the garden party(园会)-第32章
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It ought to sound warm； joyful； eager。 'Congratulate。' Once more。
Quickly。 All together。 Now then！〃
And this time Miss Meadows' voice sounded over all the other voices
full； deep； glowing with expression。
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12。 THE STRANGER
It seemed to the little crowd on the wharf that she was never going to
move again。 There she lay； immense； motionless on the grey crinkled
water； a loop of smoke above her； an immense flock of gulls screaming
and diving after the galley droppings at the stern。 You could just see little
couples paradinglittle flies walking up and down the dish on the grey
crinkled tablecloth。 Other flies clustered and swarmed at the edge。
Now there was a gleam of white on the lower deckthe cook's apron or
the stewardess perhaps。 Now a tiny black spider raced up the ladder on
to the bridge。
In the front of the crowd a strong…looking； middle…aged man； dressed
very well； very snugly in a grey overcoat； grey silk scarf； thick gloves and
dark felt hat； marched up and down； twirling his folded umbrella。 He
seemed to be the leader of the little crowd on the wharf and at the same
time to keep them together。 He was something between the sheep…dog
and the shepherd。
But what a foolwhat a fool he had been not to bring any glasses！
There wasn't a pair of glasses between the whole lot of them。
〃Curious thing； Mr。 Scott； that none of us thought of glasses。 We
might have been able to stir 'em up a bit。 We might have managed a little
signalling。 'Don't hesitate to land。 Natives harmless。' Or： 'A
welcome awaits you。 All is forgiven。' What？ Eh？〃
Mr。 Hammond's quick； eager glance； so nervous and yet so friendly
and confiding； took in everybody on the wharf； roped in even those old
chaps lounging against the gangways。 They knew； every man…jack of
them； that Mrs。 Hammond was on that boat； and that he was so
tremendously excited it never entered his head not to believe that this
marvellous fact meant something to them too。 It warmed his heart
towards them。 They were； he decided； as decent a crowd of people
Those old chaps over by the gangways； toofine； solid old chaps。 What
chestsby Jove！ And he squared his own； plunged his thick…gloved
hands into his pockets； rocked from heel to toe。
〃Yes； my wife's been in Europe for the last ten months。 On a visit to
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our eldest girl； who was married last year。 I brought her up here； as far as
Salisbury； myself。 So I thought I'd better come and fetch her back。 Yes；
yes； yes。〃 The shrewd grey eyes narrowed again and searched anxiously；
quickly； the motionless liner。 Again his overcoat was unbuttoned。 Out
came the thin； butter…yellow watch again； and for the twentiethfiftieth
hundredth time he made the calculation。
〃Let me see now。 It was two fifteen when the doctor's launch went
off。 Two fifteen。 It is now exactly twenty…eight minutes past four。
That is to say； the doctor's been gone two hours and thirteen minutes。
Two hours and thirteen minutes！ Whee…ooh！〃 He gave a queer little
half…whistle and snapped his watch to again。 〃But I think we should have
been told if there was anything updon't you； Mr。 Gaven？〃
〃Oh； yes； Mr。 Hammond！ I don't think there's anything toanything
to worry about；〃 said Mr。 Gaven； knocking out his pipe against the heel of
his shoe。 〃At the same time〃
〃Quite so！ Quite so！〃 cried Mr。 Hammond。 〃Dashed annoying！〃
He paced quickly up and down and came back again to his stand between
Mr。 and Mrs。 Scott and Mr。 Gaven。 〃It's getting quite dark； too；〃 and he
waved his folded umbrella as though the dusk at least might have had the
decency to keep off for a bit。 But the dusk came slowly； spreading like a
slow stain over the water。 Little Jean Scott dragged at her mother's hand。
〃I wan' my tea； mammy！〃 she wailed。
〃I expect you do；〃 said Mr。 Hammond。 〃I expect all these ladies want
their tea。〃 And his kind； flushed； almost pitiful glance roped them all in
again。 He wondered whether Janey was having a final cup of tea in the
saloon out there。 He hoped so； he thought not。 It would be just like her
not to leave the deck。 In that case perhaps the deck steward would bring
her up a cup。 If he'd been there he'd have got it for hersomehow。 And
for a moment he was on deck； standing over her； watching her little hand
fold round the cup in the way she had； while she drank the only cup of tea
