AND AFTER all the weather was ideal. They could not have had a more perfect day for a garden-party if they had ordered it. Windless, warm, the sky without a cloud. Only the blue was veiled with a haze of light gold, as it is sometimes in early summer. The gardener had been up since dawn, mowing the lawns and sweeping them, until the grass and the dark flat rosette where the daisy plants had been seem to shine. As for the roses , you could not help feeling they understood that roses are the only flowers that impress people at garden parties; the only flowers that everybody is certain of knowing. Hundreds, yes, literally hundreds, had come out in a single night; the green bushes bowed down as though they had been visited by archangels. Breakfast was not yet over before men to put up the marquee.
"Where do you want the marquee put , mother?"
"My dear child, it's no use asking me. I'm determined to leave everything to you children this year. Forget I am your mother.Treat me as an honored guest."
But Meg could not possibly go and supervise the men. She had washed her hair before breakfast, and she sat drinking her coffee in a green turban, with a dark wet curl stamped on each cheek. Jose, the butterfly, always came down in a silk petticoat and a kimono jacket.
"You'll have to go, Laura; you're the artistic one." Away Laura flew, still holding her piece of bread-and-butter. It's so delicious to have an excuse for eating out of doors and besides, she loved to arrange; she always felt she could do it so much better than anybody else.
Four men in their shirt-sleeves stood grouped together on the garden path.They carried staves covered with rolls of canvas, and they had big tool-bag slung on their backs. They looked impressive. Laura wished now that she had not got the bread-and-butter, but there was nowhere to put it, and she couldn’t possibly throw it away. She blushed and tried to look severe and even a little bit short-sighted as she came up to them.
"Good morning,"she said,copying her mother's voice. But that sounded so fearfully affected that she was ashamed, and stammered like a little girl, "Oh—er—have you come—is it about the marquee?"
"That's right, miss.said the tallest of the men, a lanky freckled fellow, and he shifted his tool-bag, knocked back his straw hat and smiled down at her.“That’s about it.”
His smile was so easy, so friendly that Laura recovered . What nice eyes he had, small, but such a dark blue! And now she looked at the others, they were smiling too. Cheer up , we wont bite, their smile seemed to say. How very nice workmen were ! And what a beautiful morning! She mustn’t mention the morning; she must be business-like. The marquee.
“Well, what about the lily-lawn. Would that do?”And she pointed to the lily-lawn with the hand that didn’t hold the bread-and-butter. They turned, they stared in the direction. A little fat chap thrust out his under-lip, and the tall fellow frowned.
“I don’t fancy it ,”said he.
“Not conspicuous enough. You see, with a thing like a marquee,” and he turned to Laura in his easy way，“ you want to put it
somewhere where it’ll give you a bang slap in the eye, if you follow me .
Laura’s upbringing made her wonder for a moment whether it was quite respectful of a workman to talk to her of bangs slap in the eye. But she did quite follow him .
“A corner of the tennis-court,”she suggested. “But the bands going to be in one corner.”H’m going to have a band. are you ? said another of the workman. He was pale. He had a haggard look as his dark eyes scanned tennis-court. What was he thinking?
“Only a very small band,”said Laura gently. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind so much if the band was quite small. But the tall fellow interrupted.“Look here miss. That’s the place. Against those trees. Over there. That’ll do fine .”
Against the Karakas. Then the karakas-trees would be hidden. And they were so lovely, with their broad, gleaning leaves, and their clusters of yellow fruit. They were like trees you imagined growing on a desert island, proud, solitary, lifting their leaves and fruits to the sun in a kind of silent splendour. Must they be hidden by a marquee?They must. Already the men had shouldered their staves and were making for the place. Only the tall fellow was left. He bent down, pinched a sprig of lavender, put his thumb and forefinger to his nose and snuffed up the smell. When Laura saw that gesture she forgot all about the karadas in her wonder at him caring for things like that—caring for the smell of lavender. How many men that she knew would have done such a thing? Oh, how extraordinarily nice workmen were, she thought. Why couldn’t she have workmen for friends rather than the silly boys she danced with and who came to Sunday night supper? She would get on much better with men like these.
It’s all the fault, she decided, as the tall fellow drew something on the back of an envelope, something that was to be looped up or left to hang, of these absurd class distinctions. Well, for her part, she didn’t feel them. Not a bit, not an atom…And now there came the chock-chock of wooden hammers. Some one whistled, some one sang out,"Are you right there, matey ?"
“Matey!” The friendliness of it, the—the—Just to prove how happy she was, just to show the tall fellow how at home she felt, and how she despised stupid conventions. Laura took a big bite her bread-and-butter as stared at the little drawing. She felt just work-girl.
“Laura, Laura, where are you ? Telephone, Laura!”a voice cried from the house.“Coming!“ Away she skimmed, over the lawn, up the path, up the steps, across the veranda, and into the porch. In the hall her father and Laurie were brushing their hats ready to go to the office.
“I say, Laura very fast, “you might just give a squiz my coat before afternoon. See if it wants pressing.”
“I will,”said she. Suddenly he couldn’t stop herself. She ran at Laurie and gave him a small, quick squeeze.”
“Oh, I do love parties,don’t you?”gasped Laurie.
“Ra-ther,”said Laurie warm, boyish voice, and he squeezed his sister too, and gave her a gentle push. ”
Dash off to the telephone, old girl.The telephone, Yes, yes; oh yes. Kitty? Good morning, dear. Come to lunch? Do, dear. Delighted of course. It will only be a very scratchmeal—just the sandwich crusts and broken meringue-shells and what’s left over. Yes, isn’t it a perfect morning? your white? Oh, I certainly should. One moment—hold the line. Mothers calling. And Laurie sat back,What mother? Can’t hear.Mrs. Sheridan’s voice floated down the stairs.
“Tell her to wear that sweet hat she had on last Sunday.”
“Mother says you’re to wear that sweet hat you had on last Sunday. Good. One o’clock. Bye-bye”.
“Laura put back the receiver, flung her arms over her head took a deep breath, stretch and let them fall.”
“Huh,”she sighted, and the moment after the sigh she sat up quickly. She was still, listening. All the doors in the house seemed to be open. The house was alive with soft, quick steps and running voice. The green baize door that led to kitchen regions swung open and shut with a muffled thud. And now there came a long, chucking absurd sound. It was the heavy piano being moved on its stiff castors. But the air! If you stopped to notice, was the air always like this ? Little faint winds were playing chase, in at the tops of windows, out at door. And there were two tiny spots of sun, one on the inkpot, one on silver photograph frame, playing too. Darling little spots , Especially the one on the inkpot lid. It was quite warm. A warm little silver star. She could have kissed it .
The front door bell pealed, and there sound the rustle of Sadie’s print skirt on the stairs. A mans voice murmured; Sadie answered careless, I’m sure I don’t know. Wait. I’ll ask Mrs, Sheridan.
“What is it, Sadie?” Laura came into the hall.“It’s the florist, Miss Laura.”It was , indeed. There, just inside the door, stood a wide, shallow, tray full of pots of pink lilies. No other kind. Nothing but lilies—came lilies, big pink flowers, wide open, radiant, almost frighteningly alive on bright crimson stems.“O-oh, Sadie!” said Laura, and the sound was like a little moan. She crouched down as if to warm herself at that blaze of lilies; she felt they were in her fingers, on her lips, growing in her breast.“It’s some mistake,” she said faintly. “Nobody ever ordered so many. Sadie , go and find mother.”
But at that moment Mrs. Sheridan joined them.“It’s quite right,” she said calmly. “Yes. I ordered them. Aren’t they lovely?” She pressed Laura’s arm. I was passing the shop yesterday, and I saw them in the window. And I suddenly thought for once in my life I shall have enough canna lilies. The garden-party will be a goodexcuse."
"But I thought you said you didn't mean to interfere," said Laura. Sadie had gone. The florist"s man was still outside at his van. She put her arm round her mother's neck and gently, and gently, she bit her mother's ear.
"My darling child, you wouldn't like a logical mother, would you? Don't do that . Here's the man."He carried more lilies still, another whole tray."Bank them up, just inside the door, on both sides of the porch, please, ” said Mrs. Sheridan. “Don’t you agree, Laura?"“Oh, I do, mother.”In the drawn-room Meg, Jose and good little Hans had at last succeeded in moving the piano.“Now, if we put this chesterfield against the wall and move everything out of the room except the chairs, don’t you think?”“quite.”“Hans, move these tables into the smoking-room, and bring a sweeper take these marks off the carpet—one moment, Hans—” Jose loved giving orders to the servants, and they loved obeying her. She always made them feel they were taking part in some drama. “Tell mother and Miss Laura to come here at once.”“Very good Miss Jose.”She turned to Meg. “I want to hear what the piano sounds like , just in case I’m asked to sing this afternoon . Lets try over “This Life is Weary”
Pom!Ta-ta-ta Tee! The piano burst out so passionately that Jose’s face changed. She clasped her hands. She looked mournfully and enigmatically at her mother and Laura as they came in
This Life is Wee-ary,
A Tear—a Sigh.
