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girl！ Noshe had moved elsewhere。 。 。 He could endure it no longer
and； with a thumping heart； clutching a scalding penny in a red…hot
hand； he mounted the steps。 〃One ridelittle gen'elman。 'Ere you
are！ 'Old on now！ Oh； you wants that one； do yer？ Eight yer areyer
pays yer money and yer takes yer choice。〃 He lifted Jeremy up。 〃Put
yer arms round 'is neck now'e won't bite yer！〃
Bite him indeed！ Jeremy felt； as he clutched the cool head and let
his hand slide over the stiff black mane； that he knew more about
that horse than his owner did。 He seemed to feel beneath him the
horse's response to his clutching knees； the head seemed to rise for
a moment and nod to him and the eyes to say： 〃It's all right。 I'll
look after you。 I'll give you the best ride of your life！〃 He felt；
indeed； that the gaze of the whole world was upon him； but he
responded to it proudly； staring boldly around him as though he had
been seated on merry…go… rounds all his days。 Perhaps some in the
gaping crowd knew him and were saying： 〃Why； there's the Rev。 Cole's
kid〃 Never mind； he was above scandal。 From where he was he could
see the Fair lifted up and translated into a fantastic splendour。
Nothing was certain； nothing definedabove him a canopy of evening
sky； with circles and chains of stars mixed with the rosy haze of
the flame of the Fair； opposite him was the Palace of 〃The Two…
Headed Giant from the Caucasus；〃 a huge man as portrayed in the
picture hanging on his outer walls； a giant naked； save for a
bearskin； with one head black and one yellow； and white protruding
teeth in both mouths。 Next to him was the Fortune Teller's； and
outside this a little man with a hump beat a drum。 Then there was
〃The Theatre of Tragedy and Mirth；〃 with a poster on one side of the
door portraying a lady drowning in the swiftest of rivers； but with
the prospect of being saved by a stout gentleman who leaned over
from the bank and grasped her hair。 Then there was the 〃Chamber of
the Fat Lady and the Six Little Dwarfs；〃 and the entry to this was
guarded by a dirty sour…looking female who gnashed her teeth at a
hesitating public； before whom； with a splendid indifference to
appearance； she consumed； out of a piece of newspaper； her evening
meal。
All these things were in Jeremy's immediate vision； and beyond them
was a haze that his eyes could not penetrate。 It held； he knew； wild
beasts； because he could hear quite clearly from time to time the
lion and the elephant and the tiger； it held music； because from
somewhere through all the noise and confusion the tune of a band
penetrated； it held buyers and sellers and treasures and riches； and
all the inhabitants of the worldsurely all the world must be here
to…night。 And then； beyond the haze； there were the silent and
mysterious gipsy caravans。 Dark with their little square windows；
and their coloured walls； and their round wheels； and the smell of
wood fires； and the noise of hissing kettles and horses cropping the
grass； and around them the still night world with the thick woods
and the dark river。
He did not see it all as he sat on his horsehe was； as yet； too
young； but he did feel the contrast between the din and glare around
him and the silence and dark beyond； and； afterwards； looking back；
he knew that he had found in that same contrast the very heart of
romance。 As it was； he simply clutched his horse's beautiful head
and waited for the ride to begin。 。 。
They were off！ He felt his horse quiver under him； he saw the
mansions of the Two…Headed Giant and the Fat Lady slip to the right；
the light seemed to swing like the skirt of someone's dress； upwards
across the floor； and from the heart of the golden woman and the
king and the minstrel a scream burst forth as though they were
announcing the end of the world。 After that he had no clear idea as
to what occurred。 He was swung into space； and all the life that had
been so stationary； the booths； the lights； the men and women； the
very stars went swinging with him as though to cheer him on； the
horse under him galloped before； and the faster he galloped the
wilder was the music and the dizzier the world。 He was exultant；
omnipotent； supreme。 He had long known that this glory was somewhere
if it could only he found； all his days he seemed to have been
searching for it； he beat his horse's neck； he drove his legs
against his sides。 〃Go on！ Go on！ Go on！〃 he cried。 〃Faster！ Faster！
Faster！〃
The strangest things seemed to rise to his notice and then fall
againa peaked policeman's hat； flowers； a sudden flame of gas； the
staring eyes and dead white arms of the golden woman； the flying
forms of the horses in front of him。 All the world was on horseback；
all the world was racing higher and higher； faster and faster。 He
saw someone near him rise on to his horse's back and stand on it；
waving his arms。 He would like to have done that； but he found that
he was part of his horse； as though he had been glued to it。 He
shouted； he cried aloud； he was so happy that he thought of no one
and nothing。 。 。 The flame danced about him in a circle； he seemed
to rise so high that there was a sudden stillness； he was in the
very heart of the stars； then came the supreme moment when； as he
had always known； that one day he would be； he was master of the
world。 。 。 Then； like Lucifer； he fell。 Slowly the stars receded；
the music slackened； people rocked on to their feet again。 。 。 The
Two…Headed Giant slipped hack once more into his place； he saw the
sinister lady still devouring her supper； women looking up at him
gaped。 His horse gave a last little leap and died。
This marvellous experience he repeated four times； and every time
with an ecstasy more complete than the last。 He rushed to a height；
he fell； he rushed again； he fell； and at every return to a sober
life his one intention was instantly to be off on his steed once
more。 He was about to start on his fifth journey； he had paid his
halfpenny； he was sitting forward with his hands on the black mane；
his eyes； staring； were filled already with the glory that he knew
was coming to him； his cheeks were crimson； his hat on the back of
his head； his hair flying。 He heard a voice； quiet and cool； a
little below him； but very near：
〃Jeremy。 。 。 Jeremy。 Come off that。 You've got to go home。〃
He looked down and saw his Uncle Samuel。
IV
It was all over； he knew at once that it was all over。
As he slipped down from his dear horse he gave the glossy dark mane
one last pat； then； with a little sigh； he found his feet； stumbled
over the wooden steps and was at his uncle's side。
Uncle Samuel looked queer enough with a squashy black hat； a black
cloak flung over his shoulders； and a large cherry…wood pipe in his
mouth。 Jeremy looked up at him defiantly。
〃Well；〃 said Uncle Samuel sarcastically。 〃It's nothing to you； I
suppose； that the town…crier is at this moment ringing his bell for
you up and down the Market Place？〃
〃Does father know？〃 Jeremy asked quickly。
〃He does；〃 answered Uncle Samuel。
Jeremy cast one last look around the place； the merry… go…round was
engaged once more upon its wild course； the horse