Таємничий сад
XXIV. “Let Them Laugh”
Fromthistimedatedtheirplanof“playactin’.”
“Imaybeobligedtohaveatantrum,”saidColinregretfully.“Idon’twanttohaveoneandI’mnotmiserableenoughnowtoworkmyselfintoabigone.PerhapsIcouldn’thaveoneatall.Thatlumpdoesn’tcomeinmythroatnowandIkeepthinkingofnicethingsinsteadofhorribleones.ButiftheytalkaboutwritingtomyfatherIshallhavetodosomething.”
Hemadeuphismindtoeatless,butunfortunatelyitwasnotpossibletocarryoutthisbrilliantideawhenhewakenedeachmorningwithanamazingappetiteandthetablenearhissofawassetwithabreakfastofhome-madebreadandfreshbutter,snow-whiteeggs,raspberryjamandclottedcream.Maryalwaysbreakfastedwithhimandwhentheyfoundthemselvesatthetable—particularlyifthereweredelicateslicesofsizzlinghamsendingforthtemptingodorsfromunderahotsilvercover—theywouldlookintoeachother’seyesindesperation.
“Ithinkweshallhavetoeatitallthismorning,Mary,”Colinalwaysendedbysaying.“Wecansendawaysomeofthelunchandagreatdealofthedinner.”
Buttheyneverfoundtheycouldsendawayanythingandthehighlypolishedconditionoftheemptyplatesreturnedtothepantryawakenedmuchcomment.
“Idowish,”Colinwouldsayalso,“Idowishtheslicesofhamwerethicker,andonemuffineachisnotenoughforanyone.”
“It’senoughforapersonwhoisgoingtodie,”answeredMarywhenfirstsheheardthis,“butit’snotenoughforapersonwhoisgoingtolive.
