# ■ 2 Chapter

It was seven o'clock on Saturday evening．Jackie stood at the window．A car drove slowly up to the front door and stopped．A tall man with white hair got out，It was Albert，the husband of Molly's sister．

Here's Uncle Albert，'Jackie said．'Always late．'

She went out of the room and opened the front door．Albert came in and went at once to Molly．

Oh，dear．I'm very late．I am sorry，'Albert said．'Fifty years old today！What a wonderful dress！'

Molly did not smile．'Thank you，Albert．We're all getting older．'Tonight she wore a long black dress，and the two black dogs sat at her feet．'Everyone is here now．Let's go in to dinner，'she said．

Everyone stood up and went to the table．

The table looks nice，Jackie．What wonderful flowers！'Diane said．She was a beautiful girl，with long black hair and dark blue eyes．She wore a long red dress．

Albert sat down next to Roger Roger was Molly's son，her second child．He lived in Cambridge，in an expensive house．

Someone called Peter stopped me down the road，'Albert said．'Who is he？ He's very angry with you，Molly．'

That's Peter Hobbs，from the house across the road，'Jackie said quickly．She looked across the table at Molly．'He lost his job last week and he's angry with everyone．'

It's Molly he doesn't like，'Albert said．

Molly said nothing．Everyone began to eat．

How is Aunt Annie？'Jackie asked．

She's much worse now，'Albert said．'She stays in bed all the time．She needs a nurse twenty-four hours a day．'

I am sorry，'Molly said．

Albert stopped eating and looked at Molly．'It's very difficult and very expensive，you know．Annie feels very unhappy because you don't visit her，Molly．She loves you very much．You are her little sister；you know．'

Molly closed her eyes for a minute．' I know that，Albert．I am fifty years old，but I am always her“little”sister．Well，we can talk about it later．'

Albert laughed．'Oh yes，we can talk later．It's always later with you，Molly．Always tomorrow．Never today．'

Jackie watched her mother．Her mother was angry with Albert．Molly never liked talking about her sister Annie and she did not like visiting her because she was very ill．

That's a beautiful dress，Diane．Is it new？'Jackie asked．

Thank you，Jackie．Yes，it's new，and very expensive．I got it on Wednesday，'Diane said．She smiled at Jackie．

All your things are expensive，'Jackie said．She remembered the phone call on Thursday about the train ticket．

I don't like cheap things，'Diane said．'And I'm going to need more money soon．I want to go to America．Can you help me，Roger？'

Oh no，'Roger said．'Nobody wants to help you， Diane．You don't like working，we all know that，but we all want you to get a job．'

Diane laughed．'It doesn't matter，Roger．I don't need your help．Mother always helps me．Mother loves me best．'She suddenly smiled，a quick，beautiful smile．But her eyes were cold．

Jackie looked at her mother．Molly's face was white．Jackie did not understand．Was her mother afraid of Diane？Jackie wanted her mother to be happy today．

Would you like some more meat，Uncle Albert？'Jackie asked．'Roger，can you give everyone some more to drink？

Roger got up and began to give more wine to everyone．'This is good wine，'he said．

Molly smiled for the first time．'Yes，your father loved this wine．He often drank it．'

Yes，'Albert said，and looked at Molly．'Expensive，too．'

Would you like to meet Mr Briggs this weekend，Roger？Jackie asked quickly．'He's the new man at the farm．He wants to meet you．'

Briggs？Briggs？'Molly said，suddenly angry．'Don't talk to me about that man．I don't like him．He wants half my garden for his farm．He needs more land，he says．I don't want him in my house．He's always dirty and he has bad teeth．'

Jackie stood up and got her bag．'Excuse me，I want a cigarette．'

Cigarettes！Always a cigarette in your mouth，'Molly said．'I don't like it．Cigarettes aren't good for you．'

Jackie began to smoke．She felt angry but she said nothing．She wanted her mother to be happy this evening，but it was very difficult．

Roger drank some more wine．'Well，Mother，perhaps Mr Briggs is right．The garden is very big，you know，'he said．'It's a lot of work for you．The house is big，too．You're fifty now．You need to be more careful．'

Roger！I don't need a nurse，you know！I work in the garden every day；I feel happy there．'Molly stood up．'I know you all want my money．You come here for a free dinner，you don't want to see me．You don't love me．You want my house，and my money．Well，you can all wait．No-body is getting more money from me，not before I die！'

Don't say that，Mother！'Jackie cried．

Molly walked across the room to the door．'I feel ill now．I'm going upstairs to bed．'

Molly left the room．Nobody moved．

One day I'm going to kill that woman，'Diane said quietly．

Roger looked at Diane but said nothing．Albert moved his head slowly up and down．'Ill！She's angry，that's all，'he said．'Molly always gets angry about money．Why can't she be good to her sister？Annie's going to die soon．Molly knows that．'

Jackie finished her cigarette and stood up．'Would everyone like some coffee？Come into the kitchen and let's drink it there．'

■ 2

星期六晚上7點。傑基站在窗前。一輛小車徐徐駛到前門停下來。一個白頭髮、高個子的男人下了車，他是艾伯特，莫利姐姐的丈夫。

“是艾伯特姨父，”傑基說。“他總是遲到。”

