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！
D'you know what I live in terror of？
＇WELLWYN gives her a queer and apprehensive look。＇
ANN。 That you'll take them off some day； and give them away in the
street。 Have you got any money？ ＇She feels in his coat； and he his
trousersthey find nothing。＇ Do you know that your pockets are one
enormous hole？
WELLWYN。 No！
ANN。 Spiritually。
WELLWYN。 Oh！ Ah！ H'm！
ANN。 ＇Severely。＇ Now； look here； Daddy！ ＇She takes him by his
lapels。＇ Don't imagine that it isn't the most disgusting luxury on
your part to go on giving away things as you do！ You know what you
really are； I supposea sickly sentimentalist！
WELLWYN。 ＇Breaking away from her； disturbed。＇ It isn't sentiment。
It's simply that they seem to me sosojolly。 If I'm to give up
feeling sort ofnice in here ＇he touches his chest＇ about peopleit
doesn't matter who they arethen I don't know what I'm to do。
I shall have to sit with my head in a bag。
ANN。 I think you ought to。
WELLWYN。 I suppose they see I like themthen they tell me things。
After that； of course you can't help doing what you can。
ANN。 Well； if you will love them up！
WELLWYN。 My dear； I don't want to。 It isn't them especiallywhy； I
feel it even with old Calway sometimes。 It's only Providence that he
doesn't want anything of meexcept to make me like himselfconfound
him！
ANN。 ＇Moving towards the door into the houseimpressively。＇ What
you don't see is that other people aren't a bit like you。
WELLWYN。 Well； thank God！
ANN。 It's so old…fashioned too！ I'm going to bedI just leave you
to your conscience。
WELLWYN。 Oh！
ANN。 ＇Opening the door…severely。＇ Good…night＇with a certain
weakening＇ you oldDaddy！
＇She jumps at him； gives him a hug； and goes out。＇
＇WELLWYN stands perfectly still。 He first gazes up at the
skylight； then down at the floor。 Slowly he begins to shake his
head； and mutter； as he moves towards the fire。
WELLWYN。 Bad lot。 。 。 。 Low typeno backbone； no stability！
＇There comes a fluttering knock on the outer door。 As the sound
slowly enters his consciousness； he begins to wince； as though
he knew； but would not admit its significance。 Then he sits
down； covering his ears。 The knocking does not cease。 WELLWYN
drops first one； then both hands； rises； and begins to sidle
towards the door。 The knocking becomes louder。
WELLWYN。 Ah dear！ Tt！ Tt！ Tt！
＇After a look in the direction of ANN's disappearance； he opens
the street door a very little way。 By the light of the lamp
there can be seen a young girl in dark clothes； huddled in a
shawl to which the snow is clinging。 She has on her arm a
basket covered with a bit of sacking。
WELLWYN。 I can't； you know； it's impossible。
＇The girl says nothing； but looks at him with dark eyes。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Wincing。＇ Let's seeI don't know youdo I？
＇The girl； speaking in a soft； hoarse voice； with a faint accent
of reproach： 〃Mrs。 Meganyou give me this…〃 She holds out a
dirty visiting card。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Recoiling from the card。＇ Oh！ Did I？ Ah！ When？
MRS。 MEGAN。 You 'ad some vi'lets off of me larst spring。 You give
me 'arf a crown。
＇A smile tries to visit her face。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Looking stealthily round。＇ Ah！ Well； come injust for a
minuteit's very coldand tell us what it is。
＇She comes in stolidly； a Sphinx…like figure； with her pretty
tragic little face。
WELLWYN。 I don't remember you。 ＇Looking closer。＇ Yes； I do。 Only
you weren't the same…were you？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Dully。＇ I seen trouble since。
WELLWYN。 Trouble！ Have some tea？
＇He looks anxiously at the door into the house； then goes
quickly to the table； and pours out a glass of tea； putting rum
into it。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Handing her the tea。＇ Keeps the cold out！ Drink it off！
＇MRS。 MEGAN drinks it of； chokes a little； and almost
immediately seems to get a size larger。 WELLWYN watches her
with his head held on one side； and a smile broadening on his
face。＇
WELLWYN。 Cure for all evils； um？
MRS。 MEGAN。 It warms you。 ＇She smiles。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Smiling back； and catching himself out。＇ Well！ You know；
I oughtn't。
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Conscious of the disruption of his personality； and
withdrawing into her tragic abyss。＇ I wouldn't 'a come； but you told
me if I wanted an 'and
WELLWYN。 ＇Gradually losing himself in his own nature。＇ Let me
seecorner of Flight Street； wasn't it？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇With faint eagerness。＇ Yes； sir； an' I told you about
me vi'letsit was a luvly spring…day。
WELLWYN。 Beautiful！ Beautiful！ Birds singing； and the trees； &c。！
We had quite a talk。 You had a baby with you。
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 I got married since then。
WELLWYN。 Oh！ Ah！ Yes！ ＇Cheerfully。＇ And how's the baby？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Turning to stone。＇ I lost her。
WELLWYN。 Oh！ poor… Um！
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Impassive。＇ You said something abaht makin' a picture
of me。 ＇With faint eagerness。＇ So I thought I might come； in case
you'd forgotten。
WELLWYN。 ＇Looking at； her intently。＇ Things going badly？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Stripping the sacking off her basket。＇ I keep 'em
covered up； but the cold gets to 'em。 Thruppencethat's all I've
took。
WELLWYN。 Ho！ Tt！ Tt！ ＇He looks into the basket。＇ Christmas； too！
MRS。 MEGAN。 They're dead。
WELLWYN。 ＇Drawing in his breath。＇ Got a good husband？
MRS。 MEGAN。 He plays cards。
WELLWYN。 Oh； Lord！ And what are you doing outwith a cold like
that？ ＇He taps his chest。＇
MRS。 MEGAN。 We was sold up this morninghe's gone off with 'is
mates。 Haven't took enough yet for a night's lodgin'。
WELLWYN。 ＇Correcting a spasmodic dive into his pockets。＇ But who
buys flowers at this time of night？
＇MRS。 MEGAN looks at him； and faintly smiles。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Rumpling his hair。＇ Saints above us！ Here！ Come to the
fire！
＇She follows him to the fire。 He shuts the street door。＇
WELLWYN。 Are your feet wet？ ＇She nods。＇ Well； sit down here； and
take them off。 That's right。
＇She sits on the stool。 And after a slow look up at him； which
has in it a deeper knowledge than belongs of right to her years；
begins taking off her shoes and stockings。 WELLWYN goes to the
door into the house； opens it； and listens with a sort of
stealthy casualness。 He returns whistling； but not out loud。
The girl has finished taking off her stockings； and turned her
bare toes to the flames。 She shuffles them back under her
skirt。
WELLWYN。 How old are you； my child？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Nineteen； come Candlemas。
WELLWYN。 And what's your name？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Guinevere。
WELLWYN。 What？ Welsh？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yesfrom Battersea。
WELLWYN。 And your husband？
MRS。 MEGAN。 No。 Irish； 'e is。 Notting Dale； 'e comes from。
WELLWYN。 Roman Catholic？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 My 'usband's an atheist as well。
WELLWYN。 I see。 ＇Abstractedly。＇ How jolly！ And how old is hethis
young man of yours？
MRS。 MEGAN。 'E'll be twenty soon。
WELLWYN。 Babes in the wood！ Does he treat you badly？