按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He was given up to his dream。 What did garden…parties and baskets and
lace frocks matter to him？ He was far from all those things。 He was
wonderful； beautiful。 While they were laughing and while the band was
playing； this marvel had come to the lane。 Happy。。。happy。。。All is well；
said that sleeping face。 This is just as it should be。 I am content。
But all the same you had to cry； and she couldn't go out of the room
without saying something to him。 Laura gave a loud childish sob。
〃Forgive my hat；〃 she said。
And this time she didn't wait for Em's sister。 She found her way out
of the door； down the path； past all those dark people。 At the corner of
the lane she met Laurie。
He stepped out of the shadow。 〃Is that you； Laura？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Mother was getting anxious。 Was it all right？〃
〃Yes； quite。 Oh； Laurie！〃 She took his arm； she pressed up against
him。
〃I say； you're not crying； are you？〃 asked her brother。
Laura shook her head。 She was。
52
… Page 53…
The Garden Party
Laurie put his arm round her shoulder。 〃Don't cry；〃 he said in his
warm； loving voice。 〃Was it awful？〃
〃No；〃 sobbed Laura。 〃It was simply marvellous。 But Laurie〃
She stopped； she looked at her brother。 〃Isn't life；〃 she stammered； 〃isn't
life〃 But what life was she couldn't explain。 No matter。 He quite
understood。
〃Isn't it； darling？〃 said Laurie。
53
… Page 54…
The Garden Party
3。 THE DAUGHTERS OF THE
LATE COLONEL。
Chapter 3。I。
The week after was one of the busiest weeks of their lives。 Even
when they went to bed it was only their bodies that lay down and rested；
their minds went on； thinking things out； talking things over； wondering；
deciding； trying to remember where。。。
Constantia lay like a statue； her hands by her sides； her feet just
overlapping each other； the sheet up to her chin。 She stared at the ceiling。
〃Do you think father would mind if we gave his top…hat to the porter？〃
〃The porter？〃 snapped Josephine。 〃Why ever the porter？ What a
very extraordinary idea！〃
〃Because；〃 said Constantia slowly； 〃he must often have to go to
funerals。 And I noticed atat the cemetery that he only had a bowler。〃
She paused。 〃I thought then how very much he'd appreciate a top…hat。
We ought to give him a present； too。 He was always very nice to father。〃
〃But；〃 cried Josephine； flouncing on her pillow and staring across the
dark at Constantia； 〃father's head！〃 And suddenly； for one awful moment；
she nearly giggled。 Not； of course； that she felt in the least like giggling。
It must have been habit。 Years ago； when they had stayed awake at night
talking； their beds had simply heaved。 And now the porter's head；
disappearing； popped out； like a candle； under father's hat。。。The giggle
mounted； mounted； she clenched her hands； she fought it down； she
frowned fiercely at the dark and said 〃Remember〃 terribly sternly。
〃We can decide to…morrow；〃 she said。
Constantia had noticed nothing； she sighed。
〃Do you think we ought to have our dressing…gowns dyed as well？〃
〃Black？〃 almost shrieked Josephine。
〃Well； what else？〃 said Constantia。 〃I was thinkingit doesn't seem
quite sincere； in a way； to wear black out of doors and when we're fully
54
… Page 55…
The Garden Party
dressed； and then when we're at home〃
〃But nobody sees us；〃 said Josephine。 She gave the bedclothes such
a twitch that both her feet became uncovered； and she had to creep up the
pillows to get them well under again。
〃Kate does；〃 said Constantia。 〃And the postman very well might。〃
Josephine thought of her dark…red slippers； which matched her
dressing… gown； and of Constantia's favourite indefinite green ones which
went with hers。 Black！ Two black dressing…gowns and two pairs of
black woolly slippers； creeping off to the bathroom like black cats。
〃I don't think it's absolutely necessary；〃 said she。
Silence。 Then Constantia said； 〃We shall have to post the papers with
the notice in them to…morrow to catch the Ceylon mail。。。How many letters
have we had up till now？〃
〃Twenty…three。〃
Josephine had replied to them all； and twenty…three times when she
came to 〃We miss our dear father so much〃 she had broken down and had
to use her handkerchief； and on some of them even to soak up a very light…
blue tear with an edge of blotting…paper。 Strange！ She couldn't have put
it onbut twenty…three times。 Even now； though； when she said over to
herself sadly 〃We miss our dear father so much；〃 she could have cried if
she'd wanted to。
〃Have you got enough stamps？〃 came from Constantia。
〃Oh； how can I tell？〃 said Josephine crossly。 〃What's the good of
asking me that now？〃
〃I was just wondering；〃 said Constantia mildly。
Silence again。 There came a little rustle； a scurry； a hop。
〃A mouse；〃 said Constantia。
〃It can't be a mouse because there aren't any crumbs；〃 said Josephine。
〃But it doesn't know there aren't；〃 said Constantia。
A spasm of pity squeezed her heart。 Poor little thing！ She wished
she'd left a tiny piece of biscuit on the dressing…table。 It was awful to
think of it not finding anything。 What would it do？
〃I can't think how they manage to live at all；〃 she said slowly。
〃Who？〃 demanded Josephine。
55
… Page 56…
The Garden Party
And Constantia said more loudly than she meant to； 〃Mice。〃
Josephine was furious。 〃Oh； what nonsense； Con！〃 she said。 〃What
have mice got to do with it？ You're asleep。〃
〃I don't think I am；〃 said Constantia。 She shut her eyes to make sure。
She was。
Josephine arched her spine； pulled up her knees； folded her arms so
that her fists came under