第19章

allthesethingstheCaptainbrushedasideasthoughtheynolongerinterestedhimintheleast。He，ontheotherhand，wantednowtoknowexactlywhereJeremylived，whatthehousewaslike，wherethebackdoorswere，howthewindowsopened，whereJeremyslept，andsoon。Jeremy，pleasedatthisinterestinhisdailylife，toldhimasmanythingsashecould，hopingtopassonafterwardstomoreexcitingtopics；how，forinstance，thekitchenwindowswerefastenedalwayslastthingatnight，butyoucouldundothemfromthegardenifyoulikedwithyourknife，andJeremyknewthisbecauseUncleSamuelhaddoneitonceonaSundayafternoonwhenthemaidswerealloutandhe’dforgottenhisdoorkey。HewouldhavetoldtheCaptainallabouttheschoolroomandthetoyvillageandtheJampotandthefuntheyhadhadteasingMissJoneshadnot，theCaptainfiercelytoldhimthatthesethingsdidnotinteresthim，andthathehadbetterjustanswerthequestionsthatwereputtohim。Itwasindeedstrangetoseehow，witheveryinterview，theCaptaingrewfiercerandfiercerandsharperandsharper。Hemadenoallusionsnowto“’islittlenipper，“saidnothingaboutthatholysoulhismother，andnevermentionedhislikingforJeremy。Therewasevidentlysomethingonhismind，andifhehadseemedmysteriousattheirfirstmeetingitwasnothingtothesecrecythathepractisednow。

Andyet，inspiteofallthis，hisholdoverJeremygrewandgrew。

ThatdreamofthebendingwhiteroadwasalwayswithJeremy。HecouldthinkofnothingbuttheCaptain，andwhilehewascertainlyafraidandwouldjumpattheslightestsound，hewasalsocertainlyexcitedbeyondallearlierexperience。Helonged，ashelayawakeatnight，toseetheCaptain。Heseemedtohavealwaysinfrontofhiseyesthegreatwallofachestwiththeblueshiponit，andthebolsterlegs，andthegigantichands。Strangestofallwasthesenseofevilthatcamewiththeattraction。

Helongedtobeintheman’scompanyashelongedtodosomethingthathehadbeenalwaystoldnottodo，andwhenhecaughtsightofhimasudden，hot，chokinghandwaspresseduponhisheart，andhewasterrified，delighted，frightened，ashamed，allinone。TheCaptainalwaysalludedtothethingsthathewouldtellhim，wouldshowhimoneday——“WhenyoucometomylittleplaceI’llteachyerathingortwo“——andJeremywouldwonderforhourswhatthislittleplacewouldbelikeandwhattheCaptainwouldteachhim。Meanwhile，hesawhimeverywhere，evenwhenhewasnotthere——behindlamp-

posts，atstreetcorners，behindtheoldwoman’sumbrellainthemarket-place，peeringroundthestatuesintheCathedral，jerkinguphisheadfrombehindchimneypots，lookingthroughthenurserywindowsjustwhenduskwascomingon，inthepassages，understairs，outinthedarkgarden——andalwaysbehindhimthathorriddreamofthedead-whiteroadandtheshinglyCove……Yes，poorJeremywastrulyhaunted。

IV

ThatMissJonessuspectednothingofthesemeetingsmustbeattributedpartlytothatlady’shabitofwrappingherselfinherownthoughtsonherwalksabroad，andpartlytohernaturalshort-

sightedness。OnceMarysaidthatshehadnoticed“ahorridmanwitharedface“staringatthem；butMissJones，althoughshewasnotavainwoman，thoughtitneverthelessquitenaturalthatmenshouldstare，andfanciedmorefrequentlythattheydidsothanwasstrictlythetruth。

Jeremy，meanwhile，wasoccupiednowwiththethoughtastowhathewoulddodidtheCaptainreallywanthimtogoawaywithhim。Hediscusseditwithhimself，buthedidnotdoubtwhathewoulddo；hewouldgo。Andhewouldgo，heknew，withfearanddread，andwithalongingtostay，andbewarmintheschoolroom，andhavejamfortea，andhalfanhourbeforebedtimedownstairs，andYorkshirepuddingonSundays。ButtheCaptaincouldmakehimdoanything……

Yes，theCaptaincouldmakehimdoanything……

Hisafternoonwalksnowwereprolongedagonies。Hewouldturnhisheadateverymoment，wouldstareintodarkcorners，wouldstartatthesoundofsteps。Hissleepnowwasbrokenwithhorriddreams，andhewouldjumpupandcryout；andonenightheactuallydreamtofhisdead-whiteroadandthesoundsthatcameupfrombelowthehill，thebellandthesea，andthedistantrattleofthelittlecarts。