to be got on board。。。But now he was back here； and the Lord only knew
when that cursed Captain would stop hanging about in the stream。 He
took another turn； up and down； up and down。 He walked as far as the
cab…stand to make sure his driver hadn't disappeared； back he swerved
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again to the little flock huddled in the shelter of the banana crates。 Little
Jean Scott was still wanting her tea。 Poor little beggar！ He wished he
had a bit of chocolate on him。
〃Here； Jean！〃 he said。 〃Like a lift up？〃 And easily； gently； he
swung the little girl on to a higher barrel。 The movement of holding her；
steadying her； relieved him wonderfully； lightened his heart。
〃Hold on；〃 he said； keeping an arm round her。
〃Oh； don't worry about Jean； Mr。 Hammond！〃 said Mrs。 Scott。
〃That's all right； Mrs。 Scott。 No trouble。 It's a pleasure。 Jean's a
little pal of mine； aren't you； Jean？〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Hammond；〃 said Jean； and she ran her finger down the dent
of his felt hat。
But suddenly she caught him by the ear and gave a loud scream。
〃Lo…ok； Mr。 Hammond！ She's moving！ Look； she's coming in！〃
By Jove！ So she was。 At last！ She was slowly； slowly turning
round。 A bell sounded far over the water and a great spout of steam
gushed into the air。 The gulls rose； they fluttered away like bits of white
paper。 And whether that deep throbbing was her engines or his heart Mr。
Hammond couldn't say。 He had to nerve himself to bear it； whatever it
was。 At that moment old Captain Johnson； the harbour…master； came
striding down the wharf； a leather portfolio under his arm。
〃Jean'll be all right；〃 said Mr。 Scott。 〃I'll hold her。〃 He was just in
time。 Mr。 Hammond had forgotten about Jean。 He sprang away to greet
old Captain Johnson。
〃Well； Captain；〃 the eager； nervous voice rang out again； 〃you've taken
pity on us at last。〃
〃It's no good blaming me； Mr。 Hammond；〃 wheezed old Captain
Johnson； staring at the liner。 〃You got Mrs。 Hammond on board； ain't
yer？〃
〃Yes； yes！〃 said Hammond； and he kept by the harbour…master's side。
〃Mrs。 Hammond's there。 Hul…lo！ We shan't be long now！〃
With her telephone ring…ringing； the thrum of her screw filling the air；
the big liner bore down on them； cutting sharp through the dark water so
that big white shavings curled to either side。 Hammond and the harbour…
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master kept in front of the rest。 Hammond took off his hat； he raked the
decksthey were crammed with passengers； he waved his hat and bawled
a loud； strange 〃Hul…lo！〃 across the water； and then turned round and burst
out laughing and said somethingnothingto old Captain Johnson。
〃Seen her？〃 asked the harbour…master。
〃No； not yet。 Steadywait a bit！〃 And suddenly； between two great
clumsy idiots〃Get out of the way there！〃 he signed with his umbrellahe
saw a hand raiseda white glove shaking a handkerchief。 Another
moment； and thank God； thank God！there she was。 There was Janey。
There was Mrs。 Hammond； yes； yes； yesstanding by the rail and smiling
and nodding and waving her handkerchief。
〃Well that's first classfirst class！ Well； well； well！〃 He positively
stamped。 Like lightning he drew out his cigar…case and offered it to old
Captain Johnson。 〃Have a cigar； Captain！ They're pretty good。 Have
a couple！ Here〃and he pressed all the cigars in the case on the harbour…
master〃I've a couple of boxes up at the hotel。〃
〃Thenks； Mr。 Hammond！〃 wheezed old Captain Johnson。
Hammond stuffed the cigar…case back。 His hands were shaking； but
he'd got hold of himself again。 He was able to face Janey。 There she
was； leaning on the rail； talking to some woman and at the same time
watching him； ready for him。 It struck him； as the gulf of water closed；
how small she looked on that huge ship。 His heart was wrung with such
a spasm that he could have cried out。 How little she looked to have come
all that long way and back by herself！ Just like her； though。 Just like
Janey。 She had the courage of aAnd now the crew had come forward
and parted the passengers； they had lowered the rails for the gangways。
The voices on shore and the voices on board flew to greet each other。
〃All well？〃
〃All well。〃
〃How's mother？〃
〃Much better。〃
〃Hullo； Jean！〃
〃Hillo； Aun' Emily！〃
〃Had a good voyage？〃
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〃Splendid！〃
〃Shan't be long now！〃
〃Not long now。〃
