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〃I've forgotten what I am；〃 said the donkey woefully。
〃Well； change！ Be a dog instead！ Bow…wow！〃
〃Oh yes。 That's much easier。〃 Lottie smiled again。 But when she
and Kezia both had a one Kezia waited on purpose。 The others made
signs to Lottie and pointed。 Lottie turned very red； she looked
bewildered； and at last she said； 〃Hee…haw！ Ke…zia。〃
〃Ss！ Wait a minute！〃 They were in the very thick of it when the
bull stopped them； holding up his hand。 〃What's that？ What's that
noise？〃
〃What noise？ What do you mean？〃 asked the rooster。
〃Ss！ Shut up！ Listen！〃 They were mouse…still。 〃I thought I
heard aa sort of knocking；〃 said the bull。
〃What was it like？〃 asked the sheep faintly。
No answer。
The bee gave a shudder。 〃Whatever did we shut the door for？〃 she
said softly。 Oh； why； why had they shut the door？
While they were playing； the day had faded； the gorgeous sunset had
blazed and died。 And now the quick dark came racing over the sea； over
the sand… hills； up the paddock。 You were frightened to look in the
corners of the washhouse； and yet you had to look with all your might。
And somewhere； far away； grandma was lighting a lamp。 The blinds
were being pulled down； the kitchen fire leapt in the tins on the
mantelpiece。
〃It would be awful now；〃 said the bull； 〃if a spider was to fall from the
ceiling on to the table； wouldn't it？〃
〃Spiders don't fall from ceilings。〃
〃Yes； they do。 Our Min told us she'd seen a spider as big as a saucer；
with long hairs on it like a gooseberry。〃
Quickly all the little heads were jerked up； all the little bodies drew
together； pressed together。
〃Why doesn't somebody come and call us？〃 cried the rooster。
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The Garden Party
Oh； those grown…ups； laughing and snug； sitting in the lamp…light；
drinking out of cups！ They'd forgotten about them。 No； not really
forgotten。 That was what their smile meant。 They had decided to leave
them there all by themselves。
Suddenly Lottie gave such a piercing scream that all of them jumped
off the forms； all of them screamed too。 〃A facea face looking！〃
shrieked Lottie。
It was true； it was real。 Pressed against the window was a pale face；
black eyes； a black beard。
〃Grandma！ Mother！ Somebody！〃
But they had not got to the door； tumbling over one another； before it
opened for Uncle Jonathan。 He had come to take the little boys home。
Chapter 1。X。
He had meant to be there before； but in the front garden he had come
upon Linda walking up and down the grass； stopping to pick off a dead
pink or give a top…heavy carnation something to lean against； or to take a
deep breath of something； and then walking on again； with her little air of
remoteness。 Over her white frock she wore a yellow； pink…fringed shawl
from the Chinaman's shop。
〃Hallo； Jonathan！〃 called Linda。 And Jonathan whipped off his
shabby panama； pressed it against his breast； dropped on one knee； and
kissed Linda's hand。
〃Greeting； my Fair One！ Greeting； my Celestial Peach Blossom！〃
boomed the bass voice gently。 〃Where are the other noble dames？〃
〃Beryl's out playing bridge and mother's giving the boy his bath。。。Have
you come to borrow something？〃
The Trouts were for ever running out of things and sending across to
the Burnells' at the last moment。
But Jonathan only answered； 〃A little love； a little kindness；〃 and he
walked by his sister…in…law's side。
Linda dropped into Beryl's hammock under the manuka…tree； and
Jonathan stretched himself on the grass beside her； pulled a long stalk and
began chewing it。 They knew each other well。 The voices of children
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The Garden Party
cried from the other gardens。 A fisherman's light cart shook along the
sandy road； and from far away they heard a dog barking； it was muffled as
though the dog had its head in a sack。 If you listened you could just hear
the soft swish of the sea at full tide sweeping the pebbles。 The sun was
sinking。
〃And so you go back to the office on Monday； do you； Jonathan？〃
asked Linda。
〃On Monday the cage door opens and clangs to upon the victim for
another eleven months and a week；〃 answered Jonathan。
Linda swung a little。 〃It must be awful；〃 she said slowly。
〃Would ye have me laugh； my fair sister？ Would ye have me weep？〃
Linda was so accustomed to Jonathan's way of talking that she paid no
attention to it。
〃I suppose；〃 she said vaguely； 〃one gets used to it。 One gets used to
anything。〃
〃Does one？ Hum！〃 The 〃Hum〃 was so deep it seemed to boom
from underneath the ground。 〃I wonder how it's done；〃 brooded Jonathan；
〃I've never managed it。〃
Looking at him as he lay there； Linda thought again how attractive he
was。 It was strange to think that he was only an ordinary clerk； that
Stanley earned twice as much money as he。 What was the matter with
Jonathan？ He had no ambition； she supposed that was it。 And yet one
felt he was gifted； exceptional。 He was passionately fond of music； every
spare penny he had went on books。 He was always full of new ideas；
schemes； plans。 But nothing came of it all。 The new fire blazed in
Jonathan； you almost heard it roaring softly as he explained； described and
dilated on the new thing； but a moment later it had fallen in and there was
nothing but ashes； and Jonathan went about with a look like hunger in his
black eyes。 At these times he exaggerated his absurd manner of speaking；
and he sang in church he was the leader of the choirwith such fearful
dramatic intensity that the meanest hymn put on an unholy splendour。
〃It seems to me just as imbecile； just as infernal； to have to go to the
office on Monday；〃 said Jonathan； 〃as it always has done and always will
do。 To spend all the best years of