the garden party(园会)-第11节
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joined Mrs。 Harry Kember's loud； indifferent neigh。
You see； it's so frightfully difficult when you've nobody。 You're so at
the mercy of things。 You can't just be rude。 And you've always this
horror of seeming inexperienced and stuffy like the other ninnies at the
Bay。 Andand it's fascinating to know you've power over people。 Yes；
that is fascinating。。。
Oh why； oh why doesn't 〃he〃 come soon？
If I go on living here； thought Beryl； anything may happen to me。
〃But how do you know he is coming at all？〃 mocked a small voice
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within her。
But Beryl dismissed it。 She couldn't be left。 Other people； perhaps；
but not she。 It wasn't possible to think that Beryl Fairfield never married；
that lovely fascinating girl。
〃Do you remember Beryl Fairfield？〃
〃Remember her！ As if I could forget her！ It was one summer at the
Bay that I saw her。 She was standing on the beach in a blue〃no； pink
〃muslin frock； holding on a big cream〃no； black〃straw hat。 But it's
years ago now。〃
〃She's as lovely as ever； more so if anything。〃
Beryl smiled； bit her lip； and gazed over the garden。 As she gazed；
she saw somebody； a man； leave the road； step along the paddock beside
their palings as if he was coming straight towards her。 Her heart beat。
Who was it？ Who could it be？ It couldn't be a burglar； certainly not a
burglar； for he was smoking and he strolled lightly。 Beryl's heart leapt； it
seemed to turn right over； and then to stop。 She recognized him。
〃Good evening； Miss Beryl；〃 said the voice softly。
〃Good evening。〃
〃Won't you come for a little walk？〃 it drawled。
Come for a walkat that time of night！ 〃I couldn't。 Everybody's in
bed。 Everybody's asleep。〃
〃Oh；〃 said the voice lightly； and a whiff of sweet smoke reached her。
〃What does everybody matter？ Do come！ It's such a fine night。
There's not a soul about。〃
Beryl shook her head。 But already something stirred in her；
something reared its head。
The voice said； 〃Frightened？〃 It mocked； 〃Poor little girl！〃
〃Not in the least；〃 said she。 As she spoke that weak thing within her
seemed to uncoil； to grow suddenly tremendously strong； she longed to
go！
And just as if this was quite understood by the other； the voice said；
gently and softly； but finally； 〃Come along！〃
Beryl stepped over her low window； crossed the veranda； ran down the
grass to the gate。 He was there before her。
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〃That's right；〃 breathed the voice； and it teased； 〃You're not frightened；
are you？ You're not frightened？〃
She was； now she was here she was terrified； and it seemed to her
everything was different。 The moonlight stared and glittered； the
shadows were like bars of iron。 Her hand was taken。
〃Not in the least；〃 she said lightly。 〃Why should I be？〃
Her hand was pulled gently； tugged。 She held back。
〃No； I'm not coming any farther；〃 said Beryl。
〃Oh； rot！〃 Harry Kember didn't believe her。 〃Come along！ We'll
just go as far as that fuchsia bush。 Come along！〃
The fuchsia bush was tall。 It fell over the fence in a shower。 There
was a little pit of darkness beneath。
〃No； really； I don't want to；〃 said Beryl。
For a moment Harry Kember didn't answer。 Then he came close to
her； turned to her； smiled and said quickly； 〃Don't be silly！ Don't be
silly！〃
His smile was something she'd never seen before。 Was he drunk？
That bright； blind； terrifying smile froze her with horror。 What was she
doing？ How had she got here？ the stern garden asked her as the gate
pushed open； and quick as a cat Harry Kember came through and snatched
her to him。
〃Cold little devil！ Cold little devil！〃 said the hateful voice。
But Beryl was strong。 She slipped； ducked； wrenched free。
〃You are vile； vile；〃 said she。
〃Then why in God's name did you come？〃 stammered Harry Kember。
Nobody answered him。
Chapter 1。XIII。
A cloud； small； serene； floated across the moon。 In that moment of
darkness the sea sounded deep； troubled。 Then the cloud sailed away；
and the sound of the sea was a vague murmur； as though it waked out of a
dark dream。 All was still。
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2。 THE GARDEN PARTY。
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 rosettes where the daisy plants had been seemed 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 the men came 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 honoured 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
having to arrange things； 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… bags 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。
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〃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； 〃Oherhave you comeis 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 won't 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 star
