Shedidnotlike——sheneverliked——MissMaple，whowasalwayspushingherselfforward，criticisingandback-biting。Mr。
　　Jellybrandshouldnothavesettledthiswithoutconsultingher。Hehadtakenitforgrantedthatshewouldagree。Hehadsaid：“I
　　agreedwithMissMaplethatitwouldbebettertohaveitatherhouse。I’msureyouwillthinkasIdo。“Whyshouldhebesure？Washenotforgettinghispositionalittle？……
　　Kindestwomanintheworld，shehadseenwithastrangeun-Christianpleasurethedog’sadvanceupontheblacktrousers。ThenMr。
　　Jellybrandhadbeenobviouslyafraid。Hefancied，perhaps，thatshetoohadbeenafraid。Hefancied，perhaps，thatshewasnotmistressinherhouse，thatshecouldbebrowbeatenbyhersisterandhernurse。
　　Shesmiledathim。“There’snoreasontobeafraid，Mr。Jellybrand……He’ssuchalittledog。“
　　Thenthedogsmiledather。
　　“Poorlittlething，“shesaid。“Hemusthavenearlydiedinthesnow。“
　　ThusMissMaple，bitterestofspinsters，influenced，allunwitting，thelivesnotonlyofadogandacurate，butoftheentireColefamily，andthroughthem，ofendlessgenerationsbothofdogsandmenasyetunborn。MissMaple，sittinginherlittleyellow-
　　curtainedparlourdrinking，injaundicedcontentment，herafternoon’scupoftea，was，ofcourse，unawareofthis。Agoodthingthatshewasunaware-shewasquiteconceitedenoughalready。
　　IV
　　AfterthatsmilingjudgmentofMrs。Cole’s，affairswerequicklysettled。
　　“Ofcourseitcanonlybeforthenight，children。Fatherwillarrangesomethinginthemorning。Poorlittlething。Wheredidyoufindhim？“
　　“Wesawhimfromthewindow，“saidJeremyquickly，“andhewasshiveringlikeanything，sowecalledhimintowarmhim。“
　　“MydearAlice，yousurelydon’tmean——“beganAuntAmy，andtheJampotsaid：“Ireallythink，Mum-，“andMr。Jellybrand，inhisrichvoice，murmured：“Isitquitewise，dearMrs。Cole，doyouthink？“
　　WiththoughtsofMissMapleshesmileduponthemall。
　　“Oh，foronenight，Ithinkwecanmanage。Heseemsacleanlittledog，andreallywecan’tturnhimoutintothesnowatonce。Itwouldbetoocruel。Butmind，children，it’sonlyforonenight。Helooksagoodlittledog。“
　　Whenthe“quality“haddeparted，Jeremy’smindwasinaconfusedconditionofhorroranddelight。SuchavictoryashehadwonovertheJampot，avictorythatwasafurtherstageinthefightforindependencebegunonhisbirthday，mighthaveveryawfulqualities。
　　TherewouldbeginnowoneoftheJampot’ssulks——moodswellknowntotheColefamily，andlastingfromadaytoaweek，accordingtothegravityoftheoffence。Yes，theyhadalreadybegun。Thereshesatinherchairbythefire，sewing，sewing，herfat，roly-polyfacecarvedintoaparodyofdeepdispleasure。Lifewouldbeveryunpleasantnow。Notopsofeggs，nomarmaladeontoast，noskinsofmilk，nostoriesof“whenIwasayounggirl，“nosittingupfiveminutes“later，“nostoppinginthemarket-placeforatalkwiththebananawoman——onlysterninsistenceoneverydetailofdailylife；
　　swiftjudgmentwereanythingleftundoneordonewrong。
　　Jeremysighed；yes，itwouldbehorridand，forthesakeoftheworldingeneral，whichmeantMaryandHelen，hemustseewhatalittlediplomacywoulddo。Kneelingdownbythedog，helookedupintoherfacewiththegazeofingenuousinnocence。
　　“Youwouldn’thavewantedthepoorlittledogtohavediedinthesnow，wouldyou，Nurse？……Itmight，youknow。Itwon’tbeanytrouble，Iexpect——“
　　Therewasnoreply。HecouldhearMaryandHelendrawingintheirbreathswithexcitedattention。
　　“Fatheralwayssaidwemighthaveadogonedaywhenwewereolder——
　　andweareoldernow。“
　　Stillnoword。
　　“We’llbeextragood，Nurse，ifyoudon’tmind。Don’tyourememberonceyousaidyouhadadogwhenyouwerealittlegirl，andhowyoucriedwhenithaditsearbittenoffbyanastybigdog，andhowyourmothersaidshewouldn’thaveitfightingroundthehouse，andsentitaway，andyoucried，andcried，andcried，andhowyousaidthatp’r’apswe’llhaveoneoneday？——andnowwe’vegotone。“
　　Heendedtriumphantly。Sheraisedhereyesforonemoment，staredatthemall，bitoffapieceofthread，andsaidindeep，sepulchraltones：
