the garden party(园会)-第41节
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ourselves！〃 And he rang the bell hard for some one to look sharp with
the luggage。
。。。
Walking down the wharf together she took his arm。 He had her on
his arm again。 And the difference it made to get into the cab after Janey
to throw the red…and…yellow striped blanket round them bothto tell the
driver to hurry because neither of them had had any tea。 No more going
without his tea or pouring out his own。 She was back。 He turned to her；
squeezed her hand； and said gently； teasingly； in the 〃special〃 voice he had
for her： 〃Glad to be home again； dearie？〃 She smiled； she didn't even
bother to answer； but gently she drew his hand away as they came to the
brighter streets。
〃We've got the best room in the hotel；〃 he said。 〃I wouldn't be put off
with another。 And I asked the chambermaid to put in a bit of a fire in
case you felt chilly。 She's a nice； attentive girl。 And I thought now we
were here we wouldn't bother to go home to…morrow； but spend the day
looking round and leave the morning after。 Does that suit you？ There's
no hurry； is there？ The children will have you soon enough。。。I thought a
day's sight…seeing might make a nice break in your journeyeh； Janey？〃
〃Have you taken the tickets for the day after？〃 she asked。
〃I should think I have！〃 He unbuttoned his overcoat and took out his
bulging pocket…book。 〃Here we are！ I reserved a first…class carriage to
Cooktown。 There it is'Mr。 and Mrs。 John Hammond。' I thought we
might as well do ourselves comfortably； and we don't want other people
butting in； do we？ But if you'd like to stop here a bit longer？〃
〃Oh； no！〃 said Janey quickly。 〃Not for the world！ The day after to…
morrow； then。 And the children〃
But they had reached the hotel。 The manager was standing in the
broad； brilliantly…lighted porch。 He came down to greet them。 A porter
ran from the hall for their boxes。
〃Well； Mr。 Arnold； here's Mrs。 Hammond at last！〃
The manager led them through the hall himself and pressed the
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elevator… bell。 Hammond knew there were business pals of his sitting at
the little hall tables having a drink before dinner。 But he wasn't going to
risk interruption； he looked neither to the right nor the left。 They could
think what they pleased。 If they didn't understand； the more fools they
and he stepped out of the lift； unlocked the door of their room； and
shepherded Janey in。 The door shut。 Now； at last； they were alone
together。 He turned up the light。 The curtains were drawn； the fire
blazed。 He flung his hat on to the huge bed and went towards her。
Butwould you believe it！again they were interrupted。 This time it
was the porter with the luggage。 He made two journeys of it； leaving the
door open in between； taking his time； whistling through his teeth in the
corridor。 Hammond paced up and down the room； tearing off his gloves；
tearing off his scarf。 Finally he flung his overcoat on to the bedside。
At last the fool was gone。 The door clicked。 Now they were alone。
Said Hammond： 〃I feel I'll never have you to myself again。 These
cursed people！ Janey〃and he bent his flushed； eager gaze upon her
〃let's have dinner up here。 If we go down to the restaurant we'll be
interrupted； and then there's the confounded music〃 （the music he'd
praised so highly； applauded so loudly last night！）。 〃We shan't be able to
hear each other speak。 Let's have something up here in front of the fire。
It's too late for tea。 I'll order a little supper； shall I？ How does that idea
strike you？〃
〃Do； darling！〃 said Janey。 〃And while you're awaythe children's
letters〃
〃Oh； later on will do！〃 said Hammond。
〃But then we'd get it over；〃 said Janey。 〃And I'd first have time to〃
〃Oh； I needn't go down！〃 explained Hammond。 〃I'll just ring and
give the order。。。you don't want to send me away； do you？〃
Janey shook her head and smiled。
〃But you're thinking of something else。 You're worrying about
something；〃 said Hammond。 〃What is it？ Come and sit herecome and
sit on my knee before the fire。〃
〃I'll just unpin my hat；〃 said Janey； and she went over to the dressing…
table。 〃A…ah！〃 She gave a little cry。
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〃What is it？〃
〃Nothing； darling。 I've just found the children's letters。 That's all
right！ They will keep。 No hurry now！〃 She turned to him； clasping
them。 She tucked them into her frilled blouse。 She cried quickly； gaily：
〃Oh； how typical this dressing…table is of you！〃
〃Why？ What's the matter with it？〃 said Hammond。
〃If it were floating in eternity I should say 'John！'〃 laughed Janey；
staring at the big bottle of hair tonic； the wicker bottle of eau…de… Cologne；
the two hair…brushes； and a dozen new collars tied with pink tape。 〃Is
this all your luggage？〃
〃Hang my luggage！〃 said Hammond； but all the same he liked being
laughed at by Janey。 〃Let's talk。 Let's get down to things。 Tell me〃
and as Janey perched on his knees he leaned back and drew her into the
deep； ugly chair… …〃tell me you're really glad to be back； Janey。〃
〃Yes； darling； I am glad；〃 she said。
But just as when he embraced her he felt she would fly away； so
Hammond never knewnever knew for dead certain that she was as glad
as he was。 How could he know？ Would he ever know？ Would he
always have this craving… …this pang like hunger； somehow； to make Janey
so much part of him that there wasn't any of her to escape？ He wanted to
blot out everybody； everything。 He wished now he'd turned off the light。
That might have brought her nearer。 And now those letters from the
children rustled in her blouse。 He could have chucked them into the fire。
〃Janey；〃 he whispered。
〃Yes； dear？〃 She lay on his breast； but so lightly； so remotely。 Their
breathing rose and fell together。
〃Janey！〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Turn to me；〃 he whispered。 A slow； deep flush flowed into his
forehead。 〃Kiss me； Janey！ You kiss me！〃
It seemed to him there was a tiny pausebut long enough for him to
suffer torturebefore her lips touched his； firmly； lightlykissing them as
she always kissed him； as though the kisshow could he describe it？
confirmed what they were saying； signed the contract。 But that wasn't
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what he wanted； that wasn't at all what he thirsted for。 He felt suddenly；
horrible tired。
〃If you knew；〃 he said； opening his eyes； 〃what it's been likewaiting
to… day。 I thought the boat never would come in。 There we were；
hanging about。 What kept you so long？〃
She made no answer。 She was looking away from him at the fire。
The flames hurriedhurried over the coals； flickered； fell。
〃Not asleep； are you？〃 said Hammond； and he jumped her up and
down。
〃No；〃 she said。 And then： 〃Don't do that； dear。 No； I was thinking。
As a matter of fact；〃 she said； 〃one of the passengers died last nighta
man。 That's what held us up。 We brought him inI mean； he wasn't
buried at sea。 So； of course； the ship's doctor and the shore doctor〃
〃What was it？〃 asked Hammond uneasily。 He hated to hear of death。
He hated this to have happened。 It was； in some queer way； as though he
and Janey had met a funeral on their way to the hotel。
〃Oh； it wasn't anything in the least infec
