dream days-第6章

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bit　of　gamboge。〃



I　preserved　a　discreet　silence。　　After　all；　I　knew　SHE　knew

she　stole　my　gamboge。



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　somewhere　in

his　interior　proceeded　a　heart　rending　compound　of　squeal　and

whistle；　as　of　escaping　steam；long…drawn；　ear　piercing；

unvarying　in　note。



〃I　only　just　want　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

pirated　by　Selinashe　was　pretty　sure　to　get　hold　of　them　sooner

or　laterand　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。



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。



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；　careerevery　error；　every　folly；　every　penalty

ignobly　sufferedwere　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。



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。〃



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。





〃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　i　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〃　Coetera　desunt。





〃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！〃



〃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！〃



〃Then　I'll　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。



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

disposalplenty　of　'em；　and　on　a　further　acquaintance　with　and

knowledge　of　her　tastes；　no　doubt　I　could　find　something　to　suit

her。



There　was　a　real　Arabian　one；　for　instance；　which　I　visited　but

rarelyonly　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　momentsprocessions　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。



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　andwell；　one　can

never　foresee　exactly　how　one　will　find　thingsshe　was　talking

to　a　Boy。



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　ferretshis　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　oncethat　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。



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。







THE　MAGIC　RING



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　glistening。　　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。



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。



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　thingto　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。



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　pos