the garden party(园会)-第12章
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could look like that。 Is mother right？ she thought。 And now she hoped
her mother was right。 Am I being extravagant？ Perhaps it was
extravagant。 Just for a moment she had another glimpse of that poor
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woman and those little children； and the body being carried into the house。
But it all seemed blurred； unreal； like a picture in the newspaper。 I'll
remember it again after the party's over； she decided。 And somehow that
seemed quite the best plan。。。
Lunch was over by half…past one。 By half…past two they were all
ready for the fray。 The green…coated band had arrived and was
established in a corner of the tennis…court。
〃My dear！〃 trilled Kitty Maitland； 〃aren't they too like frogs for words？
You ought to have arranged them round the pond with the conductor in the
middle on a leaf。〃
Laurie arrived and hailed them on his way to dress。 At the sight of
him Laura remembered the accident again。 She wanted to tell him。 If
Laurie agreed with the others； then it was bound to be all right。 And she
followed him into the hall。
〃Laurie！〃
〃Hallo！〃 He was half…way upstairs； but when he turned round and
saw Laura he suddenly puffed out his cheeks and goggled his eyes at her。
〃My word； Laura！ You do look stunning；〃 said Laurie。 〃What an
absolutely topping hat！〃
Laura said faintly 〃Is it？〃 and smiled up at Laurie； and didn't tell him
after all。
Soon after that people began coming in streams。 The band struck up；
the hired waiters ran from the house to the marquee。 Wherever you
looked there were couples strolling； bending to the flowers； greeting；
moving on over the lawn。 They were like bright birds that had alighted
in the Sheridans' garden for this one afternoon； on their way towhere？
Ah； what happiness it is to be with people who all are happy； to press
hands； press cheeks； smile into eyes。
〃Darling Laura； how well you look！〃
〃What a becoming hat； child！〃
〃Laura； you look quite Spanish。 I've never seen you look so
striking。〃
And Laura； glowing； answered softly； 〃Have you had tea？ Won't you
have an ice？ The passion…fruit ices really are rather special。〃 She ran to
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her father and begged him。 〃Daddy darling； can't the band have
something to drink？〃
And the perfect afternoon slowly ripened； slowly faded； slowly its
petals closed。
〃Never a more delightful garden…party 。。。〃 〃The greatest success 。。。〃
〃Quite the most 。。。〃
Laura helped her mother with the good…byes。 They stood side by side
in the porch till it was all over。
〃All over； all over； thank heaven；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃Round up the
others； Laura。 Let's go and have some fresh coffee。 I'm exhausted。
Yes； it's been very successful。 But oh； these parties； these parties！ Why
will you children insist on giving parties！〃 And they all of them sat down
in the deserted marquee。
〃Have a sandwich； daddy dear。 I wrote the flag。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Mr。 Sheridan took a bite and the sandwich was gone。 He
took another。 〃I suppose you didn't hear of a beastly accident that
happened to…day？〃 he said。
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； holding up her hand； 〃we did。 It
nearly ruined the party。 Laura insisted we should put it off。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃 Laura didn't want to be teased about it。
〃It was a horrible affair all the same；〃 said Mr。 Sheridan。 〃The chap
was married too。 Lived just below in the lane； and leaves a wife and half
a dozen kiddies； so they say。〃
An awkward little silence fell。 Mrs。 Sheridan fidgeted with her cup。
Really； it was very tactless of father。。。
Suddenly she looked up。 There on the table were all those
sandwiches； cakes； puffs； all uneaten； all going to be wasted。 She had
one of her brilliant ideas。
〃I know；〃 she said。 〃Let's make up a basket。 Let's send that poor
creature some of this perfectly good food。 At any rate； it will be the
greatest treat for the children。 Don't you agree？ And she's sure to have
neighbours calling in and so on。 What a point to have it all ready
prepared。 Laura！〃 She jumped up。 〃Get me the big basket out of the
stairs cupboard。〃
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〃But； mother； do you really think it's a good idea？〃 said Laura。
