the garden party(园会)-第37章
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little old climbing fellow just as far as his dressing…room。。。
There young Charles was waiting for him。 Carefully； as though
everything depended on it； he was tucking a towel round the hot…water can。
Young Charles had been a favourite of his ever since as a little red…faced
boy he had come into the house to look after the fires。 Old Mr。 Neave
lowered himself into the cane lounge by the window； stretched out his legs；
and made his little evening joke； 〃Dress him up； Charles！〃 And Charles；
breathing intensely and frowning； bent forward to take the pin out of his
tie。
H'm； h'm！ Well； well！ It was pleasant by the open window； very
pleasant a fine mild evening。 They were cutting the grass on the tennis
court below； he heard the soft churr of the mower。 Soon the girls would
begin their tennis parties again。 And at the thought he seemed to hear
Marion's voice ring out； 〃Good for you； partner。。。Oh； played； partner。。。Oh；
very nice indeed。〃 Then Charlotte calling from the veranda； 〃Where is
Harold？〃 And Ethel； 〃He's certainly not here； mother。〃 And
Charlotte's vague； 〃He said〃
Old Mr。 Neave sighed； got up； and putting one hand under his beard；
he took the comb from young Charles； and carefully combed the white
beard over。 Charles gave him a folded handkerchief； his watch and seals；
and spectacle case。
〃That will do； my lad。〃 The door shut； he sank back； he was alone。。。
And now that little ancient fellow was climbing down endless flights
that led to a glittering； gay dining…room。 What legs he had！ They were
like a spider'sthin； withered。
〃You're an ideal family； sir； an ideal family。〃
But if that were true； why didn't Charlotte or the girls stop him？ Why
was he all alone； climbing up and down？ Where was Harold？ Ah； it
was no good expecting anything from Harold。 Down； down went the
little old spider； and then； to his horror； old Mr。 Neave saw him slip past
the dining…room and make for the porch； the dark drive； the carriage gates；
the office。 Stop him； stop him； somebody！
Old Mr。 Neave started up。 It was dark in his dressing…room； the
window shone pale。 How long had he been asleep？ He listened； and
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through the big； airy； darkened house there floated far…away voices； far…
away sounds。 Perhaps； he thought vaguely； he had been asleep for a long
time。 He'd been forgotten。 What had all this to do with himthis house
and Charlotte； the girls and Haroldwhat did he know about them？ They
were strangers to him。 Life had passed him by。 Charlotte was not his
wife。 His wife！
。。。A dark porch； half hidden by a passion…vine； that drooped sorrowful；
mournful； as though it understood。 Small； warm arms were round his
neck。 A face； little and pale； lifted to his； and a voice breathed； 〃Good…
bye； my treasure。〃
My treasure！ 〃Good…bye； my treasure！〃 Which of them had spoken？
Why had they said good…bye？ There had been some terrible mistake。
She was his wife； that little pale girl； and all the rest of his life had been a
dream。
Then the door opened； and young Charles； standing in the light； put his
hands by his side and shouted like a young soldier； 〃Dinner is on the table；
sir！〃
〃I'm coming； I'm coming；〃 said old Mr。 Neave。
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15。 THE LADY'S MAID。
Eleven o'clock。 A knock at the door。。。I hope I haven't disturbed you；
madam。 You weren't asleepwere you？ But I've just given my lady her
tea； and there was such a nice cup over； I thought； perhaps。。。
。。。Not at all； madam。 I always make a cup of tea last thing。 She
drinks it in bed after her prayers to warm her up。 I put the kettle on when
she kneels down and I say to it； 〃Now you needn't be in too much of a
hurry to say your prayers。〃 But it's always boiling before my lady is half
through。 You see； madam； we know such a lot of people； and they've all
got to be prayed forevery one。 My lady keeps a list of the names in a
little red book。 Oh dear！ whenever some one new has been to see us and
my lady says afterwards； 〃Ellen； give me my little red book；〃 I feel quite
wild； I do。 〃There's another；〃 I think； 〃keeping her out of her bed in all
weathers。〃 And she won't have a cushion； you know； madam； she kneels
on the hard carpet。 It fidgets me something dreadful to see her； knowing
her as I do。 I've tried to cheat her； I've spread out the eiderdown。 But
