“WhathaveIdonethat’srude？“
　　“Youmustn’tspeaktomelikethat。Isthatthewayyouspeaktoyourmother？“
　　“No，AuntAmy。“
　　“Well，then，ifyoudon’tspeaktoyourmotherlikethat，youmustn’tspeaktomelikethat，either。“
　　“No，AuntAmy。“
　　“Well，then……“
　　Thishatredwasquitenewtohim。Hehadonce，yearsago，hatedablack-faceddollthathadbeengiventohim。Hehadnotknownwhyhehatedit，butthereithadbeen。Hehadthrownitoutofthewindow，andthegardenerhadfounditandbroughtitintothehouseagain，batteredandbruised，butstillalive，withitshorridredsmile，andthishadterrifiedhim……Hehadbeguntoburnit，andthenursehadcaughthimandslappedhim。Hehadbeguntocutitwithscissors，andwhenthesawdustflowedhewasmoreterrifiedthanever。ButthatdollwasquitedifferentfromAuntAmy。Hewasnotterrifiedofheratall。Hehatedher。Hatedthefringeofherblackhair，theheavyeyelashes，thethindownonherupperlip，thewaythatthegoldcrossfellupanddownonherbreast，herthin，blue-
　　veinedhands，herblackshoes。Shewashisfirstenemy，andhewaited，asanambushhidesandwatches，forhisopportunity……
　　II
　　Oneofournicestoldmaids，MissMaddison，gaveeveryyearwhatshecalledher“earlysummerparty。“Thiswasdifferentfromallourotherparties，becauseitoccurredneitherinthesummernorinthewinter，butalwaysduringthosewonderfuldayswhenthespringfirstbegantofadeintothehighbrightcolours，thedrywarmth，thedeepgreenshadowsoftheheatoftheyear。ItwasearlyinMaythatMissMaddisonhadherparty，andweplayedgamesonherlittleslopinggreenlawn，andpeeredoverherpink-brickwalldownontothebrownroofsofthehousesbelowtheClose，andhadatremendousteaofeverykindofcakeandeverykindofjaminherwainscoteddining-roomthatlookedoutthroughitstallopenwindowsontothegarden。Thoseoldhousesthatruninahalf-moonroundtheClose，andfacethegreenswardandthegreatwesterndooroftheCathedral，aretheveryheartofPolchester。Walkingdownthecobbledstreet，onemaystillto-daylookthroughtheopendoor，downtheduskylineofthelittlehall，outintotheswimmingcolourofthegardenbeyond。Intheselittlegardens，whatdidnotgrow？
　　Hollyhocks，pinks，tulips，nasturtiums，pansies，liliesofthevalley，roses，honeysuckle，sweet-williams，stocks——Irememberthemallattheirdifferentseasonsinthatmuddled，absurdprofusion。I
　　cansmellthemnow，canseethemintheirflutteringcolours，thegreatgreywalloftheCathedral，withitshighcarveddoorandwatchingsaintsbehindme，thesunbeatingontothecobbles，themuffledbeatofthesummerday，thesleepynoisesofthetown，thepigeonscuttingthethin，paperyblueintoarcsandcurvesandcircles，thelittlelattice-windowedhouses，withcrookedchimneysandshiningdoors，smilingdownuponme。Icansmell，too，thatespecialsmellthatbelongedtothosesummerhours，asmellofdriedblotting-paper，ofcornandpoppiesfromthefields，ofcobble-
　　stonesandnew-bakedbreadandlemonade；andbehindthewarmthandcolourthecoolnoteoftheCathedralbellechoedthroughthetown，downtheHighStreet，overthemeads，acrosstheriver，outintotheheartofthedarkwoodsandthelongspacesofthesummerfields。I
　　canseemyself，too，toilinguptheHighStreet，mycaponthebackofmyhead，littlebeadsofperspirationonmyforehead，andmyeyesalwaysgazingintotheair，sothatIstumbledoverthecobblesandknockedagainstdoorsteps。AllthesethingshadtodowithMissMaddison’sparly，anditwasalwaysherpartythatmarkedthebeginningofthemforus；shewaitedforthefineweather，andsosoonasitcametheinvitationsweresentout，theflower-bedsweretrimmed，thelittlegreenwoodenseatsunderthemulberrytreewerecleaned，andPoupee，theblackpoodle，wasclipped。
　　IthappenedthisyearthatMissMaddisongaveherpartyduringtheveryweekthatMr。andMrs。ColewenttoDrymouth。Shesentoutherinvitationsonlythreedaysbeforethegreatevent，becausethesummerhadcomewithsofinearush。“MasterJeremyandtheMissesCole……WouldtheygiveMissMaddisonthepleasure……？“Yes，ofcoursetheywould。AuntAmywouldtakethem。
