Jeremywasnot，perhaps，sotactfulashemighthavebeen。“Ohbother，Mary！“hewouldsay。“You’vegoneandwakedHamletup！“or“Don’tstrokeHamletthatway，Mary；hehatesit！“or“No，I’mgoingforawalkwithHamlet；wedon’twantanyone！“OrHamlethimselfwouldsuddenlybarkatherasthoughhehatedher，orwouldbarehisteethandgrinatherinamocking，sarcasticwaythathehad。Atfirst，asananswertothis，shehadtheridiculousideaofherselfadoptingananimal，andsheselected，forthispurpose，thekitchencat，adull，somnolentbeast，whosesleekblackhairwasfurtive，andgreen，crookedeyesmalignant。ThecatshowednosignsofaffectionforMary，norcouldsheherselfhonestlycareforit。Whenshebroughtitwithherintotheschoolroom，Hamlettreateditinascornful，sarcasticfashionthatwasworsethanoutrageousattack。
Thecatwasuncleanly，andwasspeedilybanishedbackintothekitchen。Mary’sjealousyofHamletthengrewapace，andwiththatjealousy，unfortunately，hersecretappreciationofhissplendours。
Shecouldnothelpadmittingtoherselfthathewasthemostattractivedogintheworld。Shewouldlookathimfromunderherspectacleswhenshewassupposedtobereadingandwatchhimasherolled，kickinghislegsintheair，orlaystretchedout，hisblackwetnoseagainsthispaws，hiseyesgleaming，hisgazefixedlikethepointofadaggerraisedtostrike，uponsometrophy，orenemy，orspoil，orsat，solemnandpompous，liketheLordMayorholdingameeting，asJeremysaid，upagainsthismaster’sleg，squareandsolidasthoughhewerecutoutofwood，hispeakedbeardsupercilious，hisveryearsatapatronisingangle；or，asMarylovedbestofalltoseehim，whenhewassimplychildish，playing，asthoughhewasstillanew-foundpuppy，withpiecesofpaperorballsofstring，rollingandchoking，growling，purring，staggeringandtumbling。Atsuchtimes，againandagain，herimpulsewouldbetogoforwardandapplaudhim，andthen，theinstinctthatshewouldbecheckedbyJeremystayedher。
SheknewverywellthatJeremyrealisednothingofthis。Jeremywasnotgiventotheconsiderationofotherpeople’smotives——hisownindependencesavedhimfromanxietyaboutothers。HehadtheEnglishcharacteristicoffancyingthatothersmustlikeanddislikeashehimselflikedanddisliked。Ofsentimenthehadnoknowledgewhatever。
AsthisyeargrewtowardssummerMaryhadthefeelingthatJeremywasslippingawayfromher。Shedidnotknowwhathadhappenedtohim。Intheolddayshehadaskedheropinionaboutmanythings；hehadscornedtoenjoythelongstoriesthatshehadtoldhim——atanyrate，hehadlistenedtothemverypolitely——andhehadaskedhertosuggestgamesortoplaywithhistoys。Nowasthesummerdrewnear，hedidnoneofthesethings。Hewasfranklyimpatientwithherstories，neveraskedheradviceaboutanything，andneverplayedwithher。Washegrowingveryconceited？Wasitbecausehewasgoingtoschool，andthoughthimselftoooldforhissisters？No，hedidnotseemtobeconceited——hehadalwaysbeenproud，butneverconceited。Itwasratherasthoughhehadlatelyhadthoughtsofhisown，almostagainsthiswill，andthatthesehadshuthimofffromthepeopleroundhim。
Then，whentheirmotherwassoillandBarbaramadeherstartlingappearanceJeremykeptmoretohimself。Henevertalkedabouthismother’sillness，asdidtheothers，andyetMaryknewthathehadbeenmoredeeplyconcernedthananyofthem。Shehadbeenmiserable，ofcourse，buttoJeremyithadbeenasthoughhehadbeenledintoanewworldaltogether；Helenandshewerestillintheiroldplaces，andJeremyhadleftthem。
AtlastjustbeforetheyallmovedtoCowFarmMarymadeasillyscene。Shehadnotintendedtomakeascene。Scenesseemedtocomeuponher，likeevilbirds，straightoutoftheair，toseizeherbeforesheknewwhereshewas，toenvelopandcarryherupwiththem；atlast，whenallthemischiefwasdone，tosetheronherfeetagain，battered，tornandbitterlyashamed。Oneeveningshewassittingdeepin“CharlotteMary，“andHamlet，bunchedupagainsthismaster’sleg，staredather。ShehadlongagotoldherselfthatitwasridiculoustomindwhatHamletdid，thathewasnotlookingather，and，inanycase，hewasonlya，dog——andsoon。
