the garden party(园会)-第23章
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！
proper cry over all these things would take a long time。 All the same； the
time for it had come。 She must do it。 She couldn't put it off any longer；
she couldn't wait any more。。。Where could she go？
〃She's had a hard life； has Ma Parker。〃 Yes； a hard life； indeed！ Her
chin began to tremble； there was no time to lose。 But where？ Where？
She couldn't go home； Ethel was there。 It would frighten Ethel out of
her life。 She couldn't sit on a bench anywhere； people would come
arsking her questions。 She couldn't possibly go back to the gentleman's
flat； she had no right to cry in strangers' houses。 If she sat on some steps
a policeman would speak to her。
Oh； wasn't there anywhere where she could hide and keep herself to
herself and stay as long as she liked； not disturbing anybody； and nobody
worrying her？ Wasn't there anywhere in the world where she could have
her cry out at last？
Ma Parker stood； looking up and down。 The icy wind blew out her
apron into a balloon。 And now it began to rain。 There was nowhere。
96
… Page 97…
The Garden Party
7。 MARRIAGE A LA MODE。
On his way to the station William remembered with a fresh pang of
disappointment that he was taking nothing down to the kiddies。 Poor
little chaps！ It was hard lines on them。 Their first words always were
as they ran to greet him； 〃What have you got for me； daddy？〃 and he had
nothing。 He would have to buy them some sweets at the station。 But
that was what he had done for the past four Saturdays； their faces had
fallen last time when they saw the same old boxes produced again。
And Paddy had said； 〃I had red ribbing on mine bee…fore！〃
And Johnny had said； 〃It's always pink on mine。 I hate pink。〃
But what was William to do？ The affair wasn't so easily settled。 In
the old days； of course； he would have taken a taxi off to a decent toyshop
and chosen them something in five minutes。 But nowadays they had
Russian toys； French toys； Serbian toystoys from God knows where。 It
was over a year since Isabel had scrapped the old donkeys and engines and
so on because they were so 〃dreadfully sentimental〃 and 〃so appallingly
bad for the babies' sense of form。〃
〃It's so important；〃 the new Isabel had explained； 〃that they should like
the right things from the very beginning。 It saves so much time later on。
Really； if the poor pets have to spend their infant years staring at these
horrors； one can imagine them growing up and asking to be taken to the
Royal Academy。〃
And she spoke as though a visit to the Royal Academy was certain
immediate death to any one。。。
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said William slowly。 〃When I was their age I
used to go to bed hugging an old towel with a knot in it。〃
The new Isabel looked at him； her eyes narrowed； her lips apart。
〃Dear William！ I'm sure you did！〃 She laughed in the new way。
Sweets it would have to be； however； thought William gloomily；
fishing in his pocket for change for the taxi…man。 And he saw the kiddies
handing the boxes roundthey were awfully generous little chapswhile
Isabel's precious friends didn't hesitate to help themselves。。。
What about fruit？ William hovered before a stall just inside the
97
… Page 98…
The Garden Party
station。 What about a melon each？ Would they have to share that； too？
Or a pineapple； for Pad； and a melon for Johnny？ Isabel's friends could
hardly go sneaking up to the nursery at the children's meal…times。 All the
same； as he bought the melon William had a horrible vision of one of
Isabel's young poets lapping up a slice； for some reason； behind the
nursery door。
With his two very awkward parcels he strode off to his train。 The
platform was crowded； the train was in。 Doors banged open and shut。
There came such a loud hissing from the engine that people looked dazed
as they scurried to and fro。 William made straight for a first…class smoker；
stowed away his suit…case and parcels； and taking a huge wad of papers
out of his inner pocket； he flung down in the corner and began to read。
〃Our client moreover is positive。。。We are inclined to reconsider。。。in the
event of〃 Ah； that was better。 William pressed back his flattened hair
and stretched his legs across the carriage floor。 The familiar dull
gnawing in his breast quietened down。 〃With regard to our decision〃
He took out a blue pencil and scored a paragraph slowly。
Two men came in； stepped across him； and made for the farther corner。
