the golden age(金色时代)-第21章
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people；with jam and things； and drink out of their saucer； and suck their
fingers and enjoy themselves； but they come here from a long way off； and
sit up straight with their feet off the bars of their chairs； and have one cup；
and talk the same sort of stuff every time。〃
Selina sniffed disdainfully。 〃You don't know anything about it；〃 she
said。 〃In society you have to call on each other。 It's the proper thing to
do。〃
〃Pooh！ YOU'RE not in society；〃 said Edward； politely； 〃and； what's
more； you never will be。〃
〃Yes； I shall； some day；〃 retorted Selina； 〃but I shan't ask you to come
and see me； so there！〃
〃Wouldn't come if you did；〃 growled Edward。
〃Well； you won't get the chance；〃 rejoined our sister； claiming her right
of the last word。 There was no heat about these little amenities； which
made upas we understood itthe art of polite conversation。
〃I don 't like society people；〃 put in Harold from the sofa； where he
was sprawling at full length；a sight the daylight hours would have
blushed to witness。 〃There were some of 'em here this afternoon； when
you two had gone off to the station。 Oh； and I found a dead mouse on the
lawn； and I wanted to skin it； but I wasn't sure I knew how； by myself； and
they came out into the garden and patted my head；I wish people wouldn't
do that；and one of 'em asked me to pick her a flower。 Don't know why
she couldn't pick it herself； but I said； ‘All right； I will if you'll hold my
mouse。' But she screamed； and threw it away； and Augustus （the cat） got
it； and ran away with it。 I believe it was really his mouse all the time；
'cos he'd been looking about as if he had lost something； so I wasn't angry
with HIM； but what did SHE want to throw away my mouse for？〃
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〃You have to be careful with mice；〃 reflected Edward； 〃they're such
slippery things。 Do you remember we were playing with a dead mouse
once on the piano； and the mouse was Robinson Crusoe； and the piano
was the island； and somehow Crusoe slipped down inside the island； into
its works； and we couldn't get him out； though we tried rakes and all sorts
of things； till the tuner came。 And that wasn't till a week after； and then
〃
Here Charlotte； who had been nodding solemnly； fell over into the
fender； and we realised that the wind had dropped at last； and the house
was lapped in a great stillness。 Our vacant beds seemed to be calling to
us imperiously； and we were all glad when Edward gave the signal for
retreat。 At the top of the staircase Harold unexpectedly turned mutinous；
insisting on his right to slide down the banisters in a free country。
Circumstances did not allow of argument； I suggested frog's…marching
instead； and frog's…marched he accordingly was； the procession passing
solemnly across the moonlit Blue Room； with Harold horizontal and
limply submissive。 Snug in bed at last； I was just slipping off into
slumber when I heard Edward explode； with chuckle and snort。
〃By Jove！〃 he said； 〃I forgot all about it。 The new tutor's sleeping in
the Blue Room！〃
〃Lucky he didn't wake up and catch us；〃 I grunted； drowsily； and both
of us； without another thought on the matter； sank into well…earned repose。
Next morning we came down to breakfast braced to grapple with fresh
adversity； but were surprised to find our garrulous friend of the previous
dayhe was late in making his appearance strangely silent and
（apparently） preoccupied。 Having polished off our porridge； we ran out
to feed the rabbits； explaining to them that a beast of a tutor would prevent
their enjoying so much of our society as formerly。
On returning to the house at the fated hour appointed for study； we
were thunderstruck to see the station…cart disappearing down the drive；
freighted with our new acquaintance。 Aunt Eliza was brutally
uncommunicative； but she was overheard to remark casually that she
thought the man must be a lunatic。 In this theory we were only too ready
to concur； dismissing thereafter the whole matter from our minds。
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Some weeks later it happened that Uncle Thomas； while paying us a
flying visit； produced from his pocket a copy of the latest weekly； Psyche：
a Journal of the Unseen； and proceeded laborously to rid himself of much
incomprehensible humour； apparently at our expense。 We bore it
patiently； with the forced grin demanded by convention； anxious to get at
the source of inspiration； which it presently appeared lay in a paragraph