A Love that Chan-ges.
This Life is Wee-ary
A Tear—a Sigh.
A Love that Chan-ges,
And then...Good bye!But at the word “good-bye,” and although the piano sounded more desperate than ever, her face broke into a brilliant,dread-fully unsympathetic smile.
“Aren’t I in good voice. mummy?”she beamed.
The Life is Wee-ary,
Hope comes to Die.
A Dream—a Wa-kening.But now Sadie interrupted them.What is it , Sadie.?“If you please, m’m, cook says have you got the flags for the sandwiches?”“The flags for the sandwiches, Sadie？“echoed Mrs. Sheridan dreamily.And the children knew by her face that she hadn’t got them.”Let me see.” And she said to Sadie firmly.Tell cook Ill let her have in ten minutes.Sadie went .
“Now, Laura,” said her mother quickly. “Come with me into the smoking-room. I’ve got the names somewhere on the back of an envelope. You’ll have to write them out for me. Meg, go upstairs this minute and take that wet thing off your head. Jose, run and finish dressing this instant. Do you hear me , children, or shall I have to tell your father when he comes home tonight? And-and, Jose, pacify cook if you do go into the kitchen, will you? I’m terrified of her this morning.”
The envelope was found at last behind the dining-room clock, though how it had got there Mrs. Sheridan could not imagine.“One of you children must have stolen it out of my bag, because I remember vividly—cream cheese and lemon-curd. Have you done that?”
“Yes.”
“Egg and—”Mrs.Sheridan held the envelop away from her. It looks like mice. It can’t be mice, can it ?
“Olive, pet,”said Laura,looking over her shoulder.
“Yes. of course, olive. What a horrible combination it sounds, Egg and olive .”
They were finished at last，and Laura took them off to the kitchen.She found Jose there pacifying the cook.who did not look at all terrifying.
“I have never seen such exquisite sandwiches,” said Jose’s rapturous voice.How many kinds did you say there were, cook?Fifteen?
“Fifteen. Miss Jose.”
“Well, cook, I congratulate you.”
Cook swept up crusts with the long sandwich knife, and smiled broadly.
“Godber’s has come,” announced Sadie, issuing out of the pantry. She had seen the man pass the window.
That meant the cream puffs had come. Godber’s were famous for their cream puffs. Nobody ever thought of making them at home.
“Bring them in and put them on the table, my girl,”ordered cook.
Sadie brought them in and went back to the door. Of course Laura and Jose were far too grown-up to really care about such things. All the same. They couldn’t help agreeing that the puffs looked very attractive.Very. Cook began arranging them. shaking off the extra icing sugar.
“Don’t they carry one back to all ones parties?” said Laura.
“I suppose they do,”said practical Jose, who never liked to be carried back.They look beautifully light and feathery , I must say.
“Have one each, my dears,” said cook in her comfortable voice. Yer ma wont know.
Oh, impossible. Fancy cream puffs so soon after breakfast.
The very idea made one shudder. All the same, two minutes later Jose and Laura were licking their fingers with that absorbed inward look that only comes from whipped cream.
“Lets go into the garden，out by the back way,” suggested Laura. I want to see how the men are getting on with the marquee. They’re such awfully nice men.
But the back door was blocked by cook. Sadie, Godbers man and Hans.
Something had happened.
“Tuk-tuk-tuk,” clucked cook like an agitated hen. Sadie had her hand clapped to her cheek as though she had toothache . Hans’s face was screwed up in the effort to understand. Only Godbers man seemed to be enjoying himself; it was his story.
“Whats the matter? Whats happened?”
“There’s been a horrible accident,” said cook. “A man killed.”
“A man killed! Where?How? When?
But Godber’s man wasn’t going to have his story snatched from under his very nose.
“Know those little cottages, miss?”Know them? Of course, she knew them.”Well, there’s a young chap living there, name of Scott, a carter. His horse shied at a traction-engine , corner of Hawke Street this morning, and he was thrown out on the back of his head . Killed.
“Dead!” Laura stared at Godber’s’man
“Dead when they picked him up,”said Godber’s man with relish.They were tacking the body home as I come up here.
And he said to the cook, Hes left a wife and five little ones.
“Jose, come here.” Laura caught hold of her sisters sleeve and dragged her through the kitchen to the other side of the green baize door.There she paused and leaned against it . Jose! she said , horrified,however are we going to stop everything?
“Stop everything, Laura!” cried Jose in astonishment. “What do you mean?”
“Stop the garden-party, of course.” Why did Jose pretend?
But Jose was still more amazed. “Stop the garden-party?
My dear Laura, don’t be so absurd. Of course we can’t do anything of the kind. Nobody expects us to. Don’t be so extravagant.”
“but we can’t possibly have a garden-party with a man dead just outside the front gate.”
That really was extravagant, for the little cottages were in a lane to themselves at the very bottom of a steep rise that led up to the house. A broad road ran between. True, they were far too near. They were the greatest possible eyesore, and they had no right to be in that neighbourhood at all. They were little mean dwellings painted a chocolate brown. In the garden patches there was nothing but cabbage stalks, sick hens and tomato cans. The very smoke coming out of their chimneys was poverty-stricken. Little rags and shreds of smoke, so unlike the great silvery plumes that uncurled from the Sheridan’s chimneys. Washer-women lived in the lane and sweeps and a cobbler, and a man whose house-front was studded all over with minute bird-cages. Children swarmed. When the Sheridan’s were little they were forbidden to set foot there because of the revolting language and of what they might catch. But since they were grown up. Laura and Laurie on the prowls sometimes walked through. It was disgusting and sordid. They came out with a shudder. But still one must go everywhere; one must see everything. So through they went.
“And just think of what the band would sound like to that poor woman,” said Laura.
“Oh, Laura!” Jose began to be seriously annoyed. “ If you’re going to stop a band playing every time some one has accident, you’ll lead strenuous life. I’m every bit as sorry about it as you.I feel just as sympathetic.” Her eyes hardened. She looked at her sister just as she used to when they were little and fighting together. “You won’t bring a drunken workman back to life by being sentimental.”she said softly.
“Drunk! Who said he was drunk?” Laura turned furiously on Jose.
She said, just as they had used to say on those occasions, “I’m going straight up to tell mother.”
“Do, dear,” cooed Jose.
“Mother, can I come into your room?”Laura turned the big glass door knob.
“Of course, child. Why, what’s the matter? What’s given you such a colour?” And Mrs. Sheridan turned round from her dressing-table. She was trying on a new hat.
“Mother, a man’s been killed,” began Laura.
“Not in garden?” interrupted her mother.
“No,no!”
“Oh, what a fright you gave me! Mrs. Sheridan’s sighed with relief, and took off the big hat and held it on her knees.
“But listen, mother,”said Laura. Breathless, Half-choking,
She told the dreadful story. “Of course, we can’t have our party, can we?” she pleaded. “the band and everybody arriving.They’d hear us, mother; they’re nearly neighbours !”
To Laura’s astonishment her mother behaved just like Jose; it was harder to bear because she seemed amused. She refused to take Laura seriously.
“But, my dear child, use your common sense. Its only by accident we’ve heard of it. If some one had died there normally－and I can’t understand how they keep alive in those poky little holes－we should still be having our party, shouldn’t we?”
Laura had to say “yes”to that, but she felt it was wrong.
She sat down on her mothers sofa and pinched the cushion frill.
“Mother, isn’t it really terribly heartless of us?” she asked.
“Darling!” Mrs. Sheridan got up and came over to her, carrying the hat. Before Laura could stop her she had popped it on. “My child!” said mother,“the hat is yours. It’s made for you. It’s much young for me. I have never seen you look such a picture. Look at yourself! ”And she held up her hand-mirror.
“But, mother,” Laura began again. She couldn’t look at herself; she turned aside.
This time Mrs.Sheridan lost patience just as Jose had done.
“You are being very absurd, Laura,” she said coldly. “People like that don’t expect sacrifices from us. And it’s not very sympathetic to spoil everybody’s enjoyment as you’re doing now.”
