按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
London University； or whatever his plans of Empire； in relation to
the unseen world he is a child at play。 He hides himself； he hides
his eyes and pretends to believe that he is hiding； he runs from the
supernatural and laughs for the fun of running。
So did a child； threatened for his unruliness with the revelation of
the man with two heads。 The nurse must have had recourse to this
man under acute provocation。 The boy； who had profited well by
every one of his four long years； and was radiant with the light and
colour of health； refused to be left to compose himself to sleep。
That act is an adult act； learnt in the self…conscious and
deliberate years of later life； when man goes on a mental journey in
search of rest； aware of setting forth。 But the child is pursued
and overtaken by sleep； caught； surprised； and overcome。 He goes no
more to sleep； than he takes a 〃constitutional〃 with his hoop and
hoopstick。 The child amuses himself up to the last of his waking
moments。 Happily； in the search for amusement； he is apt to learn
some habit or to cherish some toy； either of which may betray him
and deliver him up to sleep； the enemy。 What wonder； then； if a
child who knows that everyone in the world desires his peace and
pleasure； should clamour for companionship in the first reluctant
minutes of bed？ This child； being happy； did not weep for what he
wanted； he shouted for it in the rousing tones of his strength。
After many evenings of this he was told that this was precisely the
vociferous kind of wakefulness that might cause the man with two
heads to show himself。
Unable to explain that no child ever goes to sleep； but that sleep；
on the contrary； 〃goes〃 for a child； the little boy yet accepted the
penalty； believed in the man； and kept quiet for a time。
There was indignation in the mother's heart when the child
instructed her as to what might be looked for at his bedside； she
used all her emphasis in assuring him that no man with two heads
would ever trouble those innocent eyes； for there was no such
portent anywhere on earth。 There is no such heart…oppressing task
as the making of these assurances to a child； for whom who knows
what portents are actually in wait！ She found him； however；
cowering with laughter； not with dread； lest the man with two heads
should see or overhear。 The man with two heads had become his play；
and so was perhaps bringing about his sleep by gentler means than
the nurse had intended。 The man was employing the vacant minutes of
the little creature's flight from sleep； called 〃going to sleep〃 in
the inexact language of the old。
Nor would the boy give up his faith with its tremor and private
laughter。 Because a child has a place for everything； this boy had
placed the monstrous man in the ceiling； in a corner of the room
that might be kept out of sight by the bed curtain。 If that corner
were left uncovered； the fear would grow stronger than the fun； 〃the
man would see me；〃 said the little boy。 But let the curtain be in
position； and the child lay alone； hugging the dear belief that the
monster was near。
He was earnest in controversy with his mother as to the existence of
his man。 The man was there； for he had been told so； and he was
there to wait for 〃naughty boys；〃 said the child； with cheerful
self…condemnation。 The little boy's voice was somewhat hushed；
because of the four ears of the listener； but it did not falter；
except when his mother's arguments against the existence of the man
seemed to him cogent and likely to gain the day。 Then for the first
time the boy was a little downcast； and the light of mystery became
dimmer in his gay eyes。
CHILDREN IN BURLESQUE
Derision； which is so great a part of human comedy； has not spared
the humours of children。 Yet they are fitter subjects for any other
kind of jesting。 In the first place they are quite defenceless； but
besides and before this； it might have been supposed that nothing in
a child could provoke the equal passion of scorn。 Between confessed
unequals scorn is not even suggested。 Its derisive proclamation of
inequality has no sting and no meaning where inequality is natural
and manifest。
Children rouse the laughter of men and women； but in all that
laughter the tone of derision is more strange a discord than the
tone of anger would be； or the tone of theological anger and menace。
These； little children have had to bear in their day； but in the
grim and serious moodsnot in the playof their elders。 The
wonder is that children should ever have been burlesqued； or held to
be fit subjects for irony。
Whether the thing has been done anywhere out of England； in any
form； might be a point for enquiry。 It would seem； at a glance；
that English art and literature are quite alone in this incredible
manner of sport。
And even here； too； the thing that is laughed at in a child is
probably always a mere reflection of the parents' vulgarity。 None
the less it is an unintelligible thing that even the rankest
vulgarity of father or mother should be resented； in the child； with
the implacable resentment of derision。
John Leech used the caricature of a baby for the purposes of a scorn
that was not angry； but familiar。 It is true that the poor child
had first been burlesqued by the unchildish aspect imposed upon him
by his dress； which presented him； without the beauties of art or
nature； to all the unnatural ironies。 Leech did but finish him in
the same spirit； with dots for the childish eyes； and a certain form
of face which is best described as a fat square containing two
circlesthe inordinate cheeks of that ignominious baby。 That is
the child as Punch in Leech's day preserved him； the latest figure
of the then prevailing domestic raillery of the domestic。
In like manner did Thackeray and Dickens； despite all their
sentiment。 Children were made to serve both the sentiment and the
irony between which those two writers； alike in this； stood double…
minded。 Thackeray； writing of his snobs； wreaks himself upon a
child； there is no worse snob than his snob…child。 There are snob…
children not only in the book dedicated to their parents； but in
nearly all his novels。 There is a female snob…child in 〃Lovel the
Widower；〃 who may be taken as a type； and there are snob…children at
frequent intervals in 〃Philip。〃 It is not certain that Thackeray
intended the children of Pendennis himself to be innocent and
exempt。
In one of Dickens's early sketches there is a plot amongst the
humorous dramatis personae； to avenge themselves on a little boy for
the lack of tact whereby his parents have brought him with them to a
party on the river。 The principal humorist frightens the child into
convulsions。 The incident is the success of the day； and is
obviously intended to have some kind of reflex action in amusing the
reader。 In Dickens's maturer books the burlesque little girl
imitates her mother's illusory fainting…fits。
Our glimpses of children in the fugitive pages of that day are
grotesque。 A little girl in Punch improves on the talk of her dowdy
mother with the maids。 An inordinate baby stares； a little boy