the garden party(园会)-第29章
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like the sleeve of an unknown young man's dress suit； and away they
bowled； past waltzing lamp…posts and houses and fences and trees。
〃Have you really never been to a ball before； Leila？ But； my child；
how too weird〃 cried the Sheridan girls。
〃Our nearest neighbour was fifteen miles；〃 said Leila softly； gently
opening and shutting her fan。
Oh dear； how hard it was to be indifferent like the others！ She tried
not to smile too much； she tried not to care。 But every single thing was
so new and exciting 。。。Meg's tuberoses； Jose's long loop of amber； Laura's
little dark head； pushing above her white fur like a flower through snow。
She would remember for ever。 It even gave her a pang to see her cousin
Laurie throw away the wisps of tissue paper he pulled from the fastenings
of his new gloves。 She would like to have kept those wisps as a keepsake；
as a remembrance。 Laurie leaned forward and put his hand on Laura's
knee。
〃Look here； darling；〃 he said。 〃The third and the ninth as usual。
Twig？〃
Oh； how marvellous to have a brother！ In her excitement Leila felt
that if there had been time； if it hadn't been impossible； she couldn't have
helped crying because she was an only child； and no brother had ever said
〃Twig？〃 to her； no sister would ever say； as Meg said to Jose that moment；
〃I've never known your hair go up more successfully than it has to…night！〃
But； of course； there was no time。 They were at the drill hall already；
there were cabs in front of them and cabs behind。 The road was bright on
either side with moving fan…like lights； and on the pavement gay couples
seemed to float through the air； little satin shoes chased each other like
birds。
〃Hold on to me； Leila； you'll get lost；〃 said Laura。
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〃Come on； girls； let's make a dash for it；〃 said Laurie。
Leila put two fingers on Laura's pink velvet cloak； and they were
somehow lifted past the big golden lantern； carried along the passage； and
pushed into the little room marked 〃Ladies。〃 Here the crowd was so
great there was hardly space to take off their things； the noise was
deafening。 Two benches on either side were stacked high with wraps。
Two old women in white aprons ran up and down tossing fresh armfuls。
And everybody was pressing forward trying to get at the little dressing…
table and mirror at the far end。
A great quivering jet of gas lighted the ladies' room。 It couldn't wait；
it was dancing already。 When the door opened again and there came a
burst of tuning from the drill hall； it leaped almost to the ceiling。
Dark girls； fair girls were patting their hair； tying ribbons again；
tucking handkerchiefs down the fronts of their bodices； smoothing marble…
white gloves。 And because they were all laughing it seemed to Leila that
they were all lovely。
〃Aren't there any invisible hair…pins？〃 cried a voice。 〃How most
extraordinary！ I can't see a single invisible hair…pin。〃
〃Powder my back； there's a darling；〃 cried some one else。 〃But I
must have a needle and cotton。 I've torn simply miles and miles of the
frill；〃 wailed a third。
Then； 〃Pass them along； pass them along！〃 The straw basket of
programmes was tossed from arm to arm。 Darling little pink…and…silver
programmes； with pink pencils and fluffy tassels。 Leila's fingers shook
as she took one out of the basket。 She wanted to ask some one； 〃Am I
meant to have one too？〃 but she had just time to read： 〃Waltz 3。 'Two；
Two in a Canoe。' Polka 4。 'Making the Feathers Fly；'〃 when Meg cried；
〃Ready； Leila？〃 and they pressed their way through the crush in the
passage towards the big double doors of the drill hall。
Dancing had not begun yet； but the band had stopped tuning； and the
noise was so great it seemed that when it did begin to play it would never
be heard。 Leila； pressing close to Meg； looking over Meg's shoulder； felt
that even the little quivering coloured flags strung across the ceiling were
talking。 She quite forgot to be shy； she forgot how in the middle of
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dressing she had sat down on the bed with one shoe off and one shoe on
and begged her mother to ring up her cousins and say she couldn't go after
all。 And the rush of longing she had had to be sitting on the veranda of
their forsaken up…country home； listening to the baby owls crying 〃More
pork〃 in the moonlight； was changed to a rush of joy so sweet that it was
