the garden party(园会)-第15章
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best to turn it。 As if anything ever deceived Kate！
It couldn't be helped。 That girl was。。。Then the door was shut behind
them； butbut they weren't in father's room at all。 They might have
suddenly walked through the wall by mistake into a different flat
altogether。 Was the door just behind them？ They were too frightened to
look。 Josephine knew that if it was it was holding itself tight shut；
Constantia felt that； like the doors in dreams； it hadn't any handle at all。
It was the coldness which made it so awful。 Or the whitenesswhich？
Everything was covered。 The blinds were down； a cloth hung over the
mirror； a sheet hid the bed； a huge fan of white paper filled the fireplace。
Constantia timidly put out her hand； she almost expected a snowflake to
fall。 Josephine felt a queer tingling in her nose； as if her nose was
freezing。 Then a cab klop…klopped over the cobbles below； and the quiet
seemed to shake into little pieces。
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〃I had better pull up a blind；〃 said Josephine bravely。
〃Yes； it might be a good idea；〃 whispered Constantia。
They only gave the blind a touch； but it flew up and the cord flew after；
rolling round the blind…stick； and the little tassel tapped as if trying to get
free。 That was too much for Constantia。
〃Don't you thinkdon't you think we might put it off for another day？〃
she whispered。
〃Why？〃 snapped Josephine； feeling； as usual； much better now that she
knew for certain that Constantia was terrified。 〃It's got to be done。 But
I do wish you wouldn't whisper； Con。〃
〃I didn't know I was whispering；〃 whispered Constantia。
〃And why do you keep staring at the bed？〃 said Josephine； raising her
voice almost defiantly。 〃There's nothing on the bed。〃
〃Oh； Jug； don't say so！〃 said poor Connie。 〃At any rate； not so
loudly。〃
Josephine felt herself that she had gone too far。 She took a wide
swerve over to the chest of drawers； put out her hand； but quickly drew it
back again。
〃Connie！〃 she gasped； and she wheeled round and leaned with her
back against the chest of drawers。
〃Oh； Jugwhat？〃
Josephine could only glare。 She had the most extraordinary feeling
that she had just escaped something simply awful。 But how could she
explain to Constantia that father was in the chest of drawers？ He was in
the top drawer with his handkerchiefs and neckties； or in the next with his
shirts and pyjamas； or in the lowest of all with his suits。 He was
watching there； hidden awayjust behind the door…handleready to
spring。
She pulled a funny old…fashioned face at Constantia； just as she used to
in the old days when she was going to cry。
〃I can't open；〃 she nearly wailed。
〃No； don't； Jug；〃 whispered Constantia earnestly。 〃It's much better
not to。 Don't let's open anything。 At any rate； not for a long time。〃
〃Butbut it seems so weak；〃 said Josephine； breaking down。
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〃But why not be weak for once； Jug？〃 argued Constantia； whispering
quite fiercely。 〃If it is weak。〃 And her pale stare flew from the locked
writing…tableso safeto the huge glittering wardrobe； and she began to
breathe in a queer； panting away。 〃Why shouldn't we be weak for once in
our lives； Jug？ It's quite excusable。 Let's be weakbe weak； Jug。 It's
much nicer to be weak than to be strong。〃
And then she did one of those amazingly bold things that she'd done
about twice before in their lives： she marched over to the wardrobe；
turned the key； and took it out of the lock。 Took it out of the lock and
held it up to Josephine； showing Josephine by her extraordinary smile that
she knew what she'd doneshe'd risked deliberately father being in there
among his overcoats。
If the huge wardrobe had lurched forward； had crashed down on
Constantia； Josephine wouldn't have been surprised。 On the contrary； she
would have thought it the only suitable thing to happen。 But nothing
happened。 Only the room seemed quieter than ever； and the bigger flakes
of cold air fell on Josephine's shoulders and knees。 She began to
shiver。
〃Come； Jug；〃 said Constantia； still with that awful callous smile； and
Josephine followed just as she had that last time； when Constantia had
pushed Benny into the round pond。
Chapter 3。VII。
But the strain told on them when they were back in the dining…room。
They sat down； very shaky； and looked at each other。
