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！
10； Arithmetic 10…11；〃 and so on。 A careful graduation of
punishments was instituted； copies to he written so many times；
standing on a chair； three strokes on the hand with a ruler； and；
worst of all； standing in the corner wearing a paper Dunce's cap。
（This last she had read of in books。） At first Jeremy had every
intention of behaving well； in spite of that unfortunate embrace。 He
was proud of his advance in life； he was no longer a baby； the
nursery was now a schoolroom； he stayed up an hour later at night；
he was to be allowed twopence a week pocket…money； his whole social
status had risen。 He began to read for pleasure； and discovered that
it was easier than he had expected； so that he passed quite quickly
through 〃Lottie's Visit to Grandmama〃 into 〃Stumps〃 and out again in
〃Jackanapes。〃 He heard some elder say that the road to a large
fortune lay through 〃Sums；〃 and； although this seemed to him an
extremely mysterious statement； he determined to give the theory a
chance。 In fact； he sat down the first day at the schoolroom table；
Mary and Helen on each side of him； and Miss Jones facing them； with
fine resolves and high ambitions。 Before him lay a pure white page；
and at the head of this the noble words in a running hand： 〃Slow and
steady wins the race。〃 He grasped his pencil； and Miss Jones； eager
to lose no time in asserting her authority； cried： 〃But that's not
the way to hold your pencil； Jeremy； your thumb so； your finger so。〃
He scowled and found that lifting his thumb over the pencil was as
difficult as lifting Hamlet over a gate。 He made a bold attempt； but
the pencil refused to move。
〃Can't hold it that way；〃 he said。
〃You must never say 'can't；' Jeremy；〃 remarked Miss Jones。 〃There
isn't such a word。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Mary eagerly； 〃there is； I've seen it in books。〃
〃You musn't contradict； Mary；〃 said Miss Jones。 〃I only meant that
you must behave as though there isn't； because nothing is impossible
to one who truly tries。〃
〃My pencil waggles this way；〃 said Jeremy politely。 〃I think I'll
hold it the old way； please。〃
〃There's only one way of doing anything；〃 said Miss Jones； 〃and
that's the right way。〃
〃This is the right way for me；〃 said Jeremy。
〃If I say it's not the right way〃
〃But it waggles；〃 cried Jeremy。
The discussion was interrupted by a cry from Helen。
〃Oh； do look； Miss Jones； Hamlet's got your spectacle… case。 He
thinks it's a mouse。〃
There followed general confusion。 Miss Jones jumped up； and； with
little cries of distress； pursued Hamlet； who hastened into his
favourite corner and began to worry the spectacle…case； with one eye
on Miss Jones and one on his spoils。
Jeremy hurried up crying： 〃Put it down； Hamlet； naughty dog； naughty
dog；〃 and Mary and Helen laughed with frantic delight。
At last Miss Jones； her face red and her hair in disorder； rescued
her property and returned to the table； Hamlet meanwhile wagging his
tail； panting and watching for a further game。
〃I can't possibly；〃 said Miss Jones； 〃allow that dog in here during
lesson hours。 It's impossible。〃
〃Oh； but Miss Jones〃 began Jeremy。
〃Not one word；〃 said she； 〃let us have no more of this。 Lead him
from the room； Jeremy！〃
〃But； Miss Jones； he must be here。 He's learning too。 In a day or
two he'll be as good as anything； really he will。 He's so
intelligent。 He really thought it was his to play with； and he did
give it up； didn't he； as soon as I said〃
〃Enough；〃 said Miss Jones； 〃I will listen to no more。 I say he is
not to remain〃
〃But if I promise〃 said Jeremy。
Then Miss Jones made a bad mistake。 Wearied of the argument； wishing
to continue the lesson； and hoping perhaps to please her tormentors；
she said meekly：
〃Well； if he really is good； perhaps〃
From that instant her doom was sealed。 The children exchanged a
glance of realisation。 Jeremy smiled。 The lesson was continued。 What
possessed Jeremy now？ What possesses any child； naturally perhaps；
of a kindly and even sentimental nature at the sight of something
helpless and in its power？ Is there any cruelty in after life like
the cruelty of a small boy； and is there anything more powerful；
more unreasoning； and more malicious than the calculating tortures
that small children devise for those weaker than themselves？ Jeremy
was possessed with a new power。
It was something almost abstract in its manifestations； it was
something indecent； sinister； secret； foreign to his whole nature
felt by him now for the first time； unanalysed； of course； but
belonging； had he known it； to that world of which afterwards he was
often to catch glimpses； that world of shining white faces in dark
streets； of muffled cries from shuttered windows； of muttered
exclamations； half caught； half understood。 He was never again to be
quite free from the neighbourhood of that half…world； he would never
be quite sure of his dominance of it until he died。
He had never felt anything like this power before。 With the Jampot
his relations had been quite simple； he had been rebellious；
naughty； disobedient； and had been punished； and there was an end。
Now there was a game like tracking Red Indians in the prairie or
tigers in the jungle。
He watched Miss Jones and discovered many things about her。 He
discovered that when she made mistakes in the things that she taught
them she was afraid to confess to her mistakes； and so made them
worse and worse。 He discovered that she was very nervous； and that a
sudden noise made her jump and turn white and put her hand to her
heart。 He discovered that she would punish him and then try to
please him by saying he need not finish his punishment。 He
discovered that she would lose things； like her spectacles； her
handkerchief； or her purse； and then be afraid to confess that she
had lost them and endeavour to proceed without them。 He discovered
that she hated to hit him on the hand with a ruler （he scarcely felt
the strokes）。 He discovered that when his mother or father was in
the room she was terrified lest he should misbehave。
He discovered that she was despised by the servants； who quite
openly insulted her。
All these things fed his sense of power。 He did not consider her a
human being at all； she was simply something upon which he could
exercise his ingenuity and cleverness。 Mary followed him in whatever
he did； Helen pretended to be superior； but was not。 Yes； Miss Jones
was in the hands of her tormentors； and there was no escape for her。
Surely it must have been some outside power that drove Jeremy on。
The children called it 〃teasing Miss Jones；〃 and the aboriginal
savagery in their behaviour was as unconscious as their daily speech
or fashion of eating their foodsome instinct inherited； perhaps；
from the days when the gentleman with the biggest muscles extracted
for his daily amusement the teeth and nails of his less happily
muscular friends。
There were many games to be played with Miss Jones。 She always began
her morning with a fine show of authority； accumulated； perhaps；
during hours of Spartan resolution whilst the rest of the household
slept。 〃To…morrow I'll see that they do what I tell them〃
〃Now； chi