Chapter 2 Chapter two

By the time Beetui finished her meal and started pouring coffee, the two twin sisters had long since disappeared and gone to play by themselves—this day was their "half-holiday" and there was no class in the afternoon.Ailian hurriedly finished her meal and went back to work in the stable. "Do you want to use the car this afternoon?" Simon asked. "I promised old Mr. Gates that I would use a trailer to transport a cow back from Xishi Town. His car broke down.'" I don't need a car," Bitui replied, thinking about what made Simon agree to do it. Such a dull job. Let's hope it's not because of Mr. Gates' daughter—a pretty, but silly, ordinary girl. Mr. Gates is the smallest of the three farms they own—Victoria The tenant of Sai Farm, Simon usually doesn't appreciate Gates' opportunistic attitude.

"Well, if you really want to know, let me tell you," Simon said as he stood up, "I want to see the new film starring June Kaye at the Empire Theater." Simon's self-confessed confession can win over other people, but not Bicui.She knew this nephew so well that the first two balls he threw were designed to distract you from what he was doing with the third. "Do you want me to bring something back?" "If you have time, maybe you can go to the West Town District Office and get a new bus timetable. Eileen said they have a new route that can go to Carlisle via Gus."

"Bicui," said the voice from the front porch, "are you home, Bicui?" "Mrs. Peck," Simon stepped forward to greet her. "Come in, Nance," Beetui also greeted: "Come in and have a cup of coffee with me. Everyone else has eaten and left." The pastor's wife entered the room, put the empty basket on the dining table, sighed happily, sat down gracefully, and replied, "I can have some." When local people mentioned Mrs. Peck, they always added: "You know, Nance Ridingham." It was many years ago.At that time, Nan Si was not only a magnificent beauty, but was even regarded as a common treasure of the public.Newspapers often treat her like a big star.Whenever she passed by somewhere, people would stand high on chairs to see her demeanor, causing traffic to be interrupted.She acted as a bridesmaid in other people's weddings, and I don't know how many people were popular.She has always been so peaceful and lovely, people have to admire.No one expected that she had decided to marry George Peck with lightning speed.Shocked, the press and general admirers tried their best to stop it, and some took the opportunity to express their love, but George Peck won the beauty in the end.He was a tall, thin man with the face of an intelligent but not ugly orangutan.In addition, as the editor of the social edition of the "Carlain Daily" said: "A preacher! Think about it! The cement worker is probably more emotional than him!"

Since it was her decision, the masses had no choice but to let her go.The aunt who supervised her also disinherited her.Her father died long ago due to huge debts.Her home, the Carlisle mansion surrounded by green mountains and green waters, ended up being a school. However, after thirteen years of being a pastor's wife, Nance Peck is still so peaceful and beautiful as before.People still say, "You know, Nance Ridingham." "I'll see if there are any eggs," she said, "but there's no rush, is there? It's nice to sit and do nothing." Bitui looked at her with squinted eyes.

"Oh, Bicui, your face is so pretty." Nansi said happily all the time. "Thanks. Ruth says my face looks like a very expensive cat." "At least--not the furry kind. Oh! I know what she means! The long-necked, short-haired, high-chin kind. Pioneer cat! By the way, Beatrice, yours The face is indeed like a pioneer cat! Especially when you don't move your head and look at people with sideways eyes." Nance put down her glass and sighed happily again: "I can't imagine how those conservative churchmen would do it." Tell me about the coffee." "A complaint about coffee?"

"Yeah. Isn't coffee like a trap? Much worse than drinking. But no one ever criticizes it." Just take five sips, and the whole world becomes as beautiful as a rose. " "Was the world dark before you drank this coffee?" "Yeah, it's almost as gray as mud. I'm so happy this week, because it's the first week of the year that I don't have to light a fire in the living room, and I don't have to tend the fire, and I don't have to clean the fireplace. But alas, there's no— It's really different - things keep George from throwing used matchsticks in the fireplace. He needs at least fifteen matches to light his pipe! There are wastebaskets and ashtrays all over the house But George just doesn't use it, he has to throw the matches in the fireplace! He won't even take aim, damn it. Matches are left in the mouth of the stove, and others are thrown in the very bottom, and I have to pick them up one by one !”