ThentheCaptaindrewneartotheveryhouseitself。HehauntedOrangeStreet，couldbeseenloungingagainstalamp-postoppositetheHighSchool，lookedonceintotheverygardenoftheColes，Jeremywatchinghimwithbeatingheartfromtheschoolroomwindow。

ItwasincredibletoJeremythatnooneelseofthehouseperceivedhim；butnooneevermentionedhim，andthismadeitappearallthemoreadream，asthoughtheCaptainwereinvisibletoeveryonesavehimself。Hebegantohatehimevenmorethanhefearedhim，andyetwiththathatredthepleasureandexcitementremained。Irememberhow，yearsagoinPolchester，whenIcouldnothavebeenmorethansixyearsold，Imyselfwashauntedwithexactlythatsamemixtureofpleasureandhorrorbythefigureofahunch-backedpedlarwhousedtocometoourtown。ManyyearsafterIheardthathehadbeenhungforthemurderofsomewretchedwomanwhohadaccompaniedhimonsomeofhisjourneys。Iwasnotsurprised；butwhenIheardthestoryIfeltthenagaintheoldthrillofmingledpleasureandfear。

Onewindyafternoon，neardusk，whentheywerereturningfromtheirwalk，Jeremysuddenlyheardthevoiceinhisear：

“Imaybecomingtovisityeroneo’thesenights。KeepyereyesopenandyertonguequietifIdo。“

JeremysawthefiguresofMissJonesandhissisterspassroundthecorneroftheroad。

“Whatfor？“hegasped。

TheCaptain’sfigureseemedtoswellgiganticagainstthewhitelightofthefadingsky。Thewindwhistledabouttheirears。

“Justtovisityer，that’sall。’CauseI’vetakenafancytoyer。“

TheCaptainchuckledandhadvanished……

Jeremyflungoneglanceatthegreydesolateroadbehindhim，thenranforhislifetojointheothers。

What，afterthat，didheexpect？Hedidnotknow。OnlytheCaptainwasdrawingcloser，andcloser，andcloser。

Hecouldfeelnowalwayshishotbreathuponhisear。Twodaysafterthewhispereddialogueintheroad，thatfirstpromiseofspringbrokedownintoatempestofwindandrain。TheColes’houseinOrangeStreet，althoughitlooked，withitsstout，whitestone，strongenough，wasoldandshaky。Now，inthestorm，itshookandwheezedandrattledineveryoneofitsjoints。Jeremy，atordinarytimes，lovedthesoundofthewindaboutthehouse，whenhehimselfwassafeandwarmandcosy；butthiswasnowanotheraffair。Lyinginhisbedhecouldhearthescreamsdownthechimney，thenthetugathiswindow-pane，therattlingclutchuponthewood，thenthesweepunderthebedandtherushupthewallpaper，untilatlast，frombehindsomebadlydefendedspotwherethepaperwasthin，therewouldcomeawailing，whistlingscreechasthoughsomeonewerebeingmurderedinthenextroom。OnotherdaysJeremy，whenheheardthisscreech，shiveredwithacosy，creepingthrill；butnowheputhisheadunderthebedclothes，shuthiseyesverytight，andtriednottoseetheCaptainwithhisuglynoseandtinygimleteyes。

Hewouldbehalfasleep。

“Come，“saidtheCaptainfromthewindow，“theboatiswaiting！Youpromised，youknow。Comejustasyouare——notimetodress，“andpoorJeremywouldfeelthegreat，heavyhanduponhisshoulderandwakeshiveringandshakingfromheadtofoot。

OnthethirddayfollowinghislastinterviewwiththeCaptainhewenttobedalittlereassuredandcomforted。PerhapstheCaptainhadgoneaway。Forthreedayshehadseenandheardnothingofhimatall。

Thatwasanightofrain——rainthatslashedandwhippedthehouseasthoughitwouldbatterittotheground。Therainwouldcomewithawildfuryuponthepanes，tremblingwithitsexcitedanger，wouldcrashagainsttheglass，thenfallbackandhangwaitingforafurtherattack；nexttheresultsofthefirstattackwouldslipandslidelikethecrawlingofathousandsnakes，thenfallanddropslowlyandheavilyasthougheverydropwereforetellingsomeawfulperil。Jeremylayandlistened；butheresolvedthatto-nighthewouldnotbefrightened，wouldnotthinkoftheCaptain。

HesaidtheLord’sPrayerfivetimes，thencountedsheepjumpingoverthegate，asafesolutionforsleeplesshours。Hesawthesheep——firstoneaveryfatone，thenoneaverythinone；butthegatestoodatthebottomofalittlehill，sothatitwasverydifficultforthepoorcreatures，whojumpedandslippedbackontheincline。Thenalotofsheepinsistedonjumpingtogether，andhecouldhardlycountthem——forty-five，forty-six，forty-seven，forty-

eight……Hewasasleep。

Afteralong，longtimeofsoundlessness，oflyinguponaseathatwaslikeabedofdown，andlookingup，happilyintoclearbluelight，hewasoncemoreconsciousoftherain。Yes，thereitwaswithitssweepingrush，itssmashuponthepane，itswithdrawal，itstricklingpatterandheavydropsasthoughitwerestrikingtime。