　　OnthemorningofthegreatdayJeremypouredthecontentsofhiswatering-canuponAuntAmy’shead。Itwasamostunfortunateaccident，arrangedobviouslybyamalignantfate。Jeremyhadbeenpresentedwithapotofpinks，andthese，everymorning，hemostfaithfullywatered。Hehadabright-redwatering-can，boughtwithhisownmoney，and，becauseitheldmorewaterthanthepinksneeded，hewasinthedailyhabitofemptyingtheremnantinaglitteringshoweroutofthepantrywindowontothebednearestthegardenwall。Uponthismorningsomeonecalledhim；heturnedhishead；thewaterstillflowed，andAuntAmy，hatlessanddefenceless，receiveditasittumbledwiththatsuddenrushwhichalwaysseizesawatering-canatitslastgasp。Jeremywasbanishedintohisbedroom，whereheemployedthesunnymorningindrawingpicturesofAuntAmyasawitchuponthewallpaper。FordoingthishewascanedbyAuntAmyherselfwitharuler，andattheendoftheoperationhelaughedandsaidshehadn’thurthimatall。Inreturnforthisimpertinencehewasrobbed，atluncheon，ofhispudding——whichwas，ofcourse，onthatveryday，marmaladepudding——andthen，Marybeingdiscoveredputtingsomeofhersintoapieceofpaper，tobedeliveredtohiminduecourse，theywerebothstoodindifferentcornersoftheroom“untilyousayyou’resorry。“
　　Whenthejinglearrivedatthreeo’clocktheyhadstillnotmadethisacknowledgment，andJeremysaidheneverwould，“notifhelivedtillhewasninety-nine。“AtquarterpastthreeJeremymighthavebeenseensittingupverystraightinthejingle，hisfacecrimsonfromwashingandtemper。Hewaswearinghisnewsailorsuit，whichtickledhimandwashotandsticky；hesattheredevotingthewholeofhisenergiestothebusinessofhatingAuntAmy。
　　AsIhavesaid，hehadneverhatedanyonebefore，andhewassurprisedattheglowofvirtuoustriumphthatthisnewemotionspreadoverhisbody。HepositivelylovedtohateAuntAmy，andasParkes，thepony，slowlytoiledupthehilltotheCathedral，hesatstiffandproudwithanalmosthumorousanger。Then，astheyturnedoverthehotshiningcobblesintotheCloseandsawthegreentreesswimminginthesun，heturnedhismindtotheparty。Whatgameswouldtheyplay？Whowouldbethere？Whatwouldtherebefortea？
　　Hefeltcreepingoverhimthestiffshynessthatalwayscomeswhenoneisapproachingaparty，andhewishedthatthefirsthandshakingandthefirstplungeintothestaresofthecriticalguestsmightbeover。Buthedidnotreallycare。HishatredofAuntAmybracedhimup；whenonewascapableofsofineandmanlyanemotionasthishatred，oneneednotbotheraboutfellow-guests。Thenthejinglestoppedoutsideahouseimmediatelyoppositethegreatwest-enddooroftheCathedral；inthelittlehallMissMaddisonwasstanding，andfromtheglitteringgardenbehindherthesunstruckthroughthehouseintotheshadowedstreet。
　　Jeremy’spublicmannerswere，whenhepleased，quitebeautiful——“thetrue，old-fashionedcourtesy，“gushingfriendsoftheColefamilyusedtosay。Hewaspreparingtobeverypolitenow，whensuddenlythevoiceoftheDean’sErnestorderingpeopleaboutinthegardenstruckuponhisear。HehadnotseentheDean’sErnestfornearlythreemonths，fortheverygoodreasonthatthatgentlemanhadbeenexperiencinghisfirsttermathisprivateschool。LastyearyoungErnestandJeremyhadbeen，onthewhole，friendly，althoughErnest，whowasnine，andstrongforhisage，hadalwayspatronised。Andnow？Jeremylongedtoinformhisfriendthathealsoshortlywouldproceedtoschool，thatinanothersixmonths’timetherewouldbepracticallynodifferencebetweenthem。Nevertheless，atthepresentmomenttherewasadifference……Ernesthadawholetermtohiscredit。
　　NewarrivalsgentlyinsinuatedtheColefamilyintothegarden。
　　Helen，proudandcold，Mary，blinkingandnervous，stoodpressedclosetogetherwhilstotherlittlegirlsstaredandgiggled，movedforwardandthenbackwardagain，untilsuddenlyCanonLasker’sEmily，whowasfifteenandhadsuchlonglegsthatshewasknownas“theGiraffe，“cameupandsaid：“Isn’tithot！Doyouplaycroquet？