hard to bear alone。 She clutched her fan； and； gazing at the gleaming；
golden floor； the azaleas； the lanterns； the stage at one end with its red
carpet and gilt chairs and the band in a corner； she thought breathlessly；
〃How heavenly； how simply heavenly！〃
All the girls stood grouped together at one side of the doors； the men at
the other； and the chaperones in dark dresses； smiling rather foolishly；
walked with little careful steps over the polished floor towards the stage。
〃This is my little country cousin Leila。 Be nice to her。 Find her
partners； she's under my wing；〃 said Meg； going up to one girl after
another。
Strange faces smiled at Leilasweetly； vaguely。 Strange voices
answered； 〃Of course； my dear。〃 But Leila felt the girls didn't really see
her。 They were looking towards the men。 Why didn't the men begin？
What were they waiting for？ There they stood； smoothing their gloves；
patting their glossy hair and smiling among themselves。 Then； quite
suddenly； as if they had only just made up their minds that that was what
they had to do； the men came gliding over the parquet。 There was a
joyful flutter among the girls。 A tall； fair man flew up to Meg； seized her
programme； scribbled something； Meg passed him on to Leila。 〃May I
have the pleasure？〃 He ducked and smiled。 There came a dark man
wearing an eyeglass； then cousin Laurie with a friend； and Laura with a
little freckled fellow whose tie was crooked。 Then quite an old manfat；
with a big bald patch on his head took her programme and murmured；
〃Let me see； let me see！〃 And he was a long time comparing his
programme； which looked black with names； with hers。 It seemed to
give him so much trouble that Leila was ashamed。 〃Oh； please don't
bother；〃 she said eagerly。 But instead of replying the fat man wrote
something； glanced at her again。 〃Do I remember this bright little face？〃
he said softly。 〃Is it known to me of yore？〃 At that moment the band
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began playing； the fat man disappeared。 He was tossed away on a great
wave of music that came flying over the gleaming floor； breaking the
groups up into couples； scattering them； sending them spinning。。。
Leila had learned to dance at boarding school。 Every Saturday
afternoon the boarders were hurried off to a little corrugated iron mission
hall where Miss Eccles （of London） held her 〃select〃 classes。 But the
difference between that dusty…smelling hallwith calico texts on the walls；
the poor terrified little woman in a brown velvet toque with rabbit's ears
thumping the cold piano； Miss Eccles poking the girls' feet with her long
white wandand this was so tremendous that Leila was sure if her partner
didn't come and she had to listen to that marvellous music and to watch
the others sliding； gliding over the golden floor； she would die at least； or
faint； or lift her arms and fly out of one of those dark windows that
showed the stars。
〃Ours； I think〃 Some one bowed； smiled； and offered her his arm；
she hadn't to die after all。 Some one's hand pressed her waist； and she
floated away like a flower that is tossed into a pool。
〃Quite a good floor； isn't it？〃 drawled a faint voice close to her ear。
〃I think it's most beautifully slippery；〃 said Leila。
〃Pardon！〃 The faint voice sounded surprised。 Leila said it again。
And there was a tiny pause before the voice echoed； 〃Oh； quite！〃 and she
was swung round again。
He steered so beautifully。 That was the great difference between
dancing with girls and men； Leila decided。 Girls banged into each other；
and stamped on each other's feet； the girl who was gentleman always
clutched you so。
The azaleas were separate flowers no longer； they were pink and white
flags streaming by。
〃Were you at the Bells' last week？〃 the voice came again。 It sounded
tired。 Leila wondered whether she ought to ask him if he would like to
stop。
〃No； this is my first dance；〃 said she。
Her partner gave a little gasping laugh。 〃Oh； I say；〃 he protested。
〃Yes； it is really the first dance I've ever been to。〃 Leila was most
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fervent。 It was such a relief to be able to tell somebody。 〃You see； I've
lived in the country all my life up till now。。。〃
At that moment the music stopped； and they went to sit on two chairs
against the wall。 Leila tucked her pink satin feet under and fanned
herself； while she blissfully watched the other couples passing and
disappearing through the swing doors。
〃Enjoying yourself； Leila？〃 asked Jo
