the garden party(园会)-第3章
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〃Wait for me！〃
〃No； don't you wait for her； Kezia！〃 said Isabel。 〃She's such a little
silly。 She's always making a fuss。 Come on！〃 And she tugged Kezia's
jersey。 〃You can use my bucket if you come with me；〃 she said kindly。
〃It's bigger than yours。〃 But Kezia couldn't leave Lottie all by herself。
She ran back to her。 By this time Lottie was very red in the face and
breathing heavily。
〃Here； put your other foot over；〃 said Kezia。
〃Where？〃
Lottie looked down at Kezia as if from a mountain height。
〃Here where my hand is。〃 Kezia patted the place。
〃Oh； there do you mean！〃 Lottie gave a deep sigh and put the second
foot over。
〃Nowsort of turn round and sit down and slide；〃 said Kezia。
〃But there's nothing to sit down on； Kezia；〃 said Lottie。
She managed it at last； and once it was over she shook herself and
began to beam。
〃I'm getting better at climbing over stiles； aren't I； Kezia？〃
Lottie's was a very hopeful nature。
The pink and the blue sunbonnet followed Isabel's bright red
sunbonnet up that sliding； slipping hill。 At the top they paused to decide
where to go and to have a good stare at who was there already。 Seen
from behind； standing against the skyline； gesticulating largely with their
spades； they looked like minute puzzled explorers。
The whole family of Samuel Josephs was there already with their lady…
help； who sat on a camp…stool and kept order with a whistle that she wore
tied round her neck； and a small cane with which she directed operations。
The Samuel Josephs never played by themselves or managed their own
game。 If they did； it ended in the boys pouring water down the girls'
necks or the girls trying to put little black crabs into the boys' pockets。
So Mrs。 S。 J。 and the poor lady…help drew up what she called a
〃brogramme〃 every morning to keep them 〃abused and out of bischief。〃
It was all competitions or races or round games。 Everything began with a
piercing blast of the lady…help's whistle and ended with another。 There
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were even prizeslarge； rather dirty paper parcels which the lady…help
with a sour little smile drew out of a bulging string kit。 The Samuel
Josephs fought fearfully for the prizes and cheated and pinched one
another's armsthey were all expert pinchers。 The only time the Burnell
children ever played with them Kezia had got a prize； and when she undid
three bits of paper she found a very small rusty button…hook。 She
couldn't understand why they made such a fuss。。。
But they never played with the Samuel Josephs now or even went to
their parties。 The Samuel Josephs were always giving children's parties
at the Bay and there was always the same food。 A big washhand basin of
very brown fruit…salad； buns cut into four and a washhand jug full of
something the lady…help called 〃Limonadear。〃 And you went away in the
evening with half the frill torn off your frock or something spilled all
down the front of your open…work pinafore； leaving the Samuel Josephs
leaping like savages on their lawn。 No！ They were too awful。
On the other side of the beach； close down to the water； two little boys；
their knickers rolled up； twinkled like spiders。 One was digging； the
other pattered in and out of the water； filling a small bucket。 They were
the Trout boys； Pip and Rags。 But Pip was so busy digging and Rags was
so busy helping that they didn't see their little cousins until they were quite
close。
〃Look！〃 said Pip。 〃Look what I've discovered。〃 And he showed
them an old wet； squashed…looking boot。 The three little girls stared。
〃Whatever are you going to do with it？〃 asked Kezia。
〃Keep it； of course！〃 Pip was very scornful。 〃It's a findsee？〃
Yes； Kezia saw that。 All the same。。。
〃There's lots of things buried in the sand；〃 explained Pip。 〃They get
chucked up from wrecks。 Treasure。 Whyyou might find〃
〃But why does Rags have to keep on pouring water in？〃 asked Lottie。
〃Oh； that's to moisten it；〃 said Pip； 〃to make the work a bit easier。
Keep it up； Rags。〃
And good little Rags ran up and down； pouring in the water that turned
brown like cocoa。
〃Here； shall I show you what I found yesterday？〃 said Pip
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mysteriously； and he stuck his spade into the sand。 〃Promise not to tell。〃
They promised。
〃Say； cross my heart straight dinkum。〃
The little girls said it。
