“Now，Jeremy，wipeyourmouth，“saidAuntAmy。
Heobeyedatonce。
III
Teaover，theyalltroopedoutintothegardenagain。Theeveninglightnowpainteduponthelittlegreenlawnstrangetremblingshadowsofpurpleandgrey；theoldredgardenwallseemedtohavecreptforwards，asthoughitwouldprotectthehouseandthegardenfromthenight；andaskyofthefaintestblueseemed，withgentleapproval，toblessthequiettownfadingintoduskbeneathit。Overthecentreofthelawnthesunwasstillshining，andthereitwaswarmandlight。Butfromeverysidetheshadowsstealthilycreptforward。Agroupofchildrenplayedagainstthegoldencolour，theirwhitedressespatternsthatformedfiguresandbrokeandformedagain。TheCathedralbellwasringingforevensong，anditsnotesstoleaboutthegarden，andinandoutamongstthechildren，asthoughsomeguardianspiritwatchingovertheirsafetycountedtheirnumbers。
Jeremy，feelingratherneglectedandmiserable，stoodintheshadowneartheoakonthefarthersideofthelawn。Hedidnotwanttoplaywiththoselittlegirls，andyethewashurtbecausehehadnotbeenasked。Thepartyhadbeenamostmiserablefailure，andayearagoitwouldhavebeensuchasuccess。Hedidnotknowthathewasstandingnow，inthemiddleofhiseighthyear，atthepartingoftheways；thatonlyyesterdayhehadbeenababy，andthathewouldneverbeababyagain。Hedidnotfeelhisindependence——hefeltonlyinclinedtotearsandalonging，thathewouldnever，neverconfess，eventohimself，thatsomeoneshouldcomeandcomforthim！
Nevertheless，evenatthisverymoment，althoughhedidnotknowit，he，afree，independentman，wasfacingtheworldforthefirsttimeonhisownlegs。Hismothermighthaverealisedithadshebeenthere——butshewasnot。Mary，however，wasthere，andintheverymiddleofhergame，searchingforhim，asshewasalwaysdoing，shefoundhimdesolateundertheshadowoftheoak。Sheslippedaway，and，cominguptohimwiththeshynessandfearthatshealwayshadwhensheapproachedhim，becauseshelovedhimsomuchandhecouldsoeasilyhurther，said：
“Aren’tyoucomingtoplay，Jeremy？“
“Idon’tcare，“heansweredgruffly。
“Itisn’tanyfunwithoutyou。“Shepaused，andadded：“WouldyoumindifIstayedheretoo？“
“I’dratheryouplayed，“hesaid；andyethewascomfortedbyher，determined，ashewas，thatsheshouldneverknowit！
“I’dratherstay，“shesaid，andthengazed，withthatmelancholystarethroughherlargespectaclesthatalwaysirritatedJeremy，outacrossthegarden。
“I’mallright，“hesaidagain；“onlymystockingtickles，andI
can’tgetatit——it’sthebackofmyleg。Isay，Mary，don’tyouhatetheDean’sErnest？“
“Yes，Ido，“sheansweredfervently，althoughshehadnotthoughtabouthimatall——enoughforherthatJeremyshouldhatehim！Thenshegasped：“Herehecomes——“
HewaswalkingtowardsthemwithaswaggerofhislongyellowneckandhisthinleggybodythatJeremyfoundespeciallyoffensive。
Jeremy“bristled，“andMarywasconsciousofthatbristling。
“Hallo！“saidErnest。
“Hallo！“saidJeremy。
“Whatrotthesesillygamesare！“saidErnest。“Whycan’ttheyhavesomethingdecent，likecricket？“
Jeremyhadneverplayedcricket，sohesaidnothing。“Atourschool，“saidErnest，“we’reverygoodatcricket。Wewinallourmatchesalways——“
“Idon’tcareaboutyourschool，“saidJeremy，breathingthroughhisnose。
TheDean’sErnestwasobviouslysurprisedbythis；hehadnotexpectedit。Hispaleneckbegantoflush。
