the golden age(金色时代)-第3章
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be the fun！〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said Charlotte； firmly； 〃you'll be chained up till I'm
quite close to you； and then you'll be loose； and you'll tear me in pieces；
and make my frock all dirty； and p'raps you'll hurt me as well。 _I_ know
your lions！〃
〃No； I won't； I swear I won't；〃 protested Edward。 〃I'll be quite a new
lion this time；something you can't even imagine。〃 And he raced off to
his post。 Charlotte hesitated； then she went timidly on； at each step
growing less Charlotte； the mummer of a minute； and more the anxious
Pilgrim of all time。 The lion's wrath waxed terrible at her approach； his
roaring filled the startled air。 I waited until they were both thoroughly
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absorbed； and then I slipped through the hedge out of the trodden highway；
into the vacant meadow spaces。 It was not that I was unsociable； nor that
I knew Edward's lions to the point of satiety； but the passion and the call
of the divine morning were high in my blood。
Earth to earth！ That was the frank note； the joyous summons of the
day； and they could not but jar and seem artificial； these human
discussions and pretences； when boon Nature； reticent no more； was
singing that full…throated song of hers that thrills and claims control of
every fibre。 The air was wine； the moist earth…smell； wine； the lark's
song； the wafts from the cow…shed at top of the field； the pant and smoke
of a distant train；all were wine；or song； was it？ or odour； this unity they
all blended into？ I had no words then to describe it； that earth… effluence
of which I was so conscious； nor； indeed； have I found words since。 I ran
sideways； shouting； I dug glad heels into the squelching soil； I splashed
diamond showers from puddles with a stick； I hurled clods skywards at
random； and presently I somehow found myself singing。 The words
were mere nonsense； irresponsible babble； the tune was an improvisation；
a weary； unrhythmic thing of rise and fall： and yet it seemed to me a
genuine utterance； and just at that moment the one thing fitting and right
and perfect。 Humanity would have rejected it with scorn； Nature；
everywhere singing in the same key； recognised and accepted it without a
flicker of dissent。
All the time the hearty wind was calling to me companionably from
where he swung and bellowed in the tree…tops。 〃Take me for guide to…
day；〃 he seemed to plead。 〃Other holidays you have tramped it in the
track of the stolid； unswerving sun； a belated truant； you have dragged a
weary foot homeward with only a pale； expressionless moon for company。
To…day why not I； the trickster； the hypocrite？ I； who whip round corners
and bluster； relapse and evade； then rally and pursue！ I can lead you the
best and rarest dance of any； for I am the strong capricious one； the lord of
misrule； and I alone am irresponsible and unprincipled； and obey no law。〃
And for me； I was ready enough to fall in with the fellow's humour； was
not this a whole holiday？ So we sheered off together； arm…in…arm； so to
speak； and with fullest confidence I took the jigging； thwartwise course
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my chainless pilot laid for me。
A whimsical comrade I found him； ere he had done with me。 Was it
in jest； or with some serious purpose of his own； that he brought me plump
upon a pair of lovers； silent； face to face o'er a discreet unwinking stile？
As a rule this sort of thing struck me as the most pitiful tomfoolery。 Two
calves rubbing noses through a gate were natural and right and within the
order of things； but that human beings； with salient interests and active
pursuits beckoning them on from every side； could thus！ Well； it was a
thing to hurry past； shamed of face； and think on no more。 But this
morning everything I met seemed to be accounted for and set in tune by
that same magical touch in the air； and it was with a certain surprise that I
found myself regarding these fatuous ones with kindliness instead of
contempt； as I rambled by； unheeded of them。 There was indeed some
reconciling influence abroad； which could bring the like antics into
harmony with bud and growth and the frolic air。
A puff on the right cheek from my wilful companion sent me off at a
fresh angle； and presently I came in sight of the village church； sitting
solitary within its circle of elms。 From forth the vestry window projected
two small legs； gyrating； hungry for foothold； with larcenynot to say
sacrilegein their every wriggle： a godless sight for a supporter of the
Establishment。 Though the rest was hidden； I knew the legs well enough；
they were usually attached to the body of Bill Saunders； the peerless bad
boy of the village。 Bill's coveted booty； too； I could easily guess at that；
it came from the Vicar's store of biscuits； kept （as I knew） in a cupboard
along with his official trappings。
For a moment I hesitated； then I passed on my way。 I protest I was
not on Bill's side； but then； neither was I on the Vicar's； and there was
something in this immoral morning which seemed to say that perhaps；
after all； Bill had as much right to the biscuits as the Vicar； and would
certainly enjoy them better； and anyhow it was a disputable point； and no
business of mine。 Nature； who had accepted me for ally； cared little who
had the world's biscuits； and assuredly was not going to let any friend of
hers waste his time in playing policeman for Society。
He was tugging at me anew； my insistent guide； and I felt sure； as I
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rambled off in his wake； that he had more holiday matter to show me。
And so； indeed； he had； and all of it was to the same lawless tune。 Like a
black pirate flag on the blue ocean of air； a hawk hung ominous； then；
plummet…wise； dropped to the hedgerow； whence there rose； thin and shrill；
a piteous voice of squealing。
By the time I got there a whisk of feathers on the turflike scattered
playbillswas all that remained to tell of the tragedy just enacted。 Yet
Nature smiled and sang on； pitiless； gay； impartial。 To her； who took no
sides； there was every bit as much to be said for the hawk as for the
chaffinch。 Both were her children； and she would show no preferences。
Further on； a hedgehog lay dead athwart the pathnay； more than dead；
decadent； distinctly； a sorry sight for one that had known the fellow in
more bustling circumstances。 Nature might at least have paused to shed
one tear over this rough jacketed little son of hers； for his wasted aims； his
cancelled ambitions； his whole career of usefulness c