Again； how curious； she seemed to be different from them all。 To
take scraps from their party。 Would the poor woman really like that？
〃Of course！ What's the matter with you to…day？ An hour or two ago
you were insisting on us being sympathetic； and now〃
Oh well！ Laura ran for the basket。 It was filled； it was heaped by
her mother。
〃Take it yourself； darling；〃 said she。 〃Run down just as you are。 No；
wait； take the arum lilies too。 People of that class are so impressed by
arum lilies。〃
〃The stems will ruin her lace frock；〃 said practical Jose。
So they would。 Just in time。 〃Only the basket； then。 And；
Laura！〃her mother followed her out of the marquee〃don't on any
account〃
〃What mother？〃
No； better not put such ideas into the child's head！ 〃Nothing！ Run
along。〃
It was just growing dusky as Laura shut their garden gates。 A big dog
ran by like a shadow。 The road gleamed white； and down below in the
hollow the little cottages were in deep shade。 How quiet it seemed after
the afternoon。 Here she was going down the hill to somewhere where a
man lay dead； and she couldn't realize it。 Why couldn't she？ She
stopped a minute。 And it seemed to her that kisses； voices； tinkling
spoons； laughter； the smell of crushed grass were somehow inside her。
She had no room for anything else。 How strange！ She looked up at the
pale sky； and all she thought was； 〃Yes； it was the most successful party。〃
Now the broad road was crossed。 The lane began； smoky and dark。
Women in shawls and men's tweed caps hurried by。 Men hung over the
palings； the children played in the doorways。 A low hum came from the
mean little cottages。 In some of them there was a flicker of light； and a
shadow； crab…like； moved across the window。 Laura bent her head and
hurried on。 She wished now she had put on a coat。 How her frock
shone！ And the big hat with the velvet streamerif only it was another
hat！ Were the people looking at her？ They must be。 It was a mistake
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to have come； she knew all along it was a mistake。 Should she go back
even now？
No； too late。 This was the house。 It must be。 A dark knot of
people stood outside。 Beside the gate an old； old woman with a crutch
sat in a chair； watching。 She had her feet on a newspaper。 The voices
stopped as Laura drew near。 The group parted。 It was as though she
was expected； as though they had known she was coming here。
Laura was terribly nervous。 Tossing the velvet ribbon over her
shoulder； she said to a woman standing by； 〃Is this Mrs。 Scott's house？〃
and the woman； smiling queerly； said； 〃It is； my lass。〃
Oh； to be away from this！ She actually said； 〃Help me； God；〃 as she
walked up the tiny path and knocked。 To be away from those staring
eyes； or to be covered up in anything； one of those women's shawls even。
I'll just leave the basket and go； she decided。 I shan't even wait for it to
be emptied。
Then the door opened。 A little woman in black showed in the gloom。
Laura said； 〃Are you Mrs。 Scott？〃 But to her horror the woman
answered； 〃Walk in please； miss；〃 and she was shut in the passage。
〃No；〃 said Laura； 〃I don't want to come in。 I only want to leave this
basket。 Mother sent〃
The little woman in the gloomy passage seemed not to have heard her。
〃Step this way； please； miss；〃 she said in an oily voice； and Laura followed
her。
She found herself in a wretched little low kitchen； lighted by a smoky
lamp。 There was a woman sitting before the fire。
〃Em；〃 said the little creature who had let her in。 〃Em！ It's a young
lady。〃 She turned to Laura。 She said meaningly； 〃I'm 'er sister； miss。
You'll excuse 'er； won't you？〃
〃Oh； but of course！〃 said Laura。 〃Please； please don't disturb her。 I…
…I only want to leave〃
But at that moment the woman at the fire turned round。 Her face；
puffed up； red； with swollen eyes and swollen lips； looked terrible。 She
seemed as though she couldn't understand why Laura was there。 What
did it mean？ Why was this stranger standing in the kitchen with a basket？
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What was it all about？ And the poor face puckered up again。
〃All right； my dear；〃 said the other。 〃I'll thenk the young lady。〃
And again she began； 〃You'll excuse her； miss； I'm sure；〃 and her face；
swollen too； tried an oily smile。
Laura only want
