ButthesightoftheHighStreetsoonrestoredhisequanimity。Onotheroccasionshehadbeenpushedthroughit，eitherbytheJampotorMissJones，sorapidlythathecouldgatheronlythemostfleetingimpressions。To-dayhecouldlingerandlinger；hedid。ThetwonicestshopswereMannings’thehairdressersandPonting’sthebook-shop，butRosethegrocer’s，andCoulter’stheconfectioner’swereverygood。Mr。Manningwasanartist。Hedidnotsimplyputasimperingbustwithanelaborateheadofhairinhiswindowandleaveitatthat——hedid，indeed，placethereasmilingladywithawonderfuljewelledcombandaradiantrowofteeth，butaroundthishebuiltupamagnificentworldofsilverbrushes，tortoise-shellcombs，essencesandperfumesandpowders，jarsandbottlesandboxes。Manningwasthefinestartistinthetown。Ponting，atthetopofthestreetjustatthecorneroftheClose，wasanartisttoo，butinquiteanotherfashion。Pontingwasthebestestablished，mostsacredandseriousbooksellerinthecounty。Inthedayswhenthenew“Waverley“wasthesensationofthemomentMr。Ponting，grandfatherofthepresentMr。Ponting，hadbeeninquiteconstantcorrespondencewithMr。Southey，andMr。Coleridge，andhadonce，whenonavisittoLondon，spokentothegreatLordByronhimself。
Thistraditionofaristocracyremained，andthepresentMr。PoutingalwaysadvisedtheBishopwhattoreadandwasconsultedbyMrs。
Lamb，ouronlyauthoress，onquestionsofpublishersandeditionsandsuchtechnicalpoints。ForallthisJeremy，athispresentstageofinterest，wouldhavecarednothingevenhadheknownit，butwhathedidcareforweretherowsofcalf-boundbookswithlittleridgesofgold，thatmadeafinewallacrossthewindowwithanoldprintoftheCathedralandtheCloseinthemiddleofthem。InsidePontingstherewasahushasofthestudyandthechurchcombined。
Itwasaratherdarkshopwithrowsandrowsofbooksdisappearingintotheceiling，andonegraveandunnaturallyoldyoungmanbehindthecounter。JeremydidnotknowwhatheshoulddoaboutHamlet，sohebroughthiminside，onlytodiscovertohishorrorthatthefiercestofalltheCanons，CanonWaterbury，heldtheflooroftheshop。CanonWaterburyhadablackbeardandabitingtongue。HehadoncewarnedJeremyofftheCathedralgrassinavoiceofthunder，andJeremyhadneverforgottenit。Heglarednowandpulledhisbeard，butHamletfortunatelybehavedwell，andtheoldyoungmandiscoveredJeremy’snotepaperwithinaveryshortperiod。
ThensuddenlytheCanonspoke。
“Dogsshouldnotbeinsideshops，“Hesaid，asthoughhewerecondemningsomeonetodeath。
“Iknow，“saidJeremyfrankly。“Iwantedtotiehimuptosomethingandtherewasnothingtotiehimupto。“
“Whatdidyoubringhimoutforatall？“saidtheCanon。
“Becausehe’sgottohaveexercise，“saidJeremy，discovering，tohisowndelightedsurprise，thathewasnotfrightenedintheleast。
“Oh，hashe？Idon’tknowwhatpeoplekeepdogsfor。“
Andthenhestampedoutoftheshop。
Jeremyregardedthisinthelightofavictoryandmarchedaway，hisheadmoreintheairthanever。Heshouldnowhavehurriedhome。ThemiddaychimeshadrungoutandJeremy’sdutieswereperformed。Buthelingered，listeningtothelastnotesofthechimes，hearingthecriesoftheCathedralchoir-boysastheymovedacrossthegreentothechoir-school，watchingallthepeoplehurryupanddownthestreet。Ah，therewastheCastlecarriage！PerhapstheoldCountesswasinsideit。Hehadonlyseenheronce，atsomeserviceintheCathedraltowhichhismotherhadtakenhim，butshehadmadeagreatimpressiononhimwithhersnow-whitehair。Hehadheardpeoplespeakofheras“awickedoldwoman。“Perhapsshewasinsidethecarriage……butheonlysawtheCastlecoachmanandfootmanandthecoronetonthedoor。Itrolledslowlyupthehillwithitsfineairofcommandingthewholeworld——thenitdisappearedaroundthecorneroftheClose。