circumstantially describing our modest and humdrum habitation。 〃Case
III。；〃 it began。 〃The following particulars were communicated by a
young member of the Society； of undoubted probity and earnestness； and
are a chronicle of actual and recent experience。〃 A fairly accurate
description of the house followed； with details that were unmistakable； but
to this there succeeded a flood of meaningless drivel about apparitions；
nightly visitants； and the like； writ in a manner betokening a disordered
mind； coupled with a feeble imagination。 The fellow was not even
original。 All the old material was there；the storm at night； the haunted
chamber； the white lady； the murder re…enacted； and so on；already worn
threadbare in many a Christmas Number。 No one was able to make head
or tail of the stuff； or of its connexion with our quiet mansion； and yet
Edward； who had always suspected the man； persisted in maintaining that
our tutor of a brief span was； somehow or other； at the bottom of it。
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Harold told me the main facts of this episode some time later； in bits；
and with reluctance。 It was not a recollection he cared to talk about。
The crude blank misery of a moment is apt to leave a dull bruise which is
slow to depart； if it ever does so entirely； and Harold confesses to a twinge
or two； still； at times； like the veteran who brings home a bullet inside him
from martial plains over sea。
He knew he was a brute the moment he had done it； Selina had not
meant to worry； only to comfort and assist。 But his soul was one raw
sore within him； when he found himself shut up in the schoolroom after
hours； merely for insisting that 7 times 7 amounted to 47。 The injustice
of it seemed so flagrant。 Why not 47 as much as 49？ One number was
no prettier than the other to look at； and it was evidently only a matter of
arbitrary taste and preference； and； anyhow； it had always been 47 to him；
and would be to the end of time。 So when Selina came in out of the sun；
leaving the Trappers or the Far West behind her； and putting off the glory
of being an Apache squaw in order to hear him his tables and win his
release； Harold turned on her venomously； rejected her kindly overtures；
and ever drove his elbow into her sympathetic ribs； in his determination to
be left alone in the glory of sulks。 The fit passed directly； his eyes were
opened； and his soul sat in the dust as he sorrowfully began to cast about
for some atonement heroic enough to salve the wrong。
Of course poor Selina looked for no sacrifice nor heroics whatever：
she didn't even want him to say he was sorry。 If he would only make it
up； she would have done the apologising part herself。 But that was not a
boy's way。 Something solid； Harold felt； was due from him； and until
that was achieved； making…up must not be thought of； in order that the
final effect might not be spoilt。 Accordingly； when his release came； and
poor Selina hung about； trying to catch his eye； Harold； possessed by the
demon of a distorted motive； avoided her steadilythough he was bleeding
inwardly at every minute of delayand came to me instead。 Needless to
say； I approved his plan highly； it was so much more high…toned than just
going and making…up tamely； which any one could do； and a girl who had
been jobbed in the ribs by a hostile elbow could not be expected for a
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moment to overlook it； without the liniment of an offering to soothe her
injured feelings。
〃I know what she wants most；〃 said Harold。 〃She wants that set of
tea…things in the toy…shop window； with the red and blue flowers on 'em；
she's wanted it for months； 'cos her dolls are getting big enough to have
real afternoon tea； and she wants it so badly that she won't walk that side
of the street when we go into the town。 But it costs five shillings！〃
Then we set to work seriously； and devoted the afternoon to a
realisation of assets and the composition of a Budget that might have been
dated without shame from Whitehall。 The result worked out as follows：
s。 d。 By one uncle； unspent through having been lost for nearly
a weekturned up at last in the straw of the dog…kennel 。 。 。 。
2 6
Carry forward；2 6
s。 d。 Brought forward； 2 6 By advance from me on security of
next uncle； and failing that； to be called in at
Christmas 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1 0 By shaken out of
missionary…box with the help of a knife…blade。 （They were our
own pennies and a forced levy） 。 。 。 。 。 0 4 By bet due from
Edward； for walking across