Nancy said coquettishly. "And then he'll tell you: 'Just stay there!'" "Yeah. Never mind, I'll never give him a second thought after I drink Reichett's coffee." "Poor Nancy. These Roast Christians!" Beatrice deliberately chimed in. "How's the bar mitzvah going?" "The invitation card is about to be sent to be printed, and it's finally over. On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, first the close relatives had dinner here, and then all the relatives and friends had a big dance at the other end of the farm. By the way, how do you write your brother Eli's address ?”

"I don't remember his last address. I'll look it up for you later. He changes his address almost every time he writes. I guess he kept failing to pay the rent and had the landlord evict him.Of course, he didn't write very often.He always couldn't forgive me for not marrying a rich man, so he couldn't stay in the house he was used to living in. " "Is he still acting now?" "Don't know. He got a part in a farce at the Savoy, and quit after a few weeks. He has too much personality, and the play path is always too narrow. " "I think so too."

"Ai Li has acted here and there, and he can only play a role like him. Bicui, you don't know how lucky you are. The affairs of the Yashubie family are so simple and easy to take care of. There is nothing wrong with your family." "Isn't Ward one of them?" "One of a kind. Seriously, how is Cousin Ward doing?" "It's not foolish." "Still working at the church?" "No. Be a plasterer. It's a labor job anyway." "Actually, Ward is not bad. He just had bad luck. But, speaking of the unworthy Radingham family, it's really terrible."

They just sat quietly, unrestrained, thinking about their respective relatives.Bicui was much older than this friend in front of her, almost a generation older than her.But in their memories, every stage has shadows of each other.The Letinghams were often in and out of the Asyby's home in Lechter, as at their own home, and so were the Asyby's at Carlisle in Letingham. "I've been thinking of Bill and Nora a lot these days," said Nance. "If they were still alive, I don't know how happy I am." "Yes," Bitui replied thoughtfully, and her eyes couldn't help moving out of the window.That year, when she suddenly heard the news, she was facing exactly the same scene.It's almost exactly the season, and it's the hour.Standing at the living room window, she thought then: Everything about this family was so beautiful that perhaps the Bills would think that what they saw in their travels around Europe was not half as lovely as this home.She also wondered whether Nora's complexion would improve after this period of rest—her physical strength has declined a lot since giving birth to the twin sisters.She hoped she was competent as acting housekeeper, and she was happy to be back in London the next day to live her life.

