the garden party(园会)-第9节
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together； pressed together。
〃Why doesn't somebody come and call us？〃 cried the rooster。
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The Garden Party
Oh； those grown…ups； laughing and snug； sitting in the lamp…light；
drinking out of cups！ They'd forgotten about them。 No； not really
forgotten。 That was what their smile meant。 They had decided to leave
them there all by themselves。
Suddenly Lottie gave such a piercing scream that all of them jumped
off the forms； all of them screamed too。 〃A facea face looking！〃
shrieked Lottie。
It was true； it was real。 Pressed against the window was a pale face；
black eyes； a black beard。
〃Grandma！ Mother！ Somebody！〃
But they had not got to the door； tumbling over one another； before it
opened for Uncle Jonathan。 He had come to take the little boys home。
Chapter 1。X。
He had meant to be there before； but in the front garden he had come
upon Linda walking up and down the grass； stopping to pick off a dead
pink or give a top…heavy carnation something to lean against； or to take a
deep breath of something； and then walking on again； with her little air of
remoteness。 Over her white frock she wore a yellow； pink…fringed shawl
from the Chinaman's shop。
〃Hallo； Jonathan！〃 called Linda。 And Jonathan whipped off his
shabby panama； pressed it against his breast； dropped on one knee； and
kissed Linda's hand。
〃Greeting； my Fair One！ Greeting； my Celestial Peach Blossom！〃
boomed the bass voice gently。 〃Where are the other noble dames？〃
〃Beryl's out playing bridge and mother's giving the boy his bath。。。Have
you come to borrow something？〃
The Trouts were for ever running out of things and sending across to
the Burnells' at the last moment。
But Jonathan only answered； 〃A little love； a little kindness；〃 and he
walked by his sister…in…law's side。
Linda dropped into Beryl's hammock under the manuka…tree； and
Jonathan stretched himself on the grass beside her； pulled a long stalk and
began chewing it。 They knew each other well。 The voices of children
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cried from the other gardens。 A fisherman's light cart shook along the
sandy road； and from far away they heard a dog barking； it was muffled as
though the dog had its head in a sack。 If you listened you could just hear
the soft swish of the sea at full tide sweeping the pebbles。 The sun was
sinking。
〃And so you go back to the office on Monday； do you； Jonathan？〃
asked Linda。
〃On Monday the cage door opens and clangs to upon the victim for
another eleven months and a week；〃 answered Jonathan。
Linda swung a little。 〃It must be awful；〃 she said slowly。
〃Would ye have me laugh； my fair sister？ Would ye have me weep？〃
Linda was so accustomed to Jonathan's way of talking that she paid no
attention to it。
〃I suppose；〃 she said vaguely； 〃one gets used to it。 One gets used to
anything。〃
〃Does one？ Hum！〃 The 〃Hum〃 was so deep it seemed to boom
from underneath the ground。 〃I wonder how it's done；〃 brooded Jonathan；
〃I've never managed it。〃
Looking at him as he lay there； Linda thought again how attractive he
was。 It was strange to think that he was only an ordinary clerk； that
Stanley earned twice as much money as he。 What was the matter with
Jonathan？ He had no ambition； she supposed that was it。 And yet one
felt he was gifted； exceptional。 He was passionately fond of music； every
spare penny he had went on books。 He was always full of new ideas；
schemes； plans。 But nothing came of it all。 The new fire blazed in
Jonathan； you almost heard it roaring softly as he explained； described and
dilated on the new thing； but a moment later it had fallen in and there was
nothing but ashes； and Jonathan went about with a look like hunger in his
black eyes。 At these times he exaggerated his absurd manner of speaking；
and he sang in church he was the leader of the choirwith such fearful
dramatic intensity that the meanest hymn put on an unholy splendour。
〃It seems to me just as imbecile； just as infernal； to have to go to the
office on Monday；〃 said Jonathan； 〃as it always has done and always will
do。 To spend all the best years of one's life sitting on a stool from nine to
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five； scratching in somebody's ledger！ It's a queer use to make of
one's。。。one and only life； isn't it？ Or do I fondly dream？〃 He rolled
over on the grass and looked up at Linda。 〃Tell me； what is the
difference between my life and that of an ordinary prisoner。 The only
difference I can see is that I put myself in jail and nobody's ever going to
let me out。 That's a more intolerable situation than the other。 For if I'd
been pushed in； against my willkicking； evenonce the door was
locked； or at any rate in five years or so； I might have accepted the fact
and begun to take an interest in the flight of flies or counting the warder's
steps along the passage with particular attention to variations of tread and
so on。 But as it is； I'm like an insect that's flown into a room of its own
accord。 I dash against the walls； dash against the windows； flop against
the ceiling； do everything on God's earth； in fact； except fly out again。
And all the while I'm thinking； like that moth； or that butterfly； or
whatever it is； 'The shortness of life！ The shortness of life！' I've only
one night or one day； and there's this vast dangerous garden； waiting out
there； undiscovered； unexplored。〃
〃But； if you feel like that； why〃 began Linda quickly。
〃Ah！〃 cried Jonathan。 And that 〃ah！〃 was somehow almost exultant。
〃There you have me。 Why？ Why indeed？ There's the maddening；
mysterious question。 Why don't I fly out again？ There's the window or
the door or whatever it was I came in by。 It's not hopelessly shutis it？
Why don't I find it and be off？ Answer me that； little sister。〃 But he
gave her no time to answer。
〃I'm exactly like that insect again。 For some reason〃Jonathan
paused between the words〃it's not allowed； it's forbidden； it's against the
insect law； to stop banging and flopping and crawling up the pane even for
an instant。 Why don't I leave the office？ Why don't I seriously consider；
this moment； for instance； what it is that prevents me leaving？ It's not as
though I'm tremendously tied。 I've two boys to provide for； but； after all；
they're boys。 I could cut off to sea； or get a job up…country； or〃
Suddenly he smiled at Linda and said in a changed voice； as if he were
confiding a secret； 〃Weak。。。weak。 No stamina。 No anchor。 No
guiding principle； let us call it。〃 But then the dark velvety voice rolled
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out：〃
〃Would ye hear the story How it unfolds itself。。。〃
and they were silent。
The sun had set。 In the western sky there were great masses of
crushed…up rose…coloured clouds。 Broad beams of light shone through
the clouds and beyond them as if they would cover the whole sky。
Overhead the blue faded； it turned a pale gold； and the bush outlined
against it gleamed dark and brilliant like metal。 Sometimes when those
beams of light show in the sky they are very awful。 They remind you
that up there sits Jehovah； the jealous God； the Almighty； Whose eye is
upon you； ever watchful； never weary。 You remember that at His coming
the whole e
