the garden party(园会)-第6章
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The sun was still full on the garden when the back door of the
Burnells' shut with a bang； and a very gay figure walked down the path to
the gate。 It was Alice； the servant…girl； dressed for her afternoon out。
She wore a white cotton dress with such large red spots on it and so many
that they made you shudder； white shoes and a leghorn turned up under the
brim with poppies。 Of course she wore gloves； white ones； stained at the
fastenings with iron…mould； and in one hand she carried a very dashed…
looking sunshade which she referred to as her 〃perishall。〃
Beryl； sitting in the window； fanning her freshly…washed hair； thought
she had never seen such a guy。 If Alice had only blacked her face with a
piece of cork before she started out； the picture would have been complete。
And where did a girl like that go to in a place like this？ The heart…shaped
Fijian fan beat scornfully at that lovely bright mane。 She supposed Alice
had picked up some horrible common larrikin and they'd go off into the
bush together。 Pity to have made herself so conspicuous； they'd have
hard work to hide with Alice in that rig…out。
But no； Beryl was unfair。 Alice was going to tea with Mrs Stubbs；
who'd sent her an 〃invite〃 by the little boy who called for orders。 She
had taken ever such a liking to Mrs。 Stubbs ever since the first time she
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went to the shop to get something for her mosquitoes。
〃Dear heart！〃 Mrs。 Stubbs had clapped her hand to her side。 〃I
never seen anyone so eaten。 You might have been attacked by
canningbals。〃
Alice did wish there'd been a bit of life on the road though。 Made her
feel so queer； having nobody behind her。 Made her feel all weak in the
spine。 She couldn't believe that some one wasn't watching her。 And yet
it was silly to turn round； it gave you away。 She pulled up her gloves；
hummed to herself and said to the distant gum…tree； 〃Shan't be long now。〃
But that was hardly company。
Mrs。 Stubbs's shop was perched on a little hillock just off the road。 It
had two big windows for eyes； a broad veranda for a hat； and the sign on
the roof； scrawled MRS。 STUBBS'S； was like a little card stuck rakishly in
the hat crown。
On the veranda there hung a long string of bathing…dresses； clinging
together as though they'd just been rescued from the sea rather than
waiting to go in； and beside them there hung a cluster of sandshoes so
extraordinarily mixed that to get at one pair you had to tear apart and
forcibly separate at least fifty。 Even then it was the rarest thing to find
the left that belonged to the right。 So many people had lost patience and
gone off with one shoe that fitted and one that was a little too big。。。Mrs。
Stubbs prided herself on keeping something of everything。 The two
windows； arranged in the form of precarious pyramids； were crammed so
tight； piled so high； that it seemed only a conjurer could prevent them
from toppling over。 In the left…hand corner of one window； glued to the
pane by four gelatine lozenges； there wasand there had been from time
immemoriala notice。
LOST！ HANSOME GOLE BROOCH SOLID GOLD ON OR
NEAR BEACH REWARD OFFERED
Alice pressed open the door。 The bell jangled； the red serge curtains
parted； and Mrs。 Stubbs appeared。 With her broad smile and the long
bacon knife in her hand； she looked like a friendly brigand。 Alice was
welcomed so warmly that she found it quite difficult to keep up her
〃manners。〃 They consisted of persistent little coughs and hems； pulls at
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her gloves； tweaks at her skirt； and a curious difficulty in seeing what was
set before her or understanding what was said。
Tea was laid on the parlour tableham； sardines； a whole pound of
butter； and such a large johnny cake that it looked like an advertisement
for somebody's baking…powder。 But the Primus stove roared so loudly
that it was useless to try to talk above it。 Alice sat down on the edge of a
basket…chair while Mrs。 Stubbs pumped the stove still higher。 Suddenly
Mrs。 Stubbs whipped the cushion off a chair and disclosed a large brown…
paper parcel。
〃I've just had some new photers taken； my dear；〃 she shouted
cheerfully to Alice。 〃Tell me what you think of them。〃
In a very dainty； refined way Alice wet her finger and put the tissue
back from the first one。 Life！ How many there were！ There were
three dozzing at least。 And she held it up to the light。
