Text B To Set Our House in Order（第1页）

TextBToSetOurHouseinOrder

MargaretLaurence

[1]Whenthebabywasalmostreadytobeborhiwrongandmymointohospitaltwoweeksbeforetheexpectedtime。Iwaswakenedbyherthenight，andthenIheardmyfather’sfootstepsashewentdohooodinthedoorwayofmyroandlistening，wantingtogotomymotherbutafraidtogolesttherebesomesighttheremthatIcouldbear。

[2]“Hello—Paul?”myfathersaid，andIkalkingtoDr。Cates。“It’sBeth。Thewatershavebrokealpositioseemquite—well，I’monlythinkingofeime，ahatwouldbe—Iwishshewerealittlehuskier，damnit—she’sso—no，don’tworry，I’mquiteallright。Yes，Ithinkthatwouldbethebestthing。Okay，makeitassoonasyou，willyou?”

[3]Hecamebackupstairs，lookingbonyanddisheveledinhispyjamas，andrunninghisfihroughhissathetopofthestairs，hecamefacetofacewithGrandmotherMacLeod，whowasstandingthereiedbladressingghtfigureheldstraightahoughshewereuherhairwasboundgrotesquelylikewhite-featheredwingsinthesnareofheright-timehair。

[4]“Whatisit，Ewen?”

[5]“It’sallright，Mother。Beth’shaving—alittletrouble。I’mgoiothehospital。Yougobacktobed。”

[6]“Itoldyou，”GrandmotherMacLeodsaidinherclearvoieverloud，butdistingiapteaspooblet，“Ididtellyou，Ewen，didInot，thatyoushouldhavegotagirlintohelpherwiththehousework?Shewouldhaverestedmore。”

[7]“I’taffetanyonein，”myfathersaid。“Ifyouthoughtsheshouldhaverestedmore，whydidn’tyod，I’moutofmymindtonight—justgobaother，please。ImustgetbacktoBeth。”

[8]WhedowdoortoletDr。，myneedovercamemyfearandIslippedintomyparents’room。Mymother’sblackhair，solypinnedupduringtheday，wasstartlinglyspreadacrossthewhitepillowcase。Istaredather，notspeaking，andthenshesmiledahedoorwayandburiedmyheaduponher。

[9]“It’sallright，honey，”shesaid，“Listehebaby’sjustgoileearly，that’sall。You’llbeallright。GrandmotherMacLeodwillbehere。”

[10]“Howshegetthemeals?”Iwailed，fixihingthatind。“Shenevercooks。Shedoesn’tknowhow。”

[11]“Yes，shedoes，”mymothersaid。“Shecookaswellasanyonewheo。She’sjustoverymuch，that’sall。Don’tworry—she’llkeepeverythihensome。”

[12]MyfatherandDr。Cates，andIhadtogo，withanythingIhadwaosay。Iwentbaandlaywiththeshadowsallarouemurmuringsthatalwayswentoninthathouse，soundswhieverhadasource，raftersarathedryair，perhaps，ormithewalls，orasparrowthathadflowhroughthebrokenskylightthere。Afterawhile，althoughIwouldnothavebelieveditpossible，Islept。

[13]ThemIquestioher。IbelievedhimtobenotoorinManawaka，butalsothebestdothewholeofManitoba，ifireworld，ahathewasnottheonewhowaslookiherseemedtohavesomethiit。

[14]“Butit’salwaysdoway，Vanessa，”heexplaiorseheirownfamily。It’sbecausetheyu，yousee，and—”

[15]“Andwhat?”Iinsisted，alarmedatthewayhehadbrokenoff。Butmyfatherdidoodthere，ahatdifficultsmilewithwhichadultsseektofrom。Ifeltterrified，andrantohimaightly。

[16]“She’sgoingtobefine，”hesaid。“Holysheis。Nessa，don’tcry—”

[17]GrandmotherMacLeodappearedbesideus，steel-spieherapparentfragility。Sheurplesilkdressandherivorypendant。Shelookedasthoughshewereallreadytogooutforafternoontea。

[18]Summerholidayswerenotquiteover，butIdidnotfeellikegoingouttoplaywithanyofthekids。Iwasverysuperstitious，andIhadthefeelingthatifIleftthehouse，evenforafewhours，somedisasterwouldovertakemymother。Ididnot，ofentiooGrandmotherMacLeod，forshedidheexistenceoffear，ofifshedid，sheohemmorbidlyinseekinghiddehehouse。Thereweremanyofthese-odd-shapedairs，smallandlooselynailed-updoorsatthebackofclothesclosets，leadingtodustytunnelsandfotteheheartofthehousewheretheonlythingsactuallytobeseenaintiherafters，andtrunksfullofoutmodedgandoldphotographalbums。Buttheunseehesesecretplaewtobethoseofeveryperson，youngorold，whedtothehouseandhaddied，incleRotkilledontheSomme，andthebabywhowouldhavebeenmysisterifonlyshehadmaoetolife。GrandfatherMacLeod，whohaddiedayearafterIwasborhehouseiathetopofthemainstairshuhpictureofadarklyuniformedmanridinguponahorsewhstanddilatednestedthatthebattlewashatitmightiiilJudgmeernmanwasactuallytheDukeofWellington，butatthetimeIbelievedhimtobemygrandfatherMacLeod，stillkeepihing。

[19]WehadmovedinwithGrandmotherMatheDepressiongotbadandsheolongeraffordahousekeeper，buttheMacLeodhouseneverseemedlikehometome。ItsdarkredbrickwasgrowhefrontwithVirgiurnedthefall，untilyoucouldhardlytellbrileaves。ItboastedasmalltowerinwhiacLeodkeptaweedyofaheverandahwasembellishedrofusiht-ironsdthecircularrose-windowupstairsedglassofmanycolorswhichpermittedanout-lookihelaceofabsolutesapphireoremerald，orifoolookwithajauefulyellow。InGrandmotherMacLeod’sopiuresgavethehousestyle。

[20]Iudeofdoorsledtoroomswheremypreseactuallyforbidden，wasned。OnewasGrandmotherMacLeod’sbedroom，withitsstaleandold-smellingairs，thedimreekofmedidlaves。Hereresidedhermonogrammeddressersilver，brushandmirror，tonhookandsoneofwhichmustevenbefingeredbymenow，forshemeahemtomeinherwillaohandthemoverinthesameflawlessaioninwhichtheyhadalwaysbeeoo，werethesilver-framedphotographsofUncleRoderick—asachild，asaboy，asamaninhisArmyuniform。Themassiveoolbedhadobviouslybeendesignedforqueensiants，andmytinygraoliewithinitalldaywhenshehadmigrairiviolooklikeagiantqueen。

[21]ThelivingroomwasaerritorywhereIhadtotreadwarily，formanyvaluableobjectssatjust-soontablesandmantelpieddirtmustraupontheblueesecarpetwithitsbirdsiioanditswater-lilybudscaughtforeverjustbeforethepointofopening。MymotherwasalwaysnervouswhenIwasinthisroom。

[22]“Vanessa，honey，”shewouldsay，halfapologetically，“whydon’tyougoandplayintheden，orupstairs?”