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one sound and I do yer in； yerI'm watchin' yer； mind！〃
The lantern light suddenly vanished。 The room was black。 There was
no sound but the ticking of the clock； and now the rain； which had
seemed to stop during this terrible dialogue； beat with friendly
comfort once more upon the pane。 Jeremy stood there； his body held
together as though in an iron case； scarcely breathing。 There was no
more sound at all。 Quite clearly now Mary's snores could be heard
coming from her room。
Jeremy had only one thoughtonly one thought in all the world。 The
Captain did not want him。 The Captain had gone and not taken him
with him。 He was safe； he was freed； the terror was over and he was
at liberty。
At last he moved back to his room。 He got into bed again。 He was
terribly cold； and little spasms of shivers seized him； but he did
not care。 The Captain was gone； and he had not taken him with
him。 。 。
V
He was not aware whether he slept or no； but suddenly sunlight was
in the room； the bath…water was running； the canary was singing and
Hamlet was scratching upon his door。 He jumped out of bed and let
the dog in。 Then he heard Rose's voice from the next room：
〃。 。 。 and 'e's taken everything； 'e 'as。 All the silver
candlesticks and the plate what was give to master by the Temp'rance
Society； and Master Jeremy's mug what he 'ad at 'is christening and
all the knives and forks'e 'asand the gold clock out o' the
drorin'…room； and the mess！ Why； I says to Cook 'e couldn't 'ave
made more mess； I say； not if 'e'd come to do nothin' else。 Grease
everywhere； you never see nothin' like it； and all the drawers open
and the papers scattered about。 Thank 'Eaven 'e never found Cook's
earrings。 Real gold they was； ever so many carat and give to Cook
ever so many years ago by 'er John。 Poor woman！ She'd 'ave been in a
terrible takin' if she'd lost 'em。 。 。 And so quiet toonot a sound
and everyone sleepin' all round 'im。 Wonderful 'ow they does it！ I
thank the Lord I didn't 'ear 'im； I'd 'ave died of fright…shouldn't
like！ Why； Cook says she knew a 'ouse once 。 。 。〃
But Jeremy did not listen； he did not care。 As Hamlet sprang about
him and licked his hand he thought of one thing alone。
The Captain was gone！ The Captain was gone！ He was free！ The Captain
had not taken him； and he was free at last！
CHAPTER VI
FAMILY PRIDE
I
I am afraid that too great a part of this book is about old maids；
but it is hard for anyone who knows only the thriving bustling world
of today to realise how largely we children were hemmed in and
surrounded by a proper phalanx of elderly single ladies and
clergymen。 I don't believe that we were any the worse for that； and
to such heroines as Miss Jane Maple； Miss Mary Trefusis and old Miss
Jessamin Trenchard； I here publicly acknowledge deep and lasting
debt…but it did make our life a little monotonous； a little
unadventurous； a little circumscribed …and because T am determined
to give the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the year of
Jeremy's life that I am describing； this book will also； I am
afraid； be a little circumscribed； a little unadventurous。
The elderly lady who most thoroughly circumscribed Jeremy was； of
courseputting Miss Jones； who was a governess and therefore did
not count； asideAunt Amy。
Now Aunt Amy was probably the most conceited woman in Polchester。
There is of course ordinary human conceit； of which every living
being has his or her share。 I am not speaking of that； Miss Amy
Trefusis might be said to be fanatically conceited。
Although she was now a really plain elderly woman it is possible
that when she was a little girl she was pretty。 In any case； it is
certain that she was spoiled when she was a little girl； and because
she was delicate and selfish she received a good deal more attention
and obedience from weak and vacillating elders than she deserved。
After her growing up she had a year or two of moderate looks and she
received； during this period； several proposals； these she refused
because they were not good enough and something better must be
coming very shortly； but what really came very shortly was middle…
age； and it came of course entirely unperceived by the lady。 She
dressed and behaved as though she were still twenty； although her
brother Samuel tried to laugh her out of such absurdities。 But no
sister ever pays attention to a brother on such matters； and Aunt
Amy wore coloured ribbons and went to balls and made eyes behind her
fan for season after season。 Then as time passed she was compelled
by her mirror to realise that she was not quite so young as she had
once been； so she hurriedly invented a thrilling past history for
herself； alluding to affair after affair that had come to nothing
only because she herself had ruthlessly slain them； and dressing
herself more reasonably； but with little signs and hints； in the
shape of chains and coloured bows and rings； that she could still be
young if she so pleased； and that she was open to offers； although
she could not promise them much encouragement。 She liked the society
of Canons； and was to be seen a great deal with old Canon Borlase；
who was as great a flirt as he was an egotist； so that it did not
matter to him in the least with whom he flirted； and sat at the feet
of old Canon Morpheu； who was so crazy about the discoveries that he
had made in the life of Ezekiel that it was quite immaterial to him
to whom he explained them。
She descended from these clerical flights into the bosom of family
life with some natural discontent。 Her brother Samuel she had always
disliked because he laughed at her； her sister she did not care for
because she was very innocently； poor lady； flaunting her superior
married state； and her brother…in…law she did not like because he
always behaved as though she were one of a vast public of elderly
ladies who were useful for helping in clerical displays； but were
otherwise non…existent。 Then she hated children； so that she really
often wondered why she continued to live with her brother…in…law；
but it was cheap； comfortable and safe； and although she assured
herself and everyone else that there were countless homes wildly
eager to receive her； it was perhaps just as well not to put their
eagerness too abruptly to the test。
There had been war between her and Jeremy since Jeremy's birth； but
it had been war of a rather mild and inoffensive character；
consisting largely in Jeremy on his side putting out his tongue at
her when she could not see him； and she on her side sending him to
wash his ears when they really did not require to be washed。 She had
felt always in Jeremy an obstinate dislike of her； and as he had
seemed to her neither a very clever nor intelligent child she had
consoled herself very easily with the thought that he did not like
her simply because he was stupid。 So it had been until this year；
and then suddenly they had been flung into sharper opposition。 It
was hard to say what had brought this about； but it was perhaps that
Jeremy had sprung suddenly from the unconscious indifference of a
young child into the active participation of a growing boy。 Wh