陳榕

Excerpts1）

Days passed， and as more children saw the dolls house， the fame of it spread. It became the one subject， the rage2）. Even the dinner hour was given up to talking about it. The little girls sat under the pines eating their thick mutton sandwiches and big slabs3） of johnny cake spread with butter. While always， as near as they could get， sat the Kelveys， our Else holding on to Lil， listening too， while they chewed their jam sandwiches out of a newspaper soaked with large red blobs4）.

“Mother，” said Kezia， “cant I ask the Kelveys just once？”

“Certainly not， Kezia.”

“But why not？”

“Run away， Kezia； you know quite well why not.”

At last everybody had seen it except them. On that day the subject rather flagged5）. It was the dinner hour. The children stood together under the pine trees， and suddenly， as they looked at the Kelveys eating out of their paper， always by themselves， always listening， they wanted to be horrid to them. Emmie Cole started the whisper.

“Lil Kelveys going to be a servant when she grows up.”

“O-oh， how awful！” said Isabel Burnell， and she made eyes at Emmie.

“Its true—its true—its true，” she said.

Then Lena Logans little eyes snapped. “Shall I ask her？” she whispered.

“Bet you dont，” said Jessie May.

“Pooh， Im not frightened，” said Lena. Suddenly she gave a little squeal6） and danced in front of the other girls. “Watch！ Watch me！ Watch me now！” said Lena. And sliding， gliding， dragging one foot， giggling behind her hand， Lena went over to the Kelveys.

Lil looked up from her dinner. She wrapped the rest quickly away. Our Else stopped chewing. What was coming now？

“Is it true youre going to be a servant when you grow up， Lil Kelvey？” shrilled Lena.

Dead silence. But instead of answering， Lil only gave her silly， shame-faced smile. She didnt seem to mind the question at all. What a sell for Lena！ The girls began to titter7）.

Lena couldnt stand that. She put her hands on her hips； she shot forward. “Yah， yer fathers in prison！” she hissed8）， spitefully9）.

This was such a marvellous thing to have said that the little girls rushed away in a body， deeply， deeply excited， wild with joy.

In the afternoon Pat called for the Burnell children with the buggy10） and they drove home. There were visitors. Isabel and Lottie， who liked visitors， went upstairs to change their pinafores11）. But Kezia thieved out at the back. Nobody was about； she began to swing on the big white gates of the courtyard. Presently， looking along the road， she saw two little dots. They grew bigger， they were coming towards her. Now she could see that one was in front and one close behind. Now she could see that they were the Kelveys. Kezia stopped swinging. She slipped off the gate as if she was going to run away. Then she hesitated. The Kelveys came nearer， and beside them walked their shadows. Kezia clambered back on the gate； she had made up her mind； she swung out.

“Hullo，” she said to the passing Kelveys.

They were so astounded that they stopped. Lil gave her silly smile. Our Else stared.

“You can come and see our dolls house if you want to，” said Kezia， and she dragged one toe on the ground. But at that Lil turned red and shook her head quickly.

“Why not？” asked Kezia.

Lil gasped， then she said， “Your ma told our ma you wasnt to speak to us.”

“Oh， well，” said Kezia. She didnt know what to reply. “It doesnt matter. You can come and see our dolls house all the same. Come on. Nobodys looking.”

But Lil shook her head still harder.

“Dont you want to？” asked Kezia.

Suddenly there was a twitch12）， a tug at Lils skirt. She turned round. Our Else was looking at her with big， imploring eyes； she was frowning； she wanted to go. For a moment Lil looked at our Else very doubtfully. But then our Else twitched her skirt again. She started forward. Kezia led the way. Like two little stray cats they followed across the courtyard to where the dolls house stood.

“There it is，” said Kezia.

There was a pause. Lil breathed loudly， almost snorted； our Else was still as a stone.

“Ill open it for you，” said Kezia kindly. She undid the hook and they looked inside.

“Theres the drawing-room and the dining-room， and thats the—”

“Kezia！”

Oh， what a start they gave！

“Kezia！”

It was Aunt Beryls voice. They turned round. At the back door stood Aunt Beryl， staring as if she couldnt believe what she saw.

“How dare you ask the little Kelveys into the courtyard？” said her cold， furious voice. “You know as well as I do， youre not allowed to talk to them. Run away， children， run away at once. And dont come back again，” said Aunt Beryl. And she stepped into the yard and shooed them out as if they were chickens.

“Off you go immediately！” she called， cold and proud.

They did not need telling twice. Burning with shame， shrinking together， Lil huddling along like her mother， our Else dazed， somehow they crossed the big courtyard and squeezed through the white gate.

When the Kelveys were well out of sight of Burnells， they sat down to rest on a big red drain-pipe by the side of the road. Lils cheeks were still burning； she took off the hat with the quill and held it on her knee.

Presently our Else nudged up close to her sister. But now she had forgotten the cross lady. She put out a finger and stroked her sisters quill； she smiled her rare smile.

“I seen the little lamp，” she said， softly.

Then both were silent once more.