dream days-第6部分

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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。〃



〃I'd　go　on　the　engine；〃　she　murmured　dreamily。　　〃No；　I　wouldn't；

I'd〃



〃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　disorganised　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！〃



〃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！〃



〃Butbut　that's　what　they're　THERE　for；〃　I　protested；　aghast。



〃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。〃



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　becomingso　to　speaka　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。



〃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；　anddo　what　I　wouldI　could

not　get　her　to　promise。



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。



〃Remember；〃　I　said　as　I　turned　to　go；　〃you　mustn't　tell　anybody

about　what　I've　been　telling　you！〃



She　appeared　to　hesitate；　swinging　one　leg　to　and　fro　while　she

regarded　me　sideways　with　half…shut　eyes。



〃It's　a　dead　secret；〃　I　said　artfully。　　〃A　secret　between　us　two；

and　nobody　knows　it　except　ourselves！〃



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　winsfor　a　time。



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　wormsI　knew

well　from　experiencewould　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。



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。



〃I　suppose　you　call　that　thing　a　ship；〃　she　remarked

contemptuously。　　〃Who　ever　heard　of　a　pink　ship？　　Hoo…hoo！〃



I　stifled　my　wrath；　knowing　that　in　order　to　score　properly　it

was　necessary　to　keep　a　cool　head。



〃There　is　a　pink　ship；〃　I　observed　with　forced　calmness；　〃lying

in　the　toy…shop　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？〃



Selina；　baffled　for　the　moment；　returned　to　the　charge　presently。



〃Those　are　funny　things；　too；〃　she　observed。　　〃S'pose　they're

meant　to　be　trees。　　But　they're　BLUE。〃



〃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。〃



〃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　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