dream days-第10章

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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。



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。



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。



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。



Many　strange；　fine　things　lay　along　my　routepictures　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。



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　hearthrugthe　only　fit　and　proper　place

for　books　of　quality；　such　as　this。



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。



The　beginnings　of　the　thing　were　gay　bordersscrolls　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。



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　escapeit　was　my　own　little　city！



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　hillas　of　oldbroke　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　upI　could　even

catch　a　glimpse　of　the　sunlit　square　withinand　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。



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…friendsthe　armour　man　and　the　other

fellowbut　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。



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

under；　and　were　tittering　sideways　at　each　other　as　the

grease　ran　bountifully　over　their　clothes。　　A　third　had　strolled

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

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

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

night　nursery　business　for　them！



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

really　begin；　at　the　point　where　those　other　ones　always

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

and　splendid　church　and　once　more　in　the　open　country。



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

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

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

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

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