　　Please-do！I’llhave——the——blueball……“AndtheColeswereinitiated。
　　Meanwhile，AuntAmyhadsaid：“Now，Jeremy，dear，runaboutandmakefriends。“Whichsodeeplyinfuriatedhimthathechoked。Oh！
　　supposingtheDean’sErnesthadheardher！……
　　Andhehad！Amockingvoicebehindhimsaid：“Now，Jeremy，dear——“
　　JeremyturnedroundandbeheldtheDean’sErnestmockinglywaitinghisretort。Andhecouldnotretort。Nowordswouldcome，andhecouldonlystandthere，hischeeksflushed，awarethatErnesthadgrownandgrownduringthosethreemonths，thatheworeastrawhatwithablack-and-redribbonuponit，thatroundhislonguglyneckwasastiffwhitecollar，andacrosshiswaistcoatathicksilverwatch-chain。
　　“Hallo！“saidJeremy。
　　“Hallo！“saidthenewErnestscornfully。
　　Alongpause。
　　ThenErnest，turningonhisheel，saidtosomeonebehindhim：“Let’sgetawayfromallthesegirls！“ThetearsburntinJeremy’seyes，hotandsalt。Heclenchedhisfistsandgazeduponagardenthatswaminamistoftearsandsunlight。Hefeltasuddenstrangeimpulseoffamilyaffection。Hewouldliketohavegatheredbehindhimhisfatherandmother，Mary，Helen，Hamlet，UncleSamuel——yes，andevenAuntAmy，aridtohaveadvancednotonlyuponErnest，butuponthewholeDean’sfamily。ItwouldhavegivenhimgreatpleasuretohavesethisteethintothefatlegsoftheDeanhimself；hewouldgladlyhavetornthehatfromtheheadofMrs。Dean……UponErnesttherewasnotorturehewouldnotemploy。
　　Hewouldgeteven；heresolvedthatbeforeheleftthathousehewouldhavehisrevenge。
　　KindMissMaddison，trippingalongandseeinghimasapatheticlittleboyinasailorsuitwithoutguileormalice，swepthimintoan“Ispy“partycomposedforthemostpartofsmallgirlswhofelldownandcriedandsaidtheywouldgohome。
　　Jeremy，hidingbehindatree，watchedthethinbackofErnestasitlifteditselfautocraticallyabovetwosmallboyswholookeduptohimwithsaucer-eyes。Ernestwasobviouslytalkingabouthisschool。
　　Jeremy，lostinthecontemplationofhisvengeance，forgothisgame，andwastakenprisonerwiththegreatestofease。Hedidnotcare。
　　Theafternoonwasspoiltforhim。Hewasnotevenhungry。Whycouldhenotgotoschoolto-morrow，andthenchallengeErnesttocombat？
　　ButhemightchallengeErnestwithoutgoingtoschool……Hehadneverfoughtarealfight，butthesightofhisenemy’sthin，peakybodywasencouraging。
　　“Now，Jeremy，dear，“saidMissMaddison，“it’syourturntohide……“
　　Soontheyallwentintotea。Everyonewasthoroughlyathomebythistime，andscreamedandshoutedquiteinthemostnaturalmannerintheworld。Thelongtablestretcheddownthewholeroom，almostfromwalltowall；thesunlightplayedinpoolsandsplashesuponthecarpetandtheflowersandthepictures。Therewaseverysortofthingtoeat——thinbread-and-butterrolledupintolittlecurlysandwiches，littlecakesandbigcakes，seedcakesandsugarcakes，and，ofcourse，saffronbuns，jaminlittleshiningdishes，andhotbutteredtoastsobutterythat，itdrippedontoyourfingers。
　　JeremysatnexttoMary，andbehindhimhoveredAuntAmy。Onlyhalfanhouragohowthiswouldhaveangeredhim！Tohaveherinterferingwithhim，saying：“Nottwoatatime，Jeremy，“or“Passthelittlegirlthesugar，Jeremy——rememberyourmanners。“or“Notsobigapiece，Jeremy。“Butnow——hedidnotknow……Shewasoneofthefamily，andhefeltasthoughtheDean’sErnesthadscornedheraswellashimself。AlsoMary。HefeltkindtoMary，andwhenshewhispered“Areyouenjoyingit，Jeremy？“heanswered“Yes；areyou？“
　　Notbecausehewasreallyenjoyingit，butbecauseheknewthatshewantedhimtosaythat。
　　HecouldseeErnestfromwherehesat，andheknewthatErnestwaslaughingathim。HerememberedthathehadgivenErnestthreesplendidmarbles，justbeforehisdeparturetoschool，asakeepsake。Howhewishedthathehadkeptthem！HewouldnevergiveErnestanythingagainexceptblows。Marymightbetiresomesometimes，butshewashissister，andhegreatlypreferredherasagirltoErnest’ssisters。Hecouldseethemnow，greedy，uglythings