beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第35章
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THE DREAMER
IT was the season of sales。 The august establishment of Walpurgis
and Nettlepink had lowered its prices for an entire week as a concession
to trade observances； much as an Arch…duchess might protestingly
contract an attack of influenza for the unsatisfactory reason that
influenza was locally prevalent。 Adela Chemping； who considered
herself in some measure superior to the allurements of an ordinary
bargain sale； made a point of attending the reduction week at Walpurgis
and Nettlepink's。
〃I'm not a bargain hunter；〃 she said； 〃but I like to go where bargains
are。〃
Which showed that beneath her surface strength of character there
flowed a gracious undercurrent of human weakness。
With a view to providing herself with a male escort Mrs。 Chemping
had invited her youngest nephew to accompany her on the first day of
the shopping expedition； throwing in the additional allurement of a
cinematograph theatre and the prospect of light refreshment。 As
Cyprian was not yet eighteen she hoped he might not have reached that
stage in masculine development when parcel…carrying is looked on as a
thing abhorrent。
〃Meet me just outside the floral department；〃 she wrote to him； 〃and
don't be a moment later than eleven。〃
Cyprian was a boy who carried with him through early life the
wondering look of a dreamer； the eyes of one who sees things that are
not visible to ordinary mortals； and invests the commonplace things of
this world with qualities unsuspected by plainer folk … the eyes of a
poet or a house agent。 He was quietly dressed … that sartorial quietude
which frequently accompanies early adolescence； and is usually
attributed by novel…writers to the influence of a widowed mother。 His
hair was brushed back in a smoothness as of ribbon seaweed and
seamed with a narrow furrow that scarcely aimed at being a parting。
His aunt particularly noted this item of his toilet when they met at the
appointed rendezvous； because he was standing waiting for her bare…
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headed。
〃Where is your hat？〃 she asked。
〃I didn't bring one with me；〃 he replied。
Adela Chemping was slightly scandalised。
〃You are not going to be what they call a Nut； are you？〃 she inquired
with some anxiety； partly with the idea that a Nut would be an
extravagance which her sister's small household would scarcely be
justified in incurring； partly； perhaps； with the instinctive apprehension
that a Nut； even in its embryo stage； would refuse to carry parcels。
Cyprian looked at her with his wondering； dreamy eyes。
〃I didn't bring a hat；〃 he said； 〃because it is such a nuisance when
one is shopping； I mean it is so awkward if one meets anyone one knows
and has to take one's hat off when one's hands are full of parcels。 If one
hasn't got a hat on one can't take it off。〃
Mrs。 Chemping sighed with great relief； her worst fear had been laid
at rest。
〃It is more orthodox to wear a hat；〃 she observed； and then turned
her attention briskly to the business in hand。
〃We will go first to the table…linen counter；〃 she said； leading the
way in that direction； 〃I should like to look at some napkins。〃
The wondering look deepened in Cyprian's eyes as he followed his
aunt； he belonged to a generation that is supposed to be over…fond of the
role of mere spectator； but looking at napkins that one did not mean to
buy was a pleasure beyond his comprehension。 Mrs。 Chemping held
one or two napkins up to the light and stared fixedly at them； as though
she half expected to find some revolutionary cypher written on them in
scarcely visible ink； then she suddenly broke away in the direction of the
glassware department。
〃Millicent asked me to get her a couple of decanters if there were
any going really cheap；〃 she explained on the way； 〃and I really do want
a salad bowl。 I can come back to the napkins later on。〃
She handled and scrutinised a large number of decanters and a long
series of salad bowls； and finally bought seven chrysanthemum vases。
〃No one uses that kind of vase nowadays；〃 she informed Cyprian；
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〃but they will do for presents next Christmas。〃
Two sunshades that were marked down to a price that Mrs。
Chemping considered absurdly cheap were added to her purchases。
〃One of them will do for Ruth Colson； she is going out to the Malay
States； and a sunshade will always be useful there。 And I must get her
some thin writing paper。 It takes up no room in one's baggage。〃
Mrs。 Chemping bought stacks of writing paper； it was so cheap； and
it went so flat in a trunk or portmanteau。 She also bought a few
envelopes … envelopes somehow seemed rather an extragavance
compared with notepaper。
〃Do you think Ruth will like blue or grey paper？〃 she asked Cyprian。
〃Grey；〃 said Cyprian； who had never met the lady in question。
〃Have you any mauve notepaper of this quality？〃 Adela asked the
assistant。
〃We haven't any mauve；〃 said the assistant； 〃but we've two shades of
green and a darker shade of grey。〃
Mrs。 Chemping inspected the greens and the darker grey； and chose
the blue。
〃Now we can have some lunch；〃 she said。
Cyprian behaved in an exemplary fashion in the refreshment
department； and cheerfully accepted a fish cake and a mince pie and a
small cup of coffee as adequate restoratives after two hours of
concentrated shopping。 He was adamant； however； in resisting his
aunt's suggestion that a hat should be bought for him at the counter
where men's headwear was being disposed of at temptingly reduced
prices。
〃I've got as many hats as I want at home；〃 he said； 〃and besides； it
rumples one's hair so； trying them on。〃
Perhaps he was going to develop into a Nut after all。 It was a
disquieting symptom that he left all the parcels in charge of the cloak…
room attendant。
〃We shall be getting more parcels presently；〃 he said； 〃so we need
not collect these till we have finished our shopping。〃
His aunt was doubtfully appeased； some of the pleasure and
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excitement of a shopp