　　“Eitheritgoes，orIgo。“
　　Thethreestaredatoneanother。TheJampotgo？Reallygo？……
　　Theycouldheartheirheartsthumpingoneafteranother。TheJampotgo？
　　“Oh，Nurse，wouldyoureally？“whisperedMary。ThisinnocentremarkofMary’sconveyedinthetoneofitmorepleasedanticipationthanwas，perhaps，polite。CertainlytheJampotfeltthis；afloodofcolourroseintoherface。Hermouthopened。Butwhatshewouldhavesaidisuncertain，foratthatverymomentthedramawasfurtherdevelopedbytheslowmovementofthedoor，andtherevelationofhalfofUncleSamuel’sbody，clothedinitsstainedbluepaintingsmock，andhisuglyfatfaceclothedinitsusualsarcasticsmile。
　　“Excusemeonemoment，“hesaid；“Ihearyouhaveadog。“
　　TheJampotrose，asgoodmannersdemanded，butsaidnothing。
　　“Whereisthecreature？“heasked。
　　ThenewadditiontotheColefamilyhadfinishedhiswashing；theblazingfirehadalmostdriedhim，andhishairstuckoutnowfromhisbodyinlittlestiffprickles，hedgehogfashion，givinghimatrulyoriginalappearance。Hisbeardaffordedhimtheairofanambassador，andhisgrave，melancholyeyestheabsorbedintrospectionofaSpanishhidalgo；histail，however，initsupright，stumpyjocularity，betrayedhisdignity。
　　“Thereheis，“saidJeremy，withaglancehalfofterror，halfofdelight，attheJampot。“Isn’thelovely？“
　　“Lovely。Myword！“UncleSamuel’ssmilebroadened。“He’saboutthemosthideousmongrelit’severbeenmylottoseteyeson。Buthehashispoints。Hedespisesyouall，I’mgladtosee。“
　　Jeremy，asusualwithUncleSamuel，wasuncertainastohissincerity。
　　“Helooksabitfunnyjustnow，“heexplained。“He’sbeendryingontherug。He’llbeallrightsoon。HewantedtobiteMr。Jellybrand。
　　Itwasfunny。Mr。Jellybrandwasfrightenedasanything。“
　　“Yes，thatmusthavebeendelightful，“agreedUncleSamuel。“What’shisname？“
　　“Wehaven’tgivenhimoneyet。Wouldn’tyouthinkofone，UncleSamuel？“
　　Theuncleconsideredthedog。Thedog，withgraveandscornfuleyes，consideredtheuncle。
　　“Well，ifyoureallyaskme，“saidthatgentleman，“ifyounamehimbyhischaracterIshouldsayHamletwouldbeasgoodasanything。“
　　“What’sHamlet？“askedJeremy。
　　“Heisn’tanythingjustnow。ButhewasaprincewhoWasunhappybecausehethoughtsomuchabouthimself。“
　　“Hamlet’11do，“saidJeremycomfortably。“I’veneverheardofadogcalledthat，butit’seasytosay。“
　　“Well，Imustgo，“saidUncleSamuel，makingoneofhisusualsuddendepartures。“Gladtohaveseentheanimal。Good-bye。“
　　Hevanished。
　　“Hamlet，“repeatedJeremythoughtfully。“Iwonderwhetherhe’lllikethat-“
　　Hisattention，however，wascaughtbytheJampot’ssuddenoutburst。
　　“Allofthem，“shecried，“supportingyouinyourwickednessanddisobedience。Iwon’t’aveitnorendureitnotaminutelonger。
　　Theycan’avemynoticethismoment，andIwon’ttakeitback，notiftheyaskmeontheirbendedknees-no，Iwon’t-andthat’sstraight。“
　　Foraninstantshefrowneduponthemall-thenshewasgone，thedoorbangingafterher。
　　Theygazedatoneanother。
　　Therewasadreadfulsilence。OnceMarywhispered：“Supposeshereallydoes。“
　　Hamletonlywasunmoved。
　　Tenminuteslater，Rose，thehousemaid，enteredwiththetea-things。
　　Foralittleshewassilent。Thenthethreefacesraisedtoherscompelledherconfidence。
　　“Nursehasbeenandgivennotice，“shesaid，“andtheMissishastakenit。She’sgoingattheendofthemonth。She’scryingnowinthekitchen。“
　　Theywerealoneagain。MaryandHelenlookedatJeremyasthoughwaitingtofollowhislead。Hedidnotknowwhattosay。TherewasTragedy，therewasVictory，therewasRemorse，therewasTriumph。Hewassorry，hewasglad。HiseyesfelluponHamlet，whowasnowstretchedoutupontherug，hisnosebetweenhispaws，fastasleep。
　　Thenhelookedathissisters。
　　“Well，“hesaidslowly，“it’sawfullynicetohaveadog——anyway。“
　　SuchisthetrueandfaithfulaccountofHamlet’sentranceintothetrainoftheColes。
　　CHAPTERIII
　　CHRISTMASPANTOMIME
　　I