the garden party(园会)-第10章
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bread… and…butter。 They turned； they stared in the direction。 A little fat
chap thrust out his under…lip； and the tall fellow frowned。
〃I don't fancy it；〃 said he。 〃Not conspicuous enough。 You see； with
a thing like a marquee；〃 and he turned to Laura in his easy way； 〃you want
to put it somewhere where it'll give you a bang slap in the eye； if you
follow me。〃
Laura's upbringing made her wonder for a moment whether it was
quite respectful of a workman to talk to her of bangs slap in the eye。 But
she did quite follow him。
〃A corner of the tennis…court；〃 she suggested。 〃But the band's going
to be in one corner。〃
〃H'm； going to have a band； are you？〃 said another of the workmen。
He was pale。 He had a haggard look as his dark eyes scanned the tennis…
court。 What was he thinking？
〃Only a very small band；〃 said Laura gently。 Perhaps he wouldn't
mind so much if the band was quite small。 But the tall fellow
interrupted。
〃Look here； miss； that's the place。 Against those trees。 Over there。
That'll do fine。〃
Against the karakas。 Then the karaka…trees would be hidden。 And
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they were so lovely； with their broad； gleaming leaves； and their clusters
of yellow fruit。 They were like trees you imagined growing on a desert
island； proud； solitary； lifting their leaves and fruits to the sun in a kind of
silent splendour。 Must they be hidden by a marquee？
They must。 Already the men had shouldered their staves and were
making for the place。 Only the tall fellow was left。 He bent down；
pinched a sprig of lavender； put his thumb and forefinger to his nose and
snuffed up the smell。 When Laura saw that gesture she forgot all about
the karakas in her wonder at him caring for things like thatcaring for the
smell of lavender。 How many men that she knew would have done such
a thing？ Oh； how extraordinarily nice workmen were； she thought。
Why couldn't she have workmen for her friends rather than the silly boys
she danced with and who came to Sunday night supper？ She would get
on much better with men like these。
It's all the fault； she decided； as the tall fellow drew something on the
back of an envelope； something that was to be looped up or left to hang； of
these absurd class distinctions。 Well； for her part； she didn't feel them。
Not a bit； not an atom。。。And now there came the chock…chock of wooden
hammers。 Some one whistled； some one sang out； 〃Are you right there；
matey？〃 〃Matey！〃 The friendliness of it； thetheJust to prove how
happy she was； just to show the tall fellow how at home she felt； and how
she despised stupid conventions； Laura took a big bite of her bread…and…
butter as she stared at the little drawing。 She felt just like a work… girl。
〃Laura； Laura； where are you？ Telephone； Laura！〃 a voice cried from
the house。
〃Coming！〃 Away she skimmed； over the lawn； up the path； up the
steps； across the veranda； and into the porch。 In the hall her father and
Laurie were brushing their hats ready to go to the office。
〃I say； Laura；〃 said Laurie very fast； 〃you might just give a squiz at my
coat before this afternoon。 See if it wants pressing。〃
〃I will；〃 said she。 Suddenly she couldn't stop herself。 She ran at
Laurie and gave him a small； quick squeeze。 〃Oh； I do love parties； don't
you？〃 gasped Laura。
〃Ra…ther；〃 said Laurie's warm； boyish voice； and he squeezed his sister
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too； and gave her a gentle push。 〃Dash off to the telephone； old girl。〃
The telephone。 〃Yes； yes； oh yes。 Kitty？ Good morning； dear。
Come to lunch？ Do； dear。 Delighted of course。 It will only be a very
scratch mealjust the sandwich crusts and broken meringue…shells and
what's left over。 Yes； isn't it a perfect morning？ Your white？ Oh； I
certainly should。 One momenthold the line。 Mother's calling。〃 And
Laura sat back。 〃What； mother？ Can't hear。〃
Mrs。 Sheridan's voice floated down the stairs。 〃Tell her to wear that
sweet hat she had on last Sunday。〃
〃Mother says you're to wear that sweet hat you had on last Sunday。
Good。 One o'clock。 Bye…bye。〃
Laura put back the receiver； flung her arms over her head； took a deep
breath； stretched and let them fall。 〃Huh；〃 she sighed； and the moment
after the sigh she sat up quickly。 She was still； listening。 All the doors
