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young child into the active participation of a growing boy。 Whatever
the truth might have been； the coming of Hamlet had drawn their
attitudes into positive conflict。
Aunt Amy had felt from the first that Hamlet laughed at her。 Had you
asked her to state； as a part of her general experience； that she
really believed that dogs could laugh at human beings she would
indignantly have repudiated any idea so fantastic； nevertheless；
unanalysed and unconfronted； that was her conviction。 The dog
laughed at her； he insulted her by walking into her bedroom with his
muddy feet and then pretending that he hadn't known that it was her
bedroom； regarding her through his hair with an ironical and
malicious glance； barking suddenly when she made some statement as
though he enjoyed immensely an excellent joke； but； above all；
despising her； she felt； so that the wall of illusion that she had
built around herself had been pulled down by at least one creature；
more human； she knew； in spite of herself； than many human beings。
Therefore； she hated Hamlet； and scarcely a day passed that she did
not try to have him flung from the house； or at least kept in the
kitchen offices。
Hamlet had； however； won the hearts of the family； it was； indeed；
Aunt Amy alone to whom he had not thought it worth while to pay
court。 To her alone he would not come when she called； by her alone
he would not be cajoled； even though she offered him sugary tea； his
deadliest temptation。 No； he sat and looked at her through his hair；
his fiery eye glinting； his peaked beard ironically humorous； his
leg stuck out from his body； a pointing signal of derision。
She resolved to wait for an opportunity when she might conquer
Hamlet and Jeremy together； but her power in the house was slight；
so long as Mr。 and Mrs。 Cole were there。 〃If I only had the children
to myself；〃 she would say； 〃I would improve their manners in many
ways。 Poor Alice！〃 Then suddenly she did have them。 At the
beginning of May Mr。 Cole was summoned to take a mission to the
seamen of Drymouth； and Mrs。 Cole； who had relations in Drymouth；
accompanied him。 They would be absent from Pelchester a whole week。
〃Oh； won't Aunt Amy be a nuisance；〃 said Jeremy； realising the
situation。 Then turning to Mary he added： 〃We'll pretend to do what
she tells us and not do it really。 That's much the easiest。〃
A week is a short time； especially at the beginning of a shining and
burning May； but Aunt Amy did her best not only with the children
but with the servants； and even old Jordan； the gardener； who had
been with the Cole family for twenty years。 During that short week
the cook； the parlourmaid； Rose； the housemaid； and the bootboy all
gave notice； and Mrs。 Cole was only able to keep them （on her
return） by raising the wages of all of them。 Jordan； who was an old
man with a long white beard； said to her when she advised him to
plant pinks where he had planted tulips and tulips where he had
planted pinks； and further inquired why the cauliflower that he sent
in was so poor and the cabbages so small： 〃Leave things alone； Miss；
Nature's wiser than we be； not but what you mayn't mean well； but
fussin's never done any good where Nature's concerned； nor never
will〃； and when she said that he was very rude to her； he shook his
head and answered：
〃Maybe yes； and maybe no。 What's rude to one ain't rude to another〃…
…out of which answer she could make nothing at all。
In the schoolroom she sustained complete defeat。 At the very outset
she was baffled by Miss Jones。 She had always despised Miss Jones as
a poor unfortunate female who was forced to teach children in her
old age because she must earn her livinga stupid； sentimental；
cowed； old woman at whom the children laughed。 She found now that
the children instead of laughing at her laughed with her； formed a
phalanx of protection around her and refused to be disobedient。 Miss
Jones herself was discovered to have a dry； rather caustic； sense of
humour that Aunt Amy felt to be impertinence； but could not
penetrate。
〃And is that really how you teach them history； Miss Jones？ Not
quite the simplest way； surely。 。 。 I remember an excellent
governess whom we once had〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Miss Jones； gently； 〃you would give them a history
lesson yourself； Miss Trefusis。 I would be so glad to pick up any
little hints〃
〃I have； of course； no time；〃 said Aunt Amy hurriedly； 〃but；
speaking generally； I am afraid I can't approve altogether of your
system。〃
〃It isn't very good； I'm afraid；〃 said Miss Jones weakly。 〃The
children would be glad； I know； to have a few hints from you if you
could spare a moment〃
Jeremy； who was listening； giggled； tried to turn the giggle into a
sneeze and choked。
〃Jeremy！〃 said Aunt Amy severely。
〃Oh； do look； Aunt Amy！〃 cried Mary； always Jeremy's faithful ally；
〃all your hairpins are dropping out！〃
She devoted herself then to Jeremy and worried him in every possible
way； and after two days of this he hated her with a deep and bitter
hatred； very different from that earlier teasing of Miss Jones。 That
had sprung from a sudden delicious discovery of power； and had been
directed against no one。 This was a real personal hatred that
children of a less solid and tenacious temperament than Jeremy would
have been incapable of feeling。
He did not laugh at her； he did not tease her； he no longer put out
his tongue at her。 He was older than that nowhe was simply
reserved and silent； watching her with his large eyes； his square
body set； and resolved as though he knew that his moment would come。
Her experience with him was baffling。 She punished him； petted him；
she ignored him； she stormed at him； it seemed that she would do
anything could she only win from him an acknowledgment of her power；
her capability。 But she could not。 He only said： 〃Yes； Aunt Amy。〃
〃No； Aunt Amy。〃
She burst out： 〃You're a sullen； wicked little boy； Jeremy。 Do you
know what happens to little boys who sulk？〃
〃No； Aunt Amy。〃
〃They grow into cross； bad…tempered men whom nobody likes and nobody
trusts。 Do you want to be like that when you're a man ？〃
〃I don't care。〃
〃You know what happened to 'Don't Care。' I shall have to punish you
if you're rude to me。〃
〃What have I done that's rude？〃
〃You mustn't speak to me like that。 Is that the way you speak to
your mother？〃
〃No； Aunt Amy。〃
〃Well； then； if you don't speak to your mother like that； you
mustn't speak to me like that； either。〃
〃No； Aunt Amy。〃
〃Well； then 。 。 。〃
This hatred was quite new to him。 He had once； years ago； hated a
black…faced doll that had been given to him。 He had not known why he
hated it； but there it had been。 He had thrown it out of the window；
and the gardener had found it and brought it into the house again；
battered and bruised； but still alive； with its horrid red smile；
and this had terrified him。 。 。 He had begun to burn it； and the
nurse had caught him and slapped him。 He had begun to cut it with
scissors； and when the sawdust flowed he was more terrified than
ever。 But that doll was quite different from Aunt Amy。 He was not
terrified of her at all。 He hated h