第1章

Aboutthirtyyearsagotherewasatthetopoftheright-handsideofOrangeStreet，inPolchester，alargestonehouse。Isay“was“；

theshellofitisstillthere，andthepeoplewhonowliveinitarequiteunaware，Isuppose，thatanythinghashappenedtotheinsideofit，exceptthattheyarecertainlyassuredthattheirfurnitureisvastlysuperiortothefurnitureoftheirpredecessors。

Theyhaveagramophone，apianola，andalifttobringtheplatesfromthekitchenintothedining-room，andasmallmotorgarageatthebackwheretheoldpumpusedtobe，andaverymodernrockgardenwhereoncewasthepondwiththefountainthatneverworked。

Letthemcherishtheirsatisfaction。Noonegrudgesittothem。TheColeswere，bymodernstandards，old-fashionedpeople，andtheStoneHousewasanold-fashionedhouse。

YoungJeremyColewasbornthereintheyear1884，veryearlyinthemorningofDecember8th。HewasstillthereveryearlyinthemorningofDecember8th，1892。Hewassittingupinbed。Thecuckooclockhadjuststruckfive，andhewasawarethathewas，atthisverymoment，forthefirsttimeinhislife，eightyearsold。Hehadgonetobedateighto’clockontheprecedingeveningwiththechokingconsciousnessthathewouldawakeinthemorningadifferentcreature。Althoughhehadslept，therehadpermeatedthetextureofhisdreamsthatsamechokingexcitement，andnow，wideawake，asthoughhehadaskedthecuckootocallhiminorderthathemightnotbelateforthegreatoccasion，hestaredintotheblackdistanceofhisbedroomandreflected，withabeatingheart，uponthegreatevent。Hewaseightyearsold，andhehadasmuchrightnowtothenurseryarm-chairwithaholeinitasHelenhad。

Thatwashisfirstdefiniterealisationofapproachingtriumph。

ThroughoutthewholeofhisseventhyearhehadfoughtwithHelen，whowasmostunjustlyayearolderthanheandpersistentlyproudofthatinjustice，astohisrighttousethewickerarm-chairwhensoeveritpleasedhim。Sodestructiveofthegeneralpeaceofthehousehadtheseincessantbattlesbeen，sounavailingthesuggestionsofelderlyrelationsthatgentlemenalwaysyieldedtoladies，thatacompromisehadbeenarrivedat。WhenJeremywaseightheshouldhaveequalrightswithHelen。Wellandgood。Jeremyhadyieldedtothat。Itwastheonlydecentchairinthenursery。Intotheplacewherethewicker，yieldingtorudeandimpulsivepressure，hadfallenaway，one’sbodymightbemosthappilyfitted。Itwasofexactlytherightheight；itmadethehandsomestcreakingnoiseswhenonerockedinit——and，inanycase，Helenwasonlyagirl。

Butthesenseofhistriumphhadnotyetfullydescendeduponhim。

Ashesatupinbed，yawning，withatickleinthemiddleofhisbackandhisthroatverydry；hewasdisappointinglyawarethathewasstillthesameJeremyofyesterday。Hedidnotknowwhatitwasexactlythathehadexpected，buthedidnotfeelatpresentthatconfidentproudgloryforwhichhehadbeenprepared。Perhapsitwastooearly。

Heturnedround，curledhisheadintohisarm，andwithahalf-

muttered，half-dreamtstatementaboutthewickerchair，hewasonceagainasleep。

II

Heawoketothecustomarysoundofthebathwaterrunningintothebath。Hisroomwasfloodedwithsunshine，andoldJampot，thenurse(hernamewasMrs。PrestonandhershapewasJampot)，wassayingasusual：“Now，MasterJeremy，eighto’clock；nolyinginbed——out——youget——bath——ready。“

Hestaredather，blinking。

“Youshouldsay’ManyHappyReturnsoftheDay，MasterJeremy，’“heremarked。Thensuddenly，withaleap，hewasoutofbed，hadcrossedthefloor，pushedbackthenurserydoor，andwassittinginthewickerarm-chair，hisnakedfeetkickingatriumphantdance。

