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orchids。 Very quickly the little conservatory had been abandoned；
the heating apparatus had failed； the plants had refused to grow；
the tomatoes never appeared； the bulbs would not burst into colour。
For Jeremy the place had had always an indescribable fascination。
When he was very young there had been absolute trust that things
would grow； that every kind of wonder might spring before one's eyes
at any moment of the day。 Then； when no wonder came； there had been
the thrill of the empty boxes of earth； the probing with one's
fingers to see what the funny…looking bulbs would be； and watching
the fronds of the pale vine。 Afterwards； there was another
fascinationthe fascination of some strange and sinister atmosphere
that he was much too young to define。 The place； he knew； was
different from the rest of the house。 It projected； conventionally
enough； from the drawing…room； but the heavy door with thick windows
of red glass shut it off from the whole world。 Its rather dirty and
obscure windows looked over the same country that Jeremy's bedroom
window commanded。 It also caught all the sun； so that in the summer
it was terribly hot。 But Jeremy loved the heat。 He was discovered
once by the scandalised Jampot quite naked dancing on the wooden
boards； his face and hands black with grime。 No one could ever
understand 〃what he saw in the dirty place；〃 and at one time he had
been forbidden to go there。 Then he had cried and stamped and
shouted； so that he had been allowed to return。 Amongst the things
that he saw there were the reflections that the outside world made
upon the glass； it would be stained； sometimes； with a strange；
green reflection of the fields beyond the wall； sometimes it would
catch the blue of the sky； or the red and gold of the setting sun；
sometimes it would be grey with waving shadows across its surface；
as though one were under water。 Through the dirty windows the
country； on fine days； shone like distant tapestry； and in the glass
that covered the farther side of the place strange reflections were
caught： of cows； horses； walls； and treesas though in a kind of
magic mirror。
Another thing that Jeremy felt there； was that he was in a glass
cage swinging over the whole world。 If one shut one's eyes one could
easily fancy that one was swinging outswingingswinging； and
that； suddenly perhaps； the cage would be detached from the house
and go sailing； like a magic carpet； to Arabia and Persia； and
anywhere you pleased to command。
To…day the glass burnt like fire； and the green fields came floating
up to bo transfigured there like running water。 The house was
utterly still； the red glass door shut off the world。 Jeremy sat；
his arms tightly round Hamlet's neck； on the dirty floor； a strange
mixture of misery； weariness； fright； and anger。 There was already
in him a strain of impatience； so that he could not bear simply to
sit down and bewail something as； for instance； both his sisters
were doing at this moment。 He must act。 They could not bo happy
without their mother； he himself wanted her so badly that even now；
there in the flaming conservatory； if he had allowed himself to do
such a thing； he would have sat and cried and cried and cried。 But
he was not going to cry。 Mary and Helen could crythey were girls；
he was going to do something。
As he sat there； getting hotter and hotter； there grew； larger and
larger before his eyes； the figure of Terrible God。 That image of
Someone of a vast size sitting in the red…hot sky； his white beard
flowing； his eyes frowning； grew ever more and more awful。 Jeremy
stared up into the glass； his eyes blinking； the sweat beginning to
pour down his nose； and yet his body shivering with terror。 But he
had strung himself up to meet Him。 Somehow he was going to save his
mother and hinder her departure。 At an instant； inside him； he was
crying： 〃I want my mother！ I want my mother！〃 like a little boy who
had been left in the street； and at the other； 〃You shan't have her！
You shan't have her！〃 as though someone were trying to steal his
Toy…Village or Hamlet away from him。 His sleepy； bemused； heated
brain wandered； in dazed fashion； back to his father's sermon of
that morning。 Abraham and Isaac！ Abraham and Isaac！
Abraham and Isaac！ Suddenly； as though through the flaming glass
something had been flung to him； an idea came。 Perhaps God； that
huge； ugly God was teasing the Coles just as once He had teased
Abraham。 Perhaps He wished to see whether they were truly obedient
as the Jampot had sometimes wished in the old days。 He was only； it
might be； pretending。 Perhaps He was demanding that one of them
should give up somethingsomething of great value。 Even Jeremy；
himself！ 。 。 。
If he had to sacrifice something to save his mother； what would be
the hardest sacrifice？ Would it be his Toy… Village； or Mary or
Helen； or his soldiers； or his paint… box； or his gold fish that he
had in a bowl； orNo； of course； he had known from the first what
would be hardestit would； of course； be Hamlet。
At this stage in his thinking he removed his arm from Hamlet's neck
and looked at the animal。 At the same moment the light that had
filled the glass…house with a fiery radiance that burnt to the very
heart of the place was clouded。 Above； in the sky； black； smoky
clouds； rolling in fold after fold； as though some demon were
flinging them out across the sky as one flings a carpet； piled up
and up； each one darker than the last。 The light vanished； the
conservatory was filled with a thick； murky glow； and far across the
fields； from the heart of the black wood； came the low rumble of
thunder。 But Jeremy did not hear that； he was busy with his
thoughts。 lie stared at the dog； who was lying stretched out on the
dirty floor； his nose between his toes。 It cannot truthfully be said
that the resolve that was forming in Jeremy's head had its birth in
any fine； noble idealisms。 It was as though some bully； seizing his
best marbles； had said： 〃I'll give you these back if you hand over
this week's pocket…money！〃 His attitude to the bully could not
truthfully be described as one of homage or reverence； rather was it
one of anger and impotent rebellion。
He loved Hamlet； and he loved his mother more than Hamlet； but he
was not moved by sentiment。 Grimly； his legs apart； his eyes shut
tight； as they were when he said his prayers； he made his challenge。
〃I'll give you Hamlet if you don't take Mother〃 A pause。 〃Only I
can't cut Hamlet's throat。 But I could lose him； if that would do。 。
。 Only you must take him nowI couldn't do it to…morrow。〃 His voice
began to tremble。 He was frightened。 He could feel behind his closed
eyes that the darkness had gathered。 The place seemed to be filled
with rolling smoke； and the house was so terribly still！
He said again： 〃You can take Hamlet。 He's my best thing。 You can
You can〃
There followed then； with the promptitude of a most admirably
managed theatrical climax； a peal of thunder that seemed to strike
the house with the iron hand of a giant。 Two more came； and then；
for a second； a silence； more deadly than all the earlier havoc。
Jeremy felt that God had leapt upon