The youngest twins were asleep and the older ones were upstairs washing up and waiting to welcome their parents home and join them for dinner.Beatrice had promised them that they wouldn't have to go to bed too early tonight.In about half an hour, the car of Bill and his wife will come to the door along the winding path lined with linden trees, and they will return home. At that time, everyone will meet, talk and laugh, hug each other, exchange gifts, Say how happy you are. She didn't know how on earth she'd turned on the radio either. "The flight from Paris to London at two o'clock this afternoon," said the announcer in an emotionless voice, "carrying nine passengers and three crew members, unfortunately crashed after flying off the coast of Kent. No one on board survived." Not one survived, not one. "How well they take care of the children," said Nance. "I've been thinking of them so much lately. Look, Simon is almost twenty-one." "I do miss Bert so much." "Bert?" Nancy seemed to be feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden. "Oh yes, yes, poor Bert." Beicui looked at Nancy a little strangely: "Have you almost forgotten about this child?" "It was a long time ago, after all. And—well, I think people tend to put things out of their minds when they can't bear to think about them. It's sad enough about Bill and Nora. Yes, but it can happen after all--I mean, it's a possible danger in life. But Bert--it's different." She was silent for a while: "I deliberately suppressed myself not to think about him, and now I don't even remember what he looks like. Does he look alike like Simon, like Ruth and Jenny?" "Oh, not that much. They're not identical twins. Just like brothers in general, not particularly alike. It's just weird that they hit it off better than Ruth and Jenny. " "Simon doesn't seem to be bothered much by it anymore. Do you think he remembers it often?" "He must have been thinking about it a lot lately." "That's true. But it's a long way from thirteen to twenty-one. I guess even twin brothers have blurred memories." Beetui had nothing to answer.Would he become a blur in her memory? The good-natured and serious nephew, if he was alive, would be his inheritance next month.She tried her best to search for his small figure in her memory, but now there was only a blur in front of her eyes.Although the child's physical development is not very good, he is still a descendant of the Yashubie family.Of course they look like this family, but they don't have a distinct personality.Now, when she thought of Bert, all she could remember was that he was a kind and serious little boy. Simon has a bold personality, and if it doesn't cause any inconvenience to him, he is quite generous; however, Bert is so kind in his heart that even if he wants everything from him, he will give it. "I'm still not sure," Beetui said faintly, "Is it right for us to bury the little body found on the beach in Keston right there. It was like burying a beggar. " "But, Beatrix, that little corpse's been in the water for months, hasn't it? They specialize in salvaging and burying floating corpses floating in the Atlantic Ocean—I mean, they are relatively close to the shore. Let’s find out later—” Nansi’s anxious voice stopped abruptly. "It's not necessary. I'm a little out of sorts today. Forget it. Have some more coffee." As she poured her coffee, Beatrice secretly decided that after Nance left, she would open the private drawer of her desk and burn the note Bert had left behind.It was sad to have kept this note all these years, even though she hadn't read it for years.She never had the heart to tear up the note, because she always felt it was a part of Bert.But it's not right to think so.The desperation in Bert's heart when he wrote "I'm sorry, but I can't take it anymore. Don't be mad at me" should be more a part of Bert than the note.She decided that she must take it out and burn it.Of course, even if she burned it, she still couldn't forget the child, but she didn't know what else to do.The round schoolchildren's font on the note is always there.This is Bert's round handwriting carefully written with his everlasting fountain pen. Bert is like this, cut off his own life, but also did not forget to apologize to others. Looking at her friend's pensive face, Nance thought about how to comfort her properly: "I heard that, you know, when a person jumps from a very high place, he loses consciousness almost instantly." "But Nance, I don't think he jumped off the cliff." "Really?!" Nansi's voice was horrified. "But how did the note be there? I mean, how did they find the coat with the note on the cliff?" "That's right. But he didn't jump, he walked down the path that led to the sea, and went straight into the sea." "Then you want to—" "I think he wandered." "You mean he swam until he couldn't come back?" "Yes. Once, when Bill and Nora went on vacation, I came to look after the children, and we went to the beach a few times to swim and have picnics. Once, when we went there again, Bert told me, The best way to die—I remember him saying his favorite way to die—is to keep swimming until you can't swim anymore. Of course, he said it in a big way at the time.But I just think that's his theory.I told him that, after all, drowning was terrible.He said: 'But at that time, you were too tired and tired, and you didn't care about anything. You just let the water swallow you up. 'The kid really likes water. " After a moment of silence, Bicui slowly told the story that she had felt so terrible like a nightmare for so many years. "I've been wondering if he regretted it later, but he can't swim back anymore." "Oh, Beatrix, don't think so!" Beetui squinted at Nancy's pretty, protesting face again. "Seriously, today's not right. I know. Please forgive me for saying that." "Now, I really don't know how I can forget," said Nansi, puzzled. "The biggest disadvantage of pushing a terrible memory into the subconscious is that when it pops up, it is still alive in front of you, like As real as it was in the crisper. You didn't let time wear those memories away." "I think a lot of people don't remember that Simon ever had a twin brother," Beatrice said knowingly, "or that he wasn't always the heir. I haven't been told since I started preparing for the bar mitzvah." Mention Bert." "How could Bert be so upset about the death of his parents?" "Neither did I. Nobody would. Of course, the kids were just as devastated when it first happened, but Bert was more overwhelmed than unconsolably sad. Remember Once he asked me: 'You mean: I've got the whole Letchett business now?' It seemed overwhelming to him. I remember Simon getting impatient with his reaction. Simon was more dexterous than he was.I thought the responsibility was a little too big, too strange for Bert.The sudden loss of his parents, and the weight of the entire Reichett family business, were too much for the boy to bear.He was so overwhelmed with such a sudden responsibility that he found his own way—" "Poor Bert. Poor boy. I shouldn't have forgotten him." "Let's go. Let's pick up the eggs. Don't forget to help me find Ali's address. All the Ridinghams should have received invitation cards. " "I won't forget. I'll look for it when I get home and call you. Will the kids answer the phone?" "Will do." "Well, I've got to tell the truth. You know Ali's name on the stage is Ali Lodin, right?" Nansi rolled up the basket from the dining table: "I don't know if he will come. He hasn't been back to Carlisle for a long time. He is not used to living in the country. But the coming-of-age ceremony of the Asybe family , maybe he's still interested."