A young fellow swung his golf clubs into the rack and sat down opposite。
The train gave a gentle lurch； they were off。 William glanced up and saw
the hot； bright station slipping away。 A red…faced girl raced along by the
carriages； there was something strained and almost desperate in the way
she waved and called。 〃Hysterical！〃 thought William dully。 Then a
greasy； black…faced workman at the end of the platform grinned at the
passing train。 And William thought； 〃A filthy life！〃 and went back to his
papers。
When he looked up again there were fields； and beasts standing for
shelter under the dark trees。 A wide river； with naked children splashing
in the shallows； glided into sight and was gone again。 The sky shone
pale； and one bird drifted high like a dark fleck in a jewel。
〃We have examined our client's correspondence files。。。〃 The last
sentence he had read echoed in his mind。 〃We have examined 。。。〃
William hung on to that sentence； but it was no good； it snapped in the
middle； and the fields； the sky； the sailing bird； the water； all said； 〃Isabel。〃
98
… Page 99…
The Garden Party
The same thing happened every Saturday afternoon。 When he was on his
way to meet Isabel there began those countless imaginary meetings。 She
was at the station； standing just a little apart from everybody else； she was
sitting in the open taxi outside； she was at the garden gate； walking across
the parched grass； at the door； or just inside the hall。
And her clear； light voice said； 〃It's William；〃 or 〃Hillo； William！〃 or
〃So William has come！〃 He touched her cool hand； her cool cheek。
The exquisite freshness of Isabel！ When he had been a little boy； it
was his delight to run into the garden after a shower of rain and shake the
rose…bush over him。 Isabel was that rose…bush； petal…soft； sparkling and
cool。 And he was still that little boy。 But there was no running into the
garden now； no laughing and shaking。 The dull； persistent gnawing in his
breast started again。 He drew up his legs； tossed the papers aside； and
shut his eyes。
〃What is it； Isabel？ What is it？〃 he said tenderly。 They were in their
bedroom in the new house。 Isabel sat on a painted stool before the
dressing…table that was strewn with little black and green boxes。
〃What is what； William？〃 And she bent forward； and her fine light
hair fell over her cheeks。
〃Ah； you know！〃 He stood in the middle of the room and he felt a
stranger。 At that Isabel wheeled round quickly and faced him。
〃Oh； William！〃 she cried imploringly； and she held up the hair…brush：
〃Please！ Please don't be so dreadfully stuffy andtragic。 You're always
saying or looking or hinting that I've changed。 Just because I've got to
know really congenial people； and go about more； and am frightfully keen
onon everything； you behave as though I'd〃 Isabel tossed back her
hair and laughed〃killed our love or something。 It's so awfully absurd〃
she bit her lip〃and it's so maddening； William。 Even this new house
and the servants you grudge me。〃
〃Isabel！〃
〃Yes； yes； it's true in a way；〃 said Isabel quickly。 〃You think they are
another bad sign。 Oh； I know you do。 I feel it；〃 she said softly； 〃every
time you come up the stairs。 But we couldn't have gone on living in that
other poky little hole； William。 Be practical； at least！ Why； there wasn't
99
… Page 100…
The Garden Party
enough room for the babies even。〃
No； it was true。 Every morning when he came back from chambers it
was to find the babies with Isabel in the back drawing…room。 They were
having rides on the leopard skin thrown over the sofa back； or they were
playing shops with Isabel's desk for a counter； or Pad was sitting on the
hearthrug rowing away for dear life with a little brass fire shovel； while
Johnny shot at pirates with the tongs。 Every evening they each had a
pick…a…back up the narrow stairs to their fat old Nanny。
Yes； he supposed it was a poky little house。 A little white house with
blue curtains and a window…box of petunias。 William met their friends at
the door with 〃Seen our petunias？ Pretty terrific for London； don't you
think？〃
But the imbecile thing； the absolutely extraordinary thing was that he
hadn't the slightest idea that Isabel wasn't as happy as he。 God； what
blindness！ He hadn't the remotest notion in those days that she really
hated that inconvenient little house； that she thought the fat Nanny was
ruining the babies； that she was desperately lonely； pining for new people
and new music and pictures and so on。 If they hadn't gone to that
