the garden party(园会)-第39章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ye？〃 And Miss Brill smoothed the newspaper as though it were the
manuscript of her part and said gently； 〃Yes； I have been an actress for a
long time。〃
The band had been having a rest。 Now they started again。 And
what they played was warm； sunny； yet there was just a faint chilla
something； what was it？not sadnessno； not sadnessa something that
made you want to sing。 The tune lifted； lifted； the light shone； and it
seemed to Miss Brill that in another moment all of them； all the whole
company； would begin singing。 The young ones； the laughing ones who
were moving together； they would begin； and the men's voices； very
resolute and brave； would join them。 And then she too； she too； and the
others on the benchesthey would come in with a kind of accompaniment…
…something low； that scarcely rose or fell； something so beautiful
moving。。。And Miss Brill's eyes filled with tears and she looked smiling at
all the other members of the company。 Yes； we understand； we
120
… Page 121…
The Garden Party
understand； she thoughtthough what they understood she didn't know。
Just at that moment a boy and girl came and sat down where the old
couple had been。 They were beautifully dressed； they were in love。
The hero and heroine； of course； just arrived from his father's yacht。 And
still soundlessly singing； still with that trembling smile； Miss Brill
prepared to listen。
〃No； not now；〃 said the girl。 〃Not here； I can't。〃
〃But why？ Because of that stupid old thing at the end there？〃 asked
the boy。 〃Why does she come here at allwho wants her？ Why doesn't
she keep her silly old mug at home？〃
〃It's her fu…ur which is so funny；〃 giggled the girl。 〃It's exactly like a
fried whiting。〃
〃Ah； be off with you！〃 said the boy in an angry whisper。 Then：
〃Tell me； ma petite chere〃
〃No； not here；〃 said the girl。 〃Not yet。〃
。。。 On her way home she
usually bought a slice of honey…cake at the baker's。 It was her Sunday
treat。 Sometimes there was an almond in her slice； sometimes not。 It
made a great difference。 If there was an almond it was like carrying
home a tiny presenta surprisesomething that might very well not have
been there。 She hurried on the almond Sundays and struck the match for
the kettle in quite a dashing way。
But to…day she passed the baker's by； climbed the stairs； went into the
little dark roomher room like a cupboardand sat down on the red
eiderdown。 She sat there for a long time。 The box that the fur came out
of was on the bed。 She unclasped the necklet quickly； quickly； without
looking； laid it inside。 But when she put the lid on she thought she heard
something crying。
121
… Page 122…
The Garden Party
10。 HER FIRST BALL。
Exactly when the ball began Leila would have found it hard to say。
Perhaps her first real partner was the cab。 It did not matter that she
shared the cab with the Sheridan girls and their brother。 She sat back in
her own little corner of it； and the bolster on which her hand rested felt
like the sleeve of an unknown young man's dress suit； and away they
bowled； past waltzing lamp…posts and houses and fences and trees。
〃Have you really never been to a ball before； Leila？ But； my child；
how too weird〃 cried the Sheridan girls。
〃Our nearest neighbour was fifteen miles；〃 said Leila softly； gently
opening and shutting her fan。
Oh dear； how hard it was to be indifferent like the others！ She tried
not to smile too much； she tried not to care。 But every single thing was
so new and exciting 。。。Meg's tuberoses； Jose's long loop of amber； Laura's
little dark head； pushing above her white fur like a flower through snow。
She would remember for ever。 It even gave her a pang to see her cousin
Laurie throw away the wisps of tissue paper he pulled from the fastenings
of his new gloves。 She would like to have kept those wisps as a keepsake；
as a remembrance。 Laurie leaned forward and put his hand on Laura's
knee。
〃Look here； darling；〃 he said。 〃The third and the ninth as usual。
Twig？〃
Oh； how marvellous to have a brother！ In her excitement Leila felt
that if there had been time； if it hadn't been impossible； she couldn't have
helped crying because she was an only child； and no brother had ever said
〃Twig？〃 to her； no sister would ever say； as Meg said to Jose that moment；
〃I've never known your hair go up more successfully than it has to…night！〃
But； of course； there was no time。 They were at the drill hall already；
there were cabs in front of them and cabs behind。 The road was bright on
either side with moving fan…like lights； and on the pavement gay couples
seemed to float through the air； little satin shoes chased each other like
birds。
〃Hold on to me； Leila； you'll get lost；〃 said Laura。
122
… Page 123…
The Garden Party
〃Come on； girls； let's make a dash for it；〃 said Laurie。
Leila put two fingers on Laura's pink velvet cloak； and they were
somehow lifted past the big golden lantern； carried along the passage； and
pushed into the little room marked 〃Ladies。〃 Here the crowd was so
great there was hardly space to take off their things； the noise was
deafening。 Two benches on either side were stacked high with wraps。
Two old women in white aprons ran up and down tossing fresh armfuls。
And everybody was pressing forward trying to get at the little dressing…
table and mirror at the far end。
A great quivering jet of gas lighted the ladies' room。 It couldn't wait；
it was dancing already。 When the door opened again and there came a
burst of tuning from the drill hall； it leaped almost to the ceiling。
Dark girls； fair girls were patting their hair； tying ribbons again；
tucking handkerchiefs down the fronts of their bodices； smoothing marble…
white gloves。 And because they were all laughing it seemed to Leila that
they were all lovely。
〃Aren't there any invisible hair…pins？〃 cried a voice。 〃How most
extraordinary！ I can't see a single invisible hair…pin。〃
〃Powder my back； there's a darling；〃 cried some one else。 〃But I
must have a needle and cotton。 I've torn simply miles and miles of the
frill；〃 wailed a third。
Then； 〃Pass them along； pass them along！〃 The straw basket of
programmes was tossed from arm to arm。 Darling little pink…and…silver
programmes； with pink pencils and fluffy tassels。 Leila's fingers shook
as she took one out of the basket。 She wanted to
