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！
ribbon bows on the shoulders。
〃Mercy on us；〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember； 〃what a little beauty you
are！〃
〃Don't！〃 said Beryl softly； but； drawing off one stocking and then the
other； she felt a little beauty。
14
… Page 15…
The Garden Party
〃My dearwhy not？〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember； stamping on her own
petticoat。 Reallyher underclothes！ A pair of blue cotton knickers and
a linen bodice that reminded one somehow of a pillow…case。。。〃And you
don't wear stays； do you？〃 She touched Beryl's waist； and Beryl sprang
away with a small affected cry。 Then 〃Never！〃 she said firmly。
〃Lucky little creature；〃 sighed Mrs。 Kember； unfastening her own。
Beryl turned her back and began the complicated movements of some
one who is trying to take off her clothes and to pull on her bathing…dress
all at one and the same time。
〃Oh； my deardon't mind me；〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember。 〃Why be
shy？ I shan't eat you。 I shan't be shocked like those other ninnies。〃
And she gave her strange neighing laugh and grimaced at the other
women。
But Beryl was shy。 She never undressed in front of anybody。 Was
that silly？ Mrs。 Harry Kember made her feel it was silly； even something
to be ashamed of。 Why be shy indeed！ She glanced quickly at her
friend standing so boldly in her torn chemise and lighting a fresh cigarette；
and a quick； bold； evil feeling started up in her breast。 Laughing
recklessly； she drew on the limp； sandy…feeling bathing…dress that was not
quite dry and fastened the twisted buttons。
〃That's better；〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember。 They began to go down the
beach together。 〃Really； it's a sin for you to wear clothes； my dear。
Somebody's got to tell you some day。〃
The water was quite warm。 It was that marvellous transparent blue；
flecked with silver； but the sand at the bottom looked gold； when you
kicked with your toes there rose a little puff of gold…dust。 Now the
waves just reached her breast。 Beryl stood； her arms outstretched； gazing
out； and as each wave came she gave the slightest little jump； so that it
seemed it was the wave which lifted her so gently。
〃I believe in pretty girls having a good time；〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember。
〃Why not？ Don't you make a mistake； my dear。 Enjoy yourself。〃 And
suddenly she turned turtle； disappeared； and swam away quickly； quickly；
like a rat。 Then she flicked round and began swimming back。 She was
going to say something else。 Beryl felt that she was being poisoned by
15
… Page 16…
The Garden Party
this cold woman； but she longed to hear。 But oh； how strange； how
horrible！ As Mrs。 Harry Kember came up close she looked； in her black
waterproof bathing…cap； with her sleepy face lifted above the water； just
her chin touching； like a horrible caricature of her husband。
Chapter 1。VI。
In a steamer chair； under a manuka tree that grew in the middle of the
front grass patch； Linda Burnell dreamed the morning away。 She did
nothing。 She looked up at the dark； close； dry leaves of the manuka； at
the chinks of blue between； and now and again a tiny yellowish flower
dropped on her。 Prettyyes； if you held one of those flowers on the palm
of your hand and looked at it closely； it was an exquisite small thing。
Each pale yellow petal shone as if each was the careful work of a loving
hand。 The tiny tongue in the centre gave it the shape of a bell。 And
when you turned it over the outside was a deep bronze colour。 But as
soon as they flowered； they fell and were scattered。 You brushed them
off your frock as you talked； the horrid little things got caught in one's hair。
Why； then； flower at all？ Who takes the troubleor the joyto make all
these things that are wasted； wasted。。。It was uncanny。
On the grass beside her； lying between two pillows； was the boy。
Sound asleep he lay； his head turned away from his mother。 His fine dark
hair looked more like a shadow than like real hair； but his ear was a bright；
deep coral。 Linda clasped her hands above her head and crossed her feet。
It was very pleasant to know that all these bungalows were empty； that
everybody was down on the beach； out of sight； out of hearing。 She had
the garden to herself； she was alone。
Dazzling white the picotees shone； the golden…eyed marigold glittered；
the nasturtiums wreathed the veranda poles in green and gold flame。 If
only one had time to look at these flowers long enough； time to get over
the sense of novelty and strangeness； time to know them！ But as soon as
one paused to part the petals； to discover the under…side of the leaf； along
came Life and one was swept away。 And； lying in her cane chair； Linda
felt so light； she felt like a leaf。 Along came Life like a wind and she was
seized and shaken； she had to go。 Oh dear； would it always be so？ Was
16
… Page 17…
The Garden Party
there no escape？
。。。Now she sat on the veranda of their Tasmanian home； leaning
against her father's knee。 And he promised； 〃As soon as you and I are old
enough； Linny； we'll cut off somewhere； we'll escape。 Two boys together。
I have a fancy I'd like to sail up a river in China。〃 Linda saw that river；
very wide； covered with little rafts and boats。 She saw the yellow hats of
the boatmen and she heard their high； thin voices as they called。。。
〃Yes； papa。〃
But just then a very broad young man with bright ginger hair walked
slowly past their house； and slowly； solemnly even； uncovered。 Linda's
father pulled her ear teasingly； in the way he had。
〃Linny's beau；〃 he whispered。
〃Oh； papa； fancy being married to Stanley Burnell！〃
Well； she was married to him。 And what was more she loved him。
Not the Stanley whom every one saw； not the everyday one； but a t