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！
up her hand and touched her fur。 Dear little thing！ It was nice to feel it
again。 She had taken it out of its box that afternoon； shaken out the
moth…powder； given it a good brush； and rubbed the life back into the dim
little eyes。 〃What has been happening to me？〃 said the sad little eyes。
Oh； how sweet it was to see them snap at her again from the red
eiderdown！。。。But the nose； which was of some black composition； wasn't
at all firm。 It must have had a knock； somehow。 Never minda little
dab of black sealing…wax when the time camewhen it was absolutely
necessary。。。Little rogue！ Yes； she really felt like that about it。 Little
rogue biting its tail just by her left ear。 She could have taken it off and
laid it on her lap and stroked it。 She felt a tingling in her hands and arms；
but that came from walking； she supposed。 And when she breathed；
something light and sadno； not sad； exactlysomething gentle seemed to
move in her bosom。
There were a number of people out this afternoon； far more than last
Sunday。 And the band sounded louder and gayer。 That was because the
Season had begun。 For although the band played all the year round on
Sundays； out of season it was never the same。 It was like some one
playing with only the family to listen； it didn't care how it played if there
weren't any strangers present。 Wasn't the conductor wearing a new coat；
too？ She was sure it was new。 He scraped with his foot and flapped his
arms like a rooster about to crow； and the bandsmen sitting in the green
rotunda blew out their cheeks and glared at the music。 Now there came a
little 〃flutey〃 bitvery pretty！a little chain of bright drops。 She was
sure it would be repeated。 It was； she lifted her head and smiled。
Only two people shared her 〃special〃 seat： a fine old man in a velvet
117
… Page 118…
The Garden Party
coat； his hands clasped over a huge carved walking…stick； and a big old
woman； sitting upright； with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron。
They did not speak。 This was disappointing； for Miss Brill always
looked forward to the conversation。 She had become really quite expert；
she thought； at listening as though she didn't listen； at sitting in other
people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her。
She glanced； sideways； at the old couple。 Perhaps they would go
soon。 Last Sunday； too； hadn't been as interesting as usual。 An
Englishman and his wife； he wearing a dreadful Panama hat and she
button boots。 And she'd gone on the whole time about how she ought to
wear spectacles； she knew she needed them； but that it was no good
getting any； they'd be sure to break and they'd never keep on。 And he'd
been so patient。 He'd suggested everythinggold rims； the kind that
curved round your ears； little pads inside the bridge。 No； nothing would
please her。 〃They'll always be sliding down my nose！〃 Miss Brill had
wanted to shake her。
The old people sat on the bench； still as statues。 Never mind； there
was always the crowd to watch。 To and fro； in front of the flower…beds
and the band rotunda； the couples and groups paraded； stopped to talk； to
greet； to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray
fixed to the railings。 Little children ran among them； swooping and
laughing； little boys with big white silk bows under their chins； little girls；
little French dolls； dressed up in velvet and lace。 And sometimes a tiny
staggerer came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees；
stopped； stared； as suddenly sat down 〃flop；〃 until its small high…stepping
mother； like a young hen； rushed scolding to its rescue。 Other people sat
on the benches and green chairs； but they were nearly always the same；
Sunday after Sunday； andMiss Brill had often noticedthere was
something funny about nearly all of them。 They were odd； silent； nearly
all old； and from the way they stared they looked as though they'd just
come from dark little rooms or eveneven cupboards！
Behind the rotunda the slender trees with yellow leaves down
drooping； and through them just a line of sea； and beyond the blue sky
with gold…veined clouds。
118
… Page 119…
The Garden Party
Tum…tum…tum tiddle…um！ tiddle…um！ tum tiddley…um tum ta！ blew the
band。
Two young girls in red came by and two young soldiers in blue met
them； and they laughed and paired and went off arm…in…arm。 Two
peasant women with funny straw hats passed； gravely； leading beautiful
smoke…coloured donkeys。 A cold； pale nun hurried by。 A beautiful
woman came along and dropped her bunch of violets； and a little boy ran
after to hand them to her； and she took them and threw them away as if
they'd been poisoned。 Dear me！ Miss Brill didn't know whether to
admire that or not！ And now an ermine toque and a gentleman in grey
met just in front of her。 He was tall； stiff； dignified； and she was wearing
the ermine toque she'd bought when her hair was yellow。 Now
everything； her hair； her face； even her eyes； was the same colour as the
shabby ermine； and her hand； in its cleaned glove； lifted to dab her lips；
was a tiny yellowish paw。 Oh； she was so pleased to see himdelighted！
She rather thought they were going to meet that afternoon。 She described
where she'd beeneverywhere； here； there； along by the sea。 The day
was so charmingdidn't he agree？ And wouldn't he； perhaps？。。。But he
shook his head； lighted a cigarette； slowly breathed a great deep puff into
her face； and even while she was still talking and laughing； flicked the
match away and walked on。 The ermine toque was alone； she smiled
more brightly than ever。