〃I don't feel I can settle to anything；〃 said Josephine； 〃until I've had
something。 Do you think we could ask Kate for two cups of hot water？〃
〃I really don't see why we shouldn't；〃 said Constantia carefully。 She
was quite normal again。 〃I won't ring。 I'll go to the kitchen door and
ask her。〃
〃Yes； do；〃 said Josephine； sinking down into a chair。 〃Tell her； just
two cups； Con； nothing elseon a tray。〃
〃She needn't even put the jug on； need she？〃 said Constantia； as
though Kate might very well complain if the jug had been there。
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〃Oh no； certainly not！ The jug's not at all necessary。 She can pour it
direct out of the kettle；〃 cried Josephine； feeling that would be a labour…
saving indeed。
Their cold lips quivered at the greenish brims。 Josephine curved her
small red hands round the cup； Constantia sat up and blew on the wavy
steam； making it flutter from one side to the other。
〃Speaking of Benny；〃 said Josephine。
And though Benny hadn't been mentioned Constantia immediately
looked as though he had。
〃He'll expect us to send him something of father's； of course。 But it's
so difficult to know what to send to Ceylon。〃
〃You mean things get unstuck so on the voyage；〃 murmured
Constantia。
〃No； lost；〃 said Josephine sharply。 〃You know there's no post。 Only
runners。〃
Both paused to watch a black man in white linen drawers running
through the pale fields for dear life； with a large brown…paper parcel in his
hands。 Josephine's black man was tiny； he scurried along glistening like
an ant。 But there was something blind and tireless about Constantia's tall；
thin fellow； which made him； she decided； a very unpleasant person
indeed。。。On the veranda； dressed all in white and wearing a cork helmet；
stood Benny。 His right hand shook up and down； as father's did when he
was impatient。 And behind him； not in the least interested； sat Hilda； the
unknown sister… in…law。 She swung in a cane rocker and flicked over the
leaves of the 〃Tatler。〃
〃I think his watch would be the most suitable present；〃 said Josephine。
Constantia looked up； she seemed surprised。
〃Oh； would you trust a gold watch to a native？〃
〃But of course； I'd disguise it；〃 said Josephine。 〃No one would know
it was a watch。〃 She liked the idea of having to make a parcel such a
curious shape that no one could possibly guess what it was。 She even
thought for a moment of hiding the watch in a narrow cardboard corset…
box that she'd kept by her for a long time； waiting for it to come in for
something。 It was such beautiful； firm cardboard。 But； no； it wouldn't
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be appropriate for this occasion。 It had lettering on it： 〃Medium
Women's 28。 Extra Firm Busks。〃 It would be almost too much of a
surprise for Benny to open that and find father's watch inside。
〃And of course it isn't as though it would be goingticking； I mean；〃
said Constantia； who was still thinking of the native love of jewellery。
〃At least；〃 she added； 〃it would be very strange if after all that time it
was。〃
Chapter 3。VIII。
Josephine made no reply。 She had flown off on one of her tangents。
She had suddenly thought of Cyril。 Wasn't it more usual for the only
grandson to have the watch？ And then dear Cyril was so appreciative；
and a gold watch meant so much to a young man。 Benny； in all
probability； had quite got out of the habit of watches； men so seldom wore
waistcoats in those hot climates。 Whereas Cyril in London wore them
from year's end to year's end。 And it would be so nice for her and
Constantia； when he came to tea； to know it was there。 〃I see you've got
on grandfather's watch； Cyril。〃 It would be somehow so satisfactory。
Dear boy！ What a blow his sweet； sympathetic little note had been！
Of course they quite understood； but it was most unfortunate。
〃It would have been such a point； having him；〃 said Josephine。
〃And he would have enjoyed it so；〃 said Constantia； not thinking what
she was saying。
However； as soon as he got back he was coming to tea with his aunties。
Cyril to tea was one of their rare treats。
〃Now； Cyril； you mustn't be frightened of our cakes。 Your Auntie
Con and I bought them at Buszard's this morning。 We know what a
man's appetite is。 So don't be ashamed of making a good tea。〃
Josephine cut recklessly into the rich dark cake that stood for her
winter gloves or the soling and heeling of Constantia's only respectable
shoes。 But Cyril was most unmanlike in a
