ourfriendJudithWord版.docx
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ourfriendJudithWord版.docx
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ourfriendJudithWord版
IstoppedinvitingJudithtomeetpeoplewhenaCanadianwomanremarked,withthesatisfiedfervorofonewhohasatlastpinnedalabelonararespecimen:
“Sheis,ofcourse,oneofyourtypicalEnglishspinsters.”
ThiswasafewweeksafteranAmericansociologist,havingelicitedfromJudiththefactsthatshewasfortyish,unmarried,andlivingalone,hadinquiredofme:
“Isupposeshehasgivenup?
”“Givenupwhat?
”Iasked;andthesubsequentdiscussionwasunrewarding.
Judithdidnoteasilycometoparties.Shewouldcomeafterpressure,notsomuch—onefelt—todooneafavor,butinordertocorrectwhatshebelievedtobeadefectinhercharacter.“IreallyoughttoenjoymeetingnewpeoplemorethanIdo,”shesaidonce.Werevertedtoanearlierpatternofourfriendship:
oddeveningstogether,anoccasionalvisittothecinema,orshewouldtelephonetosay:
“I’monmywaypastyoutotheBritishMuseum.Wouldyoucareforacupofcoffeewithme?
Ihavetwentyminutestospare.”
ItischaracteristicofJudiththattheword“spinster,”usedofher,provokedfascinatedspeculationaboutotherpeople.Therearemyaunts,forinstance:
agedseventy-odd,bothunmarried,oneanex-missionaryfromChina,onearetiredmatronofafamousLondonhospital.Thesetwooldladiesliv
etogetherundertheshadowofthecathedralinacountrytown.TheydevotemuchtimetotheChurch,togoodcauses,toletterwritingwithfriendsallovertheworld,tothegrandchildrenandthegreat-grandchildrenofrelatives.Itwouldbeamistake,however,onenteringahouseinwhichnothinghasbeenmovedforfiftyyears,todiagnoseaconditionoffossilizedlate-Victorianintegrity.TheyreadeverybookreviewedintheObserverortheTimes,sothatIrecentlygotaletterfromAuntRoseinquiringwhetherIdidnotthinkthattheauthorofOntheRoadwasnot—perhaps?
—exaggeratinghisdifficulties.Theyknowagooddealaboutmusic,andwritelettersofencouragementtoyoungcomposerstheyfeelarebeingneglected—“Youmustunderstandthatanythingnewandoriginaltakestimetobeunderstood.”Well-informedandcriticalTories,theyareaslikelytodispatchtelegramsofprotesttotheHomeSecretaryaslettersofsupport.Theseladies,myauntsEmilyandRose,aresurelywhatismeantbythephrase“Englishspinster.”Andyet,oncetheconnectionhasbeenpointedout,thereisnodoubtthatJudithandtheyarespiritualcousins,ifnotsisters.Thereforeitfollowsthatone’spityingadmirationforwomenwhohavesupported
man-lessanduncomfortedlivesneedsacertainmodification?
Onewill,ofcourse,neverknow;andIfeelnowthatitisentirelymyfaultthatIshallneverknow.IhadbeenJudith’sfriendforupwardsoffiveyearsbeforetheincidentoccurredwhichIinvoluntarilythoughtof—stupidlyenough—asthefirsttimeJudith’smaskslipped.
Amutualfriend,Betty,hadbeengivenacast-offDiordress.Shewastooshortforit.Alsoshesaid:
“It’snotadressforamarriedwomanwiththreechildrenandatalentforcooking.Idon’tknowwhynot,butitisn’t.”Judithwastherightbuild.ThereforeoneeveningthethreeofusmetbyappointmentinJudith’sbedroom,withthedress.NeitherBettynorIwassurprisedatthereneweddiscoverythatJudithwasbeautiful.Wehadbothoftencaughteachother,andourselves,inmomentsofenvywhenJudith’scalmandsevereface,herundemonstrativelyperfectbody,succeededinmakingeveryoneelseinaroomorastreetlookcheap.Judithistall,small-breasted,slender.Herlightbrownhairispartedinthecenterandcutstraightaroundherneck.Ahighstraightforehead,straightnose,afullgravemoutharesettingforhereyes,whicharegreen,largeandprominent.Herlidsareverywhite,fringedwithgold,andmouldedcloseovertheeyeball,sothatinprofileshehasthelookofastaringgildedmask.Thedresswasofdark
greenglisteningstuff,cutstraight,withasortofloosetunic.Itopenedsimplyatthethroat.InitJudithcouldofcourseevokenothingbutclassicalimages.Diana,perhaps,backfromthehunt,inarelaxedmoment?
AratherintellectualwoodnymphwhohadoptedforanafternoonintheBritish
MuseumReadingRoom?
Somethinglikethat.NeitherBettynorIsaidaword,sinceJudithwasexaminingherselfinalongmirror,andmustknowshelookedmagnificent.Slowlyshedrewoffthedressandlaiditaside.Slowlysheputontheoldcordskirtandwoollenblouseshehadtakenoff.Shemusthavesurprisedaresignedglancebetweenus,forshethenremarked,withthesmallestofmockingsmiles:
“Onesurelyoughttostayincharacter,wouldn’tyousay?
”Sheadded,readingthewordsoutofsomeinvisiblebook,writtennotbyher,sinceitwasaveryvulgarbook,butperhapsbyoneofus:
“Itdoeseverythingforme,Imustadmit.”“Afterseeingyouinit,”Bettycriedout,defyingher,“Ican’tbearforanyon
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