“Helen！Helen！“hecalled。“I’minthechair。“

Nosound。

“I’meight，“heshouted，“andI’minthechair。“

Mrs。Preston，breathlessandexclaiming，hurriedacrosstohim。

“Oh，younaughtyboy……deathofcold……inyournightshirt。“

“I’meight，“hesaid，lookingatherscornfully，“andIcansithereaslongasIplease。“

Helen，herpigtailsflappingoneithershoulder，hernosered，asitalwayswasearlyinthemorning，appearedattheoppositeendofthenursery。

“Nurse，hemustn’t，musthe？Tellhimnotto。Idon’tcarehowoldyouare。It’smychair。Mothersaid——“

“No，shedidn’t。Mothersaid——“

“Yes，shedid。Mothersaid——“

“Mothersaidthatwhen——“

“Oh，youstory。YouknowthatMothersaid——“Thensuddenlyanew，stiffening，trustingdignityfilledhim，asthoughhehadwithaturnoftheheaddiscoveredhimselfingoldenarmour。

Hewasabovethisvulgarwranglingnow。Thatwasforgirls。Hewassuperiortothemall。Hegotdownfromthechairandstood，hisheadup，ontheoldTurkeyrug(redwithyellowcockatoos)infrontoftheroaringfire。

“Youmayhaveyouroldchair，“hesaidtoHelen。“I’meightnow，andIdon’twantitanymore……althoughifIdowantitIshallhaveit，“headded。

Hewasasmall，squareboywithapug-nosedface。Hishairwaslightbrown，thinandstiff，sothatitwasdifficulttobrush，andalthoughyouwateredit，stoodupinunexpectedplacesandstaredatyou。Hiseyesweregood，darkbrownandlarge，buthewasinnowayhandsome；hisneck，hisnoseridiculous。Hismouthwastoolarge，andhischinstuckoutlikeahammer。

Hewas，plainly，obstinateandpossiblysulky，althoughwhenhesmiledhiswholefacewaslightedwithhumour。HelenwastheonlybeautifulColechild，andshewasabundantlyawareofthatfact。TheColeshadneverbeenagood-lookingfamily。

Hestoodinfrontofthefireplacenowashehadseenhisfatherdo，hisshortlegsapart，hisheadup，andhishandsbehindhisback。

“Now，MasterJeremy，“theJampotcontinued，“youmaybeeightyearsold，butitisn’tareasonfordisobediencetheveryfirstminute，and，ofcourse，yourbathisreadyandyoucatchingyourdeathwithnakedfeet，whichyou’vealwaysbeentoldtoputyourslippersonandnottokeepthebathwaiting，whenthere’sMissHelenandMissMary，asyouverywellknow，andbreakfastcominginfiveminutes，whichthere’ssausagesthismorning，becauseit’syourbirthday，andthemallgettingcold——“

“Sausages！“

Hewasacrossthefloorinamoment，hadthrownoffhisnightshirtandwasinhisbath。Sausages！Hewastranslatedintoaworldofexcitementandsplendour。Theyhadsausagessoseldom，notalwaysevenonbirthdays，andto-day，onacoldmorning，withacracklingfireandmarmalade，perhaps——andthenallthepresents。

Oh，hewashappy。AsherubbedhisbackwiththetowelawonderfulglowingChristiancharityspreadfromhisheadtohistoesandtingledthrougheveryinchofhim。Helenshouldsitinthechairwhenshepleased；Maryshouldbeallowedtodressandundressthelargewoollendog，knownas“Sulks，“hisownespecialandbelovedproperty，sooftenasshewished；Jampotshouldpokethetwistedendofthetowelinhisearsandbrushhishairwiththehardbrushes，andhewouldnotsayaword。AuntMaryshouldkisshim(as，ofcourse，shewouldwanttodo)，andhewouldnotshiver；hewould(bravestdeedofall)allowMarytoread“AliceinWonderland“inhersing-singvoicesolongasevershewanted……Sausages！

Sausages！

Inhisshirtandhisshortbluetrousers，hishaironend，tuggingathisbraces，hestoodinthedoorwayandshouted：

“Helen，therearesausages——becauseit’smybirthday。Aren’tyouglad？？

AndevenwhentheonlyresponsetohisjoyousinvitationwasHelen’svoicecrosslyadmonishingtheJampot：“Oh，youdopullso；you’rehurting！“——hischaritywasnotchecked。

