the garden party(园会)-第3节
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made away with my stick； now！〃
〃Stick； dear？ What stick？〃 Linda's vagueness on these occasions
could not be real； Stanley decided。 Would nobody sympathize with him？
〃Coach！ Coach； Stanley！〃 Beryl's voice cried from the gate。
Stanley waved his arm to Linda。 〃No time to say good…bye！〃 he cried。
And he meant that as a punishment to her。
He snatched his bowler hat； dashed out of the house； and swung down
the garden path。 Yes； the coach was there waiting； and Beryl； leaning
over the open gate； was laughing up at somebody or other just as if
nothing had happened。 The heartlessness of women！ The way they
took it for granted it was your job to slave away for them while they didn't
even take the trouble to see that your walking…stick wasn't lost。 Kelly
trailed his whip across the horses。
〃Good…bye； Stanley；〃 called Beryl； sweetly and gaily。 It was easy
enough to say good…bye！ And there she stood； idle； shading her eyes
with her hand。 The worst of it was Stanley had to shout good…bye too；
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The Garden Party
for the sake of appearances。 Then he saw her turn； give a little skip and
run back to the house。 She was glad to be rid of him！
Yes； she was thankful。 Into the living…room she ran and called 〃He's
gone！〃 Linda cried from her room： 〃Beryl！ Has Stanley gone？〃 Old
Mrs。 Fairfield appeared； carrying the boy in his little flannel coatee。
〃Gone？〃
〃Gone！〃
Oh； the relief； the difference it made to have the man out of the house。
Their very voices were changed as they called to one another； they
sounded warm and loving and as if they shared a secret。 Beryl went over
to the table。 〃Have another cup of tea； mother。 It's still hot。〃 She
wanted； somehow； to celebrate the fact that they could do what they liked
now。 There was no man to disturb them； the whole perfect day was
theirs。
〃No； thank you； child；〃 said old Mrs。 Fairfield； but the way at that
moment she tossed the boy up and said 〃a…goos…a…goos…a…ga！〃 to him
meant that she felt the same。 The little girls ran into the paddock like
chickens let out of a coop。
Even Alice； the servant…girl； washing up the dishes in the kitchen；
caught the infection and used the precious tank water in a perfectly
reckless fashion。
〃Oh； these men！〃 said she； and she plunged the teapot into the bowl
and held it under the water even after it had stopped bubbling； as if it too
was a man and drowning was too good for them。
Chapter 1。IV。
〃Wait for me； Isa…bel！ Kezia； wait for me！〃
There was poor little Lottie； left behind again； because she found it so
fearfully hard to get over the stile by herself。 When she stood on the first
step her knees began to wobble； she grasped the post。 Then you had to
put one leg over。 But which leg？ She never could decide。 And when
she did finally put one leg over with a sort of stamp of despairthen the
feeling was awful。 She was half in the paddock still and half in the
tussock grass。 She clutched the post desperately and lifted up her voice。
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The Garden Party
〃Wait for me！〃
〃No； don't you wait for her； Kezia！〃 said Isabel。 〃She's such a little
silly。 She's always making a fuss。 Come on！〃 And she tugged Kezia's
jersey。 〃You can use my bucket if you come with me；〃 she said kindly。
〃It's bigger than yours。〃 But Kezia couldn't leave Lottie all by herself。
She ran back to her。 By this time Lottie was very red in the face and
breathing heavily。
〃Here； put your other foot over；〃 said Kezia。
〃Where？〃
Lottie looked down at Kezia as if from a mountain height。
〃Here where my hand is。〃 Kezia patted the place。
〃Oh； there do you mean！〃 Lottie gave a deep sigh and put the second
foot over。
〃Nowsort of turn round and sit down and slide；〃 said Kezia。
〃But there's nothing to sit down on； Kezia；〃 said Lottie。
She managed it at last； and once it was over she shook herself and
began to beam。
〃I'm getting better at climbing over stiles； aren't I； Kezia？〃
Lottie's was a very hopeful nature。
The pink and the blue sunbonnet followed Isabel's bright red
sunbonnet up that sliding； slipping hill。 At the top they paused to decide
where to go and to have a good stare at who was there already。 Seen
from behind； standing against the skyline； gesticulating largely with their
spades； they looked like minute puzzled explorers。
The whole family of Samuel Josephs was there already with their lady…
help； who sat on a camp…stool and kept order with a whistle that she wore
tied round her neck； and a small cane with which she directed operations。
The Samuel Josephs never played by themselves or managed their own
game。 If they did； it ended in the boys pouring water down the girls'
necks or the girls trying to put little black crabs into the boys' pockets。
So Mrs。 S。 J。 and the poor lady…help drew up what she called a
〃brogramme〃 every morning to keep them 〃abused and out of bischief。〃
It was all competitions or races or round games。 Everything began with a
piercing blast of the lady…help's whistle and ended with another。 There
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were even prizeslarge； rather dirty paper parcels which the lady…help
with a sour little smile drew out of a bulging string kit。 The Samuel
Josephs fought fearfully for the prizes and cheated and pinched one
another's armsthey were all expert pinchers。 The only time the Burnell
children ever played with them Kezia had got a prize； and when she undid
three bits of paper she found a very small rusty button…hook。 She
couldn't understand why they made such a fuss。。。
But they never played with the Samuel Josephs now or even went to
their parties。 The Samuel Josephs were always giving children's parties
at the Bay and there was always the same food。 A big washhand basin of
very brown fruit…salad； buns cut into four and a washhand jug full of
something the lady…help called 〃Limonadear。〃 And you went away in the
evening with half the frill torn off your frock or something spilled all
down the front of your open…work pinafore； leaving the Samuel Josephs
leaping like savages on their lawn。 No！ They were too awful。
On the other side of the beach； close down to the water； two little boys；
their knickers rolled up； twinkled like spiders。 One was digging； the
other pattered in and out of the water； filling a small bucket。 They were
the Trout boys； Pip and Rags。 But Pip was so busy digging and Rags was
so busy helping that they didn't see their little cousins until they were quite
close。
〃Look！〃 said Pip。 〃Look what I've discovered。〃 And he showed
them an old wet； squashed…looking boot。 The three little girls stared。
〃Whatever are you going to do with it？〃 asked Kezia。
〃Keep it； of course！〃 Pip was very scornful。 〃It's a findsee？〃
Yes； Kezia saw that。 All the same。。。
〃There's lots of things buried in the sand；〃 explained Pip。 〃They get
chucked up from wrecks。 Treasure。 Whyyou might find〃
〃But why does Rags have to keep on pouring water in？〃 asked Lottie。
〃Oh； that's to moisten it；〃 said Pip； 〃to make the work a bit easier。
Keep it up； Rags。〃
And good little Rags ran up and down； pouring in the water that turned
brown like cocoa。
〃Here；
