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Beginning of the End。 To the others； who lived in the immediate
present； it was a crisis so remote as scarcely to count at all。 Mary
would have liked to be sentimental about it； but from this she was
sternly prevented。 There was then nothing more to be said。 。 。
Jeremy was suddenly isolated from them all。 His destiny was
peculiar。 They were girls； he was a boy。 They understood neither his
fears nor his ambitions； he needed terribly a companion。 The snow；
shutting them in； laughed at their struggles against monotony。 The
nursery clock struck three and they realised that two whole hours
must pass before the next meal。 Mary； her nose red from pressing on
the window…pane； her eyes gazing through her huge spectacles
wistfully at Jeremy； longed to suggest that she should read aloud to
him。 She knew that he hated it； she pretended to herself that she
did not know。
Jeremy stared desperately at Helen who was sitting； dignified and
collected； in the wicker chair hemming a minute handkerchief。
〃We might play Pirates；〃 Jeremy said with a little cough； the better
to secure her attention。 There was no answer。
〃Or there's the hut in the woodif anyone likes it better；〃 he
added politely。 He did not know what was the matter。 Had the Jampot
not told him about school he would at this very moment be playing
most happily with his village。 It spread out there before him on the
nursery floor； the Noah family engaged upon tea in the orchard； the
butcher staring with fixed gaze from the door of his shop； three
cows and a sheep absorbed in the architecture of the church。
He sighed； then said again： 〃Perhaps Pirates would be better。〃
Still Helen did not reply。 He abandoned the attempted control of his
passions。
〃It's very rude；〃 he said； 〃not to answer when gentlemen speak to
you。〃
〃I don't see any gentlemen；〃 answered Helen quietly； without raising
her eyes； which was； as she knew； a provoking habit。
〃Yes； you do；〃 almost screamed Jeremy。 〃I'm one。〃
〃You're not；〃 continued Helen； 〃you're only eight。 Gentlemen must be
over twenty like Father or Mr。 Jellybrand。〃
〃I hate Mr。 Jellybrand and I hate you；〃 replied Jeremy。
〃I don't care；〃 said Helen。
〃Yes； you do；〃 said Jeremy； then suddenly； as though even a good
quarrel were not worth while on this heavily burdened afternoon； he
said gently： 〃You might play Pirates； Helen。 You can be Sir Roger。〃
〃I've got this to finish。〃
〃It's a dirty old thing；〃 continued Jeremy； pursuing an argument；
〃and it'll be dirtier soon； and the Jampot says you do all the
stitches wrong。 I wish I was at school。〃
〃I wish you were；〃 said Helen。
There was a pause after this。 Jeremy went sadly back to his window…
seat。 Mary felt that her moment had arrived。 Sniffing； as was her
habit when she wanted something very badly； she said in a voice that
was little more than a whisper：
〃It would be fun； wouldn't it； perhaps if I read something； Jeremy？〃
Jeremy was a gentleman； although he was only eight。 He looked at her
and saw behind the spectacles eyes beseeching his permission。
〃Well； it wouldn't be much fun；〃 he said； 〃but it's all beastly this
afternoon； anyway。〃
〃Can I sit on the window too？〃 asked Mary。
〃Not too close； because it tickles my ear； but you can if you like。〃
She hurried across to the bookshelf。 〃There's 'Stumps' and 'Rags and
Tatters；' and 'Engel the Fearless；' and 'Herr Baby' and 'Alice' and…
…〃
〃'Alice' is best；〃 said Jeremy； sighing。 〃You know it better than
the others。〃 He curled himself into a corner of the window…seat。
From his position there he had a fine view。 Immediately below him
was the garden； white and grey under the grey sky； the broken
fountain standing up like a snow man in the middle of it。 The snow
had ceased to fall and a great stillness held the world。
Beyond the little iron gate of the garden that always sneezed
〃Tishoo〃 when you closed it； was the top of Orange Street； then down
the hill on the right was the tower of his father's church； exactly
opposite the gate was the road that led to the Orchards； and on the
right of that was the Polchester High School for Young Ladies； held
in great contempt by Jeremy； the more that Helen would shortly be a
day…boarder there； would scream with the other girls； and； worst of
all； would soon be seen walking with her arm round another girl's
neck； chattering and eating sweets。 。 。
The whole world seemed deserted。 No colour； no movement； no sound。
He sighed once more〃I'd like to eat jam and jamlots of it；〃 he
thought。 〃It would be fun to be sick。〃
Mary arrived and swung herself up on to the window…seat。
〃It's the 'Looking Glass' one。 I hope you don't mind；〃 she said
apprehensively。
〃Oh； it's all right；〃 he allowed。 He flung a glance back to the
lighted nursery。 It seemed by contrast with that grey world outside
to blaze with colour； the red… painted ships on the wallpaper； the
bright lights and shadows of 〃The Charge of the Light Brigade；〃 the
salmon fronts of the doll's house； the green and red of the village
on the floor with the flowery trees； the blue tablecloth； the
shining brass coal…scuttle all alive and sparkling in the flames and
shadows of the fire； caught and held by the fine gold of the higher
fender。 Beyond that dead whitesoon it would be dark； the curtains
would be drawn； and still there would be nothing to do。 He sighed
again。
〃It's a nice bit about the shop；〃 said Mary。 Jeremy said nothing； so
she began。 She started at a run：
〃She looked at the Queen； who seemed to have'〃sniff； sniff…〃 'sud…
den…ly suddenly wra…wra…w…r…a…p…p…e…d wrapped'〃
〃Wrapped？〃 asked Jeremy。
〃I don't know；〃 said Mary； rubbing her nose； 〃what it means； but
perhaps we'll see presently； herself up in w…o…o…l wool。 'Alice
rubbed her eyes and looked again she couldn't'〃
〃'Looked again she couldn't'？〃 asked Jeremy。 〃It should be； 'she
couldn't look again。'〃
〃Oh； there's a stop；〃 said Mary。 〃I didn't see。 After 'again'
there's a stop。 'She couldn't make out what had happened at all'〃
〃I can't either；〃 said Jeremy crossly。 〃It would be better perhaps
if I read it myself。〃
〃It will be all right in a minute；〃 said Mary confidently。 〃'Was she
in a shop？ And was that reallywas it really a ship that was
sitting on the counter？'〃 she finished with a run。
〃A what？〃 asked Jeremy。
〃A ship〃
〃A ship！ How could it sit on a counter？〃 he asked。
〃Oh no； it's a sheep。 How silly I am！〃 Mary exclaimed。
〃You do read badly；〃 he agreed frankly。 〃I never can understand
nothing。〃 And it was at that very moment that he saw the Dog。
II
He had been staring down into the garden with a gaze half
abstracted； half speculative； listening with one ear to Mary； with
the other to the stir of the fire； the heavy beat of the clock and
the rustlings of Martha the canary。
He watched the snowy expanse of garden； the black gate； the road
beyond。 A vast wave of pale grey light； the herald of approaching
dusk； swept the horizon； the snowy roofs； the streets； and Jeremy
felt some contact with the strange air； the mysterious omens that
the first snows of the winter spread about the land。 He watched as
though he were w