,” said the sensible mother. “As he says, dragons + is his line and not ours. He's wonderful knowing about book-beasts, as + every one allows. And to tell the truth, I'm not half happy in my own + mind, thinking of that poor animal lying alone up there, without a bit o' + hot supper or anyone to change the news with; and maybe we'll be able to + do something for him; and if he ain't quite respectable our Boy'll find it + out quick enough. He's got a pleasant sort o' way with him that makes + everybody tell him everything.” + </p> + <p> + Next day, after he'd had his tea, the Boy strolled up the chalky track + that led to the summit of the Downs; and there, sure enough, he found the + dragon, stretched lazily on the sward in front of his cave. The view from + that point was a magnificent one. To the right and left, the bare and + billowy leagues of Downs; in front, the vale, with its clustered + homesteads, its threads of white roads running through orchards and + well-tilled acreage, and, far away, a hint of grey old cities on the + horizon. A cool breeze played over the surface of the grass and the silver + shoulder of a large moon was showing above distant junipers. No wonder the + dragon seemed in a peaceful and contented mood; indeed, as the Boy + approached he could hear the beast purring with a happy regularity. “Well, + we live and learn!” he said to himself. “None of my books ever told me + that dragons purred! + </p> + <p> + “Hullo, dragon!” said the Boy, quietly, when he had got up to him. + </p> + <p> + The dragon, on hearing the approaching footsteps, made the beginning of a + courteous effort to rise. But when he saw it was a Boy, he set his + eyebrows severely. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't you hit me,” he said; “or bung stones, or squirt water, or + anything. I won't have it, I tell you!” + </p> + <p> + “Not goin' to hit you,” said the Boy wearily, dropping on the grass beside + the beast: “and don't, for goodness' sake, keep on saying 'Don't;' I hear + so much of it, and it's monotonous, and makes me tired. I've simply looked + in to ask you how you were and all that sort of thing; but if I'm in the + way I can easily clear out. I've lots of friends, and no one can say I'm + in the habit of shoving myself in where I'm not wanted!” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, don't go off in a huff,” said the dragon, hastily; “fact is,—I + 'm as happy up here as the day's long; never without an occupation, dear + fellow, never without an occupation! And yet, between ourselves, it is a + trifle dull at times.” + </p> + <p> + The Boy bit off a stalk of grass and chewed it. “Going to make a long stay + here?” he asked, politely. + </p> + <p> + “Can't hardly say at present,” replied the dragon. “It seems a nice place + enough—but I've only been here a short time, and one must look about + and reflect and consider before settling down. It's rather a serious + thing, settling down. Besides—now I 'm going to tell you something! + You'd never guess it if you tried ever so!—fact is, I'm such a + confoundedly lazy beggar!” + </p> + <p> + “You surprise me,” said the Boy, civilly. + </p> + <p> + “It's the sad truth,” the dragon went on, settling down between his paws + and evidently delighted to have found a listener at last: “and I fancy + that's really how I came to be here. You see all the other fellows were so + active and earnest and all that sort of thing—always rampaging, and + skirmishing, and scouring the desert sands, and pacing the margin of the + sea, and chasing knights all over the place, and devouring damsels, and + going on generally—whereas I liked to get my meals regular and then + to prop my back against a bit of rock and snooze a bit, and wake up and + think of things going on and how they kept going on just the same, you + know! So when it happened I got fairly caught.” + </p> + <p> + “When what happened, please?” asked the Boy. + </p> + <p> + “That's just what I don't precisely know,” said the dragon. “I suppose the + earth sneezed, or shook itself, or the bottom dropped out of something. + Anyhow there was a shake and a roar and a general stramash, and I found + myself miles away underground and wedged in as tight as tight. Well, thank + goodness, my wants are few, and at any rate I had peace and quietness and + wasn't always being asked to come along and do something. And I've got + such an active mind—always occupied, I assure you! But time went on, + and there was a certain sameness about the life, and at last I began to + think it would be fun to work my way upstairs and see what you other + fellows were doing. So I scratched and burrowed, and worked this way and + that way and at last I came out through this cave here. And I like the + country, and the view, and the people—what I've seen of 'em—and + on the whole I feel inclined to settle down here.” + </p> + <p> + “What's your mind always occupied about?” asked the Boy. “That's what I + want to know.” + </p> + <p> + The dragon coloured slightly and looked away. Presently he said bashfully: + </p> + <p> + “Did you ever—just for fun—try to make up poetry—verses, + you know?” + </p> + <p> + “'Course I have,” said the Boy. “Heaps of it. And some of it's quite good, + I feel sure, only there's no one here cares about it. Mother's very kind + and all that, when I read it to her, and so's father for that matter. But + somehow they don't seem to—” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly,” cried the dragon; “my own case exactly. They don't seem to, and + you can't argue with 'em about it. Now you've got culture, you have, I + could tell it on you at once, and I should just like your candid opinion + about some little things I threw off lightly, when I was down there. I'm + awfully pleased to have met you, and I'm hoping the other neighbours will + be equally agreeable. There was a very nice old gentleman up here only + last night, but he didn't seem to want to intrude.” + </p> + <p> + “That was my father,” said the boy, “and he is a nice old gentleman, and + I'll introduce you some day if you like.” + </p> + <p> + “Can't you two come up here and dine or something to-morrow?” asked the + dragon eagerly. “Only, of course, if you 'ye got nothing better to do,” he + added politely. + </p> + <p> + “Thanks awfully,” said the Boy, “but we don't go out anywhere without my + mother, and, to tell you the truth, I 'm afraid she mightn't quite approve + of you. You see there's no getting over the hard fact that you're a + dragon, is there? And when you talk of settling down, and the neighbours, + and so on, I can't help feeling that you don't quite realize your + position. You 're an enemy of the human race, you see! + </p> + <p> + “Haven't got an enemy in the world,” said the dragon, cheerfully. “Too + lazy to make 'em, to begin with. And if I do read other fellows my poetry, + I'm always ready to listen to theirs!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, dear!” cried the boy, “I wish you'd try and grasp the situation + properly. When the other people find you out, they'll come after you with + spears and swords and all sorts of things. You'll have to be exterminated, + according to their way of looking at it! You 're a scourge, and a pest, + and a baneful monster!” + </p> + <p> + “Not a word of truth in it,” said the dragon, wagging his head solemnly. + “Character'll bear the strictest investigation. And now, there's a little + sonnet-thing I was working on when you appeared on the scene—” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, if you won't be sensible,” cried the Boy, getting up, “I'm going off + home. No, I can't stop for sonnets; my mother's sitting up. I'II look you + up to-morrow, sometime or other, and do for goodness' sake try and realize + that you're a pestilential scourge, or you'll find yourself in a most + awful fix. Good-night!” + </p> + <p> + The Boy found it an easy matter to set the mind of his parents' at ease + about his new friend. They had always left that branch to him, and they + took his word without a murmur. The shepherd was formally introduced and + many compliments and kind inquiries were exchanged. His wife, however, + though expressing her willingness to do anything she could—to mend + things, or set the cave to rights, or cook a little something when the + dragon had been poring over sonnets and forgotten his meals, as male + things will do, could not be brought to recognize him formally. The fact + that he was a dragon and “they didn't know who he was” seemed to count for + everything with her. She made no objection, however, to her little son + spending his evenings with the dragon quietly, so long as he was home by + nine o'clock: and many a pleasant night they had, sitting on the swan, + while the dragon told stories of old, old times, when dragons were