“I don’t understand,” said Laura, and she walked quickly out of the room into her own bedroom. There, quite by chance, the first thing she saw was this charming girl in the mirror, in her black hat trimmed with gold daisies, and a long black velvet ribbon. Never had she imagined she could look like that. Is mother right ? she thought. And now she hoped her mother was right. Am I being extravagant? Perhaps it was extravagant. Just for a moment she had another glimpse of that poor woman and those little children, and the body being carried into the house. But it all seemed blurred, unreal, like a picture in the newspaper. Ill remember it again after the party’s over, she decided.And somehow that seemed quite the best plan...
Lunch was over by half-past one. By half-past two they were all ready for the fray. The green-coated band had arrived and was established in a corner of tennis-court.
“My dear!” trilled Kitty Maitland, “aren’t they too like frogs for words? You ought to have arranged them round the pond with the conductor in the middle on a leaf.”
Laurie arrived and hailed them on his way to dress. At the sight of him Laura remembered the accident again. She wanted to tell him. If Laurie agreed with the others, then it was bound to be all right. And she followed him into the hall.
“Laurie!”
“Hallo!” he was half-way upstairs, but when he turned round and saw Laura he suddenly puffed out his cheeks and goggled his eyes at her. “My word, Laura! You do look stunning,” said Laurie. “What an absolutely topping hat!”
Laurie said faintly “Is it?” and smiled up at Laurie, and didn’t tell him after all.
Soon after that people began coming in streams. The band struck up; the hired waiters ran from the house to the marquee.
Wherever you looked there were couples strolling, bending to the followers, greeting, moving on over the lawn. They were like bright birds that had alighted in the Sheridans’ garden for this one afternoon, on the way to where? Ah, what happiness it is to be with people who all are happy, to press hands, press cheeks. smile into eyes.
“Darling Laura,how well you look!”
“What a becoming hat, child!”
“Laura, you look quite Spanish. I’ve never seen you look so striking.”
And Laura , glowing, answered softly.Have you had tea? Won’t you have an ice? The passion-fruit ices really are rather special. She ran to her father and begged him. “Daddy darling, cant the band have something to drink?”
And the perfect afternoon slowly ripened, slowly faded, slowly its petals closed.
“Never a more delightful garden party ...“The greatest success…”“ quite the most...”
Laura helped mother with good-byes. They stood side by side in the porch till it was all over. “All over, all over, thank heaven,”said Mrs. Sheridan. “Round up the others, Laura. Lets go and have some fresh coffee. I’m exhausted. Yes, it’s been very successful. But oh, these parties,these parties! Why will you children insist on giving parties!” and they all of them sat down in the deserted marquee.
“Have a sandwich ,daddy dear. I wrote the flag.”
“Thanks.” said Sheridan took a bite and the sandwich was gone. He took another.” I suppose you didn’t hear of a beastly accident that happened to -day?he said.
“My dear, said Mrs. Sheridan, holding up her hand, “we did. It nearly ruined the party. Laura insisted we should put it off.”
“Oh,mother!” Laura didn’t want to be teased about it.
“It was a horrible affair all the same,” said Mr. Sheridan.
“The chap was married too. Lived just below in the lane, and leaves a wife and half a dozen kiddies, so they say.”
An awkward little silence fell. Mrs.Sheridan fidgeted with her cup.
Really, it was very tactless of father...
Suddenly she looked up. There on the table were all those sandwiches , cakes, puffs, all uneaten, all going to be wasted. She had one of her brilliant ideas.
“I know,”she said : Lets make up a basket. Let’s send that poor creature some of perfectly good food. At any rate, it will be the greatest treat for the children. Don’t you agree? And she’s sure to have neighbours calling in and so on. What a point to have it all ready prepared. Laura!” she jumped up.“Get me the big basket out of the stairs cupboard.
“But, mother, do you really think its a good idea?” said Laura.
Again, how curious, she seemed to be different from them all. To take scraps from their party，Would the poor woman really like that?
“Of course! What’s the matter with you to-day? An hour or two ago were insisting on us being sympathetic, and now－”
Oh,well! Laura ran for the basket. It was filled, it was heaped by her mother.
“Take it yourself, darling,” said she.“ Run down just as you are. No ,wait, take the arum lilies too. People of that class are so impressed by arum lilies.”
“The stems will ruin her pace frock,”said practical Jose.
So they would. Just in time.“Only the basket,then. And, Laura!
—“her mother followed her out of the marquee－“Don’t on any account－”
“What, mother?”
No, better not put such ideas into the child’s head! “Nothing! Run along .”
It was just growing dusky as Laura shut garden gates.A big dog ran by like a shadow. The road gleamed white, and down below in the hollow the little cottages were in deep shade. How quiet it seemed after the afternoon. Here she was going down the hill to somewhere where a man lay dead, and she couldn’t realize it. Why couldn’t she? She stopped a minute. And it seemed to her that kisses, voices, tinkling spoons, laughter, the smell of crushed grass were somehow inside her. She had no room for anything else. How strange！Looked up at the pale sky, and all she thought was,”Yes,it was the most successful party.
Now the broad was crossed. The lane began, smoky and dark.Women in shawls and men’s tweed caps hurried by. Men hung over the palings; the children played in the doorways. A low hum came from the mean little cottages. In some of them there was a flicker of light, and a shadow, crab-like, moved across the window. Laura bent her head and hurried on.She wished now she had put on a coat. How her frock shone!And the big hat with the velvet streamer－if only it was another hat! Were the people looking at her? they must be. It was a mistake to have come; she knew all along. It was a mistake. Should she go back even now?
No, too late. This was the house. It must be. A dark knot of people stood outside. Beside the gate an old, old woman with a crutch sat in a chair, watching. She had her feet on a newspaper. The voices stopped as Laura drew near. The group parted. It was as though she was expected, as though they had known she was coming here.
Laura was terribly nervous. Tossing the velvet ribbon over her shoulder, she said to a woman standing by,“Is this Mrs. Scots house? ”and the woman smiling queerly, said,“It is, my lass. ”
Oh, to be away from this! She actually said, “Help me , God,”as she walked up the tiny path and knocked. To be away from those staring eyes, or to be covered up in anything, one of those women’s shawls even. I'll just leave the basket and go, she decided. I shan’t even wait for to be emptied.
Then the door opened. A little woman in black showed in the gloom.
Laura said, “Are you Mrs Scott?” But to her horror the woman answered, Walk in please, miss, and she was shut in the passage.
“No,” said Laura, “I don’t want to come in . I only want to leave this basket. Mother sent－”
The little woman in the gloomy passage seemed not to have heard her. “Step this way, please, miss,” she said in an oily voice, and Laura followed her.
She found herself in a wretch little low kitchen, lighted by a smoky lamp. There was a woman sitting before the fire.
“Em! Said the little creature who had led her in. “Em! It’s young lady.”
She turn to Laura. She said meaningly, “I’m ‘er sister, miss. You’ll excuse’er, won't you?”
“Oh, but of course!” said Laura. “Please, don’t disturb her.I－I only want to leave－”
But at that moment the woman at the fire turn round. Her face, puffed up, red, with swollen eyes and swollen lips, looked terrible. She seemed as though she couldn’t understand why Laura was there. What did it mean? Why was this stranger standing in the kitchen with a basket? What was it all about? And the poor face puckered up again.
“All right, my dear,” said the other. “I’ll think the young lady.”
And again she began. “You’ll excuse her, miss.” I’m sure,” and her face, swollen too, tired an oily smile.
Laura only wanted to get out, to get away. She back in the passage. The door opened. She walked straight through into the bedroom,where the dead man was lying.
“You’d like a look at ’im, wouldn’t you?” said Em's sister, and she brushed past Laura over to the bed.Don’t a afraid, my lass,－ and now her voice sounded fond and sly, and fondly she drew down the sheet－ “e look a picture. There’s nothing to show. Come along, my dear.”
Laura came.
There lay a young man, fast asleep－sleeping so soundly, so deeply, that he was far, far away from them both. Oh, so remote, so peaceful. He was dreaming. Never wake him up again. His head was sunk in the pillow, his eyes were closed; they were blind under the closed eyelids. He was given up to his dream. What did garden-parties and baskets and lace frocks matter to him? He was far from all those things. He was wonderful, beautiful. While they were laughing and while the band was playing, this marvel had come to the lane. Happy...happy... All is well, said that sleeping face. This is just as it should be. I am content.
But all the same you had to cry, and she couldn’t go out of the room without saying something to him. Laura gave a loud childish sob.