Butto-nightshewastired，andhadreadsolongthatherheadached——Hamletwaslaughingather，hiseyesstaredthroughhishairather，cynically，superciliously，contemptuously。Hislipcurledandhisbeardbristled。Movedbyasuddenwildimpulseshepickedup“TheChapletofPearls“andthrewitathim。Ithithimnotveryseverely，andhegavethesharp，melodramatichowlthathealwaysusedwhenitwashisdignityratherthanhisbodythatwashurt。
Jeremylookedup，sawwhathadhappened，andafinescenefollowed。
Maryhadhysterics，stampedandscreamedandhowled。Jeremy，hisfacewhite，stoodandsaidnothing，butlookedasthoughhehatedher，whichatthatmomentheundoubtedlydid。Itwasthatlookwhichmorethananythingelseintheworldshedreaded。
Shemadeherselfsickwithcrying；thenapologisedwithanabjectionthatonlyirritatedhimthemore；finallyrememberedthesmallestdetailsoftheaffairlongafterhehadforgottenallaboutit。
II
DuringthefirstweeksatCowFarmMarywashappy。Shehadthenmanyespecialprivatejoys，suchasclimbingintooneoftheoldappletreesbehindthehouseandreadingthere，safefromtheworld，orinventingforherselfwonderfuladventuresoutofthedarkgloomsandsunlitspacesoftheorchard，orcreepingabouttheloftsandbarnsasthoughtheywerefullofthemostdesperatedangersandhazardsthatshealonehadthepluckandintelligencetoovercome。
ThenMrs。Monkwaskindtoher，andlistenedtoherimaginativechatterwithamostmarvellouspatience。Marydidnotknowthat，afterthesenarrations，shewouldshakeherheadandsaytoherhusband：“Notlongforthisworld，I’mthinking，poorworm……notlongforthisworld。“
Then，atfirstJeremywaskindandconsiderate。Hewassohappythathedidnotmindwhatanyonedid，andhewouldlistentoMary’sstoriesquiteintheoldway，whistlingtohimself，notthinkingaboutheratallperhaps，really，butverypatient。Afterthefirstfortnightheslippedawayfromheragain——andnowmorethaneverbefore。HewentoffforlongwalkswithHamlet，refusingtotakeherwiththem；heansweredherquestionssovaguelythatshecouldseethathepaidhernoattentionatall；heturneduponherandrentherifshecomplained。Anditwasall，shewassure，thathorribledog。JeremywasalwayswithHamletnow。Thefreelifethatthefarmgavethem，nolessons，nosethours，nocareforappearances，leftthemtochoosetheirownways，andsodevelopedtheirindividualities。Helenwasnowmoreandmorewithherelders，wasbecomingthatinvaluablething，“agreathelptohermother，“andeven，toherowninexhaustiblepride，paidtwocallswithMrs。Coleonthewivesofneighbouringfarmers。Then，BarbaraabsorbedmorethaneverofHelen’sattention，andMarywasnotallowedtoshareintheseritesandservicesbecause“shealwaysmadeBarbaracry。“
Shewas，therefore，verymuchalone，andfeltallherinjuriestwiceasdeeplyasshehadfeltthembefore。Hamletbegantobeanobsessionwithher。Shehadalwayshadahabitoftalkingtoherself，andnowshecouldbeheardtellingherselfthatifitwerenotforthedog，Jeremywouldalwaysbewithher，wouldplaywithher，walkwithher，laughwithherasheusedtodo。Sheacquirednowanawkwardhabitofgazingathimwithpassionateintensity。Hewouldraisehiseyesandfindthegreatmoon-facedspectaclesfixeduponhimwithabeseeching，reproachfulglareinthelightofthem。
Thiswouldirritatehimintensely。Hewouldsay：
“You’llknowmenexttime，Mary。“
Shewouldblushcrimsonandthen，withtremblingmouth，answer：
“Iwasn’tlooking。“
“Yes，youwere。“
“No，Iwasn’t。“
“Ofcourse，youwere——staringasthoughIwereanIndianorChinaman。Ifmyfaceisdirty，sayso。“
