ourfriendJudithWord版Word文件下载.docx

ourfriendJudithWord版Word文件下载.docx

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“Sheis,ofcourse,oneofyourtypicalEnglishspinsters.”

ThiswasafewweeksafteranAmericansociologist,havingelicitedfromJudiththefactsthatshewasfortyish,unmarried,andlivingalone,hadinquiredofme:

“Isupposeshehasgivenup?

”“Givenupwhat?

”Iasked;

andthesubsequentdiscussionwasunrewarding.

Judithdidnoteasilycometoparties.Shewouldcomeafterpressure,notsomuch—onefelt—todooneafavor,butinordertocorrectwhatshebelievedtobeadefectinhercharacter.“IreallyoughttoenjoymeetingnewpeoplemorethanIdo,”shesaidonce.Werevertedtoanearlierpatternofourfriendship:

oddeveningstogether,anoccasionalvisittothecinema,orshewouldtelephonetosay:

“I’monmywaypastyoutotheBritishMuseum.Wouldyoucareforacupofcoffeewithme?

Ihavetwentyminutestospare.”

ItischaracteristicofJudiththattheword“spinster,”usedofher,provokedfascinatedspeculationaboutotherpeople.Therearemyaunts,forinstance:

agedseventy-odd,bothunmarried,oneanex-missionaryfromChina,onearetiredmatronofafamousLondonhospital.Thesetwooldladiesliv

etogetherundertheshadowofthecathedralinacountrytown.TheydevotemuchtimetotheChurch,togoodcauses,toletterwritingwithfriendsallovertheworld,tothegrandchildrenandthegreat-grandchildrenofrelatives.Itwouldbeamistake,however,onenteringahouseinwhichnothinghasbeenmovedforfiftyyears,todiagnoseaconditionoffossilizedlate-Victorianintegrity.TheyreadeverybookreviewedintheObserverortheTimes,sothatIrecentlygotaletterfromAuntRoseinquiringwhetherIdidnotthinkthattheauthorofOntheRoadwasnot—perhaps?

—exaggeratinghisdifficulties.Theyknowagooddealaboutmusic,andwritelettersofencouragementtoyoungcomposerstheyfeelarebeingneglected—“Youmustunderstandthatanythingnewandoriginaltakestimetobeunderstood.”Well-informedandcriticalTories,theyareaslikelytodispatchtelegramsofprotesttotheHomeSecretaryaslettersofsupport.Theseladies,myauntsEmilyandRose,aresurelywhatismeantbythephrase“Englishspinster.”Andyet,oncetheconnectionhasbeenpointedout,thereisnodoubtthatJudithandtheyarespiritualcousins,ifnotsisters.Thereforeitfollowsthatone’spityingadmirationforwomenwhohavesupported

man-lessanduncomfortedlivesneedsacertainmodification?

Onewill,ofcourse,neverknow;

andIfeelnowthatitisentirelymyfaultthatIshallneverknow.IhadbeenJudith’sfriendforupwardsoffiveyearsbeforetheincidentoccurredwhichIinvoluntarilythoughtof—stupidlyenough—asthefirsttimeJudith’smaskslipped.

Amutualfriend,Betty,hadbeengivenacast-offDiordress.Shewastooshortforit.Alsoshesaid:

“It’snotadressforamarriedwomanwiththreechildrenandatalentforcooking.Idon’tknowwhynot,butitisn’t.”Judithwastherightbuild.ThereforeoneeveningthethreeofusmetbyappointmentinJudith’sbedroom,withthedress.NeitherBettynorIwassurprisedatthereneweddiscoverythatJudithwasbeautiful.Wehadbothoftencaughteachother,andourselves,inmomentsofenvywhenJudith’scalmandsevereface,herundemonstrativelyperfectbody,succeededinmakingeveryoneelseinaroomorastreetlookcheap.Judithistall,small-breasted,slender.Herlightbrownhairispartedinthecenterandcutstraightaroundherneck.Ahighstraightforehead,straightnose,afullgravemoutharesettingforhereyes,whicharegreen,largeandprominent.Herlidsareverywhite,fringedwithgold,andmouldedcloseovertheeyeball,sothatinprofileshehasthelookofastaringgildedmask.Thedresswasofdark

greenglisteningstuff,cutstraight,withasortofloosetunic.Itopenedsimplyatthethroat.InitJudithcouldofcourseevokenothingbutclassicalimages.Diana,perhaps,backfromthehunt,inarelaxedmoment?

AratherintellectualwoodnymphwhohadoptedforanafternoonintheBritish

MuseumReadingRoom?

Somethinglikethat.NeitherBettynorIsaidaword,sinceJudithwasexaminingherselfinalongmirror,andmustknowshelookedmagnificent.Slowlyshedrewoffthedressandlaiditaside.Slowlysheputontheoldcordskirtandwoollenblouseshehadtakenoff.Shemusthavesurprisedaresignedglancebetweenus,forshethenremarked,withthesmallestofmockingsmiles:

“Onesurelyoughttostayincharacter,wouldn’tyousay?

”Sheadded,readingthewordsoutofsomeinvisiblebook,writtennotbyher,sinceitwasaveryvulgarbook,butperhapsbyoneofus:

“Itdoeseverythingforme,Imustadmit.”“Afterseeingyouinit,”Bettycriedout,defyingher,“Ican’tbearforanyon