JeremydecidedthenthathewouldgohomeacrossthegreenanddownOrchardLane。HehadawishtoentertheCathedralforamoment；
suchavisitwould，afterall，completetheroundofhisexperiences。HehadneverenteredtheCathedralalone，andnow，ashesawitfacinghim，sovastandmajesticandquiet，acrossthesun-drenchedgreen，hefeltasuddenfearandawe。HefoundaringinastonenearthewestendthroughwhichhemightfastenHamlet’slead，then，slowlypushingbacktheheavydoor，hepassedinside。
TheCathedralwasutterlyquiet。Thevastnave，stainedwithreflectionsofpurpleandgreenandruby，wasvagueandunsubstantial，allthelittlewoodenchairshuddledtogethertotherightandleft，leavingagreatpaththatsweptuptotheHighAltarundershaftsoflightthatfelllikesearchlightsfromthewindows。
Thetombsandthestatuespeereddimlyfromtheshadow，andthegreateastendwindow，withitsdeeppurplelight，seemedtodrawthewholenaveupintoitsheartandholditthere。Allwasspaceandsilence，lightanddusk；alittledollofavergermovedinthefardistance，anoldwoman，soquietthatsheseemedonlyashadow，passedhim，wipingthelittlechairswithaduster。
ItseemedtoJeremythathehadneverbeenintheCathedralbefore；
hestoodthere，breathless，asthoughinamomentsomethingmustinevitablyhappen。Althoughhedidnotthinkofit，themomentwasoneofasequencethathadcometohimduringtheyear——hisentryintothetheatrewithhisuncle，hisfirstconversationwiththesea-captain，thehourwhenhismotherhadbeensoill，theeveningonthebeachwhenCharlottehadbeenfrightened，thetimewhenHamlethadbeenlostandhehadsleptwithhimunderatree。Allthesemomentshadbeensomethingmorethanmerelythemselves，hadhadsomethingbehindthemorinsidethemforwhichsimplytheystoodaswordsstandforpictures。Heanalysed，ofcourse，nothing，beingaperfectlyhealthysmallboy，butifafterwardshelookedbackthesewerethemomentsthathesawasoneseesstationsonajourney。Onedayhewouldknowforwhattheystood。
Hesimplynowwaitedthereasthoughheexpectedsomethingtohappen。Thoughtsslippedthroughhismindquitecasually，whetherHamletwerebehavingwelloutside，whattheoldladydidwhenshewastiredofdusting，whothestonefigurelyingnearhimmightbe，afigureveryfinewithhisruffandhispeakedbeard，hisarmsfolded，histoespointingupwards，whetherthebodywereinsidethestonelikeamummy，orunderneaththegroundsome-where；howstrangelydifferentthenavelookednowfromitsSundayshow，andwhatfunitwouldbetorunracesallthewaydownandseewhocouldreachthegoldenangelsoverthereredosfirst；hefeltnoreverence，andyetadeepreverence，nofear，but，nevertheless，awe；hewaswarmandhappyandcomfortable，andyetsuddenly，givingalittleshudder，heslippedoutintothesunlight，releasedHamletandstartedforhome。
II
Backagaininthebosomofhisfamilyhefeltthattheywerebeginningtobeawareofhisdeparture。
“Whatshallwedothisevening，Jeremy——yourlastevening？“saidhismother。
Everyonelookedathim。
“Oh，Idon’tknow，“hesaiduncomfortably。“Justasusual，I
suppose。“
“You’remakinghimfeeluncomfortable，“saidAuntAmy，wholovedtoexplainquiteobviousthings。“Youwantittobejustanordinaryevening，dear，don’tyou？“
“Oh，Idon’tknow，“hesaidagain，hatinghisaunt。
“Idon’tthinkthatquitethewaytospeaktoyouraunt，myson，“
saidhisfather。“Weonlyinquireoutofkindness，thinkingtopleaseyou。No，Mary，nomore。Friday——onehelping——“
“Jeremymighthaveanotherasit’shislastday，Isuggest，“saidAuntAmy，whowasdeterminedtobepleasant。
“Idon’twantany，thankyou，“saidJeremy，althoughitwastreaclepudding，whichheloved。
“Well，Ithink，“saidMrs。Cole，“thatwe’llhavehighteaathalf-
pastseven，andthechildrenshallstayupafterwardsandwe’llhave’MidshipmanEasy。’“