quite + plentiful and the world was a livelier place than it is now, and life was + full of thrills and jumps and surprises. + </p> + <p> + What the Boy had feared, however, soon came to pass. The most modest and + retiring dragon in the world, if he's as big as four cart-horses and + covered with blue scales, cannot keep altogether out of the public view. + And so in the village tavern of nights the fact that a real live dragon + sat brooding in the cave on the Downs was naturally a subject for talk. + Though the villagers were extremely frightened, they were rather proud as + well. It was a distinction to have a dragon of your own, and it was felt + to be a feather in the cap of the village. Still, all were agreed that + this sort of thing couldn't be allowed to go on. The dreadful beast must + be exterminated, the country-side must be freed from this pest, this + terror, this destroying scourge. The fact that not even a hen-roost was + the worse for the dragon's arrival wasn't allowed to have anything to do + with it. He was a dragon, and he couldn't deny it, and if he didn't choose + to behave as such that was his own lookout. But in spite of much valiant + talk no hero was found willing to take sword and spear and free the + suffering village and win deathless fame; and each night's heated + discussion always ended in nothing. Meanwhile the dragon, a happy + Bohemian, lolled on the turf, enjoyed the sunsets, told antediluvian + anecdotes to the Boy, and polished his old verses while meditating on + fresh ones. + </p> + <p> + One day the Boy, on walking in to the village, found everything wearing a + festal appearance which was not to be accounted for in the calendar. + Carpets and gay-coloured stuffs were hung out of the windows, the + church-bells clamoured noisily, the little street was flower-strewn, and + the whole population jostled each other along either side of it, + chattering, shoving, and ordering each other to stand back. The Boy saw a + friend of his own age in the crowd and hailed. + </p> + <p> + “What's up?” he cried. “Is it the players, or bears, or a circus, or + what?” “It's all right,” his friend hailed back. “He's a-coming.” + </p> + <p> + “Who's a-coming?” demanded the Boy, thrusting into the throng. + </p> + <p> + “Why, St. George, of course,” replied his friend. “He's heard tell of our + dragon, and he's comm' on purpose to slay the deadly beast, and free us + from his horrid yoke. O my! won't there be a jolly fight!” + </p> + <p> + Here was news indeed! The Boy felt that he ought to make quite sure for + himself, and he wriggled himself in between the legs of his good-natured + elders, abusing them all the time for their unmannerly habit of shoving. + Once in the front rank, he breathlessly awaited the arrival. + </p> + <p> + Presently from the far-away end of the line came the sound of cheering. + Next, the measured tramp of a great war-horse made his heart beat quicker, + and then he found himself cheering with the rest, as, amidst welcoming + shouts, shrill cries of women, uplifting of babies and waving of + handkerchiefs, St. George paced slowly up the street. The Boy's heart + stood still and he breathed with sobs, the beauty and the grace of the + hero were so far beyond anything he had yet seen. His fluted armour was + inlaid with gold, his plumed helmet hung at his saddle-bow, and his thick + fair hair framed a face gracious and gentle beyond expression till you + caught the sternness in his eyes. He drew rein in front of the little inn, + and the villagers crowded round with greetings and thanks and voluble + statements of their wrongs and grievances and oppressions. The Boy, heard + the grave gentle voice of the Saint, assuring them that all would be well + now, and that he would stand by them and see them righted and free them + from their foe; then he dismounted and passed through the doorway and the + crowd poured in after him. But the Boy made off up the hill as fast as he + could lay his legs to the ground. + </p> + <p> + “It's all up, dragon!” he shouted as soon as he was within sight of the + beast. “He's coming! He's here now! You'll have to pull yourself together + and do something at last!” + </p> + <p> + The dragon was licking his scales and rubbing them with a bit of + house-flannel the Boy's mother had lent him, till he shone like a great + turquoise. + </p> + <p> + “Don't be violent, Boy,” he said without looking round. “Sit down and get + your breath, and try and remember that the noun governs the verb, and then + perhaps you'll be good enough to tell me who's coming?” + </p> + <p> + “That's right, take it coolly,” said the Boy. “Hope you'll be half as cool + when I've got through with my news. It's only St. George who's coming, + that's all; he rode into the village half-an-hour ago. Of course you can + lick him—a great big fellow like you! But I thought I'd warn you, + 'cos he's sure to be round early, and he's got the longest, + wickedest-looking spear you ever did see!” And the Boy got up and began to + jump round in sheer delight at the prospect of the battle. + </p> + <p> + “O deary, deary me,” moaned the dragon; “this is too awful. I won't see + him, and that's flat. I don't want to know the fellow at all. I'm sure + he's not nice. You must tell him to go away at once, please. Say he can + write if he likes, but I can't give him an interview. I'm not seeing + anybody at present.” + </p> + <p> + “Now dragon, dragon,” said the Boy imploringly, “don't be perverse and + wrongheaded. You've got to fight him some time or other, you know, 'cos + he's St. George and you're the dragon. Better get it over, and then we can + go on with the sonnets. And you ought to consider other people a little, + too. If it's been dull up here for you, think how dull it's been for me!” + </p> + <p> + “My dear little man,” said the dragon solemnly, “just understand, once for + all, that I can't fight and I won't fight. I've never fought in my life, + and I'm not going to begin now, just to give you a Roman holiday. In old + days I always let the other fellows—the earnest fellows—do all + the fighting, and no doubt that's why I have the pleasure of being here + now.” + </p> + <p> + “But if you don't fight he'll cut your head off!” gasped the Boy, + miserable at the prospect of losing both his fight and his friend. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I think not,” said the dragon in his lazy way. “You'll be able to + arrange something. I've every confidence in you, you're such a manager. + Just run down, there's a dear chap, and make it all right. I leave it + entirely to you.” + </p> + <p> + The Boy made his way back to the village in a state of great despondency. + First of all, there wasn't going to be any fight; next, his dear and + honoured friend the dragon hadn't shown up in quite such a heroic light as + he would have liked; and lastly, whether the dragon was a hero at heart or + not, it made no difference, for St. George would most undoubtedly cut his + head off. “Arrange things indeed!” he said bitterly to himself. “The + dragon treats the whole affair as if it was an invitation to tea and + croquet.” + </p> + <p> + The villagers were straggling homewards as he passed up the street, all of + them in the highest spirits, and gleefully discussing the splendid fight + that was in store. The Boy pursued his way to the inn, and passed into the + principal chamber, where St. George now sat alone, musing over the chances + of the fight, and the sad stories of rapine and of wrong that had so + lately been poured into his sympathetic ear. + </p> + <p> + “May I come in, St. George?” said the Boy politely, as he paused at the + door. “I want to talk to you about this little matter of the dragon, if + you're not tired of it by this time.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, come in, Boy,” said the Saint kindly. “Another tale of misery and + wrong, I fear me. Is it a kind parent, then, of whom the tyrant has bereft + you? Or some tender sister or brother? Well, it shall soon be avenged.” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing of the sort,” said the Boy. “There's a misunderstanding + somewhere, and I want to put it right. The fact is, this is a good + dragon.” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly,” said St. George, smiling pleasantly, “I quite understand. A + good dragon. Believe me, I do not in the least regret that he is an + adversary worthy of my steel, and no feeble specimen of his noxious + tribe.” + </p> + <p> + “But he's not a noxious tribe,” cried the Boy distressedly. “Oh dear, oh + dear, how stupid men are when they get an idea into their heads! I tell + you he's a good dragon, and a friend of mine, and tells me the most + beautiful stories you ever heard, all about old times and when he was + little. And he's been so kind to mother, and mother'd do anything for him. + And father likes him too, though father doesn't hold with art and poetry + much, and always falls asleep when the dragon starts talking about style. + But the fact is, nobody can help liking him when once they know him. He's + so engaging and so trustful, and as simple as a child!” + </p> + <p> + “Sit down, and draw your chair up,” said St. George. “I like a fellow who + sticks up for his friends, and I'm sure the dragon has his good points, if + he's got a friend like you. But that's not the question. All this evening + I've been listening, with grief and anguish unspeakable, to tales of + murder, theft, and wrong; rather too highly coloured, perhaps, not always + quite convincing, but forming in the main a most serious roll of crime. + History teaches us that the greatest rascals often possess all the + domestic virtues; and I fear that your cultivated friend, in spite of the + qualities which have won (and rightly) your regard, has got to be speedily + exterminated.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, you've been taking in all the yarns those fellows have been telling + you,” said the Boy impatiently. “Why, our villagers are the biggest + story-tellers in all the country round. It's a known fact. You're a + stranger in these parts, or else you'd have heard it already. All they + want is a fight. They're the most awful beggars for getting up fights—it + 's meat and drink to them. Dogs, bulls, dragons—anything so long as + it's a fight. Why, they've got a poor innocent badger in the stable behind + here, at this moment. They were going to have some fun with him to-day, + but they're saving him up now till your little affair's over. And I've no + doubt they've been telling you what a hero you were, and how you were + bound to win, in the cause of right and justice, and so on; but let me + tell you, I came down the street just now, and they were betting six to + four on the dragon freely!” + </p> + <p> + “Six to four on the dragon!” murmured St. George sadly, resting his cheek + on his hand. “This is an evil world, and sometimes I begin to think that + all the wickedness in it is not entirely bottled up inside the dragons. + And yet—may not this wily beast have misled you as to his real + character, in order that your good report of him may serve as a cloak for + his evil deeds? Nay, may there not be, at this very moment, some hapless + Princess immured within yonder gloomy cavern?” + </p> + <p> + The moment he had spoken, St. George was sorry for what he had said, the + Boy looked so genuinely distressed. + </p> + <p> + “I assure you, St. George,” he said earnestly, “there's nothing of the + sort in the cave at all. The dragon's a real gentleman, every inch of him, + and I may say that no one would be more shocked and grieved than he would, + at hearing you talk in that—that loose way about matters on which he + has very strong views!” + </p> + <p> + “Well, perhaps I've been over-credulous,” said St. George. “Perhaps I've + misjudged the animal. But what are we to do? Here are the dragon and I, + almost face to face, each supposed to be thirsting for each other's blood. + I don't see any way out of it, exactly. What do you suggest? Can't you + arrange things, somehow?” + </p> + <p> + “That's just what the dragon said,” replied the Boy, rather nettled. + “Really, the way you two seem to leave everything to me—I suppose + you couldn't be persuaded to go away quietly, could you?” + </p> + <p> + “Impossible, I fear,” said the Saint. “Quite against the rules. You know + that as well as I do.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, look here,” said the Boy, “it's early yet—would you + mind strolling up with me and seeing the dragon and talking it over? It's + not far, and any friend of mine will be most welcome.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, it's irregular,” said St. George, rising, “but really it seems + about the most sensible thing to do. You're taking a lot of trouble on + your friend's account,” he added, good-naturedly, as they passed out + through the door together. “But cheer up! Perhaps there won't have to be + any fight after all.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, but I hope there will, though!” replied the little fellow, wistfully. + </p> + <p> + “I've brought a friend to see you, dragon,” said the Boy, rather loud. + </p> + <p> + The dragon woke up with a start. “I was just—er—thinking about + things,” he said in his simple way. “Very pleased to make your + acquaintance, sir. Charming weather we're having!” + </p> + <p> + “This is St. George,” said the Boy, shortly. “St. George, let me introduce + you to the dragon. We've come up to talk things over quietly, dragon, and + now for goodness' sake do let us have a little straight common-sense, and + come to some practical business-like arrangement, for I'm sick of views + and theories of life and personal tendencies, and all that sort of thing. + I may perhaps add that my mother's sitting up.” + </p> + <p> + “So glad to meet you, St. George,” began the dragon rather nervously, + “because you've been a great traveller, I hear, and I've always been + rather a stay-at-home. But I can show you many antiquities, many + interesting features of our country-side, if you're stopping here any time—” + </p> + <p> + “I think,” said St. George, in his frank, pleasant way, “that we'd really + better take the advice of our young friend here, and try to come to some + understanding, on a business footing, about this little affair of ours. + Now don't you think that after all the simplest plan would be just to + fight it out, according to the rules, and let the best man win? They're + betting on you, I may tell you, down in the village, but I don't mind + that!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, do, dragon,” said the Boy, delightedly; “it'll save such a lot + of bother! + </p> + <p> + “My young friend, you shut up,” said the dragon severely. “Believe me, St. + George,” he went on, “there's nobody in the world I'd sooner oblige than + you and this young gentleman here. But the whole thing's nonsense, and + conventionality, and popular thick-headedness. There's absolutely nothing + to fight about, from beginning to end. And anyhow I'm not going to, so + that settles it!” + </p> + <p> + “But supposing I make you?” said St. George, rather nettled. + </p> + <p> + “You can't,” said the dragon, triumphantly. “I should only go into my cave + and retire for a time down the hole I came up. You'd soon get heartily + sick of sitting outside and waiting for me to come out and fight you. And + as soon as you'd really gone away, why, I'd come up again gaily, for I + tell you frankly, I like this place, and I'm going to stay here!” + </p> + <p> + St. George gazed for a while on the fair landscape around them. “But this + would be a beautiful place for a fight,” he began again persuasively. + “These great bare rolling Downs for the arena,—and me in my golden + armour showing up against your big blue scaly coils! Think what a picture + it would make!” + </p> + <p> + “Now you're trying to get at me through my artistic sensibilities,” said + the dragon. “But it won't work. Not but what it would make a very pretty + picture, as you say,” he added, wavering a little. + </p> + <p> + “We seem to be getting rather nearer to business,” put in the Boy. “You + must see, dragon, that there 's got to be a fight of some sort, 'cos you + can't want to have to go down that dirty old hole again and stop there + till goodness knows when.” + </p> + <p> + “It might be arranged,” said St. George, thoughtfully. “I must spear you + somewhere, of course, but I'm not bound to hurt you very much. There's + such a lot of you that there must be a few spare places somewhere. Here, + for instance, just behind your foreleg. It couldn't hurt you much, just + here!” + </p> + <p> + “Now you 're tickling, George,” said the dragon, coyly. “No, that place + won't do at all. Even if it didn't hurt,—and I'm sure it would, + awfully,—it would make me laugh, and that would spoil everything.” + </p> + <p> + “Let's try somewhere else, then,” said St. George, patiently. “Under your + neck, for instance,—all these folds of thick skin,—if I + speared you here you 'd never even know I 'd done it!” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, but are you sure you can hit off the right place?” asked the dragon, + anxiously. + </p> + <p> + “Of course I am,” said St. George, with confidence. “You leave that to + me!” + </p> + <p> + “It's just because I've got to leave it to you that I'm asking,” replied + the dragon, rather testily. “No doubt you would deeply regret any error + you might make in the hurry of the moment; but you wouldn't regret it half + as much as I should! However, I suppose we've got to trust somebody, as we + go through life, and your plan seems, on the whole, as good a one as any.” + </p> + <p> + “Look here, dragon,” interrupted the Boy, a little jealous on behalf of + his friend, who seemed to be getting all the worst of the bargain: “I + don't quite see where you come in! There's to be a fight, apparently, and + you're to be licked; and what I want to know is, what are you going to get + out of it?” + </p> + <p> + “St. George,” said the dragon, “Just tell him, please,—what will + happen after I'm vanquished in the deadly combat?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, according to the rules I suppose I shall lead you in triumph down + to the market-place or whatever answers to it,” said St. George. + </p> + <p> + “Precisely,” said the dragon. “And then—” + </p> + <p> + “And then there'll be shoutings and speeches and things,” continued St. + George. “And I shall explain that you're converted, and see the error of + your ways, and so on.” + </p> + <p> + “Quite so,” said the dragon. “And then—?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, and then—” said St. George, “why, and then there will be the + usual banquet, I suppose.” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly,” said the dragon; “and that's where I come in. Look here,” he + continued, addressing the Boy, “I'm bored to death up here, and no one + really appreciates me. I'm going into Society, I am, through the kindly + aid of our friend here, who's taking such a lot of trouble on my account; + and you'll find I've got all the qualities to endear me to people who + entertain! So now that's all settled, and if you don't mind—I 'm an + old-fashioned fellow—don't want to turn you out, but—” + </p> + <p> + “Remember, you'll have to do your proper share of the fighting, dragon!” + said St. George, as he took the hint and rose to go; “I mean ramping, and + breathing fire, and so on!” + </p> + <p> + “I can ramp all right,” replied the dragon, confidently; “as to breathing + fire, it's surprising how easily one gets out of practice, but I'll do the + best I can. Good-night!” + </p> + <p> + They had descended the hill and were almost back in the village again, + when St. George stopped short, “Knew I had forgotten something,” he said. + “There ought to be a Princess. Terror-stricken and chained to a rock, and + all that sort of thing. Boy, can't you arrange a Princess?” + </p> + <p> + The Boy was in the middle of a tremendous yawn. “I'm tired to death,” he + wailed, “and I can't arrange a Princess, or anything more, at this time of + night. And my mother's sitting up, and do stop asking me to arrange more + things till to-morrow!” + </p> + <p> + Next morning the people began streaming up to the Downs at quite an early + hour, in their Sunday clothes and carrying baskets with bottle-necks + sticking out of them, every one intent on securing good places for the + combat. This was not exactly a simple matter, for of course it was quite + possible that the dragon might win, and in that case even those who had + put their money on him felt they could hardly expect him to deal with his + backers on a different footing to the rest. Places were chosen, therefore, + with circumspection and with a view to a speedy retreat in case of + emergency; and the front rank was mostly composed of boys who had escaped + from parental control and now sprawled and rolled about on the grass, + regardless of the shrill threats and warnings discharged at them by their + anxious mothers behind. + </p> + <p> + The Boy had secured a good front place, well up towards the cave, and was + feeling as anxious as a stage-manager on a first night. Could the dragon + be depended upon? He might change his mind and vote the whole performance + rot; or else, seeing that the affair had been so hastily planned, without + even a rehearsal, he might be too nervous to show up. The Boy looked + narrowly at the cave, but it showed no sign of life or occupation. Could + the dragon have made a moon-light flitting? + </p> + <p> + The higher portions of the ground were now black with sightseers, and + presently a sound of cheering and a waving of handkerchiefs told that + something was visible to them which the Boy, far up towards the dragon-end + of the line as he was, could not yet see. A minute more and St. George's + red plumes topped the hill, as the Saint rode slowly forth on the great + level space which stretched up to the grim mouth of the cave. Very gallant + and beautiful he looked, on his tall war-horse, his golden armour glancing + in the sun, his great spear held erect, the little white pennon, + crimson-crossed, fluttering at its point. He drew rein and remained + motionless. The lines of spectators began to give back a little, + nervously; and even the boys in front stopped pulling hair and cuffing + each other, and leaned forward expectant. + </p> + <p> + “Now then, dragon!” muttered the Boy impatiently, fidgeting where he sat. + He need not have distressed himself, had he only known. The dramatic + possibilities of the thing had tickled the dragon immensely, and he had + been up from an early hour, preparing for his first public appearance with + as much heartiness as if the years had run backwards, and he had been + again a little dragonlet, playing with his sisters on the floor of their + mother's cave, at the game of saints-and-dragons, in which the dragon was + bound to win. + </p> + <p> + A low muttering, mingled with snorts, now made itself heard; rising to a + bellowing roar that seemed to fill the plain. Then a cloud of smoke + obscured the mouth of the cave, and out of the midst of it the dragon + himself, shining, sea-blue, magnificent, pranced splendidly forth; and + everybody said, “Oo-oo-oo!” as if he had been a mighty rocket! His scales + were glittering, his long spiky tail lashed his sides, his claws tore up + the turf and sent it flying high over his back, and smoke and fire + incessantly jetted from his angry nostrils. “Oh, well done, dragon!” cried + the Boy, excitedly. “Didn't think he had it in him!” he added to himself. + </p> + <p> + St. George lowered his spear, bent his head, dug his heels into his + horse's sides, and came thundering over the turf. The dragon charged with + a roar and a squeal,—a great blue whirling combination of coils and + snorts and clashing jaws and spikes and fire. + </p> + <p> + “Missed!” yelled the crowd. There was a moment's entanglement of golden + armour and blue-green coils, and spiky tail, and then the great horse, + tearing at his bit, carried the Saint, his spear swung high in the air, + almost up to the mouth of the cave. + </p> + <p> + The dragon sat down and barked viciously, while St. George with difficulty + pulled his horse round into position. + </p> + <p> + “End of Round One!” thought the Boy. “How well they managed it! But I hope + the Saint won't get excited. I can trust the dragon all right. What a + regular play-actor the fellow is!” + </p> + <p> + St. George had at last prevailed on his horse to stand steady, and was + looking round him as he wiped his brow. Catching sight of the Boy, he + smiled and nodded, and held up three fingers for an instant. + </p> + <p> + “It seems to be all planned out,” said the Boy to himself. “Round Three is + to be the finishing one, evidently. Wish it could have lasted a bit + longer. Whatever's that old fool of a dragon up to now?” + </p> + <p> + The dragon was employing the interval in giving a ramping-performance for + the benefit of the crowd. Ramping, it should be explained, consists in + running round and round in a wide circle, and sending waves and ripples of + movement along the whole length of your spine, from your pointed ears + right down to the spike at the end of your long tail. When you are covered + with blue scales, the effect is particularly pleasing; and the Boy + recollected the dragon's recently expressed wish to become a social + success. + </p> + <p> + St. George now gathered up his reins and began to move forward, dropping + the point of his spear and settling himself firmly in the saddle. + </p> + <p> + “Time!” yelled everybody excitedly; and the dragon, leaving off his + ramping sat up on end, and began to leap from one side to the other with + huge ungainly bounds, whooping like a Red Indian. This naturally + disconcerted the horse, who swerved violently, the Saint only just saving + himself by the mane; and as they shot past the dragon delivered a vicious + snap at the horse's tail which sent the poor beast careering madly far + over the Downs, so that the language of the Saint, who had lost a stirrup, + was fortunately inaudible to the general assemblage. + </p> + <p> + Round Two evoked audible evidence of friendly feeling towards the dragon. + The spectators were not slow to appreciate a combatant who could hold his + own so well and clearly wanted to show good sport; and many encouraging + remarks reached the ears of our friend as he strutted to and fro, his + chest thrust out and his tail in the air, hugely enjoying his new + popularity. + </p> + <p> + St. George had dismounted and was tightening his girths, and telling his + horse, with quite an Oriental flow of imagery, exactly what he thought of + him, and his relations, and his conduct on the present occasion; so the + Boy made his way down to the Saint's end of the line, and held his spear + for him. + </p> + <p> + “It's been a jolly fight, St. George!” he said with a sigh. “Can't you let + it last a bit longer?