cup of tea by mansfield 编号版.docx

cup of tea by mansfield 编号版.docx

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cupofteabymansfield编号版

ACupofTea

ByKatherineMansfield

1RosemaryFellwasnotexactlybeautiful.No,youcouldn'thavecalledherbeautiful.Pretty?

Well,ifyoutookhertopieces...Butwhybesocruelastotakeanyonetopieces?

Shewasyoung,brilliant,extremelymodem,exquisitelywelldressed,amazinglywellreadinthenewestofthenewbooks,andherpartieswerethemostdeliciousmixtureofthereallyimportantpeopleand...artists-quaintcreatures,discoveriesofhers,someofthemtooterrifyingforwords,butothersquitepresentableandamusing.

2Rosemaryhadbeenmarriedtwoyears.Shehadaduckofaboy.No,notPeter-Michael.Andherhusbandabsolutelyadoredher.Theywererich,reallyrich,notjustcomfortablywelloff,whichisodiousandstuffyandsoundslikeone'sgrandparents.ButifRosemarywantedtoshopshewouldgotoParisasyouandIwouldgotoBondStreet.Ifshewantedtobuyflowers,thecarpulledupatthatperfectshopinRegentStreet,andRosemaryinsidetheshopjustgazedinherdazzled,ratherexoticway,andsaid:

"Iwantthoseandthoseandthose.Givemefourbunchesofthose.Andthatjarofroses.Yes,I'llhavealltherosesinthejar.No,nolilac.Ihatelilac.It'sgotnoshape."Theattendantbowedandputthelilacoutofsight,asthoughthiswasonlytootrue;lilacwasdreadfullyshapeless."Givemethosestumpylittletulips.Thoseredandwhiteones."Andshewasfollowedtothecarbyathinshop-girlstaggeringunderanimmensewhitepaperarmfulthatlookedlikeababyinlongclothes....

3OnewinterafternoonshehadbeenbuyingsomethinginalittleantiqueshopinCurzonStreet.Itwasashopsheliked.Foronething,oneusuallyhadittooneself.Andthenthemanwhokeptitwasridiculouslyfondofservingher.Hebeamedwhenevershecamein.Heclaspedhishands;hewassogratifiedhecouldscarcelyspeak.Flattery,ofcourse.Allthesame,therewassomething...

4"Yousee,madam,"hewouldexplaininhislowrespectfultones,"Ilovemythings.Iwouldrathernotpartwiththemthansellthemtosomeonewhodoesnotappreciatethem,whohasnotthatfinefeelingwhichissorare..."And,breathingdeeply,heunrolledatinysquareofbluevelvetandpresseditontheglasscounterwithhispalefinger-tips.

5To-dayitwasalittlebox.Hehadbeenkeepingitforher.Hehadshownittonobodyasyet.Anexquisitelittleenamelboxwithaglazesofineitlookedasthoughithadbeenbakedincream.Onthelidaminutecreaturestoodunderaflowerytree,andamoreminutecreaturestillhadherarmsroundhisneck.Herhat,reallynobiggerthanageraniumpetal,hungfromabranch;ithadgreenribbons.Andtherewasapinkcloudlikeawatchfulcherubfloatingabovetheirheads.Rosemarytookherhandsoutofherlonggloves.Shealwaystookoffherglovestoexaminesuchthings.Yes,shelikeditverymuch.Shelovedit;itwasagreatduck.Shemusthaveit.And,turningthecreamybox,openingandshuttingit,shecouldn'thelpnoticinghowcharmingherhandswereagainstthebluevelvet.Theshopman,insomedimcavernofhismind,mayhavedaredtothinksotoo.Forhetookapencil,leantoverthecounter,andhispale,bloodlessfingerscrepttimidlytowardsthoserosy,flashingones,ashemurmuredgently:

"IfImayventuretopointouttomadam,theflowersonthelittlelady'sbodice."

6"Charming!

"Rosemaryadmiredtheflowers.Butwhatwastheprice?

Foramomenttheshopmandidnotseemtohear.Thenamurmurreachedher."Twenty-eightguineas,madam."

7"Twenty-eightguineas."Rosemarygavenosign.Shelaidthelittleboxdown;shebuttonedherglovesagain.Twenty-eightguineas.Evenifoneisrich...Shelookedvague.Shestaredataplumptea-kettlelikeaplumphenabovetheshopman'shead,andhervoicewasdreamyassheanswered:

"Well,keepitforme-willyou?

I'll..."

8Buttheshopmanhadalreadybowedasthoughkeepingitforherwasallanyhumanbeingcouldask.Hewouldbewilling,ofcourse,tokeepitforherforever.

9Thediscreetdoorshutwithaclick.Shewasoutsideonthestep,gazingatthewinterafternoon.Rainwasfalling,andwiththerainitseemedthedarkcametoo,spinningdownlikeashes.Therewasacoldbittertasteintheair,andthenew-lightedlampslookedsad.Sadwerethelightsinthehousesopposite.Dimlytheyburnedasifregrettingsomething.Andpeoplehurriedby,hiddenundertheirhatefulumbrellas.Rosemaryfeltastrangepang.Shepressedhermuffagainstherbreast;shewishedshehadthelittlebox,too,toclingto.Ofcoursethecarwasthere.She'donlytocrossthepavement.Butstillshewaited.Therearemoments,horriblemomentsinlife,whenoneemergesfromshelterandlooksout,andit'sawful.Oneoughtn'ttogivewaytothem.Oneoughttogohomeandhaveanextra-specialtea.Butattheveryinstantofthinkingthat,ayounggirl,thin,dark,shadowy-wherehadshecomefrom?