“Forgive my hat,” she said.
And this time she didn’t wait for Em's sister. She found her way out of the door, down the path, past all those dark people. At the corner of the lane she met Laurie.
He stepped out of the shadow. Is that you, Laura?
“Yes.”
“Mother was getting anxious. Was it all right?”
“Yes,quite. Oh, Laurie!” she took his arm, she pressed up against him.
“I say, you're not crying, are you?” asked her brother.
Laura shook her head. She was.
Laurie put his arm round her shoulder.Don’t cry, he said in his warm, loving voice. Was it awful?
“No,” sobbed Laura. “It was simply marvellous. But , Laurie－”
She stopped, she looked at her brother. “Isn’t life,”she stammered, “isn’t life－” But what life was she couldn’t explain. No matter. He quite understood.
“Isn't it ,darling?”said Laurie.
花園派對(duì)
——?jiǎng)P瑟琳.曼斯菲爾德著 王學(xué)友譯
終于遇上如此理想的天氣了。要是早定了日子，派對(duì)時(shí)的天氣未必有如此完美：風(fēng)住日暖，萬(wàn)里無(wú)云。唯有藍(lán)天蒙了一層淡金色的薄紗，有時(shí)就像初夏一樣。黎明時(shí)分，花工們就起來(lái)，修剪草地，清運(yùn)雜草，直到草坪，黑色扁平蓮座上的雛菊熠熠生輝為止。至于玫瑰，世人都知道，唯有它才能在花園派對(duì)上獨(dú)占鰲頭。一個(gè)晚上，玫瑰已經(jīng)開放了幾百株，對(duì)，真的有幾百種株；綠色的灌木彎下腰來(lái)，就像在等候天使的降臨。
當(dāng)搭建聚會(huì)圍棚的工人們到來(lái)之時(shí)，主人家的早餐還沒(méi)有結(jié)束。
“媽咪，你想把圍棚搭在哪兒？”
“孩子們，問(wèn)我沒(méi)用。今年，我決定把所有事情交給你們?nèi)プ?。忘記我是你們母親，把我當(dāng)成一位尊貴的客人就行了?！?/p>
梅格不可能去監(jiān)管這些工人。早餐前，她就洗好頭發(fā)，戴著一根穆斯林頭巾，坐在那兒喝咖啡了。黑黑的、濕漉漉的頭發(fā)粘在臉頰上。荷西，穿一條絲質(zhì)襯裙和一件和式夾克像蝴蝶一樣飄下樓來(lái)，說(shuō)：
“勞拉，你得去，你是一個(gè)有藝術(shù)天分的女孩?！?/p>
勞拉像風(fēng)一樣飄走了，臨走時(shí)，手上還拿著一片黃油面包。黃油面包太好吃了，這也是她到戶外去吃的借口；她喜歡張羅，她總是覺得自己比別人張羅得更好。
穿著襯衣的四個(gè)男人站在花園小路上。他們扛著裹滿帆布的木棒，背上鈄掛著一個(gè)大大的工具包，十分搶眼?，F(xiàn)在，勞拉倒希望手上沒(méi)有面包；面包勞拉舍不得扔，但又無(wú)處可放，因而有點(diǎn)尷尬，但她試圖裝出嚴(yán)肅的樣子。當(dāng)她向這些工人走去時(shí)，心頭甚至沒(méi)有一點(diǎn)主意。
“早上好！”勞拉模仿著母親的腔調(diào)說(shuō)，但似乎因?yàn)槟懬佣悬c(diǎn)膽怯、口吃得像個(gè)小女孩。
“哦，來(lái)了？是來(lái)搭圍棚的嗎？”
“是的，小姐，”一個(gè)臉上有點(diǎn)雀斑、瘦瘦的、個(gè)子最高的一個(gè)工人挪了挪工具包，拍了下后背的草帽，對(duì)她點(diǎn)頭笑笑說(shuō)。
他笑得十分輕松，十分友善，勞拉這才恢復(fù)了常態(tài)。這個(gè)家伙有雙小小的，深藍(lán)色的，非常迷人的眼睛。勞拉瞧了一下其他人，其他人也在笑。仿佛在說(shuō)，“小姐，振作起來(lái)，我們不會(huì)“吃人”的。工人們多好呀！一個(gè)多么美麗的早晨呀！她不該提早晨，這樣太商業(yè)化了。圍棚。
“唔，百合花草坪那兒搭建圍棚如何？”
她用那只沒(méi)拿黃油面包的手指向百合花草坪。工人們轉(zhuǎn)身觀察著那個(gè)方向。一個(gè)有點(diǎn)胖的家伙伸出下唇，那個(gè)高個(gè)子男人則皺起了眉頭。
“我不喜歡那兒，”他說(shuō)。“那個(gè)位置不夠顯眼。你看，他做了一個(gè)類似于圍棚的動(dòng)作，”轉(zhuǎn)向勞拉說(shuō)。“如果你想讓圍棚耳目一新的話，請(qǐng)聽我的！”
勞拉的教養(yǎng)使得她在是否完全尊重那名工人所提的建議上猶豫了一會(huì)，但她相當(dāng)聽從那個(gè)工人的意見。
“那，放在網(wǎng)球場(chǎng)一角，”她建議?！暗菢?lè)隊(duì)要占一個(gè)位置?！?/p>
“你要安排一個(gè)樂(lè)隊(duì)，是嗎？”另一個(gè)工人說(shuō)。那人臉色蒼白，當(dāng)他烏黑的眼珠審視著網(wǎng)球場(chǎng)時(shí)，臉色憔悴。他在想什么？
“只是一個(gè)小型樂(lè)隊(duì)，”勞拉輕松地說(shuō)。如果樂(lè)隊(duì)足夠小，也許他不會(huì)特別在意的。但是勞拉的提議被高個(gè)子男人打斷了。
“小姐，瞧那兒！就是那個(gè)地方，背靠那些樹，那兒就比較好！”那個(gè)高個(gè)子男人說(shuō)。
背靠卡拉卡什（樹）。那些卡拉卡什樹將被遮擋—它們寬寬的，卷曲的樹葉，還有那成串的黃果十分可愛。它們?nèi)缒阆胂蟮哪菢?，生長(zhǎng)在荒島上，孤獨(dú)而自豪，在一種寂靜的壯美中把它們的樹葉和果實(shí)伸向太陽(yáng)。它們一定要被圍棚遮擋嗎？
一定要。工人們已經(jīng)扛起裹有帆布的木棒，朝那個(gè)地方走去了。只有那個(gè)高個(gè)子男人留了下來(lái)。他彎下腰，捏了枝薰衣草，放在他拇指和食指之間伸向自己鼻子，嗅起來(lái)。當(dāng)勞拉看到這個(gè)手勢(shì)時(shí)，她完全忘記了卡拉卡什樹，她對(duì)他那樣關(guān)注的動(dòng)作感到驚奇——關(guān)注薰衣草的味道（關(guān)注薰衣草的味道象征忠誠(chéng)和純潔）。她知道多少個(gè)男人做過(guò)這種事呢？哦，這些工人太好了，她認(rèn)為。（勞拉心里想）干嗎不和這些工人交朋友而要和周末來(lái)跳舞，吃免費(fèi)周末晚餐的，幼稚的男孩交朋友呢？她樂(lè)意和這些工人和睦相處。
