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1ADillPickleKatherineMansfield1.Andthen,aftersixyears,shesawhimagain.HewasseatedatoneofthoselittlebambootablesdecoratedwithaJapanesevaseofpaperdaffodils.Hewaspeelinganorange.2.Hemusthavefeltthatshockofrecognitioninherforlookedupandmethereye!Incredible!Hedidn'tknowher.Shesmiled,hefrowned.Shecametowardshim.Heclosedhiseyesaninstant,butopeningthemhisfacelitupasthoughhehadstruckamatchinadarkroom.Helaiddowntheorangeandpushedbackhischair.3.Vera!heexclaimed.Howstrange.Really,foramomentIdidn'tknowyou.Won'tyousitdown?Won'tyouhavesomecoffee?4.Yes,I'dlikesomecoffee.Andshesatdownoppositehim.5.You'vechanged.You'vechangedverymuch,hesaid,staringatherwitheager,lightedlook.Youlooksowell.I'veneverseenyoulooksowellbefore.6.Really?Sheraisedherveilandunbuttonedherhighfurcollar.Idon'tfeelverywell.Ican'tbearthisweather,youknow.7.Ah,no.Youhatethecold...8.Loatheit.Sheshuddered.Andtheworstofitisthattheolderonegrows...9.Heinterruptedher.Excuseme,andtappedonthetableforwaitress.Pleasebringsomecoffeeandcream.Toher:Youaresureyouwon'teatanything?10.No,thanks.Nothing.11.Thenthat'ssettled.Andsmilinghetookuptheorangeagain.Youweresaying--theolderonegrows--12.Thecolder,shelaughed.Butshewasthinkinghowwellsherememberedthattrickofhis--thetrickofinterruptingher--andofhowitusedtoexasperatehersixyearsago.13.Thecolder,heechoedherwords,laughingtoo.Ah,ah.Youstillsaythe2samethingsandthereisanotherthingaboutyouthatisnotchangedatall--yourbeautifulvoice.Idon'tknowwhatitis--I'veoftenwondered--thatmakesyourvoicesucha--hauntingmemory...DoyourememberthatfirstafternoonwespenttogetheratKewGarden?YouweresosurprisedbecauseIdidnotknowthenamesofanyflowers.Iamstilljustasignorantforallyourtellingme.Butwheneverit'sveryfineandwarm,andIseesomebrightcolourIhearyourvoicesaying:Geranium,marigold,andverbena,Yourememberthatafternoon?14.Oh,yes,verywell.Shedrewalong,softbreath.Yet,whathadremainedinhermindofthatparticularafternoonwasanabsurdscene.AgreatmanypeopletakingteainaChinesepagoda,andhebehavinglikeamaniacaboutthewasps--wavingthemaway,flappingatthemwithhisstrawhat,seriousandinfuriatedoutofallproportiontotheoccasion.Howshehadsuffered.15.Butnow,ashespoke,thatmemoryfaded.Hiswasthetruer.16.Yes,ithadbeenawonderfulafternoon,fullofflowersand--warmsunshine.Herthoughtslingeredoverthelasttwowords.Andinthewarmth,asitwere,anothermemoryunfolded.Shesawherselfsittingonalawn.Helaybesideher,andsuddenly,herolledoverandputhisheadinherlap.17.Iwish,hesaidinalow,troubledvoice,IwishthatIhadtakenpoisonandwereabouttodie--herenow!18.Sheleanedoverhim.19.Ah,whydoyousaythat?20.Buthegaveakindofsoftmoan,andtakingherhandheheldittohischeek.21.BecauseIknowIamgoingtoloveyoutoomuch.AndIshallsuffersoterribly,Vera,becauseyounever,neverwillloveme.22.Hewascertainlyfarbetterlookingnowthanhehadbeenthen.Hehadlostallthatdreamyvaguenessandindecision.Nowhehadtheairofamanwhohasfoundhisplaceinlife.Hemusthavemademoney,too.Hisclotheswereadmirable,andatthatmomenthepulledaRussiancigarettecaseoutofhispocket.23.Won'tyousmoke?24.Yes,Iwill.Shehoveredoverthem.Theylookverygood.325.IgetthemmadeformebyalittlemaninStJames'sStreet.Idon'tsmokeverymuch,butwhenIdo,theymustbedelicious.Smokingisn'tahabitwithme;it'saluxury--likeperfume.Areyoustillsofondofperfumes?Ah,whenIinRussia...26.Shebrokein:You'vereallybeentoRussia?27.Oh,yes.Iwasthereforoverayear.Haveyouforgottenhowweusedtotalkofgoingthere?28.No,I'venotforgotten.29.Hegaveastrangehalflaughandleanedbackinhischair.30.Isn'titcurious?Ihavereallycarriedoutallthosejourneysthatweplanned.Infact,Ihavespentthelastthreeyearsofmylifetravellingallthetime.Spain,Corsica,Siberia,Russia,Egypt.TheonlycountryleftisChina,andImeantogothere,too,whenthewarisover.31.Ashespoke,solightly,tappingtheendofhiscigaretteagainsttheashtray,shefeltthestrangebeastthathadslumberedsolongwithinherbosomstir,stretchitself,yawn,prickupitsears,andsuddenlyboundtoitsfeet,andfixitslonging,hungrystareuponthosefarawayplaces.Butallshesaidwas,smilinggently:HowIenvyyou.32.Ithasbeen,hesaid,Wonderful--especiallyRussia.IevenspentsomedaysonariverboatontheVolga.DOyourememberthatboatman'ssongthatyouusedtoplay?33.Yes.Itbegantoplayasshespoke.34.Doyouevenplayitnow?35.No,I'venopiano.36.Hewasamazedatthat.Bfutwhathasbecomeofyourbeautifulpiano?37.Shemadealittlegrimace.Sold.Agesago.38.Butyouweresofondofmusic,hewondered.39.I'venotimeforitnow.saidshe.40.Heletitgoatthat.Thatriverlife,hewenton,issomethingquitespecial.Afteradayortwoyoucan'trealizethatyouhaveevenknownanother.Andit4isnotnecessarytoknowthelanguage--thelifeoftheboatcreatesabondbetweenyouandthepeoplethat'smorethansufficient.Youeatwiththem,passthedaywiththem,andintheeveningthereisthatendlesssinging.41.Sheshivered,hearingtheboatman'ssongbreakoutagainloudandtragic,andseeingtheboatfloatingonthedarkeningriverwithmelancholytreesoneitherside...42.You'dlikealmosteverythingaboutRussialife,hesaidwarmly.It'ssoinformal,soimpulsive,sofree.Andthenthepeasantsaresosplendid.IremembertheeveningsomefriendsandIwentforapicnicbytheBlackSea.Wetooksupperandchampagneandateanddrankonthegrass.Andwhilewewereeatingthecoac