fraternity-第23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！
〃She looked ever so much prettier in it than she used to in her old brown skirt； I thought 。。。。 Uncle Hilary came to dinner last night。 We talked of social questions； we always discuss things when he comes。 I can't help liking Uncle Hilary； he has such kind eyes； and he's so gentle that you never lose your temper with him。 Martin calls him weak and unsatisfactory because he's not in touch with life。 I should say it was more as if he couldn't bear to force anyone to do anything； he seems to see both sides of every question； and he's not good at making up his mind； of course。 He's rather like Hamlet might have been； only nobody seems to know now what Hamlet was really like。 I told him what I thought about the lower classes。 One can talk to him。 I hate father's way of making feeble little jokes； as if nothing were serious。 I said I didn't think it was any use to dabble； we ought to go to the root of everything。 I said that money and class distinctions are two bogeys we have got to lay。 Martin says； when it comes to real dealing with social questions and the poor； all the people we know are amateurs。 He says that we have got to shake ourselves free of all the old sentimental notions； and just work at putting everything to the test of Health。 Father calls Martin a 'Sanitist'；； and Uncle Hilary says that if you wash people by law they'll all be as dirty again tomorrow。。。。〃
Thyme paused again。 A blackbird in the garden of the Square was uttering a long； low； chuckling trill。 She ran to the window and peeped out。 The bird was on a plane…tree； and； with throat uplifted； was letting through his yellow beak that delicious piece of self… expression。 All things he seemed to praisethe sky； the sun； the trees； the dewy grass； himself：
'You darling！' thought Thyme。 With a shudder of delight she dropped her notebook back into the drawer； flung off her nightgown； and flew into her bath。
That same morning she slipped out quietly at ten o'clock。 Her Saturdays were free of classes； but she had to run the gauntlet of her mother's liking for her company and her father's wish for her to go with him to Richmond and play golf。
For on Saturdays Stephen almost always left the precincts of the Courts before three o'clock。 Then； if he could induce his wife or daughter to accompany him； he liked to get a round or two in preparation for Sunday； when he always started off at half…past ten and played all day。 If Cecilia and Thyme failed him； he would go to his club； and keep himself in touch with every kind of social movement by reading the reviews。
Thyme walked along with her head up and a wrinkle in her brow； as though she were absorbed in serious reflection； if admiring glances were flung at her； she did not seem aware of them。 Passing not far from Hilary's； she entered the Broad Walk； and crossed it to the farther end。
On a railing； stretching out his long legs and observing the passers… by； sat her cousin； Martin Stone。 He got down as she came up。
〃Late again；〃 he said。 〃Come on！〃
〃Where are we going first？〃 Thyme asked。
〃The Notting Hill district's all we can do to…day if we're to go again to Mrs。 Hughs'。 I must be down at the hospital this afternoon。〃
Thyme frowned。 〃I do envy you living by yourself； Martin。 It's silly having to live at home。〃
Martin did not answer； but one nostril of his long nose was seen to curve； and Thyme acquiesced in this without remark。 They walked for some minutes between tall houses； looking about them calmly。 Then Martin said： 〃All Purceys round here。〃
Thyme nodded。 Again there was silence； but in these pauses there was no embarrassment； no consciousness apparently that it was silence； and their eyesthose young； impatient； interested eyeswere for ever busy observing。
〃Boundary line。 We shall be in a patch directly。〃
〃Black？〃 asked Thyme。
〃Dark blueblack farther on。〃
They were passing down a long； grey； curving road； whose narrow houses； hopelessly unpainted； showed marks of grinding poverty。 The Spring wind was ruffling straw and little bits of paper in the gutters； under the bright sunlight a bleak and bitter struggle seemed raging。 Thyme said：
〃This street gives me a hollow feeling。〃
Martin nodded。 〃 Worse than the real article。 There's half a mile of this。 Here it's all grim fighting。 Farther on they've given it up。〃
And still they went on up the curving street； with its few pinched shops and its unending narrow grimness。
At the corner of a by…street Martin said： 〃We'll go down here。〃
Thyme stood still； wrinkling her nose。 Martin eyed her。
〃Don't funk！〃
〃I'm not funking； Martin； only I can't stand the smells。〃
〃You'll have to get used to them。〃
〃Yes； I know； butbut I forgot my eucalyptus。〃
The young man took out a handkerchief which had not yet been unfolded。
〃Here； take mine。〃
〃They do make me feel soit's a shame to take yours；〃 and she took the handkerchief。
〃That's all right；〃 said Martin。 〃Come on！〃
The houses of this narrow street； inside and out； seemed full of women。 Many of them had babies in their arms； they were working or looking out of windows or gossiping on doorsteps。 And all stopped to stare as the young couple passed。 Thyme stole a look at her companion。 His long stride had not varied； there was the usual pale； observant； sarcastic expression on his face。 Clenching the handkerchief in readiness； and trying to imitate his callous air； she looked at a group of five women on the nearest doorstep。
Three were seated and two were standing。 One of these； a young woman with a round； open face； was clearly very soon to have a child； the other； with a short； dark face and iron…grey； straggling hair； was smoking a clay pipe。 Of the three seated； one； quite young； had a face as grey white as a dirty sheet； and a blackened eye； the second； with her ragged dress disarranged； was nursing a baby； the third； in the centre； on the top step； with red arms akimbo； her face scored with drink； was shouting friendly obscenities to a neighbour in the window opposite。 In Thyme's heart rose the passionate feeling； 'How disgusting！ how disgusting！' and since she did not dare to give expression to it； she bit her lips and turned her head from them； resenting； with all a young girl's horror； that her sex had given her away。 The women stared at her； and in those faces； according to their different temperaments； could be seen first the same vague； hard interest that had been Thyme's when she first looked at them； then the same secret hostility and criticism； as though they too felt that by this young girl's untouched modesty； by her gushed cheeks and unsoiled clothes； their sex had given them away。 With contemptuous movements of their lips and bodies； on that doorstep they proclaimed their emphatic belief in the virtue and reality of their own existences and in the vice and unreality of her intruding presence。
〃Give the doll to Bill； 'e'd make 'er work for once； the…〃 In a burst of laughter the epithet was lost。
Martin's lips curled。
〃Purple just here；〃 he said。
Thyme's cheeks were crimson。
At the end of the little street he stopped before a shop。
〃Come on；〃 he said； 〃you'll see the sort of place where they buy their grub。〃
In the doorway were standing a thin brown spaniel； a small fair woman with a high； bald forehead； from which the hair was gleaned into curlpapers； and a little girl with some affection of the skin。
Nodding coolly； Martin motioned them aside。 The shop was ten feet square； its counters； running parallel to two of the walls； were covered with plates of cake； sausages； old ham…bones； peppermint sweets； and household soap； there was also bread； margarine； suet in bowls； sugar； bloatersmany bloatersCaptain's biscuits； and other things besides。 Two or three dead rabbits hung against the wall。 All was uncovered； so that what flies there were sat feeding socialistically。 Behind the counter a girl of seventeen was serving a thin…faced woman with portions of a cheese which she was holding down with her strong； dirty hand； while she sawed it with a knife。 On the counter； next the cheese； sat a quiet…looking cat。
They all glanced round at the two young people； who st