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I think I'd better not,” replied the Saint. “The fact is, your + simple-minded old friend's getting conceited, now they've begun cheering + him, and he'll forget all about the arrangement and take to playing the + fool, and there's no telling where he would stop. I'll just finish him off + this round.” + </p> + <p> + He swung himself into the saddle and took his spear from the Boy. “Now + don't you be afraid,” he added kindly. “I've marked my spot exactly, and + he's sure to give me all the assistance in his power, because he knows + it's his only chance of being asked to the banquet!” + </p> + <p> + St. George now shortened his spear, bringing the butt well up under his + arm; and, instead of galloping as before, trotted smartly towards the + dragon, who crouched at his approach, flicking his tail till it cracked in + the air like a great cart-whip. The Saint wheeled as he neared his + opponent and circled warily round him, keeping his eye on the spare place; + while the dragon, adopting similar tactics, paced with caution round the + same circle, occasionally feinting with his head. So the two sparred for + an opening, while the spectators maintained a breathless silence. + </p> + <p> + Though the round lasted for some minutes, the end was so swift that all + the Boy saw was a lightning movement of the Saint's arm, and then a whirl + and a confusion of spines, claws, tail, and flying bits of turf. The dust + cleared away, the spectators whooped and ran in cheering, and the Boy made + out that the dragon was down, pinned to the earth by the spear, while St. + George had dismounted, and stood astride of him. + </p> + <p> + It all seemed so genuine that the Boy ran in breathlessly, hoping the dear + old dragon wasn't really hurt. As he approached, the dragon lifted one + large eyelid, winked solemnly, and collapsed again. He was held fast to + earth by the neck, but the Saint had hit him in the spare place agreed + upon, and it didn't even seem to tickle. + </p> + <p> + “Bain't you goin' to cut 'is 'ed orf, master?” asked one of the applauding + crowd. He had backed the dragon, and naturally felt a trifle sore. + </p> + <p> + “Well, not to-day, I think,” replied St. George, pleasantly. “You see, + that can be done at any time. There's no hurry at all. I think we'll all + go down to the village first, and have some refreshment, and then I'll + give him a good talking-to, and you'll find he'll be a very different + dragon!” + </p> + <p> + At that magic word refreshment the whole crowd formed up in procession and + silently awaited the signal to start. The time for talking and cheering + and betting was past, the hour for action had arrived. St. George, hauling + on his spear with both hands, released the dragon, who rose and shook + himself and ran his eye over his spikes and scales and things, to see that + they were all in order. Then the Saint mounted and led off the procession, + the dragon following meekly in the company of the Boy, while the thirsty + spectators kept at a respectful interval behind. + </p> + <p> + There were great doings when they got down to the village again, and had + formed up in front of the inn. After refreshment St. George made a speech, + in which he informed his audience that he had removed their direful + scourge, at a great deal of trouble and inconvenience to himself, and now + they weren't to go about grumbling and fancying they'd got grievances, + because they hadn't. And they shouldn't be so fond of fights, because next + time they might have to do the fighting themselves, which would not be the + same thing at all. And there was a certain badger in the inn stables which + had got to be released at once, and he'd come and see it done himself. + Then he told them that the dragon had been thinking over things, and saw + that there were two sides to every question, and he wasn't going to do it + any more, and if they were good perhaps he'd stay and settle down there. + So they must make friends, and not be prejudiced; and go about fancying + they knew everything there was to be known, because they didn't, not by a + long way. And he warned them against the sin of romancing, and making up + stories and fancying other people would believe them just because they + were plausible and highly-coloured. Then he sat down, amidst much + repentant cheering, and the dragon nudged the Boy in the ribs and + whispered that he couldn't have done it better himself. Then every one + went off to get ready for the banquet. + </p> + <p> + Banquets are always pleasant things, consisting mostly, as they do, of + eating and drinking; but the specially nice thing about a banquet is, that + it comes when something's over, and there's nothing more to worry about, + and to-morrow seems a long way off. St George was happy because there had + been a fight and he hadn't had to kill anybody; for he didn't really like + killing, though he generally had to do it. The dragon was happy because + there had been a fight, and so far from being hurt in it he had won + popularity and a sure footing in society. The Boy was happy because there + had been a fight, and in spite of it all his two friends were on the best + of terms. And all the others were happy because there had been a fight, + and—well, they didn't require any other reasons for their happiness. + The dragon exerted himself to say the right thing to everybody, and proved + the life and soul of the evening; while the Saint and the Boy, as they + looked on, felt that they were only assisting at a feast of which the + honour and the glory were entirely the dragon's. But they didn't mind + that, being good fellows, and the dragon was not in the least proud or + forgetful. On the contrary, every ten minutes or so he leant over towards + the Boy and said impressively: “Look here! you will see me home + afterwards, won't you?” And the Boy always nodded, though he had promised + his mother not to be out late. + </p> + <p> + At last the banquet was over, the guests had dropped away with many + good-nights and congratulations and invitations, and the dragon, who had + seen the last of them off the premises, emerged into the street followed + by the Boy, wiped his brow, sighed, sat down in the road and gazed at the + stars. “Jolly night it's been!” he murmured. “Jolly stars! Jolly little + place this! Think I shall just stop here. Don't feel like climbing up any + beastly hill. Boy's promised to see me home. Boy had better do it then! No + responsibility on my part. Responsibility all Boy's!” And his chin sank on + his broad chest and he slumbered peacefully. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, get up, dragon,” cried the Boy, piteously. “You know my mother's + sitting up, and I 'm so tired, and you made me promise to see you home, + and I never knew what it meant or I wouldn't have done it!” And the Boy + sat down in the road by the side of the sleeping dragon, and cried. + </p> + <p> + The door behind them opened, a stream of light illumined the road, and St. + George, who had come out for a stroll in the cool night-air, caught sight + of the two figures sitting there—the great motionless dragon and the + tearful little Boy. + </p> + <p> + “What's the matter, Boy?” he inquired kindly, stepping to his side. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, it's this great lumbering pig of a dragon!” sobbed the Boy. “First he + makes me promise to see him home, and then he says I'd better do it, and + goes to sleep! Might as well try to see a haystack home! And I'm so tired, + and mother's—” here he broke down again. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't take on,” said St. George. “I'll stand by you, and we'll both + see him home. Wake up, dragon!” he said sharply, shaking the beast by the + elbow. + </p> + <p> + The dragon looked up sleepily. “What a night, George!” he murmured; “what + a—” + </p> + <p> + “Now look here, dragon,” said the Saint, firmly. “Here's this little + fellow waiting to see you home, and you know he ought to have been in bed + these two hours, and what his mother'll say I don't know, and anybody but + a selfish pig would have made him go to bed long ago—” + </p> + <p> + “And he shall go to bed!” cried the dragon, starting up. “Poor little + chap, only fancy his being up at this hour! It's a shame, that's what it + is, and I don't think, St. George, you've been very considerate—but + come along at once, and don't let us have any more arguing or + shilly-shallying. You give me hold of your hand, Boy—thank you, + George, an arm up the hill is just what I wanted!” + </p> + <p> + So they set off up the hill arm-in-arm, the Saint, the Dragon, and the + Boy. The lights in the little village began to go out; but there were + stars, and a late moon, as they climbed to the Downs together. And, as + they turned the last corner and disappeared from view, snatches of an old + song were borne back on the night-breeze. I can't be certain which of them + was singing, but I think it was the Dragon! + </p> + <p> + “Here we are at your gate,” said the man, abruptly, laying his hand on it. + “Good-night. Cut along in sharp, or you'll catch it!” + </p> + <p> + Could it really be our own gate? Yes, there it was, sure enough, with the + familiar marks on its bottom bar made by our feet when we swung on it + </p> + <p> + “Oh, but wait a minute!” cried Charlotte. “I want to know a heap of + things. Did the dragon really settle down? And did—” + </p> + <p> + “There isn't any more of that story,” said the man, kindly but firmly. “At + least, not to-night. Now be off! Good-bye!” + </p> + <p> + “Wonder if it's all true?” said Charlotte, as we hurried up the path. + “Sounded dreadfully like nonsense, in parts!” + </p> + <p> + “P'raps its true for all that,” I replied encouragingly. + </p> + <p> + Charlotte bolted in like a rabbit, out of the cold and the dark; but I + lingered a moment in the still, frosty air, for a backward glance at the + silent white world without, ere I changed it for the land of firelight and + cushions and laughter. It was the day for choir-practice, and carol-time + was at hand, and a belated member was passing homewards down the road, + singing as he went:— + </p> + <p> + “Then St. George: ee made rev'rence: in the stable so dim, Oo vanquished + the dragon: so fearful and grim. So-o grim: and so-o fierce: that now may + we say All peaceful is our wakin': on Chri-istmas Day!” + </p> + <p> + The singer receded, the carol died away. But I wondered, with my hand on + the door-latch, whether that was the song, or something like it, that the + dragon sang as he toddled contentedly up the hill. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + A DEPARTURE + </h2> + <p> + It is a very fine thing to be a real Prince. There are points about a + Pirate Chief, and to succeed to the Captaincy of a Robber Band is a truly + magnificent thing. But to be an Heir has also about it something extremely + captivating. Not only a long-lost heir—an heir of the melodrama, + strutting into your hitherto unsuspected kingdom at just the right moment, + loaded up with the consciousness of unguessed merit and of rights so long + feloniously withheld—but even to be a common humdrum domestic heir + is a profession to which few would refuse to be apprenticed. To step from + leading-strings and restrictions and one glass of port after dinner, into + property and liberty and due appreciation, saved up, polished and + varnished, dusted and laid in lavender, all expressly for you—why, + even the Princedom and the Robber Captaincy, when their anxieties and + responsibilities are considered, have hardly more to offer. And so it will + continue to be a problem, to the youth in whom ambition struggles with a + certain sensuous appreciation of life's side-dishes, whether the career he + is called upon to select out of the glittering knick-knacks that strew the + counter had better be that of an heir or an engine-driver. + </p> + <p> + In the case of eldest sons, this problem has a way of solving itself. In + childhood, however, the actual heirship is apt to work on the principle of + the “Borough-English” of our happier ancestors, and in most cases of + inheritance it is the youngest that succeeds. Where the “res” is + “angusta,” and the weekly books are simply a series of stiff hurdles at + each of which in succession the paternal legs falter with growing + suspicion of their powers to clear the flight, it is in the affair of + clothes that the right of succession tells, and “the hard heir strides + about the land” in trousers long ago framed for fraternal limbs—frondes + novas et non sua poma. A bitter thing indeed! Of those pretty silken + threads that knit humanity together, high and low, past and present, none + is tougher, more pervading, or more iridescent, than the honest, simple + pleasure of new clothes. It tugs at the man as it tugs at the woman; the + smirk of the well-fitted prince is no different from the smirk of the + Sunday-clad peasant; and the veins of the elders tingle with the same + thrill that sets their fresh-frocked grandchildren skipping. Never trust + people who pretend that they have no joy in their new clothes. + </p> + <p> + Let not our souls be wrung, however, at contemplation of the luckless + urchin cut off by parental penury from the rapture of new clothes. Just as + the heroes of his dreams are his immediate seniors, so his heroes' clothes + share the glamour, and the reversion of them carries a high privilege—a + special thing not sold by Swears and Wells. The sword of Galahad—and + of many another hero—arrived on the scene already hoary with + history, and the boy rather prefers his trousers to be legendary, famous, + haloed by his hero's renown—even though the nap may have altogether + vanished in the process. + </p> + <p> + But, putting clothes aside, there are other matters in which this reversed + heirship comes into play. Take the case of Toys. It is hardly right or + fitting—and in this the child quite acquiesces—that as he + approaches the reverend period of nine or say ten years, he should still + be the unabashed and proclaimed possessor of a hoop and a Noah's Ark. The + child will quite see the reasonableness of this, and, the goal of his + ambition being now a catapult, a pistol, or even a sword-stick, will be + satisfied that the titular ownership should lapse to his juniors, so far + below him in their kilted or petticoated incompetence. After all, the + things are still there, and if relapses of spirit occur, on wet + afternoons, one can still (nominally) borrow them and be happy on the + floor as of old, without the reproach of being a habitual baby + toy-caresser. Also one can pretend it's being done to amuse the younger + ones. + </p> + <p> + None of us, therefore, grumbled when in the natural course of things the + nominal ownership of the toys slipped down to Harold, and from him in turn + devolved upon Charlotte. The toys were still there; they always had been + there and always would be there, and when the nursery door was fast shut + there were no Kings or Queens or First Estates in that small Republic on + the floor. Charlotte, to be sure, chin-tilted, at last an owner of real + estate, might patronize a little at times; but it was tacitly understood + that her “title” was only a drawing-room one. + </p> + <p> + Why does a coming bereavement project no thin faint voice, no shadow of + its woe, to warn its happy, heedless victims? Why cannot Olympians ever + think it worth while to give some hint of the thunderbolts they are + silently forging? And why, oh, why did it never enter any of our thick + heads that the day would come when even Charlotte would be considered too + matronly for toys? One's so called education is hammered into one with + rulers and with canes. Each fresh grammar or musical instrument, each new + historical period or quaint arithmetical rule, is impressed on one by some + painful physical prelude. Why does Time, the biggest Schoolmaster, alone + neglect premonitory raps, at each stage of his curriculum, on our knuckles + or our heads? + </p> + <p> + Uncle Thomas was at the bottom of it. This was not the first mine he had + exploded under our bows. In his favourite pursuit of fads he had passed in + turn from Psychical Research to the White Rose and thence to a Children's + Hospital, and we were being daily inundated with leaflets headed by a + woodcut depicting Little Annie (of Poplar) sitting up in her little white + cot, surrounded by the toys of the nice, kind, rich children. The idea + caught on with the Olympians, always open to sentiment of a treacly, + woodcut order; and accordingly Charlotte, on entering one day dishevelled + and panting, having been pursued by yelling Redskins up to the very + threshold of our peaceful home, was curtly informed that her French + lessons would begin on Monday, that she was henceforth to cease all + pretence of being a trapper or a Redskin on utterly inadequate grounds, + and