“Itisn’tdirty。“
“Well，then——“
“You’realwayssocross。“
“I’mnotcross——onlyyou’resosilly——“
“Youusen’talwaystosayIwassilly。Nowyoualwaysdo——everyminute。“
“Soyouare。“Thenashesawthetearscominghewouldgetupandgoaway。Hedidn’tmeantobeunkindtoher；hewasfondofher——buthehatedscenes。
“Mary’salwayshowlingaboutsomethingnow，“heconfidedtoHelen。
“Isshe？“Helenansweredwithindifference。“Mary’ssuchababy。“
SoMarybegantoattributeeverythingtothedog。Itseemedtoherthenthatshemettheanimaleverywhere。CowFarmwasaramblingbuilding，withdark，unevenstairs，low-ceilingedrooms，queer，oddcorners，andsuddenunexpecteddoors。ItseemedtoMaryasthoughinthisplacethereweretwoHamlets。When，intheeveningshewenttoherroom，hurryingthroughthepassagesforfearofwhatshemightsee，stumblingovertheunevenboards，snifflingthemiceandstrawunderthesmellofhertallowcandle，suddenlyoutofnowhereatallHamletwouldappearscurryingalong，liketheWhiteRabbit，intentonseriousbusiness。
Hecamesosoftlyandwithsosuddenaflurryandscatterwhenshedidhearhimthatherheartwouldbeatforminutesafterwards，andshewouldnotdarethatnighttosearch，assheusuallydid，forburglarsunderherbed，butwouldlie，quaking，hotandstaring，unabletosleep。Whenatlastdreamscametheywouldbehauntedbyamonstrousdog，allhairandeyes，who，withpaddingfeet，wouldtrackherroundandroundaroomfromwhichtherewasnoescape。
Hamlet，beingoneofthewisestofdogs，veryquicklydiscoveredthatMaryhatedhim。Hewasnotasentimentaldog，andhedidnotdevotehistimetoinventingwaysinwhichhemightplacatehisenemy，hesimplyavoidedher。Buthecouldnothinderacertaincynicalandironicpleasurethathehadof，sotospeak，flauntinghismasterinherface。HeclungtoJeremymoreresolutelythanever，wouldjumpupathim，lickhishandsandtumbleaboutinfrontofhimwheneverMarywasthere，andthensuddenly，verystraightandverygrave，wouldstareatherasthoughhewerethemostdevoutandobedientdogintheplace。Indeed，heborehernomalice；hecouldaffordtodisregardtheMarysofthisworld，andofwomeningeneralhehadapooropinion。Buthelovedtotease，andMarywasaneasyprey。Hehadhisfunwithher。
Aftertheaffairofthesea-picnic，Jeremywasforsometimeunderacloud。Itwasfeltthathewasgettingtoobigforanyonetomanage。
Itwasnotthathewaswicked，notthathekeptbadcompanywiththeboysonthefarm，orwasdishonest，ortoldlies，orstolethings——
no，hegavenoonethatkindofanxiety——butthathewasdevelopingquiteunmistakablyawillofhisown，andhadaremarkablewayofdoingwhathewantedwithoutbeingactuallydisobedient，whichwasverypuzzlingtohiselders。Beingalittleindisgracehewentoffmorethaneverbyhimself，alwaysappearingagainattheappointedtime，buttellingnoonewherehehadbeenorwhathehadbeendoing。Hisfatherhadnoinfluenceoverhimatall，whilstUncleSamuelcouldmakehimdowhateverhewanted——andthis，asAuntAmysaid，“wasreallyapity。“
“It’sagoodthinghe’sgoingtoschoolinSeptember，“sighedhismother。“He’sgettingoutofwomen’shands。“
Marylongedwithfeverishlongingtoshareinhisadventures。Ifonlyhewouldtellherwhathedidonthesewalksofhis。Butno，onlyHamletknew。Perhaps，ifhedidnotgowiththedoghewouldgowithher。Whenthisideacreptintoherbrainsheseizeditandclutchedit。Thatwasallhewanted——acompanion！WereHamletnottherehewouldtakeher。WereHamletnotthere……Shebegantobroodoverthis。Shewandered……Sheconsidered。Sheshudderedatherownwickedness；shetriedtodrivethethoughtsfromherhead，buttheykeptcoming。
Afterall，nooneneedknow。ForadayortwoJeremywouldbesorryandthenhewouldforget。Sheknewthemanwhowentroundsellingdogs——sellingdogsandbuyingthem。
Sheshudderedatherwickedness。