The Aloe by Katherine Mansfield Page B

lamp made a big soft bubble of light on the ceiling – “You seem pretty snug Mother” said Burnell, looking round and blinking at the light and smiling at the little girls. They sat Isabel and Lottie on either side of the table, Kezia at the bottom – the place at the top was empty – “That’s where my boy ought to sit” thought Stanley – He tightened his arm round Linda’s shoulder. By God! he was a perfect fool to feel as happy as this— “We are Stanley. We are very snug,” said Mrs Fairfield, cutting Kezia’s bread and jam into fingers. “Like it better than town eh children” said Burnell. “Oh yes, Daddy” said the three little girls and Isabel added as an afterthought, “Thank you very much indeed Father dear.”
    “Come upstairs and have a wash” said Linda – “I’ll bring your slippers.” But the stairs were too narrow for them to go up arm in arm. It was quite dark in their room – He heard her ring tapping the marble as she felt along the mantelpiece for matches. “I’ve got some darling. I’ll light the candles.” But instead, he came up behind her and caught her put his arms round her and pressed her head into his shoulder. “I’m so confoundedly happy” he said. “Are you?” She turned and put her two hands flat on his breast and looked up at him – “I don’t know what’s come over me” he protested. It was quite dark outside now and heavy dew was falling. When she shut the window the dew wet her finger tips. Far away, a dog barked. “I believe there’s going to be a moon” said she – At the words and with the wet cold dew touching her lips and cheeks she felt as though the moon had risen – that she was being bathed in cold light – she shivered she came away from the window and sat down on the box ottoman beside Stanley –
    In the dining room by the flickering glow of a wood fire Beryl sat on a hassock playing the guitar. She had bathed and changed all her clothes. Now she wore a white muslin dress with big black spots on it and in her hair she had pinned a black rose –
    Nature has gone to her rest love
    See we are all alone
    Give me your hand to press love
    Lightly within my own –
    She played and sang half to herself – for she was watching herself playing and singing she saw the fire light on her shoes and skirt on the ruddy belly of the guitar on her white fingers. “If I were outside the window and looked in and saw myself I really would be rather struck” she thought – Still more softly she played the accompaniment not singing – “The first time I ever saw you little girl you had no idea that you weren’t alone! You were sitting with your little feet up on a hassock playing the guitar – I can never forget –” and she flung back her head at the imaginary speaker and began to sing again
    Even the moon is aweary –
    But there came a loud knock at the door. The servant girl popped in her flushed face. “If you please Miss – kin I come and lay the dinner” – “Certainly Alice” said Beryl – in a voice of ice. She put the guitar in a corner – Alice lunged in with a heavy black iron tray, “Well I ave had a job with that oving” said she. “I can’t get nothing to brown.”
    “Really” said Beryl – But no, she could not bear that fool of a girl – She went into the dark drawing room and began walking up and down – She was restless, restless restless. There was a mirror over the mantelpiece she leaned her arms along and looked at her pale shadow in it – “I look as though I have been drowned” – said she –

Chapter Four
    Children and Ducks
    “G ood Morning Mrs Jones.” “Oh, good Mrs Smith. I’m so glad to see you. Have you brought your children?” “Yes, I’ve brought both my twins. I have had another baby since I saw you last but she came so suddenly that I haven’t had time to make her any clothes yet and so I left her at home. How’s your husband.” “Oh he’s very well thank you. At least he had