“Lookhere，youngCole，“hesaid，“noneofyourcheek。“
ThiswasanewdialecttoJeremy，whohadnofriendswhowenttoschool。Allhesaid，however，breathingmorefiercelythanbefore，was：“Idon’tcare——“
“Oh，don’tyou？“saidErnest。“Now，lookhere——“Thenhepaused，apparentlyuncertain，foramoment，ofhiscourage。ThesightofMary’stimorousanxiety，however，reassuredhim，andhecontinued：
“It’sallrightforyou，thissortofthing。Yououghttobeinthenurserywithyouroldpodge-facednurse。Kidslikeyououghtn’ttobeallowedoutoftheirprams。“
“Idon’tcare，“saidJeremyagain，seeinginfrontofhimthewholefamilyoftheReverendDean。“Yourschoolisn’tmuchanyway，I
expect，andI’mgoingtoschoolinSeptember，andI’llwearjustthesamethingsasyoudoand——“
HewantedtocommentupontheplainfeaturesofErnest’ssisters，buthisgentlemanlycourtesyrestrainedhim。Hepausedforbreath，andErnestseizedhisadvantage。
“Youhavetohaveanoldaunttolookafteryouanyway——anuglyoldaunt。Iwouldn’thaveanoldauntalwayshangingoverme——’Now，Jeremydear——’’Blowyournose，Jeremydear——’’Wipeyourfeet，Jeremydear。’Lookatthethingsshewearsandthewayshewalks。IfIdidhavetohaveanauntalwaysI’dhaveadecentone，notanoldclothesbag。“
WhathappenedtoJeremyatthemoment？DidherecollectthatonlyafewhoursbeforehehadbeenhatingAuntAmywithafinefrenzyofhatred？Fornearlyaweekhehadbeenchafingunderherrestraint，combatinghercommands，defyingherorders。HehadbeenseeingheraseverythingthattheDean’sErnesthadbutnowbeencallingher。
Nowheonlysawherassomeonetobedefended，someonewhowashis，someoneevenwhodependedonhimforsupport。HewouldhavechallengedawholeworldofDeansinherdefence。
Hesaidsomething，butnoonecouldhearhiswords；thenhespranguponthestartledErnest。
Itwasnotaverydistinguishedcombat；itwasJeremy’sfirstbattle，andheknewatthattimenothingofthescienceoffighting。
TheDean’sErnest，inspiteofhistermatschool，alsoknewnothing——andtheDean’sErnestwasacoward……
Itlastedbutashortwhile，forMary，afterthefirstpauseofhorrifiedamazementawareonlythatErnestwastwiceasbigasherJeremy，rantoappealtoauthority。Jeremyhimselfwasawareneitheroftimenorprudence。HerealisedimmediatelythatErnestwasacoward，andthisrealisationfilledhimwithjoyandhappiness。HehadseizedErnestbyhislongyellowneck，and，withhisotherhand，hestruckateyesandcheeksandnose。Hedidnotsecuremuchpurchaseforhisblowsbecausetheirbodieswereverycloseagainstoneanother，buthefeltthesoftfleshyieldandsuddenlysomethingwetagainsthishandwhichmust，heknew，beblood。Andallthetimehewasthinkingtohimself：“I’llteachhimtosaythingsaboutAuntAmy！AuntAmy’smine！I’llteachhim！Heshan’ttouchAuntAmy！Heshan’ttouchAuntAmy！……“
Ernestmeanwhilekickedandkickedhard；healsotriedtobiteJeremy’shandandalsotopullhishair。Buthisownterrorhandicappedhim；everyinchofhisbodywasalarmed，andthatalarmpreventedthefreedomofhislimbs。Thenwhenhefeltthebloodfromhisnosetrickleontohischeekhisresistancewasatanend；panicfloodedoverhimlikewater。Hebrokeawayandflunghimselfhowlingontotheground，kickinghislegsandscreaming：
“Itisn’tfair！He’sbittenme！Takehimaway！Takehimaway！“
