by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第7章
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Nor were her efforts confined entirely to public life。 In cozy corners and
darkened recesses； bearded lips withheld the amorous declaration to
mutter 〃Sarah Walker〃 between their clenched teeth； coy and bashful
tongues found speech at last in the rapid formulation of 〃Sarah Walker。〃
Nobody ever thought of abbreviating her full name。 The two people in the
hotel； otherwise individualized； but known only as 〃Sarah Walker's father〃
and 〃Sarah Walker's mother；〃 and never as Mr。 and Mrs。 Walker； addressed
her only as 〃Sarah Walker〃； two animals that were occasionally a part of
this passing pageant were known as 〃Sarah Walker's dog〃 and 〃Sarah
Walker's cat；〃 and later it was my proud privilege to sink my own
individuality under the title of 〃that friend of Sarah Walker's。〃
It must not be supposed that she had attained this baleful eminence
without some active criticism。 Every parent in the Greyport Hotel had held
his or her theory of the particular defects of Sarah Walker's education；
every virgin and bachelor had openly expressed views of the peculiar
discipline that was necessary to her subjugation。 It may be roughly
estimated that she would have spent the entire nine years of her active life
in a dark cupboard on an exclusive diet of bread and water； had this
discipline obtained； while； on the other hand； had the educational theories
of the parental assembly prevailed； she would have ere this shone an
etherealized essence in the angelic host。 In either event she would have
〃ceased from troubling；〃 which was the general Greyport idea of higher
education。 A paper read before our Literary Society on 〃Sarah Walker and
other infantile diseases；〃 was referred to in the catalogue as 〃Walker； Sarah；
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Prevention and Cure；〃 while the usual burlesque legislation of our summer
season culminated in the Act entitled 〃An Act to amend an Act entitled an
Act for the abatement of Sarah Walker。〃 As she was hereafter exclusively
to be fed 〃on the PROVISIONS of this Act；〃 some idea of its general tone
may be gathered。 It was a singular fact in this point of her history that her
natural progenitors not only offered no resistance to the doubtful celebrity
of their offspring； but； by hopelessly accepting the situation； to some
extent POSED as Sarah Walker's victims。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Walker were
known to be rich； respectable； and indulgent to their only child。 They
themselves had been evolved from a previous generation of promiscuously
acquired wealth into the repose of inherited property； but it was currently
accepted that Sarah had 〃cast back〃 and reincarnated some waif on the
deck of an emigrant ship at the beginning of the century。
Such was the child separated from me by this portentous history； a
narrow passage； and a closed nursery door。 Presently； however； the door
was partly opened again as if to admit the air。 The crying had ceased； but
in its place the monotonous Voice of Conscience； for the moment
personated by Sarah Walker's nursemaid； kept alive a drowsy recollection
of Sarah Walker's transgressions。
〃You see；〃 said the Voice； 〃what a dreadful thing it is for a little girl to
go on as you do。 I am astonished at you； Sarah Walker。 So is everybody；
so is the good ladies next door； so is the kind gentleman opposite； so is all！
Where you expect to go to； 'Evin only knows！ How you expect to be
forgiven； saints alone can tell！ But so it is always； and yet you keep it up。
And wouldn't you like it different； Sarah Walker？ Wouldn't you like to
have everybody love you？ Wouldn't you like them good ladies next door；
and that nice gentleman opposite； all to kinder rise up and say； 'Oh； what a
dear good little girl Sarah Walker is？'〃 The interpolation of a smacking
sound of lips； as if in unctuous anticipation of Sarah Walker's virtue； here
ensued〃Oh； what a dear； good； sw…e…et； lovely little girl Sarah Walker
is！〃
There was a dead silence。 It may have been fancy； but I thought that
some of the doors in the passage creaked softly as if in listening
expectation。 Then the silence was broken by a sigh。 Had Sarah Walker
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ingloriously succumbed？ Rash and impotent conclusion！
〃I don't；〃 said Sarah Walker's voice； slowly rising until it broke on the
crest of a mountainous sob； 〃Idon'twant'emtolove me。 Idon't
want'emto saywhat adeargoodlittle girl Sarah Walker is！〃 She
caught her breath。 〃Iwant'emto say what a naughtybaddirty
horridfilthylittle girl Sarah Walker isso I do。 There！〃
The doors slammed all along the passages。 The dreadful issue was