the first time I did itoh； she gave me such a lookholy it was； madam。
〃Did our Lord have an eiderdown； Ellen？〃 she said。 ButI was younger
at the timeI felt inclined to say； 〃No； but our Lord wasn't your age； and
he didn't know what it was to have your lumbago。〃 Wickedwasn't it？
But she's too good； you know； madam。 When I tucked her up just now
and seensaw her lying back； her hands outside and her head on the
pillowso prettyI couldn't help thinking； 〃Now you look just like your
dear mother when I laid her out！〃
。。。Yes； madam； it was all left to me。 Oh； she did look sweet。 I did
her hair； soft…like； round her forehead； all in dainty curls； and just to one
side of her neck I put a bunch of most beautiful purple pansies。 Those
pansies made a picture of her； madam！ I shall never forget them。 I
thought to…night； when I looked at my lady； 〃Now； if only the pansies was
there no one could tell the difference。〃
。。。Only the last year； madam。 Only after she'd got a littlewell
feeble as you might say。 Of course； she was never dangerous； she was
the sweetest old lady。 But how it took her wasshe thought she'd lost
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something。 She couldn't keep still； she couldn't settle。 All day long
she'd be up and down； up and down； you'd meet her everywhere；on the
stairs； in the porch； making for the kitchen。 And she'd look up at you；
and she'd sayjust like a child； 〃I've lost it； I've lost it。〃 〃Come along；〃
I'd say； 〃come along； and I'll lay out your patience for you。〃 But she'd
catch me by the handI was a favourite of hersand whisper； 〃Find it for
me； Ellen。 Find it for me。〃 Sad； wasn't it？
。。。No； she never recovered； madam。 She had a stroke at the end。
Last words she ever said wasvery slow； 〃Look intheLookin〃
And then she was gone。
。。。No； madam； I can't say I noticed it。 Perhaps some girls。 But you
see； it's like this； I've got nobody but my lady。 My mother died of
consumption when I was four； and I lived with my grandfather； who kept a
hair…dresser's shop。 I used to spend all my time in the shop under a table
dressing my doll's haircopying the assistants； I suppose。 They were
ever so kind to me。 Used to make me little wigs； all colours； the latest
fashions and all。 And there I'd sit all day； quiet as quietthe customers
never knew。 Only now and again I'd take my peep from under the table…
cloth。
。。。But one day I managed to get a pair of scissors andwould you
believe it； madam？ I cut off all my hair； snipped it off all in bits； like the
little monkey I was。 Grandfather was furious！ He caught hold of the
tongsI shall never forget itgrabbed me by the hand and shut my fingers
in them。 〃That'll teach you！〃 he said。 It was a fearful burn。 I've got
the mark of it to…day。
。。。Well； you see； madam； he'd taken such pride in my hair。 He used to
sit me up on the counter； before the customers came； and do it something
beautifulbig； soft curls and waved over the top。 I remember the
assistants standing round； and me ever so solemn with the penny
grandfather gave me to hold while it was being done。。。But he always took
the penny back afterwards。 Poor grandfather！ Wild； he was； at the
fright I'd made of myself。 But he frightened me that time。 Do you
know what I did； madam？ I ran away。 Yes； I did； round the corners； in
and out； I don't know how far I didn't run。 Oh； dear； I must have looked a
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sight； with my hand rolled up in my pinny and my hair sticking out。
People must have laughed when they saw me。。。
。。。No； madam； grandfather never got over it。 He couldn't bear the
sight of me after。 Couldn't eat his dinner； even； if I was there。 So my
aunt took me。 She was a cripple； an upholstress。 Tiny！ She had to
stand on the sofas when she wanted to cut out the backs。 And it was
helping her I met my lady。。。
。。。Not so very； madam。 I was thirteen； turned。 And I don't
remember ever feelingwella child； as you might say。 You see there
was my uniform； and one thing and another。 My lady put me into collars
and cuffs from the first。 Oh yesonce I did！ That wasfunny！ It was
like this。 My lady had her two little nieces staying with herwe were at
Sheldon at the time… …and there was a fair on the common。
〃Now； Ellen；〃 she said； 〃I want you to take the two young ladies for a
ride on the donkeys。〃 Off we went； solemn little loves they were； each
had a hand。 B