Mrs。 Stubbs sat in an arm…chair； leaning very much to one side。
There was a look of mild astonishment on her large face； and well there
might be。 For though the arm…chair stood on a carpet； to the left of it；
miraculously skirting the carpet…border； there was a dashing water…fall。
On her right stood a Grecian pillar with a giant fern…tree on either side of it；
and in the background towered a gaunt mountain； pale with snow。
〃It is a nice style； isn't it？〃 shouted Mrs。 Stubbs； and Alice had just
screamed 〃Sweetly〃 when the roaring of the Primus stove died down；
fizzled out； ceased； and she said 〃Pretty〃 in a silence that was frightening。
〃Draw up your chair； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Stubbs； beginning to pour
out。 〃Yes；〃 she said thoughtfully； as she handed the tea； 〃but I don't care
about the size。 I'm having an enlargemint。 All very well for Christmas
cards； but I never was the one for small photers myself。 You get no
comfort out of them。 To say the truth； I find them dis'eartening。〃
Alice quite saw what she meant。
〃Size；〃 said Mrs。 Stubbs。 〃Give me size。 That was what my poor
dear husband was always saying。 He couldn't stand anything small。
Gave him the creeps。 And； strange as it may seem； my dear〃here Mrs。
Stubbs creaked and seemed to expand herself at the memory〃it was
dropsy that carried him off at the larst。 Many's the time they drawn one
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and a half pints from 'im at the 'ospital。。。It seemed like a judgmint。〃
Alice burned to know exactly what it was that was drawn from him。
She ventured； 〃I suppose it was water。〃
But Mrs。 Stubbs fixed Alice with her eyes and replied meaningly； 〃It
was liquid； my dear。〃
Liquid！ Alice jumped away from the word like a cat and came back
to it； nosing and wary。
〃That's 'im！〃 said Mrs。 Stubbs； and she pointed dramatically to the life…
size head and shoulders of a burly man with a dead white rose in the
buttonhole of his coat that made you think of a curl of cold mutting fat。
Just below； in silver letters on a red cardboard ground； were the words；
〃Be not afraid； it is I。〃
〃It's ever such a fine face；〃 said Alice faintly。
The pale…blue bow on the top of Mrs。 Stubbs's fair frizzy hair quivered。
She arched her plump neck。 What a neck she had！ It was bright pink
where it began and then it changed to warm apricot； and that faded to the
colour of a brown egg and then to a deep creamy。
〃All the same； my dear；〃 she said surprisingly； 〃freedom's best！〃 Her
soft； fat chuckle sounded like a purr。 〃Freedom's best；〃 said Mrs。 Stubbs
again。
Freedom！ Alice gave a loud； silly little titter。 She felt awkward。
Her mind flew back to her own kitching。 Ever so queer！ She wanted to
be back in it again。
Chapter 1。IX。
A strange company assembled in the Burnells' washhouse after tea。
Round the table there sat a bull； a rooster； a donkey that kept forgetting it
was a donkey； a sheep and a bee。 The washhouse was the perfect place
for such a meeting because they could make as much noise as they liked；
and nobody ever interrupted。 It was a small tin shed standing apart from
the bungalow。 Against the wall there was a deep trough and in the corner
a copper with a basket of clothes…pegs on top of it。 The little window；
spun over with cobwebs； had a piece of candle and a mouse…trap on the
dusty sill。 There were clotheslines criss…crossed overhead and； hanging
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from a peg on the wall； a very big； a huge； rusty horseshoe。 The table
was in the middle with a form at either side。
〃You can't be a bee； Kezia。 A bee's not an animal。 It's a ninseck。〃
〃Oh； but I do want to be a bee frightfully；〃 wailed Kezia。。。A tiny bee；
all yellow…furry； with striped legs。 She drew her legs up under her and
leaned over the table。 She felt she was a bee。
〃A ninseck must be an animal；〃 she said stoutly。 〃It makes a noise。
It's not like a fish。〃
〃I'm a bull； I'm a bull！〃 cried Pip。 And he gave such a tremendous
bellow… …how did he make that noise？that Lottie looked quite alarmed。
〃I'll be a sheep；〃 said little Rags。 〃A whole lot of sheep went past this
morning。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Dad heard them。 Baa！〃 He sounded like the little lamb that trots
behind and seems to wait to be carried。
〃Cock…a…doodle…do！〃 shrilled Isabel。 With her red cheeks and bright
eyes she looked like a rooster。
〃What'll I be？〃 Lottie asked everybody； and she sat there smiling；
waiting for them to decide for her。 It had to be an easy one。
〃Be a donkey； Lottie。〃