joined。 I softly crossed the hall and looked into Sarah Walker's room。
The light from a half…opened shutter fell full upon her rebellious little
figure。 She had stiffened herself in a large easy…chair into the attitude in
which she had been evidently deposited there by the nurse whose torn…off
apron she still held rigidly in one hand。 Her shapely legs stood out before
her； jointless and inflexible to the point of her tiny shoesa POSE copied
with pathetic fidelity by the French doll at her feet。 The attitude must have
been dreadfully uncomfortable； and maintained only as being replete with
some vague insults to the person who had put her down； as exhibiting a
wild indecorum of silken stocking。 A mystified kittenSarah Walker's
inseparablewas held as rigidly under one arm with equal dumb
aggressiveness。 Following the stiff line of her half…recumbent figure； her
head suddenly appeared perpendicularly erectyet the only mobile part of
her body。 A dazzling sunburst of silky hair； the color of burnished copper；
partly hid her neck and shoulders and the back of the chair。 Her eyes were
a darker shade of the same colorthe orbits appearing deeper and larger
from the rubbing in of habitual tears from long wet lashes。 Nothing so far
seemed inconsistent with her infelix reputation； but； strange to say； her
other features were marked by delicacy and refinement； and her mouth
that sorely exercised and justly dreaded memberwas small and pretty；
albeit slightly dropped at the corners。
The immediate effect of my intrusion was limited solely to the
nursemaid。 Swooping suddenly upon Sarah Walker's too evident
deshabille； she made two or three attempts to pluck her into propriety； but
the child； recognizing the cause as well as the effect； looked askance at me
and only stiffened herself the more。 〃Sarah Walker； I'm shocked。〃
〃It ain't HIS room anyway；〃 said Sarah； eying me malevolently。
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〃What's he doing here？〃
There was so much truth in this that I involuntarily drew back abashed。
The nurse…maid ejaculated 〃Sarah！〃 and lifted her eyes in hopeless protest。
〃And he needn't come seeing YOU；〃 continued Sarah； lazily rubbing
the back of her head against the chair； 〃my papa don't allow it。 He warned
you 'bout the other gentleman； you know。〃
〃Sarah Walker！〃
I felt it was necessary to say something。 〃Don't you want to come with
me and look at the sea？〃 I said with utter feebleness of invention。 To my
surprise； instead of actively assaulting me Sarah Walker got up； shook her
hair over her shoulders； and took my hand。
〃With your hair in that state？〃 almost screamed the domestic。 But
Sarah Walker had already pulled me into the hall。 What particularly
offensive form of opposition to authority was implied in this prompt
assent to my proposal I could only darkly guess。 For myself I knew I must
appear to her a weak impostor。 What would there possibly be in the sea to
interest Sarah Walker？ For the moment I prayed for a water…spout； a
shipwreck； a whale； or any marine miracle to astound her and redeem my
character。 I walked guiltily down the hall； holding her hand bashfully in
mine。 I noticed that her breast began to heave convulsively； if she cried I
knew I should mingle my tears with hers。 We reached the veranda in
gloomy silence。 As I expected； the sea lay before us glittering in the sun
vacant； staring； flat； and hopelessly and unquestionably uninteresting。
〃I knew it all along；〃 said Sarah Walker； turning down the corners of
her mouth； 〃there never was anything to see。 I know why you got me to
come here。 You want to tell me if I'm a good girl you'll take me to sail
some day。 You want to say if I'm bad the sea will swallow me up。 That's all
you want； you horrid thing； you！〃
〃Hush！〃 I said； pointing to the corner of the veranda。
A desperate idea of escape had just seized me。 Bolt upright in the
recess of a window sat a nursemaid who had succumbed to sleep equally
with her helpless charge in the perambulator beside her。 I instantly
recognized the infanta popular organism known as 〃Baby Buckly〃the
prodigy of the Greyport Hotel； the pet of its enthusiastic womanhood。 Fat
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and featureless； pink and pincushiony； it was borrowed by gushing
maidenhood； exchanged by idiotic maternity； and had grown unctuous and
tumefacient under the kisses and embraces of half the hotel。 Even in its
present repose it looked moist and shiny from indiscriminate and
promiscuous osculation。
〃Let's borrow Baby Buckly；〃 I said recklessly。
Sarah Walker at once stopped crying。 I don't know how she did it； but
the cessation was instantaneous； as if she had turned off a tap somewhere。
〃And put it in Mr。 Peters' bed！〃 I continued。