Jeremylovedhismotherintenselyatthatmoment。Howdidsheknowsoexactlywhatwasright？Shemadesolittledisturbance，wassoquietandwasneverangry，andyetshewasalwaysrightwhentheotherswerealwayswrong。Sheknewthataboveallthingshelovedhightea——fishpieandboiledeggsandteaandjamandcake——ahorriblemealthathislaterjudgmentwouldutterlycondemn，butneverthelesssomethingsocosyandsocomfortablethatnolatermealwouldeverbeabletorivalitinthosequalities。
“Oh，thatwillbelovely！“hesaid，hisfaceshiningallover。
Nevertheless，astheafternoonadvancedastrangenewsenseofinsecurity，unhappinessandforlornnesscreptincreasinglyuponhim。
Herealisedthathehadthatmorningsaidgood-byetothetown，andnowhefeltasthoughhehad，insomeway，hurtorinsultedit。And，alltheafternoon，hewassayingfarewelltothehouse。Hedidnotwanderfromroomtoroom，butrathersatupintheschoolroompretendingtomendafishingrodwhichMr。Monkhadgivenhimthatsummer。Hedidnotreallycareabouttherod——hewasnoteventhinkingofit。Heheardallthesoundsofthehouseashesatthere。Hecouldtellalltheclocks，thatoneboomingsoftlythehalfhourswasinhismother’sbedroom，therewasarattleandawhirrandtherecamethecuckoo-clockonthestairs，therewasthefast，cheapcarelesschatterofthelittleclockontheschoolroommantelpiece，therewasthewhisperofMissJones’swatchwhichshehadputoutonthetabletomarkthetimeofMary’ssewingby。Therewerealltheregularsoundsofthehouse。Thedistantclosingofdoors，deepdownintheheartofthehousesomeonewasusingasewingmachinesomewhere，voicescameupoutofthevoidandfadedagain，someonewhistled，someonesang。Hisgloomincreased。Hewasexchangingaworldheknewforaworldthathedidnotknow，andhecouldnotescapethefeelingthathewas，insomeway，insultingthisworldthathewasleaving。Hebotheredhimselfalltheafternoonwithunnecessarystupidaffairstocoverhisdeepdiscomfort。Hewhistledcarelesslyandoutoftune，hepokedthefireandwalkedabout。HewasincreasinglyawareofHamletandMary。
Marywasdeterminedsohardthatshewouldshownoemotionatallthatshewasapainfulsighttowitness。Shescarcelyspoketohim，andonlyansweredinmonosyllablesifheaskedhersomething。
AndHamlethadsuddenlydiscoveredthattheatmosphereofthehousewasunusual。Hehadexpected，inthefirstplace，tobetakenforawalkthatafternoon；thenhismasterwasverybusydoingnothing，whichwasmostunusual。Thenatteatimehisworstsuspicionswereconfirmed。Jeremysuddenlymadeafussofhim，pouringhisteaintohissaucer，givinghimapieceofbreadandjamandanextralumpofsugar。Hamletdrankhisteaandatehisbreadandjamthoughtfully。
Theywereverynice，butwhatwasthematter？
Helookedupthroughhishairanddiscoveredthathismaster’seyeswererestlessandunhappy，andthathewasthinkingofthingsthatdisturbedhim。Hewentawaytothefireand，sittingonhishaunches，gazinginhismetaphysicalwayattheflames，consideredthematter。Jeremycameovertohimand，drawinghimbacktohim，laidhisheaduponhiskneeandsoheldhim。Hamletdidnotmove，saveoccasionallytosigh，and，onceortwice，tosnapinasuddenwaythathehadatanimaginaryfly。Hethoughtthatinallprobabilityhismasterhadbeenpunishedforsomething，andinthishewasdeeplysympathetic，neverseeingwhyhismasterneedbepunishedforanythingandresentingthestupidityofhumanbeingswiththeireternaldesiretobe，insomewayorother，assertingtheirauthority。
Gradually，infrontofthehotfire，bothboyanddogfellasleep。
Jeremy’sdreamswereconfused，bewildered，distressing；hewasstrugglingtofindsomething，wasalwaysclimbinghigherandhighertodiscoverit，onlytobetoldthat，intheend，hewasintheplacewherehehadbegun。
Hamlet’sdreamwasofanenormoussucculentbonethatwaspulledawayfromhimsosoonashesnappedatit。Theybothawokewithastarttofindthatitwastimeforhightea。