當(dāng)那個(gè)高個(gè)子工人在一個(gè)信封背面畫一些應(yīng)該卷起或者掛起來(lái)的，屬于一些荒謬的等級(jí)區(qū)別的東西時(shí)，她決定了，這就是一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤。那些東西對(duì)她來(lái)說(shuō)沒(méi)有印象，一點(diǎn)沒(méi)有，完全沒(méi)有感覺…接著傳來(lái)“咚－咚的木槌聲。有人吹口哨，有人大聲喊”“朋友們，走起！”“朋友！”友誼著象征，只是為了證明她是多么快樂(lè)，只是為了展示她感覺這個(gè)高個(gè)子男人就是在家里?，F(xiàn)在她是多么鄙視那愚蠢的習(xí)俗呀！當(dāng)勞拉盯著那種勞動(dòng)場(chǎng)景時(shí)，咬了一大口面包。她覺得自己就是個(gè)女工。
“勞拉，勞拉，你在哪兒？電話！”一陣喊聲從屋里傳來(lái)。
“來(lái)了，”勞拉掠過(guò)草坪，沿著小路，順著臺(tái)階，穿過(guò)走廊，進(jìn)了門廊。在大廳，她父親和勞里正在刷他們準(zhǔn)備去辦公室的帽子。
勞里飛快地說(shuō)，“我說(shuō) 勞拉，今天上午你可以瞧瞧我的大衣嗎？看它是否需要熨一下！”
“好的，”勞拉說(shuō)。忽然，勞拉忍不住朝勞里跑去，她了勞里輕輕地、快速的一推?！迸?，我真的很喜歡派對(duì)，你呢？”勞拉喘著氣問(wèn)。
勞里熱情地、孩子般的聲音說(shuō)“當(dāng)然喜歡！”勞里也輕輕推了勞拉一把，說(shuō)：“快去接電話，老妹！”
“喂，喂，是基蒂嗎？早上好！親愛的，來(lái)吃午餐？好的，親愛的！只是便餐—有三明治餡皮，破碎的蛋白酥殼及剩下的一些什么。是的，難道不是一個(gè)完美的早晨！白葡萄酒？哦，我想應(yīng)該有。等一下—?jiǎng)e掛電話。媽咪叫我?！眲诶聛?lái)，問(wèn)“媽咪，什么事？我聽不清楚！”
謝立丹夫人的聲音從樓梯上飄來(lái)?！案嬖V她要戴上周日戴過(guò)的那頂可愛的帽子?！?/p>
“媽咪說(shuō)，要你戴上周日戴過(guò)的那頂可愛的帽子，好，一點(diǎn)鐘見，拜拜！”
勞拉放回聽筒，把胳膊伸到頭上，伸開雙臂，做了個(gè)深呼吸，然后放下雙臂?！昂?，”她嘆了會(huì)氣又迅速坐了起來(lái)，靜心聽著會(huì)屋內(nèi)的聲音。房間里充滿輕輕地、快速的腳步聲以及物體移動(dòng)的聲音。通往廚房的綠色大門打開，又呯地一聲關(guān)上了，并傳來(lái)一陣長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的，門被卡住的聲音。是笨重的鋼琴在它生銹的腳輪上移動(dòng)的聲音。但是這空氣 ，如果你停下來(lái)觀察的話，這空氣總是這樣，微弱的風(fēng)在追逐，在窗頂，在門外。有兩個(gè)小小的太陽(yáng)亮點(diǎn)也在追逐：一個(gè)在墨水瓶蓋上，一個(gè)在銀色相框上。那可愛的亮點(diǎn)，尤其是墨水瓶蓋上的那點(diǎn)，相當(dāng)溫暖，似一顆溫暖的銀色小星。她本可以吻一下它的。
前門門鈴響了。樓梯上傳來(lái)薩迪印花襯衣的摩擦聲；一個(gè)男人在咕噥。薩迪隨口回到，“我確實(shí)不知道這件事，等等，我要去問(wèn)一下謝立丹夫人。”
“什么事，薩迪？” 勞拉走進(jìn)大廳。
“是花店的人送花來(lái)了，勞拉小姐”
的確是！你瞧，就在門內(nèi)，放著一個(gè)大大的、淺淺的、盛滿粉紅色百合花的托盤。除了百合花，沒(méi)有別的。送來(lái)的百合，大大的、粉紅色花朵怒放著，令人驚訝地長(zhǎng)在鮮艷的深紅色的花莖上。
“哦，薩-迪！”勞拉，聲音有點(diǎn)像呻吟。她小心地蹲下來(lái)，似乎想要自己感受一下那百合花火一樣的溫暖；她感到這團(tuán)火正在自己手指上、嘴唇上、胸膛間燃燒。
“是送錯(cuò)了吧？”勞拉猶豫著問(wèn)，“沒(méi)有人訂過(guò)那么多花呀！薩迪，去問(wèn)問(wèn)媽咪！”
就在此時(shí)，謝立丹夫人來(lái)到她們中間。
“沒(méi)錯(cuò)！”謝立丹夫人肯定地說(shuō)，“是我訂的。它們難道不好看嗎？”她按著勞拉的胳膊說(shuō)。“昨天，我路過(guò)這個(gè)花店，從窗戶我就看見這些花了。忽然，我認(rèn)為一生中就此一次我應(yīng)該擁有足夠多的美人蕉。花園派對(duì)就是一個(gè)不錯(cuò)的理由。”
“ 但是，媽咪你說(shuō)過(guò)，你無(wú)意干涉花園派對(duì)的事務(wù)嗎？”勞拉說(shuō)。此時(shí)，薩迪已經(jīng)走了?；ǖ昴莻€(gè)男人仍然站在他箱式貨車周圍。勞拉用她的胳膊繞著她母親的頸項(xiàng)，輕輕地咬著她母親的耳朵。
“孩子，你不喜歡一個(gè)有理性的媽咪嗎？別這樣，有人在這兒呢！”
那個(gè)男人仍背著更多的百合花，還有另一些托盤。
“ 請(qǐng)把它們碼起來(lái)，就碼在門內(nèi)，門廊兩邊?！敝x立丹夫人說(shuō)。同時(shí)問(wèn)：“勞拉，你不同意？”
勞拉說(shuō)：“哦，媽咪，我當(dāng)然同意！”
在客廳里，梅格，荷西和乖巧的小漢斯終于成功地把鋼琴移到它合適的位置。
“如果我們現(xiàn)在把這張長(zhǎng)沙發(fā)靠墻，把屋里所有東西都移到外面去，除了這把椅子外。你們認(rèn)為如何？”荷西說(shuō)。
“完全正確！“大家響應(yīng)道。
“漢斯，把這些小桌子搬去吸煙室，順便叫一個(gè)清潔工來(lái)把地毯上的污漬清理一下—等等，漢斯—”荷西喜歡對(duì)傭人發(fā)號(hào)施令，傭人們也樂(lè)于接受荷西的命令。她總是讓傭人們感到自己在參與戲劇表演?！案嬖V媽咪和勞拉小姐立即到這兒來(lái)！”
“遵命，荷西小姐”
荷西轉(zhuǎn)向梅格說(shuō)：”我想聽聽這架鋼琴的效果如何，以防下午，有人要求我演奏時(shí)，出意外。讓我們?cè)囋嚒渡詈闷v》這首樂(lè)曲吧！”
嘭！噠－噠－噠，鋼琴突然發(fā)出激昂聲音來(lái)。荷西臉色變了，她握緊雙手，在母親和勞拉進(jìn)來(lái)時(shí)，悲哀得有點(diǎn)心神不寧地看著她倆。（樂(lè)曲大意是）：
生活好疲憊，
一聲嘆息， 一行淚。
愛情生變，
生活好疲憊，
一聲嘆息，一行淚，
愛情生變，
于是說(shuō)，再見。
但唱到“再見”這個(gè)詞時(shí)，盡管鋼琴聽起來(lái)比以往更加絕望，但荷西的臉上卻露出了燦爛的、可怕的、無(wú)情的笑容。
“媽咪，難道我的聲音不好嗎？” 荷西笑容滿面地問(wèn)
生活好疲憊
希望到失望。
一半清醒，一半陶醉。
好了，薩迪打斷了她們的對(duì)話“薩迪，怎么啦？”
“媽咪，廚娘說(shuō)，如果你愿意，你不是要給三明治做標(biāo)記嗎？”薩迪說(shuō)
“三明治標(biāo)記？薩迪！”謝立丹夫人狐疑地回應(yīng)到。
從媽咪的表情上看，孩子們知道，媽咪并沒(méi)說(shuō)過(guò)要給三明治做標(biāo)記的事?！白屛铱纯?。”謝立丹夫人對(duì)薩迪大聲地說(shuō)。“告訴廚娘，讓她等我十分鐘！”薩迪離開了。
謝立丹夫人繼續(xù)說(shuō)：“勞拉和我一道到吸煙室去，我已經(jīng)在信封背面找到名字了，勞拉你得給我寫出來(lái)。梅格，立即上樓去把你頭上的濕東西搞掉。荷西，馬上去穿好衣服。孩子們，現(xiàn)在聽我的，還是今晚你父親回來(lái)我告訴他？另外，荷西，如果你到廚房去，請(qǐng)安慰一下廚娘！今天早晨我有點(diǎn)怕她。”
信封終于在餐廳時(shí)鐘后面找到。它是如何跑到那兒的，謝立丹夫人無(wú)法想象！
“肯定是你們這群孩子中的某人從我的包里偷出來(lái)的。因?yàn)槲仪宄赜浀谩逃椭ナ亢蜋幟誓椤Ｄ銈兏倪^(guò)嗎？”
