the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第8部分
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bedtime。 A small band of them were lying on their stomachs on the floor
looking at the colored sheets of the comic papers which Mr。 Pontellier had
brought down。 The little Pontellier boys were permitting them to do so；
and making their authority felt。
Music； dancing； and a recitation or two were the entertainments
furnished； or rather； offered。 But there was nothing systematic about the
programme； no appearance of prearrangement nor even premeditation。
At an early hour in the evening the Farival twins were prevailed upon
to play the piano。 They were girls of fourteen； always clad in the Virgin's
colors； blue and white； having been dedicated to the Blessed Virgin at their
baptism。 They played a duet from 〃Zampa；〃 and at the earnest
solicitation of every one present followed it with the overture to 〃The Poet
and the Peasant。〃
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〃Allez vous…en！ Sapristi！〃 shrieked the parrot outside the door。 He
was the only being present who possessed sufficient candor to admit that
he was not listening to these gracious performances for the first time that
summer。 Old Monsieur Farival； grandfather of the twins； grew indignant
over the interruption； and insisted upon having the bird removed and
consigned to regions of darkness。 Victor Lebrun objected； and his
decrees were as immutable as those of Fate。 The parrot fortunately offered
no further interruption to the entertainment； the whole venom of his nature
apparently having been cherished up and hurled against the twins in that
one impetuous outburst。
Later a young brother and sister gave recitations； which every one
present had heard many times at winter evening entertainments in the city。
A little girl performed a skirt dance in the center of the floor。 The
mother played her accompaniments and at the same time watched her
daughter with greedy admiration and nervous apprehension。 She need
have had no apprehension。 The child was mistress of the situation。 She
had been properly dressed for the occasion in black tulle and black silk
tights。 Her little neck and arms were bare； and her hair； artificially
crimped； stood out like fluffy black plumes over her head。 Her poses
were full of grace； and her little black…shod toes twinkled as they shot out
and upward with a rapidity and suddenness which were bewildering。
But there was no reason why every one should not dance。 Madame
Ratignolle could not； so it was she who gaily consented to play for the
others。 She played very well； keeping excellent waltz time and infusing
an expression into the strains which was indeed inspiring。 She was
keeping up her music on account of the children； she said； because she and
her husband both considered it a means of brightening the home and
making it attractive。
Almost every one danced but the twins； who could not be induced to
separate during the brief period when one or the other should be whirling
around the room in the arms of a man。 They might have danced together；
but they did not think of it。
The children were sent to bed。 Some went submissively； others with
shrieks and protests as they were dragged away。 They had been permitted
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to sit up till after the ice…cream； which naturally marked the limit of human
indulgence。
The ice…cream was passed around with cakegold and silver cake
arranged on platters in alternate slices； it had been made and frozen during
the afternoon back of the kitchen by two black women； under the
supervision of Victor。 It was pronounced a great successexcellent if it
had only contained a little less vanilla or a little more sugar； if it had been
frozen a degree harder； and if the salt might have been kept out of portions
of it。 Victor was proud of his achievement； and went about
recommending it and urging every one to partake of it to excess。
After Mrs。 Pontellier had danced twice with her husband； once with
Robert； and once with Monsieur Ratignolle； who was thin and tall and
swayed like a reed in the wind when he danced； she went out on the
gallery and seated herself on the low window…sill； where she commanded
a view of all that went on in the hall and could look out toward the Gulf。
There was a soft effulgence in the east。 The moon was coming up； and
its mystic shimmer was casting a million lights across the distant； restless
water。
〃Would you like to hear Mademoiselle Reisz play？〃 asked Robert；
coming out on the porch where she was。 Of course Edna would like to
hear Mademoiselle Reisz play； but she feared it would be useless to
entreat her。
〃I'll ask her；〃 he said。 〃I'll tell her that you want to hear her。 She
likes you。 She will come。〃 He turned and hurried away to one of the far
cottages； where Mademoiselle Reisz was shuffling away。 She was
dragging a chair in and out of her room； and at intervals objecting to the
crying of a baby； which a nurse in the adjoining cottage was endeavoring
to put to sleep。 She was a disagreeable little woman； no longer young；
who had quarreled with almost every one； owing to a temper which was
self…assertive and a disposition to trample upon the rights of others。
Robert prevailed upon her without any too great difficulty。
She entered the hall with him during a lull in the dance。 She made an
awkward； imperious little bow as she went in。 She was a homely woman；
with a small weazened face and body and eyes that glowed。 She had
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absolutely no taste in dress； and wore a batch of rusty black lace with a
bunch of artificial violets pinned to the side of her hair。
〃Ask Mrs。 Pontellier what she would like to hear me play；〃 she
requested of Robert。 She sat perfectly still before the piano； not touching
the keys； while Robert carried her message to Edna at the window。 A
general air of surprise and genuine satisfaction fell upon every one as they
saw the pianist enter。 There was a settling down； and a prevailing air of
expectancy everywhere。 Edna was a trifle embarrassed at being thus
signaled out for the imperious little woman's favor。 She would not dare
to choose； and begged that Mademoiselle Reisz would please herself in
her selections。
Edna was what she herself called very fond of music。 Musical strains；
well rendered； had a way of evoking pictures in her mind。 She sometimes
liked to sit in the room of mornings when Madame Ratignolle played or
practiced。 One piece which that lady played Edna had entitled
〃Solitude。〃 It was a short； plaintive； minor strain。 The name of the piece
was something else； but she called it 〃Solitude。〃 When she heard it there
came before her imagination the figure of a man standing beside a desolate
rock on the seashore。 He was naked。 His attitude was one of hopeless
resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from
him。
Another piece called to her mind a dainty young woman clad in an
Empire gown； taking mincing dancing steps as she came down a long
avenue between tall hedges。 Again； another reminded her of children at
play； and still another of nothing on earth but a demure lady stroking a cat。
The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano
sent a keen tremor down Mrs。 Pontellier's spinal column。 It was not the
first time she had heard an artist at the piano。 Perhaps it was the first time
she was ready； perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an
impress of the abiding truth。
She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather
and blaze before her imagination。 She waited in vain。 She saw no
pictures of solitude； of hope； of longing； or of despair。 But the very
passions themselves were aroused within her soul； swaying it； lashing it；
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as the waves daily beat upon her splendid body。 She trembled； she was
choking； and the tears blinded her。
Mademoiselle had finished。 She arose； and bowing her stiff； lofty
bow； she went away； stopping for neither； thanks nor applause。 As she
passed along the gallery she patted Edna upon the shoulder。
〃Well； how did you like my music？〃 she asked。 The young woman
was unable to answer； sh