Yes，thatwastherainandthat——Whatwasthat？

Hewaswideawake，lyingbackagainsthispillow，buthiseyesstaringinfrontofthemtilltheyburnt。Thehousewasabsolutelydark，absolutelysilent，butbetweentheattacksoftheraintherewasawound，somethingthathadnottodowiththehousenorwiththeweather。Hestrainedwithhisears，sittingupinbed，hishandsclutchingthebedclothes。Hehearditquiteclearlynow。Someonewasmovinginthenursery。

Withthatthewholeofhisbrainwasawakeandheknewquiteclearly，beyondashadowofanydoubt，whathadhappened；theCaptainhadcometofetchhim。Withthatknowledgeanicydespairgrippedhim。Hedidnotwanttogo。Oh，hedidnotwanttogo！Hewastremblingfromheadtofootsothatthebedshookbeneathhim，hisbreathcameinlittlehotgaspingpants，andhiseyeswerewidewithterror。Hewashelpless。TheCaptainwouldonlysay“Come，“andgohemust，leavehiswarmhouseandhisparentswhomhelovedandMaryandHelenandHamlet，yes，andevenMissJones。Hewouldbedraggeddownthelongwhiteroad，throughthelightedvillage，outontotheshinybeach，inaboatouttothedarkship——andthenhewouldbealonewiththeCaptain，aloneinthedarkship，withtheCaptain’sheavyhanduponhisshoulder，hismouthsmiling，hisgreatlegsdrawinghiminasaspiderdrawsaflyintoitsweb，andeveryoneasleep，onlythestarsandthedarkwater。HetriedtosaytheLord’sPrayeragain，butthewordswouldnotcome。Thesweatbegantotrickledownhisnose……

Thenheheardinthenextroomsomemovementagainstapieceoffurnitureandavoicemuttering。Thatdecidedhim：bettertogoandfaceitthantowaitthere，soasthoughheweremovinginhissleep，hegotoutofbed，crossedthefloorandenteredtheschoolroom。

Thefirstsoundthatheheardwasthetickingoftheoldnurseryclock，astrangefamiliarvoiceinthisawfulworld，thensuddenly，althoughtheroomwasinblackdarkness，hehimselfwasstaringintoblazinglight。

Hestartedbackandutteredalittlecry，butevenashedidsothatwell-rememberedhandwasuponhisshoulderandthewell-knownvoiceinhisear：

“Moveaninch，utterasound，andIblowyerbrainsout，yer——“thevoice，verylow，fadedinto，thedark。Hewasstaringintoalantern，andabovethelanternwasthedarkbodyoftheCaptain。

Thenashelookeduphewasindeednearhislastmoment，forhadhenotbeenabraveboy，oldforhisyears，anddetermined，hewouldhavecriedoutwithascreamthatwouldhaveraisedthehouse。

TheCaptainhadnoface……TheCaptainhadnoface……Onlyoutofadeepdarknessthoselittleeyesglitteredlikecandle-points。

Jeremyutterednosound。ThencatchingtheCaptain’scoatbecausehetrembledso，hesaid：“I’mcomingatonce——butdon’twakeMaryandHelen。They’dbefrightened。MayIgetacoat，becauseitraining？“

“Coming！“whisperedtheCaptain，hisvoicecomingfromthatspaceintheairwherewerehiseyes。“Youmoveoneinchfrom’ereorutteronesoundandIdoyerin，yer——I’mwatchin’yer，mind！“

Thelanternlightsuddenlyvanished。Theroomwasblack。Therewasnosoundbutthetickingoftheclock，andnowtherain，whichhadseemedtostopduringthisterribledialogue，beatwithfriendlycomfortoncemoreuponthepane。Jeremystoodthere，hisbodyheldtogetherasthoughinanironcase，scarcelybreathing。Therewasnomoresoundatall。QuiteclearlynowMary’ssnorescouldbeheardcomingfromherroom。

Jeremyhadonlyonethought——onlyonethoughtinalltheworld。TheCaptaindidnotwanthim。TheCaptainhadgoneandnottakenhimwithhim。Hewassafe；hewasfreed；theterrorwasoverandhewasatliberty。

Atlasthemovedbacktohisroom。Hegotintobedagain。Hewasterriblycold，andlittlespasmsofshiversseizedhim，buthedidnotcare。TheCaptainwasgone，andhehadnottakenhimwithhim