the garden party(园会)-第13节
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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。 Let's try over 'This life is
Weary。'〃
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Pom！ Ta…ta…ta Tee…ta！ 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 Teara Sigh。 A Love that Chan…ges；
This Life is Wee…ary； A Teara 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； dreadfully
unsympathetic smile。
〃Aren't I in good voice； mummy？〃 she beamed。
〃This Life is Wee…ary； Hope comes to Die。 A Dreama 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 I'll let her have them 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 to…night？ Andand； 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 vividlycream cheese and lemon…curd。 Have you done that？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Egg and〃 Mrs。 Sheridan held the envelope away from her。 〃It
looks like mice。 It can't be mice； can it？〃
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〃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 one's 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 won't 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。
〃Let's 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； Godber's man and
Hans。
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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 Godber's man seemed to be
enjoying himself； it was his story。
〃What's the matter？ What's 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 just below here； 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 taking the body home as I come up here。〃 And he said to the
cook； 〃He's left a wife and five little ones。〃
〃Jose； come here。〃 Laura caught hold of her sister's 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
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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 Sheridans' chimneys。
Washerwomen 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 Sheridans 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 their prowls
sometimes walked through。 It was disgusting and sordid。 They came
out
