the garden party(园会)-第15节
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creature some of this 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。〃
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〃But； mother； do you really think it's 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
you 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 lace 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 their 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！ She looked up at the
pale sky； and all she thought was； 〃Yes； it was the most successful party。〃
Now the broad road 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 streamerif only it was another
hat！ Were the people looking at her？ They must be。 It was a mistake
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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。 Scott's 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 it 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 wretched little low kitchen； lighted by a smoky
lamp。 There was a woman sitting before the fire。
〃Em；〃 said the little creature who had let her in。 〃Em！ It's a young
lady。〃 She turned to Laura。 She said meaningly； 〃I'm 'er sister； miss。
You'll excuse 'er； won't you？〃
〃Oh； but of course！〃 said Laura。 〃Please； please don't disturb her。 I…
…I only want to leave〃
But at that moment the woman at the fire turned 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？
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What was it all about？ And the poor face puckered up again。
〃All right； my dear；〃 said the other。 〃I'll thenk the young lady。〃
And again she began； 〃You'll excuse her； miss； I'm sure；〃 and her face；
swollen too； tried an oily smile。
Laura only wanted to get out； to get away。 She was 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 be afraid； my lass；〃and now
her voice sounded fond and sly； and fondly she drew down the sheet〃'e
looks a picture。 There's nothing to show。 Come along； my dear。〃
Laura came。
There lay a young man； fast asleepsleeping 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。
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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。
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3。 THE DAUGHTERS OF THE
LATE COLONEL。
Chapter 3。I。