“是的”
雞蛋和——？“謝立丹夫人把信封拿開，這看著像老鼠，它不可能是老鼠，對(duì)吧？”
“橄欖，寵物，”勞拉瞅著她母親的肩膀說(shuō)。
“是的，一定是橄欖，這種組合聽起來(lái)多么可怕呀！雞蛋和橄欖。”
他們終于把它們做好了。勞拉把它們送到廚房，她發(fā)現(xiàn)荷西正在那兒安撫廚娘，廚娘看起來(lái)一點(diǎn)也不可怕。
“我從來(lái)沒(méi)見過(guò)如此精?的三明治，”荷西用狂喜的聲音喊道，你說(shuō)有多少種，廚娘，十五種？
“荷西小姐，十五種。”
“好啦，廚娘，祝賀你！”
廚娘開心地笑著，并用一把長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的三明治刀開始清理酥皮了。
“戈伯來(lái)了，”薩迪從食品儲(chǔ)藏室里出來(lái)宣布道。她已經(jīng)看到那個(gè)男人從窗前經(jīng)過(guò)了。
那就意味著奶油松餅來(lái)了。戈伯正是因?yàn)樗哪逃退娠灦劽?。沒(méi)有人想過(guò)在家里自己做奶油松餅。
“把它們拿進(jìn)來(lái)放在桌子上，小姐們！”廚娘安排到。
薩迪把奶油松餅?zāi)眠M(jìn)來(lái)后又退到門口。勞拉和荷西非常老練認(rèn)真關(guān)注起這事來(lái)。盡管如此，她們?nèi)匀徊坏貌怀姓J(rèn)奶油松餅非常誘人。非常好！ 廚娘開始整理奶油酥餅，抖掉它們多余的糖粉。
“ 難道他們都不帶一個(gè)回派對(duì)去？”勞拉問(wèn)道。
“我想不會(huì)?！焙晌髦甭实卣f(shuō)，沒(méi)有誰(shuí)愿意被帶回去。我必須說(shuō)，它們看起來(lái)非常輕盈，且羽毛分明。
“每人吃一個(gè)！小姐們，廚娘用溫柔的語(yǔ)氣說(shuō)，”你們媽咪不會(huì)知道的?！?/p>
哦，不可能，早飯后這么快就吃奶油松餅。
這個(gè)很小的主意使人發(fā)怵。即便如此，兩分鐘后，荷西和勞拉就在用全神貫注的表情吮吸手指了，手指則從松軟奶油中抽出來(lái)。
“讓我們到花園去吧，從后門去”勞拉建議到道。我想去看看那些工人是如何在推進(jìn)圍棚搭建工作的。他們是群非常友好的人。
但是，后門被廚娘、薩迪、戈伯，還有漢斯堵住了。
發(fā)生了什么事了？
廚娘像一只焦慮的母雞那樣“咕－咕－咕”叫起來(lái)。薩迪則用手輕拍著自己的臉頰，就像是牙齒痛。漢斯為了努力弄清楚事情原委臉都扭曲了。只有戈伯似乎在自我陶醉；這是他的故事。
“怎么回事？發(fā)生什么事了？”
“出了一件可怕的事情，”廚娘說(shuō)，“一個(gè)男人被撞死了?！?/p>
“一個(gè)男人死了!“”在哪兒？怎么死的？什么時(shí)候？”
但是,戈伯并不打算讓他的故事從他鼻子下被搶走。
“知道下面那些小平房嗎，就在這下面，小姐？”知道他們嗎？她當(dāng)然知道他們?！澳莾荷钪粋€(gè)名叫斯科特的年輕人，是個(gè)馬車夫。今天早上，在霍克街轉(zhuǎn)彎處，他的馬車在躲避一輛牽引車時(shí)，他被甩了出來(lái)，碰到腦殼，當(dāng)場(chǎng)死亡?！?/p>
“ 死了！”勞拉盯著這個(gè)叫戈伯的男人。
“當(dāng)人們把他扶起來(lái)時(shí)，他已經(jīng)死了，”這個(gè)叫戈伯的男人饒有興趣地說(shuō)道?！爱?dāng)我來(lái)這兒時(shí)，他們正在把尸體運(yùn)回家去。”他對(duì)廚娘說(shuō)，“他留下一個(gè)老婆和五個(gè)小孩?！?/p>
“荷西，到這兒來(lái)?！眲诶プ∷妹玫囊滦?，拽著她穿過(guò)廚房來(lái)到綠呢門的另一邊。在那兒，她停了下來(lái)，靠著門說(shuō)，“荷西！太恐怖了，我們無(wú)論如何要停止一切花園派對(duì)的籌備工作！”
“等等，勞拉”！荷西驚訝地喊道，“你什么意思？”
“ 當(dāng)然是停止舉辦花園派對(duì)呀！荷西你干嗎要假裝不懂？”
但是，荷西仍然非常吃驚，停止舉辦花園派對(duì)？
“我親愛的勞拉，你是不是太荒唐了。我們當(dāng)然不能做諸如停辦花園派對(duì)的事。沒(méi)有任何人希望我們那樣做。那樣做是不是太浪費(fèi)了？”
“但是，我們不可能與一個(gè)剛剛死在門前的男人一起舉辦花園聚會(huì)呀！”
這真的是太浪費(fèi)了，因?yàn)槟切┬∑椒吭谕ㄍ@處房子一個(gè)陡峭高坡底部的一條小巷里。中間有一條寬闊的大路。沒(méi)錯(cuò)，他們距離太近了。他們可能是最大的眼中釘，他們完全沒(méi)有權(quán)利住在那兒。有點(diǎn)意思的是這些民居都涂了一層巧克力顏色。小塊菜地里只有卷心菜菜根，生病的母雞和番茄罐頭。甚至他們煙囪里冒出的煙塵都無(wú)精打采，是些小破布和小煙片，不像從謝立丹家煙囪冒出來(lái)的是巨大的、羽毛狀白煙。巷子里生活著洗衣工，流浪漢和一個(gè)鞋匠，還有一個(gè)，屋前到處鑲嵌著小鳥籠的男人。孩子們聚集在一起。當(dāng)謝立丹還小時(shí)，就禁止他們涉足那兒，因?yàn)槟切┝钊松鷧挼恼Z(yǔ)言，還有他們可能抓到的東西。但是，自從他們長(zhǎng)大成人后，勞拉和勞里有時(shí)去那兒徘徊過(guò)。那兒骯臟不堪，令人反感。她們到那兒去，時(shí)常戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢走出來(lái)。但是一個(gè)人必須去任何地方，一個(gè)人必須見任何事情，所以他們?nèi)ミ^(guò)那兒。
“ 只要想到樂(lè)隊(duì)發(fā)出的聲音就會(huì)想起那個(gè)可憐的女人，”勞拉說(shuō)。
“喔，勞拉，荷西開始有點(diǎn)惱火了。如果每次有人發(fā)生意外，你都要阻止樂(lè)隊(duì)演奏，你會(huì)陷入一種苦悶的生活狀態(tài)中。我和你完全一樣，對(duì)那件事情表示同情，我只是感到同情。她的眼神嚴(yán)肅起來(lái)。正像她習(xí)慣了她們小時(shí)互掐一樣，盯著她姐姐?！蹦悴粫?huì)因?yàn)閭芯桶岩粋€(gè)喝醉酒的男人帶回到現(xiàn)實(shí)生活中來(lái)吧？荷西輕聲說(shuō)。
“喝醉！誰(shuí)說(shuō)他喝醉了？”勞拉生氣地轉(zhuǎn)向荷西。
正如她習(xí)慣了那樣，勞拉說(shuō)，“我要直接去告訴媽咪。”
荷西咕噥道，“去吧，親愛的！”
“媽咪，我能進(jìn)來(lái)嗎？”勞拉轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)了一下大玻璃門把手說(shuō)。
“當(dāng)然，孩子！干嗎？怎么啦？是誰(shuí)讓你生氣了？”謝立丹夫人正要從梳妝臺(tái)前轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身來(lái)，她在試一頂新帽子。
“媽媽，一個(gè)男人被撞死了，”勞拉說(shuō)。
“不是在花園吧？”母親打斷勞拉的話說(shuō)。
“不，不是！”勞拉說(shuō)。
“哦，你嚇了我大一跳！”謝立丹夫人用如釋重負(fù)口吻說(shuō)。然后摘下帽子，把它放在膝蓋上。
“但是，媽媽，請(qǐng)聽我說(shuō)，”勞拉氣喘吁吁，哽咽著說(shuō)。
勞拉講了這件可怕的事件，然后懇求道“媽咪，我們應(yīng)該停止舉辦這個(gè)派對(duì)，對(duì)吧？！”樂(lè)隊(duì)和所有人都來(lái)了，但他們聽我們的，媽媽，他們幾乎都是鄰居！
