the garden party(园会)-第26节
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But noshe wouldn't do that。 Good heavens； no！ Hennie could stay。
She couldn't bear sitting in a car。 She'd wait on the steps。
〃But I scarcely like to leave you；〃 I murmured。 〃I'd very much rather
not leave you here。〃
At that she threw back her coat； she turned and faced me； her lips
parted。 〃Good heavenswhy！ II don't mind it a bit。 II like
waiting。〃 And suddenly her cheeks crimsoned； her eyes grew darkfor a
moment I thought she was going to cry。 〃Llet me； please；〃 she
stammered； in a warm； eager voice。 〃I like it。 I love waiting！ Really
really I do！ I'm always waitingin all kinds of places。。。〃
Her dark coat fell open； and her white throatall her soft young body
in the blue dresswas like a flower that is just emerging from its dark bud。
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6。 LIFE OF MA PARKER。
When the literary gentleman； whose flat old Ma Parker cleaned every
Tuesday； opened the door to her that morning； he asked after her grandson。
Ma Parker stood on the doormat inside the dark little hall； and she
stretched out her hand to help her gentleman shut the door before she
replied。 〃We buried 'im yesterday； sir；〃 she said quietly。
〃Oh； dear me！ I'm sorry to hear that；〃 said the literary gentleman in a
shocked tone。 He was in the middle of his breakfast。 He wore a very
shabby dressing…gown and carried a crumpled newspaper in one hand。
But he felt awkward。 He could hardly go back to the warm sitting…room
without saying somethingsomething more。 Then because these people
set such store by funerals he said kindly； 〃I hope the funeral went off all
right。〃
〃Beg parding； sir？〃 said old Ma Parker huskily。
Poor old bird！ She did look dashed。 〃I hope the funeral was aa
success；〃 said he。 Ma Parker gave no answer。 She bent her head and
hobbled off to the kitchen； clasping the old fish bag that held her cleaning
things and an apron and a pair of felt shoes。 The literary gentleman
raised his eyebrows and went back to his breakfast。
〃Overcome； I suppose；〃 he said aloud； helping himself to the
marmalade。
Ma Parker drew the two jetty spears out of her toque and hung it
behind the door。 She unhooked her worn jacket and hung that up too。
Then she tied her apron and sat down to take off her boots。 To take off
her boots or to put them on was an agony to her； but it had been an agony
for years。 In fact； she was so accustomed to the pain that her face was
drawn and screwed up ready for the twinge before she'd so much as untied
the laces。 That over； she sat back with a sigh and softly rubbed her
knees。。。
〃Gran！ Gran！〃 Her little grandson stood on her lap in his button
boots。 He'd just come in from playing in the street。
〃Look what a state you've made your gran's skirt intoyou wicked
boy！〃
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But he put his arms round her neck and rubbed his cheek against hers。
〃Gran； gi' us a penny！〃 he coaxed。
〃Be off with you； Gran ain't got no pennies。〃
〃Yes； you 'ave。〃
〃No； I ain't。〃
〃Yes； you 'ave。 Gi' us one！〃
Already she was feeling for the old； squashed； black leather purse。
〃Well； what'll you give your gran？〃
He gave a shy little laugh and pressed closer。 She felt his eyelid
quivering against her cheek。 〃I ain't got nothing；〃 he murmured。。。
The old woman sprang up； seized the iron kettle off the gas stove and
took it over to the sink。 The noise of the water drumming in the kettle
deadened her pain； it seemed。 She filled the pail； too； and the washing…
up bowl。
It would take a whole book to describe the state of that kitchen。
During the week the literary gentleman 〃did〃 for himself。 That is to say；
he emptied the tea leaves now and again into a jam jar set aside for that
purpose； and if he ran out of clean forks he wiped over one or two on the
roller towel。 Otherwise； as he explained to his friends； his 〃system〃 was
quite simple； and he couldn't understand why people made all this fuss
about housekeeping。
〃You simply dirty everything you've got； get a hag in once a week to
clean up； and the thing's done。〃
The result looked like a gigantic dustbin。 Even the floor was littered
with toast crusts； envelopes； cigarette ends。 But Ma Parker bore him no
grudge。 She pitied the poor young gentleman for having no one to look
after him。 Out of the smudgy little window you could see an immense
expanse of sad…looking sky； and whenever there were clouds they looked
very worn； old clouds； frayed at the edges； with holes in them； or dark
stains like tea。
While the water was heating； Ma Parker began sweeping the floor。
〃Yes；〃 she thought； as the broom knocked； 〃what with one thing and
another I've had my share。 I've had a hard life。〃
Even the neighbours said that of her。 Many a time； hobbling home
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with her fish bag she heard them； waiting at the corner； or leaning over the
area railings； say among themselves； 〃She's had a hard life； has Ma
Parker。〃 And it was so true she wasn't in the least proud of it。 It was
just as if you were to say she lived in the basement…back at Number 27。
A hard life！。。。
At sixteen she'd left Stratford and come up to London as kitching…maid。
Yes； she was born in Stratford…on…Avon。 Shakespeare； sir？ No； people
were always arsking her about him。 But she'd never heard his name until
she saw it on the theatres。
Nothing remained of Stratford except that 〃sitting in the fire…place of a
evening you could see the stars through the chimley；〃 and 〃Mother always
'ad 'er side of bacon； 'anging from the ceiling。〃 And there was
something… …a bush； there wasat the front door； that smelt ever so nice。
But the bush was very vague。 She'd only remembered it once or twice in
the hospital； when she'd been taken bad。
That was a dreadful placeher first place。 She was never allowed out。
She never went upstairs except for prayers morning and evening。 It was
a fair cellar。 And the cook was a cruel woman。 She used to snatch
away her letters from home before she'd read them； and throw them in the
range because they made her dreamy。。。And the beedles！ Would you
believe it？ until she came to London she'd never seen a black beedle。
Here Ma always gave a little laugh； as thoughnot to have seen a black
beedle！ Well！ It was as if to say you'd never seen your own feet。
When that family was sold up she went as 〃help〃 to a doctor's house；
and after two years there； on the run from morning till night； she married
her husband。 He was a baker。
〃A baker； Mrs。 Parker！〃 the literary gentleman would say。 For
occasionally he laid aside his tomes and lent an ear； at least； to this product
called Life。 〃It must be rather nice to be married to a baker！〃
Mrs。 Parker didn't look so sure。
〃Such a clean trade；〃 said the gentleman。
Mrs。 Parker didn't look convinced。
〃And didn't you like handing the new loaves to the customers？〃
〃Well； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Parker； 〃I wasn't in the shop above a great deal。
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We had thirteen little ones and buried seven of them。 If it wasn't the
'ospital it was the infirmary； you might say！〃
〃You might； indeed； Mrs。 Parker！〃 said the gentleman； shuddering；
and taking up his pen again。
Yes； seven had gone； and while the six were still small her hus
