the garden party(园会)-第16节
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3。 THE DAUGHTERS OF THE
LATE COLONEL。
Chapter 3。I。
The week after was one of the busiest weeks of their lives。 Even
when they went to bed it was only their bodies that lay down and rested；
their minds went on； thinking things out； talking things over； wondering；
deciding； trying to remember where。。。
Constantia lay like a statue； her hands by her sides； her feet just
overlapping each other； the sheet up to her chin。 She stared at the ceiling。
〃Do you think father would mind if we gave his top…hat to the porter？〃
〃The porter？〃 snapped Josephine。 〃Why ever the porter？ What a
very extraordinary idea！〃
〃Because；〃 said Constantia slowly； 〃he must often have to go to
funerals。 And I noticed atat the cemetery that he only had a bowler。〃
She paused。 〃I thought then how very much he'd appreciate a top…hat。
We ought to give him a present； too。 He was always very nice to father。〃
〃But；〃 cried Josephine； flouncing on her pillow and staring across the
dark at Constantia； 〃father's head！〃 And suddenly； for one awful moment；
she nearly giggled。 Not； of course； that she felt in the least like giggling。
It must have been habit。 Years ago； when they had stayed awake at night
talking； their beds had simply heaved。 And now the porter's head；
disappearing； popped out； like a candle； under father's hat。。。The giggle
mounted； mounted； she clenched her hands； she fought it down； she
frowned fiercely at the dark and said 〃Remember〃 terribly sternly。
〃We can decide to…morrow；〃 she said。
Constantia had noticed nothing； she sighed。
〃Do you think we ought to have our dressing…gowns dyed as well？〃
〃Black？〃 almost shrieked Josephine。
〃Well； what else？〃 said Constantia。 〃I was thinkingit doesn't seem
quite sincere； in a way； to wear black out of doors and when we're fully
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dressed； and then when we're at home〃
〃But nobody sees us；〃 said Josephine。 She gave the bedclothes such
a twitch that both her feet became uncovered； and she had to creep up the
pillows to get them well under again。
〃Kate does；〃 said Constantia。 〃And the postman very well might。〃
Josephine thought of her dark…red slippers； which matched her
dressing… gown； and of Constantia's favourite indefinite green ones which
went with hers。 Black！ Two black dressing…gowns and two pairs of
black woolly slippers； creeping off to the bathroom like black cats。
〃I don't think it's absolutely necessary；〃 said she。
Silence。 Then Constantia said； 〃We shall have to post the papers with
the notice in them to…morrow to catch the Ceylon mail。。。How many letters
have we had up till now？〃
〃Twenty…three。〃
Josephine had replied to them all； and twenty…three times when she
came to 〃We miss our dear father so much〃 she had broken down and had
to use her handkerchief； and on some of them even to soak up a very light…
blue tear with an edge of blotting…paper。 Strange！ She couldn't have put
it onbut twenty…three times。 Even now； though； when she said over to
herself sadly 〃We miss our dear father so much；〃 she could have cried if
she'd wanted to。
〃Have you got enough stamps？〃 came from Constantia。
〃Oh； how can I tell？〃 said Josephine crossly。 〃What's the good of
asking me that now？〃
〃I was just wondering；〃 said Constantia mildly。
Silence again。 There came a little rustle； a scurry； a hop。
〃A mouse；〃 said Constantia。
〃It can't be a mouse because there aren't any crumbs；〃 said Josephine。
〃But it doesn't know there aren't；〃 said Constantia。
A spasm of pity squeezed her heart。 Poor little thing！ She wished
she'd left a tiny piece of biscuit on the dressing…table。 It was awful to
think of it not finding anything。 What would it do？
〃I can't think how they manage to live at all；〃 she said slowly。
〃Who？〃 demanded Josephine。
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And Constantia said more loudly than she meant to； 〃Mice。〃
Josephine was furious。 〃Oh； what nonsense； Con！〃 she said。 〃What
have mice got to do with it？ You're asleep。〃
〃I don't think I am；〃 said Constantia。 She shut her eyes to make sure。
She was。
Josephine arched her spine； pulled up her knees； folded her arms so
that her fists came under her ears； and pressed her cheek hard against the
pillow。
Chapter 3。II。
Another thing which complicated matters was they had Nurse
Andrews staying on with them that week。 It was their own fault； they
had asked her。 It was Josephine's idea。 On the morningwell； on the
last morning； when the doctor had gone； Josephine had said to Constantia；
〃Don't you think it would be rather nice if we asked Nurse Andrews to
stay on for a week as our guest？〃
〃Very nice；〃 said Constantia。
〃I thought；〃 went on Josephine quickly； 〃I should just say this
afternoon； after I've paid her； 'My sister and I would be very pleased； after
all you've done for us； Nurse Andrews； if you would stay on for a week as
our guest。' I'd have to put that in about being our guest in case〃
〃Oh； but she could hardly expect to be paid！〃 cried Constantia。
〃One never knows；〃 said Josephine sagely。
Nurse Andrews had； of course； jumped at the idea。 But it was a
bother。 It meant they had to have regular sit…down meals at the proper
times； whereas if they'd been alone they could just have asked Kate if she
wouldn't have minded bringing them a tray wherever they were。 And
meal…times now that the strain was over were rather a trial。
Nurse Andrews was simply fearful about butter。 Really they couldn't
help feeling that about butter； at least； she took advantage of their kindness。
And she had that maddening habit of asking for just an inch more of bread
to finish what she had on her plate； and then； at the last mouthful； absent…
mindedlyof course it wasn't absent…mindedlytaking another helping。
Josephine got very red when this happened； and she fastened her small；
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bead…like eyes on the tablecloth as if she saw a minute strange insect
creeping through the web of it。 But Constantia's long； pale face
lengthened and set； and she gazed awayawayfar over the desert； to
where that line of camels unwound like a thread of wool。。。
〃When I was with Lady Tukes；〃 said Nurse Andrews； 〃she had such a
dainty little contrayvance for the buttah。 It was a silvah Cupid balanced
on theon the bordah of a glass dish； holding a tayny fork。 And when
you wanted some buttah you simply pressed his foot and he bent down
and speared you a piece。 It was quite a gayme。〃
Josephine could hardly bear that。 But 〃I think those things are very
extravagant〃 was all she said。
〃But whey？〃 asked Nurse Andrews； beaming through her eyeglasses。
〃No one； surely； would take more buttah than one wantedwould one？〃
〃Ring； Con；〃 cried Josephine。 She couldn't trust herself to reply。
And proud young Kate； the enchanted princess； came in to see what
the old tabbies wanted now。 She snatched away their plates of mock
something or other and slapped down a white； terrified blancmange。
〃Jam； please； Kate；〃 said Josephine kindly。
Kate knelt and burst open the sideboard； lifted the lid of the jam…pot；
saw it was empty； put it on the table； and stalked off。
〃I'm afraid；〃 said Nurse Andrews a moment later； 〃there isn't any。〃
〃Oh； what a bother！〃 said Josephine。 She bit her lip。 〃What had we
better do？〃
Constantia looked dubious。 〃We can't disturb K