Jeremyhimselfwasnobeautifulsight。Hishairwaswild，hiswhitenavycollarcrumpledandsoiled，thebuttonsofhistunictorn，hisstockingdown，andhislegsalreadydisplayingpurplebruises。Buthedidnotcare；hewaswellnow；hewasnolongerunhappy。
HehadbeatenErnestandhewasaman；hehadrisenvictoriousfromhisfirstfight，andAuthoritymightstormasitpleased。Authoritysoonarrived，andtherewere，ofcourse，manycriesandexclamations。Ernestwasledawaystillhowling；Jeremy，stubborn，obstinate，andsilent，wasalsoledaway……Adisgracefulincident。
AuntAmy，ofcourse，wasdisgusted。Couldn’tleavetheboyaloneoneminutebuthemustmisbehavehimself，upsettheparty，bethelittleruffianthathealwayswas。Shehadalwayssaidthathismotherspoiledhim，andherewerethefruitsofthatfoolishness。HowcouldsheeversayenoughtoMissMaddison？Herdelightfulpartycompletelyruined！……Shocking！……Shocking！……Tooterrible！……AndErnest，suchaquiet，well-behavedlittleboyasarule。ItmusthavebeenJeremywho……
WhiletheywerewaitinginthedecentduskofMissMaddison’ssitting-roomforacleanedandchastenedJeremy，Marytouchedheraunt’sarmandwhisperedinhernervousvoice：
“AuntAmy——JeremyhitErnestbecausehesaidrudethingsaboutyou。“
“Aboutme！Nonsense，child。“
“No，butitwas，really。Ernestsaidhorridthingsaboutyou，andthenJeremyhithim。“
“Aboutme？Whatthings？“
“Thatyouwereugly，“eagerlycontinuedMary——neveratactfulchild，andintentnowonlyuponJeremy’sreputation——“andworeuglyclothesandhorridthings。Hedidreally。Ihearditall。“
AuntAmywasdeeplymoved。Herconceit，herabnormalall-embracingconceitwaswounded——yes，evenbysoinsignificantacreatureastheDean’sErnest；butshewasalsounexpectedlytouched。Shewouldhavegreatlypreferrednottobetouched，butthereitwas，shecouldnothelpherself。Shedidnotknowthat，inallherlifebefore，anyonehadeverfoughtforher，andthatnowofallchampionsintheworldfateshouldhavechosenJeremy，whowas，shehadsupposed，herenemy——neverherdefender！
AndthathorridchildoftheDean——shehadalwaysdislikedhim，withhislongyellowneckandwateryeyes！Howdaredhesaysuchthingsabouther！Hehadalwaysbeenrudetoher。Sherememberedonce——
Jeremyarrived，washed，brushed，andobstinate。Hewould，ofcourse，bescoldedtowithinaninchofhislife，andhedidnotcare。HehadseentheDean’sErnesthowlingandkickingontheground；hehadsoiledhisstrawhatforhim，dirtiedhisstiffwhitecollarforhim，andmadehisnosebleed。Heglaredathisauntoneeyewasrapidlydisappearingbeneathabluebruise，andhewasproud，triumphant，andverytired。
Farewellsweremade——againmanyapologies——“Nothing，Iassureyou，nothing。Boyswillbeboys，Iknow，“fromMissMaddison。
Thentheywereseatedinthejingle，JeremynexttoAuntAmy，awaitinghisscolding。Itdidnotcome。AuntAmytried；sheknewwhatsheshouldsay。Sheshouldbeveryangry，disgusted，ashamed。
Shecouldnotbeanyofthesethings。Thathorridboyhadinsultedher。Shewastouchedandproudasshehadneverbeentouchedandproudinherlifebefore。
Jeremywaited，andthenasnothingcamehiswearinessgrewuponhim。
Astheoldfatponyjoggedalong，astheeveningcoloursofstreetandskydancedbeforehim，sleepcamenearerandnearer。
Henodded，recovered，noddedandnoddedagain。HisbodypressedclosertoAuntAmy’s，leanedagainsther。Hisheadresteduponhershoulder。