令勞拉感到吃驚的是，她母親表現(xiàn)就同荷西一樣；更難忍受的是因?yàn)樗坪醣欢簶?lè)了。她嚴(yán)肅拒絕了勞拉的提議，說(shuō)，
“孩子，憑你的常識(shí)，這只是一件我們所聽到偶發(fā)事件。如果有人在那兒正常死亡—我不明白的是，在那些狹小的巢穴中他們是如何生活的—難道我們也要停止舉辦我們的派對(duì)嗎？”
勞拉不得不說(shuō)“是”但是，她覺得這是一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤。
她坐在她母親沙發(fā)上，捏著沙發(fā)墊子的褶邊。
“媽媽，這樣做我們是不是太無(wú)情了？”勞拉問(wèn)道。
“親愛的！”謝立丹起來(lái)拿著帽子走到勞拉身邊，在勞拉可能阻礙她前，敲了敲帽子說(shuō)，“孩子，”勞拉母親說(shuō)，”這帽子是你的了，是專為你做的。這頂帽子對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)太年輕了。我從來(lái)沒(méi)見過(guò)你看起來(lái)多像一幅畫、你自己瞧瞧?！彼e起她的手鏡。
但是，“媽媽，”勞拉又開始說(shuō)，她不會(huì)自己看自己，她轉(zhuǎn)向一邊。
這次。正如荷西一樣，謝立丹夫人失去了耐心
“勞拉，你一直十分荒唐！謝立丹夫人嚴(yán)肅地說(shuō)?！叭藗儾粯?lè)意為我們做出犧牲。像你現(xiàn)在這樣做，是要?jiǎng)儕Z所有人的生活樂(lè)趣，這不是同情！”
”我不明白“勞拉說(shuō)。然后飛快離出母親房間回到自己臥室。在臥室，偶然間，勞拉從鏡子里第一次看到一個(gè)迷人的女孩：黑色帽子用金色的雛菊點(diǎn)綴著，配以一條長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的黑色天鵝絨絲帶。勞拉從來(lái)沒(méi)有想到自己會(huì)是那樣。媽咪是對(duì)的？她覺得?，F(xiàn)在，她希望母親是對(duì)的了，是我一直都太天真了？也許這太樣做太奢侈。一會(huì)，她仿佛又看見了那個(gè)貧窮女人和那幾個(gè)幼小的孩子，以及被抬走進(jìn)屋去的馬車夫的尸體。但這種感覺比較模糊，不太真實(shí)，就像報(bào)紙上的一幅畫。她決定，派對(duì)結(jié)束后再想想這件事。不知何故，她認(rèn)為這似乎才是上策……
午餐在一點(diǎn)半結(jié)束了，兩點(diǎn)半他們已為樂(lè)隊(duì)準(zhǔn)備好了一切。身著綠色衣服的樂(lè)隊(duì)已經(jīng)到達(dá)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，并在網(wǎng)球場(chǎng)一個(gè)角落布置好。
“ 親愛的，”基蒂.梅特顫聲說(shuō)，“他們難道不是會(huì)說(shuō)話的青蛙嗎？你們應(yīng)該把他們安排在池塘周圍，葉子正中間再設(shè)置一個(gè)指揮?！?/p>
勞里到了，在他去換衣服的路上他向人們打招呼。一見到勞里，勞拉又想起那個(gè)馬車夫的事來(lái)。她想告訴勞里。如果勞里和其他人看法統(tǒng)一，那么推遲舉辦花園派對(duì)這件事情肯定是正確的。她隨著勞里進(jìn)了大廳。
“勞里！”勞拉喊。
“哈羅！”勞里走到樓梯的一半，回頭看了一眼勞拉，突然鼓起腮幫，瞪大眼睛對(duì)勞拉說(shuō)”哎呀，勞拉！你太讓人吃驚了，”勞里說(shuō)，“絕對(duì)是最完善的帽子！”
勞拉含糊地說(shuō)了聲“是嗎？”沖著勞里笑了笑，終于沒(méi)有告訴他那件事。
不久，人們開始流動(dòng)，樂(lè)隊(duì)開始演奏，雇來(lái)的服務(wù)員也開始在家里和圍棚間跑動(dòng)。
到處都能見到情侶在散步，在向追隨者點(diǎn)頭，在歡呼，在草坪上移動(dòng)。他們像歡快的小鳥，今天下午才降臨到謝立丹花園， 他們要到哪兒去？啊，和快樂(lè)的人在一起，是一件多么快樂(lè)事呀！拉拉手，拍拍臉，眼里充滿笑意。
“勞拉，你看起來(lái)令人十分滿意！”
“孩子，多么得體的帽子呀！”
“勞拉，你看起來(lái)有點(diǎn)像西班牙人，我從來(lái)沒(méi)有見過(guò)你如此嫵媚動(dòng)人?！敝x立丹夫人說(shuō)。
勞拉熱情、溫柔回復(fù)了媽咪。你喝茶？你不愿意喝咖啡？百香果冰淇淋真的相當(dāng)特別?！敝x立丹夫人說(shuō)。勞拉跑到她父親面前央求道，“爹地，難道樂(lè)隊(duì)就不能喝點(diǎn)什么嗎？”
這個(gè)完美的下午慢慢進(jìn)入高潮，慢慢褪色，花園里花瓣也慢慢合上了。
“從來(lái)沒(méi)有比這更賞心悅目的花園派對(duì)……”“最成功的派對(duì)……”“相當(dāng)成功！”
勞拉配合母親去同客人道別，她們一起站在門廊兩邊，派對(duì)結(jié)束。
“結(jié)束了，結(jié)束了，謝天謝地，”謝立丹夫人說(shuō)，‘’勞拉，把其余的東西收起來(lái)，我們?nèi)ズ赛c(diǎn)新鮮咖啡吧！我快累死了。“”是的，派對(duì)非常成功！但是，噢，這些派對(duì)，這些派對(duì)！你們這些孩子干嘛要堅(jiān)持舉辦派對(duì)呢？”謝立丹說(shuō)。他們現(xiàn)在都坐在空曠的圍棚里。
“吃片三明治，爹地，我做過(guò)標(biāo)記的?！眲诶f(shuō)。
“謝謝！”謝立丹咬了一口，三明治就不見了，他又拿了一個(gè)，我想，“你們還沒(méi)聽說(shuō)過(guò)今天發(fā)生的事吧？”謝立丹說(shuō)。
“親愛的 ，”謝立丹夫人舉起手說(shuō)，“”我們知道，它幾乎破壞了這場(chǎng)派對(duì)，勞拉堅(jiān)持我們應(yīng)該推遲這次派對(duì)。”
“哦，媽咪！”別取笑我了！勞拉說(shuō)
“這仍然是一件可怕的事件，”謝立丹說(shuō)。
“這人住在小巷下面，結(jié)過(guò)婚，留下老婆和半打孩子，他們說(shuō)?！?nbsp;
一陣令人尷尬的沉默。謝立丹夫人心不在焉地玩弄著手里茶杯?！斑@真的是你父親的疏忽……”謝立丹說(shuō)
突然，謝立丹夫人發(fā)現(xiàn)桌子上所有的蛋糕，三明治，奶油酥，所有沒(méi)吃過(guò)都將被浪費(fèi)。她有了個(gè)好主意。
“ 我知道了，”她說(shuō)，“讓我們拿一個(gè)籃子，裝上這些未吃完的東西，送給那些可憐的人吧。無(wú)論如何 這也算是對(duì)孩子們的一個(gè)最好的交代吧！難道你不同意？”她確信有鄰居要來(lái)……?！爸匾氖前岩磺卸紲?zhǔn)備好！”她突然站起來(lái)說(shuō)，“勞拉，去給我把樓梯間櫥柜里的籃子拿出來(lái)！”
“ 但是，媽咪，你真的認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)好主意嗎？”勞拉說(shuō)。
十分好奇的是，勞拉似乎與眾不同說(shuō)，“派對(duì)上的殘羹剩肴，那個(gè)可憐的女人真的會(huì)喜歡嗎？”
“當(dāng)然喜歡！你今天怎么啦？一、兩小時(shí)前你還堅(jiān)持我們要有同情心，現(xiàn)在又……”謝立丹夫人說(shuō)。
哦，好，勞拉向籃子跑去，籃子裝滿后，她母親把它聚集起來(lái)，說(shuō)，