in the house seemed to be open。 The house was alive with soft； quick
steps and running voices。 The green baize door that led to the kitchen
regions swung open and shut with a muffled thud。 And now there came a
long； chuckling absurd sound。 It was the heavy piano being moved on its
stiff castors。 But the air！ If you stopped to notice； was the air always
like this？ Little faint winds were playing chase； in at the tops of the
windows； out at the doors。 And there were two tiny spots of sun； one on
the inkpot； one on a silver photograph frame； playing too。 Darling little
spots。 Especially the one on the inkpot lid。 It was quite warm。 A
warm little silver star。 She could have kissed it。
The front door bell pealed； and there sounded the rustle of Sadie's print
skirt on the stairs。 A man's voice murmured； Sadie answered； careless；
〃I'm sure I don't know。 Wait。 I'll ask Mrs Sheridan。〃
〃What is it； Sadie？〃 Laura came into the hall。
〃It's the florist； Miss Laura。〃
It was； indeed。 There； just inside the door； stood a wide； shallow tray
full of pots of pink lilies。 No other kind。 Nothing but liliescanna lilies；
big pink flowers； wide open； radiant； almost frighteningly alive on bright
crimson stems。
〃O…oh； Sadie！〃 said Laura； and the sound was like a little moan。 She
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crouched down as if to warm herself at that blaze of lilies； she felt they
were in her fingers； on her lips； growing in her breast。
〃It's some mistake；〃 she said faintly。 〃Nobody ever ordered so many。
Sadie； go and find mother。〃
But at that moment Mrs。 Sheridan joined them。
〃It's quite right；〃 she said calmly。 〃Yes； I ordered them。 Aren't they
lovely？〃 She pressed Laura's arm。 〃I was passing the shop yesterday；
and I saw them in the window。 And I suddenly thought for once in my
life I shall have enough canna lilies。 The garden…party will be a good
excuse。〃
〃But I thought you said you didn't mean to interfere；〃 said Laura。
Sadie had gone。 The florist's man was still outside at his van。 She put
her arm round her mother's neck and gently； very gently； she bit her
mother's ear。
〃My darling child； you wouldn't like a logical mother； would you？
Don't do that。 Here's the man。〃
He carried more lilies still； another whole tray。
〃Bank them up； just inside the door； on both sides of the porch；
please；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃Don't you agree； Laura？〃
〃Oh； I do； mother。〃
In the drawing…room Meg； Jose and good little Hans had at last
succeeded in moving the piano。
〃Now； if we put this chesterfield against the wall and move everything
out of the room except the chairs； don't you think？〃
〃Quite。〃
〃Hans； move these tables into the smoking…room； and bring a sweeper
to take these marks off the carpet andone moment； Hans〃 Jose loved
giving orders to the servants； and they loved obeying her。 She always
made them feel they were taking part in some drama。 〃Tell mother and
Miss Laura to come here at once。
〃Very good； Miss Jose。〃
She turned to Meg。 〃I want to hear what the piano sounds like； just
in case I'm asked to sing this afternoon。 Let's try over 'This life is
Weary。'〃
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Pom！ Ta…ta…ta Tee…ta！ The piano burst out so passionately that
Jose's face changed。 She clasped her hands。 She looked mournfully
and enigmatically at her mother and Laura as they came in。
〃This Life is Wee…ary； A Teara Sigh。 A Love that Chan…ges；
This Life is Wee…ary； A Teara Sigh。 A Love that Chan…ges； And
then 。。。Good…bye！〃
But at the word 〃Good…bye；〃 and although the piano sounded more
desperate than ever； her face broke into a brilliant； dreadfully
unsympathetic smile。
〃Aren't I in good voice； mummy？〃 she beamed。
〃This Life is Wee…ary； Hope comes to Die。 A Dreama Wa…
kening。〃
But now Sadie interrupted them。 〃What is it； Sadie？〃
〃If you please； m'm； cook says have you got the flags for the
sandwiches？〃
〃The flags for the sandwiches； Sadie？〃 echoed Mrs。 Sheridan dreamily。
And the children knew by her face that she hadn't got them。 〃Let me
see。〃 And she said to Sadie firmly； 〃Tell cook I'll let her have them in ten
minutes。
Sadie went。
〃Now； Laura；〃 said her mother quickly； 〃come with me into the
smoking…room。 I've got the names somewhere on the back of an
envelope。 You'll have to write them out for me。 Meg； go upstairs this
minute and take that wet thing off your head。 Jose； run and finish
dres
