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lumps of rock or a bucket or a collection of pawa shells。 The bush
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quivered in a haze of heat； the sandy road was empty except for the Trouts'
dog Snooker； who lay stretched in the very middle of it。 His blue eye
was turned up； his legs stuck out stiffly； and he gave an occasional
desperate…sounding puff； as much as to say he had decided to make an end
of it and was only waiting for some kind cart to come along。
〃What are you looking at； my grandma？ Why do you keep stopping
and sort of staring at the wall？〃
Kezia and her grandmother were taking their siesta together。 The
little girl； wearing only her short drawers and her under…bodice； her arms
and legs bare； lay on one of the puffed…up pillows of her grandma's bed；
and the old woman； in a white ruffled dressing…gown； sat in a rocker at the
window； with a long piece of pink knitting in her lap。 This room that
they shared； like the other rooms of the bungalow； was of light varnished
wood and the floor was bare。 The furniture was of the shabbiest； the
simplest。 The dressing…table； for instance； was a packing…case in a
sprigged muslin petticoat； and the mirror above was very strange； it was as
though a little piece of forked lightning was imprisoned in it。 On the
table there stood a jar of sea…pinks； pressed so tightly together they looked
more like a velvet pincushion； and a special shell which Kezia had given
her grandma for a pin…tray； and another even more special which she had
thought would make a very nice place for a watch to curl up in。
〃Tell me； grandma；〃 said Kezia。
The old woman sighed； whipped the wool twice round her thumb； and
drew the bone needle through。 She was casting on。
〃I was thinking of your Uncle William； darling；〃 she said quietly。
〃My Australian Uncle William？〃 said Kezia。 She had another。
〃Yes； of course。〃
〃The one I never saw？〃
〃That was the one。〃
〃Well； what happened to him？〃 Kezia knew perfectly well； but she
wanted to be told again。
〃He went to the mines； and he got a sunstroke there and died；〃 said old
Mrs。 Fairfield。
Kezia blinked and considered the picture again。。。a little man fallen
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The Garden Party
over like a tin soldier by the side of a big black hole。
〃Does it make you sad to think about him； grandma？〃 She hated her
grandma to be sad。
It was the old woman's turn to consider。 Did it make her sad？ To
look back； back。 To stare down the years； as Kezia had seen her doing。
To look after them as a woman does； long after they were out of sight。
Did it make her sad？ No； life was like that。
〃No； Kezia。〃
〃But why？〃 asked Kezia。 She lifted one bare arm and began to draw
things in the air。 〃Why did Uncle William have to die？ He wasn't old。〃
Mrs。 Fairfield began counting the stitches in threes。 〃It just
happened；〃 she said in an absorbed voice。
〃Does everybody have to die？〃 asked Kezia。
〃Everybody！〃
〃Me？〃 Kezia sounded fearfully incredulous。
〃Some day； my darling。〃
〃But； grandma。〃 Kezia waved her left leg and waggled the toes。
They felt sandy。 〃What if I just won't？〃
The old woman sighed again and drew a long thread from the ball。
〃We're not asked； Kezia；〃 she said sadly。 〃It happens to all of us
sooner or later。〃
Kezia lay still thinking this over。 She didn't want to die。 It meant
she would have to leave here； leave everywhere； for ever； leaveleave her
grandma。 She rolled over quickly。
〃Grandma；〃 she said in a startled voice。
〃What； my pet！〃
〃You're not to die。〃 Kezia was very decided。
〃Ah； Kezia〃her grandma looked up and smiled and shook her head
〃don't let's talk about it。〃
〃But you're not to。 You couldn't leave me。 You couldn't not be
there。〃 This was awful。 〃Promise me you won't ever do it； grandma；〃
pleaded Kezia。
The old woman went on knitting。
〃Promise me！ Say never！〃
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But still her grandma was silent。
Kezia rolled off her bed； she couldn't bear it any longer； and lightly she
leapt on to her grandma's knees； clasped her hands round the old woman's
throat and began kissing her； under the chin； behind the ear； and blowing
down her neck。
〃Say never。。。say never。。。say never〃 She gasped between the kisses。
And then she began； very softly and lightly； to tickle her grandma。
〃Kezia！〃 The old woman dropped her knitting。 She swung back in
the rocker。 She began to tickle Kezia。 〃Say never； say never； say
never；〃 gurgled Kezia； while they lay there laughing in each other's arms。
〃Come； that's enough； my squirrel！ That's enough； my wild pony！〃 said
old Mrs。 Fairfield； setting her cap straight。 〃Pick up my knitting。〃
Both of them had forgotten what the 〃never〃 was about。
Chapter 1。VIII。
The sun was still full on the garden when the back door of the
Burnells' shut with a bang； and a very gay figure walked down the path to
the gate。 It was Alice； the servant…girl； dressed for her afternoon out。
She wore a white cotton dress with such large red spots on it and so many
that they made you shudder； white shoes and a leghorn turned up under the
brim with poppies。 Of course she wore gloves； white ones； stained at the
fastenings with iron…mould； and in one hand she carried a very dashed…
looking sunshade which she referred to as her 〃perishall。〃
Beryl； sitting in the window； fanning her freshly…washed hair； thought
she had never seen such a guy。 If Alice had only blacked her face with a
piece of cork before she started out； the picture would have been complete。
And where did a girl like that go to in a place like this？ The heart…shaped
Fijian fan beat scornfully at that lovely bright mane。 She supposed Alice
had picked up some horrible common larrikin and