“孩子，你自己送去吧！就像你一樣‘質(zhì)疑’下去吧”接著又說(shuō)，“等等，把馬蹄蓮也帶上，那個(gè)階層的人對(duì)馬蹄蓮情有獨(dú)鐘?！?/p>
“媽咪，花莖會(huì)弄臟勞拉花邊裙子的，”荷西提醒說(shuō)。
所以他們正好，“只有一個(gè)籃子，勞拉！”謝立丹夫人跟著勞拉走出圍棚后說(shuō)，不要做任何解釋——“
“ 什么？媽咪”勞拉問(wèn)道。
沒(méi)什么，最好別把這種觀點(diǎn)帶給孩子?！皼](méi)什么事！走吧！”
“到了，放下東西就直接離開，什么都不要做，直接離開?！?/p>
當(dāng)勞拉關(guān)上花園大門時(shí)，天色已經(jīng)暗淡下來(lái)。 一只大狗像幽靈一樣跟著。路面上發(fā)出白色的光，山谷底下的小平房隱藏在陰影中。傍晚，路上相當(dāng)寂靜。此時(shí)，她正走下小山到馬車夫躺著地方去，而她無(wú)法知道他躺在哪兒，為什么？她停了一分鐘。在她看來(lái)，擁擠聲、爭(zhēng)吵聲、哄笑聲、敲擊湯匙的聲音以及碎草的氣味等似乎總在她心里游蕩。她見到空無(wú)一人的房子。太奇怪了！仰望慘白的天空，她所想到是“這是一次最成功的派對(duì)！”
穿過(guò)大路來(lái)到了小巷入口。巷子里煙霧彌漫，渾濁黑暗。披著披肩，戴著男人粗呢帽子的女人們匆匆而過(guò)。流浪漢在柵欄上宿睡未醒；孩子們?cè)陂T前玩耍。從那些簡(jiǎn)陋的小屋里傳出低沉的嗡嗡聲。有些平房有一點(diǎn)亮光，人影、蟹足般在窗戶間搖曳。勞拉低頭，匆匆往前趕?，F(xiàn)在，她真希望自己穿的是外套。她的連衣裙太亮了！還有那頂帶有天鵝絨飾帶的大帽子——要是另外一頂帽子多好呀！人們都在瞧著她嗎？一定是。來(lái)這兒就是一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤，她一直都知道這是一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤。她現(xiàn)在甚至想回去了？
不，太遲了。就是這間房子。一定是。一群黑發(fā)纏結(jié)在一起的人站在外面。門很舊，一個(gè)老媼夾著一根拐杖坐在沙發(fā)上，四處觀看。她把腳擱在一張報(bào)紙上。當(dāng)勞拉靠近時(shí)，聲音停止了，人們散開。仿佛在等她，仿佛早已知道她正在朝這兒走來(lái)。
勞拉非常緊張，她把天鵝絨絲帶甩在肩上，向一個(gè)站在旁邊的女人問(wèn)道，“這兒是斯科特家嗎？”這個(gè)婦人怪怪地說(shuō)，“是的，小姐?！?/p>
哦，快離開這兒！她竟然說(shuō)，“幫幫我，上帝！”當(dāng)她走進(jìn)這條極窄的小巷敲門時(shí)，想到趕快躲開那些注視的眼睛，或者采用什么東西遮住也行，即使用一件那些女人們的披肩。勞拉決定，我放籃子就走，甚至不用等他們騰空籃子。
接下來(lái)，門開了，一個(gè)身著黑衣服的小婦人出現(xiàn)在夜幕中。
勞拉說(shuō)，“你是斯科特夫人嗎？她驚悚于這個(gè)婦人的回答?！罢?qǐng)進(jìn)，小姐”。她被關(guān)在過(guò)道里
“不，”勞拉說(shuō)，“我不進(jìn)去了，我只是把這個(gè)籃子放在這兒，媽咪送的—”
在陰暗的過(guò)道里，這個(gè)小婦人似乎并沒(méi)聽清楚勞拉說(shuō)的話，繼續(xù)說(shuō)，“請(qǐng)這邊走，小姐！“她用討好的聲音說(shuō)，勞拉跟著她。
她發(fā)現(xiàn)自己處于一個(gè)又小又矮又可憐的的廚房里，一盞滿是灰塵的燈亮著?；馉t前坐著一個(gè)婦人，
“ 艾米，”把勞拉引進(jìn)來(lái)的那個(gè)小婦人說(shuō)“艾米，是位年輕小姐？”
那個(gè)人轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)臉來(lái)故意說(shuō)，“我是艾米的妹妹，小姐，你會(huì)原諒她，對(duì)吧？”
“當(dāng)然?！眲诶f(shuō)，“我不會(huì)打擾她， 我只是想把這東西留下—”
此時(shí)，火爐旁那個(gè)婦女把臉了轉(zhuǎn)回來(lái)，她的臉部紅腫，眼睛腫脹，嘴唇腫脹，看起來(lái)十分嚇人。她似乎不明白勞拉為什么要來(lái)這兒？什么意思？這個(gè)陌生人干嗎拿個(gè)籃子站在廚房？籃子里有什么？這個(gè)婦人的臉再一次皺起來(lái)。
“ 好的，親愛的，”那人說(shuō)到，“我理解年輕的小姐?！?/p>
她又接著說(shuō)，“我確信你會(huì)原寬恕她的，小姐?！彼囊粡埬樢材[脹，充滿疲憊討好的笑。
勞拉只想出去，只想離開。她回到過(guò)道。門開著，她徑直走進(jìn)臥室，那個(gè)死了的馬車夫躺著那兒。
“你愿意瞧瞧他，對(duì)嗎？艾米的妹妹說(shuō)。她繞過(guò)勞拉到了躺著那個(gè)男人床邊說(shuō)，”別怕！小姐——”她的聲音愉悅而狡詐，她憐愛地拉開床單—“”那馬車夫的臉像一幅畫，沒(méi)有任何表情，來(lái)吧，小姐！”。
勞拉來(lái)到床邊。
一個(gè)躺在那兒熟睡的年輕人——睡得那么深沉，那么酣暢，以至于他離她們倆都很遠(yuǎn)，很遠(yuǎn)。哦，十分遙遠(yuǎn)，十分寧?kù)o！他一直在做夢(mèng)且永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)醒來(lái)。他的頭埋在忱頭上，他的眼睛緊閉，緊閉的眼皮下什么也看不見。
他被迫放棄了自己的夢(mèng)想?；▓@派對(duì)、花邊連衣裙、裝滿食品的籃子，對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)有關(guān)系嗎？他離那些事情太遙遠(yuǎn)了。他很棒，很漂亮。當(dāng)他們笑的時(shí)候，當(dāng)樂(lè)隊(duì)演奏時(shí)候，奇跡來(lái)到這條小巷?？鞓?lè)、幸福，一切都在快樂(lè)、幸福中，那張熟睡的臉說(shuō)，這正是它應(yīng)該聽到的，我滿足了。
盡管如此 你仍然要哭，勞拉不對(duì)他說(shuō)點(diǎn)什么，是走不出那間屋子的。勞拉孩子般的啜泣起來(lái)。
“請(qǐng)?jiān)徫业拿弊印！眲诶f(shuō)。
這次，勞拉沒(méi)有等艾米的妹妹，而是找到路，沿著小徑，經(jīng)過(guò)那些悲慘人們。在小巷拐角處，勞拉遇見了勞里。
勞里走出拐角處問(wèn)，“是你嗎？勞拉？”
“是的?！眲诶卮?。
“媽咪非常著急，沒(méi)事吧？”
“沒(méi)事！哦，勞里”她拉著勞里的胳膊，用力壓?！蔽艺f(shuō)，你不要哭，好嗎？” 勞拉哥哥央求到。
勞拉搖著自己的頭，她是
勞里把手放在她的肩膀上，用溫柔的、充滿愛意的聲音說(shuō)，“別哭！事情有點(diǎn)可怕吧？”
“不，”勞拉啜泣著說(shuō)，“太不平凡了。但是，勞里——”
她停下來(lái)，看著她哥哥說(shuō)，“生活不是這樣，”她結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地說(shuō)，生活不是這樣—但，她無(wú)法解釋什么是生活。不管怎樣，勞里明白了！
“不是嗎，親愛的？"勞里說(shuō)。
2021-10-12
注：原文來(lái)自《GREAT SHORT STORIES》短篇小說(shuō) 集。凱瑟琳.曼斯菲爾德是二十世紀(jì)英國(guó)著名的女作家。