Pip took something out of his pocket； rubbed it a long time on the front
of his jersey； then breathed on it and rubbed it again。
〃Now turn round！〃 he ordered。
They turned round。
〃All look the same way！ Keep still！ Now！〃
And his hand opened； he held up to the light something that flashed；
that winked； that was a most lovely green。
〃It's a nemeral；〃 said Pip solemnly。
〃Is it really； Pip？〃 Even Isabel was impressed。
The lovely green thing seemed to dance in Pip's fingers。 Aunt Beryl
had a nemeral in a ring； but it was a very small one。 This one was as big
as a star and far more beautiful。
Chapter 1。V。
As the morning lengthened whole parties appeared over the sand…hills
and came down on the beach to bathe。 It was understood that at eleven
o'clock the women and children of the summer colony had the sea to
themselves。 First the women undressed； pulled on their bathing dresses
and covered their heads in hideous caps like sponge bags； then the
children were unbuttoned。 The beach was strewn with little heaps of
clothes and shoes； the big summer hats； with stones on them to keep them
from blowing away； looked like immense shells。 It was strange that even
the sea seemed to sound differently when all those leaping； laughing
figures ran into the waves。 Old Mrs。 Fairfield； in a lilac cotton dress and
a black hat tied under the chin； gathered her little brood and got them
ready。 The little Trout boys whipped their shirts over their heads； and
away the five sped； while their grandma sat with one hand in her knitting…
bag ready to draw out the ball of wool when she was satisfied they were
safely in。
The firm compact little girls were not half so brave as the tender；
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delicate…looking little boys。 Pip and Rags； shivering； crouching down；
slapping the water； never hesitated。 But Isabel； who could swim twelve
strokes； and Kezia； who could nearly swim eight； only followed on the
strict understanding they were not to be splashed。 As for Lottie； she
didn't follow at all。 She liked to be left to go in her own way； please。
And that way was to sit down at the edge of the water； her legs straight；
her knees pressed together； and to make vague motions with her arms as if
she expected to be wafted out to sea。 But when a bigger wave than usual；
an old whiskery one； came lolloping along in her direction； she scrambled
to her feet with a face of horror and flew up the beach again。
〃Here； mother； keep those for me； will you？〃
Two rings and a thin gold chain were dropped into Mrs Fairfield's lap。
〃Yes； dear。 But aren't you going to bathe here？〃
〃No…o；〃 Beryl drawled。 She sounded vague。 〃I'm undressing farther
along。 I'm going to bathe with Mrs。 Harry Kember。〃
〃Very well。〃 But Mrs。 Fairfield's lips set。 She disapproved of Mrs
Harry Kember。 Beryl knew it。
Poor old mother； she smiled； as she skimmed over the stones。 Poor
old mother！ Old！ Oh； what joy； what bliss it was to be young。。。
〃You look very pleased；〃 said Mrs。 Harry Kember。 She sat hunched
up on the stones； her arms round her knees； smoking。
〃It's such a lovely day；〃 said Beryl； smiling down at her。
〃Oh my dear！〃 Mrs。 Harry Kember's voice sounded as though she
knew better than that。 But then her voice always sounded as though she
knew something better about you than you did yourself。 She was a long；
strange…looking woman with narrow hands and feet。 Her face； too； was
long and narrow and exhausted…looking； even her fair curled fringe looked
burnt out and withered。 She was the only woman at the Bay who smoked；
and she smoked incessantly； keeping the cigarette between her lips while
she talked； and only taking it out when the ash was so long you could not
understand why it did not fall。 When she was not playing bridgeshe
played bridge every day of her lifeshe spent her time lying in the full
glare of the sun。 She could stand any amount of it； she never had enough。
All the same； it did not seem to warm her。 Parched； withered； cold； she
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lay stretched on the stones like a piece of tossed…up driftwood。 The
women at the Bay thought she was very； very fast。 Her lack of vanity；
her slang； the way she treated men as though she was one of them； and the
fact that she didn't care twopence about her house and called the servant
Gladys 〃Glad…eyes；〃 was disgraceful。 Standing on the veranda steps Mrs。
Kember would call in her indifferent； tired voice； 〃I