Thenwhenhestoodclothedandofacheerfulmindoncemoreinfrontofthefireashynessstoleoverhim。HeknewthatthemomentforPresentswasapproaching；heknewthatveryshortlyhewouldhavetokissandbekissedbyamultitudeofpersons，thathewouldhavetosayagainandagain，“Oh，thankyou，thankyousomuch！“thathewouldhavehisusualconsciousnessofhisinabilitytothankanybodyatallinthewaythattheyexpectedtobethanked。HelenandMaryneverworriedaboutsuchthings。Theydelightedinkissingandhuggingandmultitudesofwords。Ifonlyhemighthavehadhispresentsbyhimselfandthenstolenoutandsaid“Thankyou“tothelotofthemandhavedonewithit。

Hewatchedthebreakfast-tablewithincreasingsatisfaction——thelargeteapotwiththeredroses，thedarkblueporridgeplates，theglassjarwiththemarmaladearichyellowinsideit，thehugeloafwiththesoftpiecesburstingoutbetweenthecrustypieces，thesolidsquareofbutter，sobeautifulacolourandmarkedwithalargecowandatreeonthetop(hehadseenonceinthekitchenthewoodenshapewithwhichthecookmadethishandsomething)。Therewerealsohisownsilvermug，givenhimathischristeningbyCanonTrenchard，hisgodfather，andhissilverspoon，givenhimonthesameoccasionbyUncleSamuel。

Allthesethingsglitteredandglowedinthefirelight，andakettlewassingingonthehobandMarthathecanarywassinginginhercageinthewindow。(Noonereallyknewwhetherthecanarywerealadyoragentleman，butthenamehadbeenMarthaafterabelovedhousemaid，nowmarriedtothegardener，andthesexhadfollowedthename。)

Therewerealsoalltheotherfamiliarnurserythings。TheholeintheTurkeycarpetnearthebookcase，therocking-horse，veryshinywhereyousitandveryChristmas-tree-likeastoitstail；thedoll’shouse，nowdeserted，becauseHelenwastoooldandMarytooclever；thepicturesof“ChurchonChristmasMorning“(everyonewiththeirmouthsverywideopen，singingaChristmashymn，withholly)，“DignityandImpudence，“afterLandseer，“TheShepherdsandtheAngels，“and“TheChargeoftheLightBrigade。“SopackedwasthenurserywithhistoryforJeremythatitwouldhavetakenquiteaweektorelateitall。TherewasthespotwherehehadbittentheJampot’sfingers，forwhichdeedhehadafterwardsbeenslipperedbyhisfather；therethecornerwheretheystoodforpunishment(heknewexactlyhowmanyshipswithsails，howmanyridgesofwaves，andhowmanysettingsunstherewereonthatespecialpieceofcornerwallpaper——threeships，twelveridges，twoandahalfsuns)；

therewastheplacewherehehadbrokentheinkbottleoverhisshoesandthecarpet，therebythewindow，whereMaryhadreadtohimoncewhenhehadtoothache，andhehadnotknownwhetherherreadingorthetoothacheagonisedhimthemore；andsoon，anendlesssequenceofsensationalhistory。

HisreminiscenceswerecutshortbytheappearanceofGladyswiththeporridge。Gladys，whowasonlythebetween-maid，butwasneverthelessstout，breathlessfromherclimbandthesentimentoftheoccasion，producedfromadeeppocketadirtyenvelope，whichshelaiduponthetable。

“Many’appyreturns，MasterJeremy。“Giggle……giggle……“LordsaveusifI’aven’tgoneandforgottentheyspunes，“andshevanished。Thepresent-givinghadbegun。

Hehadaninstant’sstruggleastowhetheritwerebettertowaituntilallthepresentshadaccumulated，orwhetherhewouldtakethemseparatelyastheyarrived。Thedirtyenvelopeluredhim。Headvancedtowardsitandseizedit。Hecouldnotreadveryeasilythesprawlingwritingonthecover，butheguessedthatitsaid“FromGladystoMasterJeremy。“Withinwasamarvellouscard，tiedtogetherwithglisteningcordandshiningwithallthecoloursoftherainbow。ItwasapparentlyasurvivalfromlastChristmas，astherewasachurchinsnowandapealofbells；hewas，nevertheless，veryhappytohaveit。