-wasstandingatRosemary'selbowandavoicelikeasigh,almostlikeasob,breathed:

"Madam,mayIspeaktoyouamoment?

"

10"Speaktome?

"Rosemaryturned.Shesawalittlebatteredcreaturewithenormouseyes,someonequiteyoung,noolderthanherself,whoclutchedathercoat-collarwithreddenedhands,andshiveredasthoughshehadjustcomeoutofthewater.

11"M-madam,stammeredthevoice.Wouldyouletmehavethepriceofacupoftea?

"

12"Acupoftea?

"Therewassomethingsimple,sincereinthatvoice;itwasn'tintheleastthevoiceofabeggar."Thenhaveyounomoneyatall?

"askedRosemary.

13"None,madam,"cametheanswer.

14"Howextraordinary!

"Rosemarypeeredthroughtheduskandthegirlgazedbackather.Howmorethanextraordinary!

AndsuddenlyitseemedtoRosemarysuchanadventure.ItwaslikesomethingoutofanovelbyDostoevsky,thismeetinginthedusk.Supposingshetookthegirlhome?

Supposingshediddooneofthosethingsshewasalwaysreadingaboutorseeingonthestage,whatwouldhappen?

Itwouldbethrilling.Andsheheardherselfsayingafterwardstotheamazementofherfriends:

"Isimplytookherhomewithme,"asshesteppedforwardandsaidtothatdimpersonbesideher:

"Comehometoteawithme."

15Thegirldrewbackstartled.Sheevenstoppedshiveringforamoment.Rosemaryputoutahandandtouchedherarm."Imeanit,"shesaid,smiling.Andshefelthowsimpleandkindhersmilewas."Whywon'tyou?

Do.Comehomewithmenowinmycarandhavetea."

16"You-youdon'tmeanit,madam,"saidthegirl,andtherewaspaininhervoice.

17"ButIdo,"criedRosemary."Iwantyouto.Topleaseme.Comealong."

18ThegirlputherfingerstoherlipsandhereyesdevouredRosemary."You're-you'renottakingmetothepolicestation?

"shestammered.

19"Thepolicestation!

"Rosemarylaughedout."WhyshouldIbesocruel?

No,Ionlywanttomakeyouwarmandtohear-anythingyoucaretotellme."

20Hungrypeopleareeasilyled.Thefootmanheldthedoorofthecaropen,andamomentlatertheywereskimmingthroughthedusk.

21"There!

"saidRosemary.Shehadafeelingoftriumphassheslippedherhandthroughthevelvetstrap.Shecouldhavesaid,"NowI'vegotyou,"asshegazedatthelittlecaptiveshehadnetted.Butofcourseshemeantitkindly.Oh,morethankindly.Shewasgoingtoprovetothisgirlthat-wonderfulthingsdidhappeninlife,that-fairygodmotherswerereal,that-richpeoplehadhearts,andthatwomenweresisters.Sheturnedimpulsively,saying'."Don'tbefrightened.Afterall,whyshouldn'tyoucomebackwithme?

We'rebothwomen.IfI'mthemorefortunate,yououghttoexpect..."

22Buthappilyatthatmoment,forshedidn'tknowhowthesentencewasgoingtoend,thecarstopped.Thebellwasrung,thedooropened,andwithacharming,protecting,almostembracingmovement,Rosemarydrewtheotherintothehall.Warmth,softness,light,asweetscent,allthosethingssofamiliartohershenevereventhoughtaboutthem,shewatchedthatotherreceive.Itwasfascinating.Shewasliketherichlittlegirlinhernurserywithallthecupboardstoopen,alltheboxestounpack.

23"Come,comeupstairs,"saidRosemary,longingtobegintobegenerous."Comeuptomyroom."And,besides,shewantedtosparethispoorlittlethingfrombeingstaredatbytheservants;shedecidedastheymountedthestairsshewouldnotevenringtoJeanne,buttakeoffherthingsbyherself.Thegreatthingsweretobenatural!

24And"There!

"criedRosemaryagain,astheyreachedherbeautifulbigbedroomwiththecurtainsdrawn,thefireleapingonherwonderfullacquerfurniture,hergoldcushionsandtheprimroseandbluerugs.

25Thegirlstoodjustinsidethedoor;sheseemeddazed.ButRosemarydidn'tmindthat.

26"Comeandsitdown,"shecried,draggingherbigchairuptothefire,"mthiscomfychair.Comeandgetwarm.Youlooksodreadfullycold."

27"Idaren't,madam,"saidthegirl,andsheedgedbackwards.

28"Oh,please,"-Rosemaryranforward-"youmustn'tbefrightened,youmustn't,really.Sitdown,whenI'vetakenoffmythingsweshallgointothenextroomandhaveteaandbecozy.Whyareyouafraid?

"Andgentlyshehalfpushedthethinfigureintoitsdeepcradle..

29Buttherewasnoanswer.Thegirlstayedjustasshehadbeenput,withherhandsbyhersidesandhermouthslightlyopen.Tobequitesincere,shelookedratherstupid.ButRosemarywouldn'tacknowledgeit.Sheleantoverher,saying:

30"Won'tyoutakeoffyourhat?

Yourprettyhairisallwet.Andoneissomuchmorecomfortablewithoutahat,isn'tone?

"

31Therewasawhisperthatsoundedlike"Verygood,madam,"andthecrushedhatwastakenoff.

32"Andletmehelpyouoffwithyourcoat,too,"saidRosemary.

33Thegirlstoodup.Butsheheld