beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第58章
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cat that lay in considerable ease in a corner of the divan。 〃He lies there；
purring and dreaming； shifting his limbs now and then in an ecstasy of
cushioned comfort。 He seems the incarnation of everything soft and
silky and velvety； without a sharp edge in his composition； a dreamer
whose philosophy is sleep and let sleep； and then； as evening draws on；
he goes out into the garden with a red glint in his eyes and slays a
drowsy sparrow。〃
〃As every pair of sparrows hatches out ten or more young ones in the
year； while their food supply remains stationary； it is just as well that the
Attabs of the community should have that idea of how to pass an
amusing afternoon；〃 said Gregory。 Having delivered himself of this
sage comment he lit another cigarette； bade Jocantha a playfully
affectionate good…bye； and departed into the outer world。
〃Remember； dinner's a wee bit earlier to…night； as we're going to the
Haymarket；〃 she called after him。
Left to herself； Jocantha continued the process of looking at her life
with placid； introspective eyes。 If she had not everything she wanted in
this world； at least she was very well pleased with what she had got。
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She was very well pleased； for instance； with the snuggery； which
contrived somehow to be cosy and dainty and expensive all at once。
The porcelain was rare and beautiful； the Chinese enamels took on
wonderful tints in the firelight； the rugs and hangings led the eye through
sumptuous harmonies of colouring。 It was a room in which one might
have suitably entertained an ambassador or an archbishop； but it was
also a room in which one could cut out pictures for a scrap…book without
feeling that one was scandalising the deities of the place with one's litter。
And as with the snuggery； so with the rest of the house； and as with the
house； so with the other departments of Jocantha's life； she really had
good reason for being one of the most contented women in Chelsea。
From being in a mood of simmering satisfaction with her lot she
passed to the phase of being generously commiserating for those
thousands around her whose lives and circumstances were dull； cheap；
pleasureless； and empty。 Work girls； shop assistants and so forth； the
class that have neither the happy…go…lucky freedom of the poor nor the
leisured freedom of the rich； came specially within the range of her
sympathy。 It was sad to think that there were young people who； after
a long day's work； had to sit alone in chill； dreary bedrooms because
they could not afford the price of a cup of coffee and a sandwich in a
restaurant； still less a shilling for a theatre gallery。
Jocantha's mind was still dwelling on this theme when she started
forth on an afternoon campaign of desultory shopping； it would be rather
a comforting thing； she told herself； if she could do something； on the
spur of the moment； to bring a gleam of pleasure and interest into the life
of even one or two wistful… hearted； empty…pocketed workers； it would add
a good deal to her sense of enjoyment at the theatre that night。 She
would get two upper circle tickets for a popular play； make her way into
some cheap tea…shop； and present the tickets to the first couple of
interesting work girls with whom she could casually drop into
conversation。 She could explain matters by saying that she was unable
to use the tickets herself and did not want them to be wasted； and； on
the other hand； did not want the trouble of sending them back。 On
further reflection she decided that it might be better to get only one
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ticket and give it to some lonely…looking girl sitting eating her frugal
meal by herself； the girl might scrape acquaintance with her next…seat
neighbour at the theatre and lay the foundations of a lasting friendship。
With the Fairy Godmother impulse strong upon her； Jocantha
marched into a ticket agency and selected with immense care an upper
circle seat for the 〃Yellow Peacock；〃 a play that was attracting a
considerable amount of discussion and criticism。 Then she went forth
in search of a tea…shop and philanthropic adventure； at about the same
time that Attab sauntered into the garden with a mind attuned to sparrow
stalking。 In a corner of an A。B。C。 shop she found an unoccupied table；
whereat she promptly installed herself； impelled by the fact that at the
next table was sitting a young girl； rather plain of feature； with tired；
listless eyes； and a general air of uncomplaining forlornness。 Her dress
was of poor material； but aimed at being in the fashion； her hair was
pretty； and her complexion bad； she was finishing a modest meal of tea
and scone； and she was not very different in her way from thousands of
other girls who were finishing； or beginning； or continuing their teas in
London tea…shops at that exact moment。 The odds were enormously in
favour of the supposition that she had never seen the 〃Yellow Peacock〃；
obviously she supplied excellent material for Jocantha's first experiment
in haphazard benefaction。
Jocantha ordered some tea and a muffin； and then turned a friendly
scrutiny on her neighbour with a view to catching her eye。 At that
precise moment the girl's face lit up with sudden pleasure； her eyes
sparkled； a flush came into her cheeks； and she looked almost pretty。
A young man； whom she greeted with an affectionate 〃Hullo； Bertie；〃
came up to her table and took his seat in a chair facing her。 Jocantha
looked hard at the new… comer； he was in appearance a few years younger
than herself； very much better looking than Gregory； rather better
looking； in fact； than any of the young men of her set。 She guessed him
to be a well…mannered young clerk in some wholesale warehouse；
existing and amusing himself as best he might on a tiny salary； and
commanding a holiday of about two weeks in the year。 He was aware；
of course； of his good looks； but with the shy self… consciousness of the
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Anglo…Saxon； not the blatant complacency of the Latin or Semite。 He