她走出房間打開前門。艾伯特走進來，立刻便走向莫利。

“哦，親愛的，抱歉，我來得太遲了，”艾伯特說。“今天是你50歲生日！多漂亮的裙子！”

莫利沒有笑。“謝謝你，艾伯特。我們都老了。”今晚她穿了一條長長的黑裙子，兩條黑狗蹲在她腳邊。“現在大家都到了，咱們吃飯吧。”她說。

大家都站起來走到桌前。

“餐桌看起來不錯，傑基。多美的花啊！”黛安娜說。她是個美麗的女孩，有一頭長長的黑頭髮和一雙深藍色的眼睛，她穿了一條紅色的長裙。

艾伯特坐在羅傑的旁邊。羅傑是莫利的兒子，她的第二個孩子。他住在劍橋一幢昂貴的房子裡。

“有個叫彼特的人沿路阻擋我，”艾伯特說。“他是誰？他很生你的氣，莫利。”

“那是彼得·霍布斯，家住在馬路對面的房子裡。”傑基很快地說。她看著餐桌對面的莫利。“他上週丟了工作，他生每個人的氣。”

“他不喜歡的是莫利，”艾伯特說。

莫利一言不發。大家開始吃東西。

“安妮姨媽好嗎？”傑基問。

“她現在更糟糕了，”艾伯特說。“她所有時間都呆在床上。她一天24小時都需要護士。”

“我真難過”，莫利說。

艾伯特停下來看著莫利。“你知道，這事非常麻煩並且非常花錢。莫利，安妮因為你不去看她很不高興。她非常愛你，你知道，你是她的小妹妹。”

莫利閉上了眼。“我知道這些，艾伯特。我都50歲了，可我總是她的'小'妹妹。好吧，我們以後再談這事。”

艾伯特笑道。“哦，是啊，我們以後再談。莫利，和你總是以後，總是明天。從來不是今天。”

傑基看著她的母親，她的母親生艾伯特的氣。莫利從來就不喜歡談論她姐姐，也不喜歡去拜訪她。而她病得很重。

“這裙子真漂亮，黛安娜。是新的嗎？”傑基問。

“謝謝，傑基。是的，新裙子，非常貴。我週三才買的。”黛安娜說。她衝著傑基微笑。

“你所有的東西都昂貴，”傑基說。她記起週四關於火車票的電話。

“我不喜歡便宜的東西，”黛安娜說。“我不久會需要更多的錢，我想去美國。羅傑，你能幫我嗎？”

“哦，不行，”羅傑說。“沒有人想幫你，黛安娜。我們都知道，你不喜歡工作，但是我們都希望你找份工作。”

黛安娜笑道。“沒關係，羅傑。我不需要你的幫助，媽媽總是會幫我的，媽媽最愛我。”她突然笑了一下，一個轉瞬即逝美麗的微笑。可她的眼神卻是冷冷的。

傑基看著她的媽媽，莫利臉色蒼白。傑基不明白為什麼。她的媽媽會怕黛安娜？傑基希望她的媽媽今天快快樂樂。

“艾伯特姨父，你還要些肉嗎？”傑基問。“羅傑，你能給每人再添些飲料嗎？”

羅傑站起來動手給大家加了些酒。“這酒不錯，”他說。

莫利第一次笑了。“是啊，你父親愛喝這種酒。他經常喝。”

“是啊”，艾伯特看著莫利說“也非常貴。”

“羅傑，這個週末你想見見布里格斯嗎？”傑基急忙問。“他剛來農場。他想見見你。”

“布里格斯？布里格斯？”莫利說，她突然生氣了。“不要和我談那個男人，我不喜歡他。他想要我把一半的花園當他的農場。他說，他需要更多的土地。我不希望他來我家，他總是髒兮兮的，還有一口壞牙。”

傑基站起來拿她的包。“抱歉，我想抽枝煙。”

“煙！你的嘴總是叼著煙，”莫利說。“我討厭煙，抽菸對你不好。”

傑基開始抽菸，她感到很生氣，但她什麼也沒說。她想讓她媽媽今晚快樂些，可看來這非常難。

羅傑喝了好些酒。“好啦，媽媽，布里格斯先生可能是對的。你清楚，花園是太大了，”他說。“你要幹許多的事，房子也太大了。你都50歲了，你需要更多的照顧。”

“羅傑！你明白，我不需要護士！我每天在花園裡乾點活，我在那兒感到快樂。”莫利站起來。“我知道你們都想要我的錢。你們來這兒只為一頓免費的晚餐，不是想來看看我，你們不愛我。你們想要我的房子，我的錢。好吧，你們都等著。在我死之前，任何人都別想從我這兒得一點兒！”

“別說這些，媽媽！”傑基叫道。

莫利穿過房間走到門前。“現在我感到不舒服。我要上樓睡覺了。”

莫利離開了房間，大家都沒動。

“有一天我會殺了這女人，”黛安娜平靜地說。

羅傑看看黛安娜，但什麼也沒說。艾伯特上下搖晃著腦袋。“不舒服！她生氣了，就這樣，”他說。“莫利談到錢總要生氣。為什麼她不能對她姐姐好點？安妮不久就要死了，莫利知道這些。”

傑基抽完煙站起來。“每人都來些咖啡嗎？到廚房去，咱們在那兒喝吧！”