moreover that the whole of her toys were at that moment being finally + packed up in a box, for despatch to London, to gladden the lives and bring + light into the eyes of London waifs and Poplar Annies. + </p> + <p> + Naturally enough, perhaps, we others received no official intimation of + this grave cession of territory. We were not supposed to be interested. + Harold had long ago been promoted to a knife—a recognized, birthday + knife. As for me, it was known that I was already given over, heart and + soul, to lawless abandoned catapults—catapults which were + confiscated weekly for reasons of international complications, but with + which Edward kept me steadily supplied, his school having a fine old + tradition for excellence in their manufacture. Therefore no one was + supposed to be really affected but Charlotte, and even she had already + reached Miss Yonge, and should therefore have been more interested in + prolific curates and harrowing deathbeds. + </p> + <p> + Notwithstanding, we all felt indignant, betrayed, and sullen to the verge + of mutiny. Though for long we had affected to despise them, these toys, + yet they had grown up with us, shared our joys and our sorrows, seen us at + our worst, and become part of the accepted scheme of existence. As we + gazed at untenanted shelves and empty, hatefully tidy corners, perhaps for + the first time for long we began to do them a tardy justice. + </p> + <p> + There was old Leotard, for instance. Somehow he had come to be sadly + neglected of late years—and yet how exactly he always responded to + certain moods! He was an acrobat, this Leotard, who lived in a + glass-fronted box. His loose-jointed limbs were cardboard, cardboard his + slender trunk; and his hands eternally grasped the bar of a trapeze. You + turned the box round swiftly five or six times; the wonderful unsolved + machinery worked, and Leotard swung and leapt, backwards, forwards, now + astride the bar, now flying free; iron-jointed, supple-sinewed, + unceasingly novel in his invention of new, unguessable attitudes; while + above, below, and around him, a richly-dressed audience, painted in + skilful perspective of stalls, boxes, dress-circle, and gallery, watched + the thrilling performance with a stolidity which seemed to mark them out + as made in Germany. Hardly versatile enough, perhaps, this Leotard; + unsympathetic, not a companion for all hours; nor would you have chosen + him to take to bed with you. And yet, within his own limits, how fresh, + how engrossing, how resourceful and inventive! Well, he was gone, it + seemed—merely gone. Never specially cherished while he tarried with + us, he had yet contrived to build himself a particular niche of his own. + Sunrise and sunset, and the dinner-bell, and the sudden rainbow, and + lessons, and Leotard, and the moon through the nursery windows—they + were all part of the great order of things, and the displacement of any + one item seemed to disorganize the whole machinery. The immediate point + was, not that the world would continue to go round as of old, but that + Leotard wouldn't. + </p> + <p> + Yonder corner, now swept and garnished, had been the stall wherein the + spotty horse, at the close of each laborious day, was accustomed to doze + peacefully the long night through. In days of old each of us in turn had + been jerked thrillingly round the room on his precarious back, had dug our + heels into his unyielding sides, and had scratched our hands on the tin + tacks that secured his mane to his stiffly-curving neck. Later, with + increasing stature, we came to overlook his merits as a beast of burden; + but how frankly, how good-naturedly, he had recognized the new conditions, + and adapted himself to them without a murmur! When the military spirit was + abroad, who so ready to be a squadron of cavalry, a horde of Cossacks, or + artillery pounding into position? He had even served with honour as a + gun-boat, during a period when naval strategy was the only theme; and no + false equine pride ever hindered him from taking the part of a roaring + locomotive, earth-shaking, clangorous, annihilating time and space. Really + it was no longer clear how life, with its manifold emergencies, was to be + carried on at all without a fellow like the spotty horse, ready to step in + at critical moments and take up just the part required of him. In moments + of mental depression, nothing is quite so consoling as the honest smell of + a painted animal; and mechanically I turned towards the shelf that had + been so long the Ararat of our weather-beaten Ark. The shelf was empty, + the Ark had cast off moorings and sailed away to Poplar, and had taken + with it its haunting smell, as well as that pleasant sense of disorder + that the best conducted Ark is always able to impart. The sliding roof had + rarely been known to close entirely. There was always a pair of + giraffe-legs sticking out, or an elephant-trunk, taking from the stiffness + of its outline, and reminding us that our motley crowd of friends inside + were uncomfortably cramped for room and only too ready to leap in a + cascade on the floor and browse and gallop, flutter and bellow and neigh, + and be their natural selves again. I think that none of us ever really + thought very much of Ham and Shem and Japhet. They were only there because + they were in the story, but nobody really wanted them. The Ark was built + for the animals, of course—animals with tails, and trunks, and + horns, and at least three legs apiece, though some unfortunates had been + unable to retain even that number. And in the animals were of course + included the birds—the dove, for instance, grey with black wings, + and the red-crested woodpecker—or was it a hoopoe?—and the + insects, for there was a dear beetle, about the same size as the dove, + that held its own with any of the mammalia. + </p> + <p> + Of the doll-department Charlotte had naturally been sole chief for a long + time; if the staff were not in their places to-day, it was not I who had + any official right to take notice. And yet one may have been member of a + Club for many a year without ever exactly understanding the use and object + of the other members, until one enters, some Christmas day or other + holiday, and, surveying the deserted armchairs, the untenanted sofas, the + barren hat-pegs, realizes, with depression, that those other fellows had + their allotted functions, after all. Where was old Jerry? Where were + Eugenie, Rosa, Sophy, Esmeralda? We had long drifted apart, it was true, + we spoke but rarely; perhaps, absorbed in new ambitions, new achievements, + I had even come to look down on these conservative, unprogressive members + who were so clearly content to remain simply what they were. And now that + their corners were unfilled, their chairs unoccupied—well, my eyes + were opened and I wanted 'em back! + </p> + <p> + However, it was no business of mine. If grievances were the question, I + hadn't a leg to stand upon. Though my catapults were officially + confiscated, I knew the drawer in which they were incarcerated, and where + the key of it was hidden, and I could make life a burden, if I chose, to + every living thing within a square-mile radius, so long as the catapult + was restored to its drawer in due and decent time. But I wondered how the + others were taking it. The edict hit them more severely. They should have + my moral countenance at any rate, if not more, in any protest or + countermine they might be planning. And, indeed, something seemed + possible, from the dogged, sullen air with which the two of them had + trotted off in the direction of the raspberry-canes. Certain spots always + had their insensible attraction for certain moods. In love, one sought the + orchard. Weary of discipline, sick of convention, impassioned for the + road, the mining-camp, the land across the border, one made for the big + meadow. Mutinous, sulky, charged with plots and conspiracies, one always + got behind the shelter of the raspberry-canes. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + “You can come too if you like,” said Harold, in a subdued sort of way, as + soon as he was aware that I was sitting up in bed watching him. “We didn't + think you'd care, 'cos you've got to catapults. But we're goin' to do what + we've settled to do, so it's no good sayin' we hadn't ought and that sort + of thing, 'cos we're goin' to!” + </p> + <p> + The day had passed in an ominous peacefulness. Charlotte and Harold had + kept out of my way, as well as out of everybody else's, in a purposeful + manner that ought to have bred suspicion. In the evening we had read + books, or fitfully drawn ships and battles on fly-leaves, apart, in + separate corners, void of conversation or criticism, oppressed by the + lowering tidiness of the universe, till bedtime came, and disrobement, and + prayers even more mechanical than usual, and lastly bed itself without so + much as a giraffe under the pillow. Harold had grunted himself between the + sheets with an ostentatious pretence of overpowering fatigue; but I + noticed that he pulled his pillow forward and propped his head against the + brass bars of his crib, and, as I was acquainted with most of his tricks + and subterfuges, it was easy for me to gather that a painful wakefulness + was his aim that night. + </p> + <p> + I had dozed off, however, and Harold was out and on his feet, poking under + the bed for his shoes, when I sat up and grimly regarded him. Just as he + said I could come if I liked, Charlotte slipped in, her face rigid and + set. And then it was borne in upon me that I was not on in this scene. + These youngsters had planned it all out, the piece was their own, and the + mounting, and the cast. My sceptre had fallen, my rule had ceased. In this + magic hour of the summer night laws went for nothing, codes were + cancelled, and those who were most in touch with the moonlight and the + warm June spirit and the topsy-turvydom that reigns when the clock strikes + ten, were the true lords and lawmakers. + </p> + <p> + Humbly, almost timidly, I followed without a protest in the wake of these + two remorseless, purposeful young persons, who were marching straight for + the schoolroom. Here in the moonlight the grim big box stood visible—the + box in which so large a portion of our past and our personality lay + entombed, cold, swathed in paper, awaiting the carrier of the morning who + should speed them forth to the strange, cold, distant Children s Hospital, + where their little failings would all be misunderstood and no one would + make allowances. A dreamy spectator, I stood idly by while Harold propped + up the lid and the two plunged in their arms and probed and felt and + grappled. + </p> + <p> + “Here's Rosa,” said Harold, suddenly. “I know the feel of her hair. Will + you have Rosa out?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, give me Rosa!” cried Charlotte with a sort of gasp. And when Rosa had + been dragged forth, quite unmoved apparently, placid as ever in her + moonfaced contemplation of this comedy-world with its ups and downs, + Charlotte retired with her to the window-seat, and there in the moonlight + the two exchanged their private confidences, leaving Harold to his + exploration alone. + </p> + <p> + “Here's something with sharp corners,” said Harold, presently. “Must be + Leotard, I think. Better let him go.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, we can't save Leotard,” assented Charlotte, limply. + </p> + <p> + Poor old Leotard! I said nothing, of course; I was not on in this piece. + But, surely, had Leotard heard and rightly understood all that was going + on above him, he must have sent up one feeble, strangled cry, one faint + appeal to be rescued from unfamiliar little Annies and retained for an + audience certain to appreciate and never unduly critical. + </p> + <p> + “Now I've got to the Noah's Ark,” panted Harold, still groping blindly. + </p> + <p> + “Try and shove the lid back a bit,” said Charlotte, “and pull out a dove + or a zebra or a giraffe if there's one handy.” + </p> + <p> + Harold toiled on with grunts and contortions, and presently produced in + triumph a small grey elephant and a large beetle with a red stomach. + </p> + <p> + “They're jammed in too tight,” he complained. “Can't get any more out. But + as I came up I'm sure I felt Potiphar!” And down he dived again. + </p> + <p> + Potiphar was a finely modelled bull with a suede skin, rough and + comfortable and warm in bed. He was my own special joy and pride, and I + thrilled with honest emotion when Potiphar emerged to light once more, + stout-necked and stalwart as ever. + </p> + <p> + “That'll have to do,” said Charlotte, getting up. “We dursn't take any + more, 'cos we'll be found out if we do. Make the box all right, and bring + 'em along.” + </p> + <p> + Harold rammed down the wads of paper and twists of straw he had disturbed, + replaced the lid squarely and innocently, and picked up his small salvage; + and we sneaked off for the window most generally in use for + prison-breakings and nocturnal escapades. A few seconds later and we were + hurrying silently in single file along the dark edge of the lawn. + </p> + <p> + Oh, the riot, the clamour, the crowding chorus, of all silent things that + spoke by scent and colour and budding thrust and foison, that moonlit + night of June! Under the laurel-shade all was still ghostly enough, + brigand-haunted, crackling, whispering of night and all its possibilities + of terror. But the open garden, when once we were in it—how it + turned a glad new face to welcome us, glad as of old when the sunlight + raked and searched it, new with the unfamiliar night-aspect that yet + welcomed us as guests to a hall where the horns blew up to a new, strange + banquet! Was this the same grass, could these be the same familiar + flower-beds, alleys, clumps of verdure, patches of sward? At least this + full white light that was flooding them was new, and accounted for all. It + was Moonlight Land, and Past-Ten-o'clock Land, and we were in it and of + it, and all its other denizens fully understood, and, tongue-free and + awakened at last, responded and comprehended and knew. The other two, + doubtless, hurrying forward full of their mission, noted little of all + this. I, who was only a super, had leisure to take it all in, and, though + the language and the message of the land were not all clear to me then, + long afterwards I remembered and understood. + </p> + <p> + Under the farthest hedge, at the loose end of things, where the outer + world began with the paddock, there was darkness once again—not the + blackness that crouched so solidly under the crowding laurels, but a + duskiness hung from far-spread arms of high-standing elms. There, where + the small grave made a darker spot on the grey, I overtook them, only just + in time to see Rosa laid stiffly out, her cherry cheeks pale in the + moonlight, but her brave smile triumphant and undaunted as ever. It was a + tiny grave and a shallow one, to hold so very much. Rosa once in, + Potiphar, who had hitherto stood erect, stout-necked, through so many days + and such various weather, must needs bow his head and lie down meekly on + his side. The elephant and the beetle, equal now in a silent land where a + vertebra and a red circulation counted for nothing, had to snuggle down + where best they might, only a little less crowded than in their native + Ark. + </p> + <p> + The earth was shovelled in and stamped down, and I was glad that no + orisons were said and no speechifying took place. The whole thing was + natural and right and self-explanatory, and needed no justifying or + interpreting to our audience of stars and flowers. The connection was not + entirely broken now—one link remained between us and them. The + Noah's Ark, with its cargo of sad-faced emigrants, might be hull down on + the horizon, but two of its passengers had missed the boat and would + henceforth be always near us; and, as we played above them, an elephant + would understand, and a beetle would hear, and crawl again in spirit along + a familiar floor. Henceforth the spotty horse would scour along + far-distant plains and know the homesickness of alien stables; but + Potiphar, though never again would he paw the arena when bull-fights were + on the bill, was spared maltreatment by town-bred strangers, quite capable + of mistaking him for a cow. Jerry and Esmeralda might shed their limbs and + their stuffing, by slow or swift degrees, in uttermost parts and unguessed + corners of the globe; but Rosa's book was finally closed, and no worse + fate awaited her than natural dissolution almost within touch and hail of + familiar faces and objects that had been friendly to her since first she + opened her eyes on a world where she had never been treated as a stranger. + </p> + <p> + As we turned to go, the man in the moon, tangled in elm-boughs, caught my + eye for a moment, and I thought that never had he looked so friendly. He + was going to see after them, it was evident; for he was always there, more + or less, and it was no trouble to him at all, and he would tell them how + things were still going, up here, and throw in a story or two of his own + whenever they seemed a trifle dull. It made the going away rather easier, + to know one had left somebody behind on the spot; a good fellow, too, + cheery, comforting, with a fund of anecdote; a man in whom one had every + confidence. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </p> + <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1288 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |